Chapter 73 THE DREADED STAGE.
SLOANE'S POINT OF VIEW.
My eyes widen at the sight of chaos in the school’s parking lot as Lucien’s car pulls up. The frenzy of reporters with their flashing cameras, their mixed, rushed voices, as they fell over their words, and the way their cameras captured everything in the school.
The world suddenly became too small, as my chest constricted again, and my breathing became too heavy. I clenched my palms into fists and bit my lower lip, as tension racked my body whole. The sight of the judges being interviewed made me swallow, as I watched the press do their job.
It might have been a daily routine to them, but all I could hear was the harsh thomp of my heart as I stared at them.
I swallowed the saliva in my mouth as I clutched the car’s handle tightly. My nerves spiked again, my earlier bravado from Lucien’s pep talk disappeared into thin air, as the familiar chill ran up my spine.
Before I could even think about anything else, a reporter pointed at Lucien’s car, making the rest of them stop what they were doing and focus on it. All of a sudden, they swarmed the car in droves, their cameras sticking out as they rushed to the car. I suddenly felt smaller and tried to bury myself in the seat.
But I couldn’t hide, not even as Lucien locked the doors immediately and fixed them with a harsh stare.
“What the fuck is wrong with these people?” He said, grabbing my hand, as he pulled his phone out with his other hand. He punched in a number, and next thing I knew, he was spitting out orders to whoever was on the other end.
“I don’t think I have to fucking teach you to put these people in order.” His jaw was tight as he spoke harshly. “If they’re not cleared away in the next five to ten minutes, this debate will not hold. At least for as long as I’m a fucking Ravenscroft. Do I have to call my grandmother, or will you fucking get to work?”
He hung up before anything else and pulled me closer to him.
Next thing I know, he pulls me from my seat and over the console, placing me in his lap, and holding me close. “It’s gonna be okay, baby.” He whispers in my ears, breathing my scent in as he rubs my body.
With a contented sigh, I close my eyes, relishing in his warmth, as my heart rate slows to a normal beat. I try to imagine this day going well, and not becoming the disaster I feared it would become.
“Feeling better?” He asks, breaking my chain of thoughts.
I hum in response, wrapping my arms around him tighter, so I don’t escape his comforting warmth.
“It’s gonna be okay.” He repeats, and for some reason, even though my mind screams at me that it will be the complete opposite, I smile in reassurance.
“You want to sleep, don’t you?” He asked, jolting me.
“Yeah,” I respond, smiling sheepishly as I look up at him. He returns it with a genuine smile, caressing my face softly, and says, “Go ahead, baby.”
“No, the debate should start in a few minutes. I should be inside.”
“No, go to sleep. They’ll be here waiting for you regardless of how long it takes before you awake.”
He responds, and before I could say anything else, my exhaustion catches up with me, pulling me into a deep sleep.
After some time, I rouse from my slumber to see that we’re still in the car, and Lucien’s arms haven’t once left me.
“Lucien! OMG, I need to get inside immediately.” I scream, frantically pulling away from him as the thought of disappointing everyone settles in my mind.
He chuckles instead, pulling me closer, and says, “You were out for thirty minutes, sunshine. Don’t worry. They’re not starting until the next two hours, so you can have enough time to rehearse.”
“Oh.” I heave a sigh of relief, resting against him, as he wraps his arms around me again.
“You ready?”
“Yeah. I needed that nap.”
“I know, baby. Now, you’re gonna go crush it.”
We got out of the car a few minutes later, but before we could even get far, the reporters rushed towards us with their cameras and microphones.
“Sloane Bishops, it is said that you’ll be the one representing your school today. How confident are you about winning this national competition today?” One of them asks.
Lucien squeezes my palm softly, and all of a sudden, it’s as though my strength returns to me, so I answer. “Great, and confident, to be honest. I’m sure with everyone’s support, I can get this done and make the school proud.”
“You’re a scholarship student, and it’s rumored that you and the heir to the Ravenscroft wealth are in a romantic relationship.” One man asks, and all of a sudden, the feeling of dread returns. “How sure are you that you are not with him for his wealth and power. Especially since you do not come from wealth yourself?”
“I think we should focus on the reason we’re here today. And it is to see my wonderful girlfriend be the best at what she does. So, how about we keep the questions related to that?”
“Well, you must be the infamous Lucien Ravenscroft. How do you feel about dating a girl like Sloane? Unfortunate, yeah?” He asks, with a weird smirk on his lips.
Lucien turns to him sharply, his eyes lighting up with anger. But before he can lash out at the guy, I squeeze his hand in warning. I don’t know how the cameras would make that seem, especially for something internationally viewed.
At my signal, Lucien smiles and clicks a finger. Next thing I know, the reporter is lifted by a hefty man and carried off the property.
“Anyone else wanna ask ridiculous questions?”
It’s dead fucking silent, as they all stare at each other uncomfortably. “That’s what I thought,” Lucien says, his voice booming. “We‘re here for a debate, let’s keep it about that. This isn’t a celebrity award show, so there’s no need for stupid questions.”
With that, he pulls me away from there, walking me into school and out of reach from the reporters.
My heart rate spikes again, and the need to be alone for some air has me pulling away from Lucien. “I need to use the bathroom.”
I don’t wait for him to respond before taking off in that direction.
Pushing the door open, I rush into the bathroom and fall to my knees immediately.
“It’s gonna be okay, Sloane.” I wheezed, trying to calm myself down. “You’re gonna win. You always win things like this…so it’s okay.”
“Oh look, it’s pathetic little Sloane.” Roxanne’s voice calls from behind me, steeling my spine and forcing me up.
“What do you want, Roxanne?” I asked, staring at her through the mirror.
“To make sure you never win.” Before I could say anything else, I felt a harsh swing, and then;
Pain.
It registered on the back of my head, forcing me to my knees, as I felt the slow trickle of blood down my neck.
“Let’s see you shine now, scholarship trash.”
All I could hear was the lock of the bathroom door, before the darkness filled my vision.