Page 13 of Under His Protection
Jasmine picks up my backpack. “Good grief, girl! Is this thing heavy enough?”
I laugh. “It’s just my tablet, my history textbook, and my chemistry books.”
“Are you sure that’s all? This thing weighs a ton.”
The door to our lecture hall opens, and the students who were in there before us stream out into the hallway. We have to wait a few minutes before the way is clear for us to enter.
Our history class is held in another one of those huge lecture halls. Jasmine leads the way down the center aisle to a row about halfway down the room. She takes the third seat from the aisle and motions for me to sit next to her. Layla takes the aisle seat.
Jasmine leans over to me and whispers, “Layla sits in the aisle seat in case she needs to leave early and so Jason can see her easily.”
I glance back to see Jason sitting in the back row aisle seat with a direct line of sight to Layla. He’s doing a good job looking inconspicuous. Dressed in blue jeans, sneakers, and a university hoodie, he could easily pass for a student.
It’s kind of weird having a friend who has her own personal bodyguard, but I guess it’s not surprising since she’s on theForbeslist of the wealthiest adults in the US under the age of thirty. Unfortunately, her wealth makes her a target.
As students begin filling the seats around us, I notice more than a few of them glancing back to stare at Layla. They whisper and point at her.
Layla puts earbuds in her ears and tunes everyone out.
“Why are they staring at her?” I ask Jasmine. “Do they know who she is?”
Jasmine nods. “She’s kind of hard to miss.”
That’s true. Layla has striking good looks, with her silky jet black hair, sun-kissed light brown skin, and dark, dark eyes lined with kohl. I’ve heard she gets a lot of snide comments and dirty looks from other students. She also gets hit on all the time. They’re interested in her either for her money or for her looks. I’m sure it irritates Jason to no end.
When Professor Patterson walks in, Layla gets a small digital recorder out of her backpack and turns it on.
Jasmine leans close again. “Layla records the lectures in case she has to leave early, or in case she has an episode and can’t pay attention.”
Even now, she still has her earbuds in her ears. I know she listens to music to block out the mean girl voices in her head. I wonder if she’s hearing them right now.
The professor talks for a while, shows us some slides, and plays a short film. I take notes on my tablet. Jasmine does the same on hers. Layla just sits there with her earbuds in.
When class is over, we file out of the auditorium.
Jason is waiting for us just outside the set of double doors. “How was it?” he asks.
“Riveting,” Jasmine says as she rolls her eyes.
Jason reaches for Layla’s hand. “Doing okay?”
She pulls out her earbuds. “Better now. How about some lunch?”
We planned our schedules so we’d have an hour break after our history class. This way, we can have lunch together. The four of us head over to the cafeteria. We grab our food and find a table. Jason sits at a nearby table.
“He’s not joining us?” I ask.
Jasmine shakes her head. “No, he’s being a gentleman and giving us some alone time.”
“He tries not to hover all the time,” Layla says. “It’s sweet.”
The three of us eat, talk, and laugh.
Twice, random guys stop by our table and try to chat us up, but Jasmine sends them quickly on their way. “Sorry, guys.” She gestures for them to go. “There’s nothing here for you. You’ll move on if you know what’s good for you. If I don’t kick your asses—” she nods at Jason “—he will.”
After lunch, Layla gives me a hug. “We’ll see you again on Wednesday. Same time, same place.”
“Have fun,” Jasmine says to me. “Let us know how it goes.”
