Page 46 of Under His Protection
WHY HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING ALL DAY?
I MISS SEEING YOUR FACE.
Below the words, someone drew a broken heart emoji.
Other than going to the bathroom, I don’t leave my room for the rest of the evening.
I’ve never been so freaked out in my life.
* * *
Monday morning, chemistry class is uneventful, and then I’m off to history.
Layla seems in good spirits this morning. After class, we go to the cafeteria to have lunch together, and as usual, Jason sits two tables away from us to give us girl time.
When I tell Layla and Jasmine about Philip rescuing a boy at the beach, they’re shocked.
“Oh, my God!” Layla cries. “He could have died, Haley.”
“I know.” I take a sip of my soft drink. “When Philip dove into the water and took forever to come back up, I had a legit panic attack. And then he towed that poor kid to the beach and gave him CPR,by himself, until others jumped in to assist.”
“And he’s all right?” Jasmine asks. “The kid, I mean. Obviously Philip is all right.”
“As far as we know, yes. He was conscious when the paramedics arrived and checked him over before they tookhim away. Afterward, Philip and I were supposed to eat at a restaurant on the Riverwalk, but I was too shaken up after that awful ordeal, so instead we went back to his apartment to chill.”
Layla grasps my forearm. “Why didn’t you tell us you were in the building? We were home. We could’ve come right over.”
I shake my head. “I was a basket case and not fit for company. We ended up taking a nap, followed by a shower.”
“Ashower?” Layla asks. “As in singular? Just one?”
My expression must give me away, because they both let out a squeal.
“Tell us about the shower,” Jasmine says. “Was it functional or recreational?”
“Well.” I can already feel my face heating up. “It started out as functional, but then it became recreational.”
They’re both pretending to be scandalized, so I don’t give them the details. I certainly don’t tell them I gave Philip a hand job in the shower or that he went down on me afterward. But remembering those events sure puts a smile on my face, which is not lost on my friends.
“I knew it!” Jasmine says. “Spill the tea, girl! Please tell me you used the super gigantic extra-large condoms I saw in your nightstand!”
Laughing, I shake my head. “My lips are sealed.”
Of course, they’re assuming we had sex, when we didn’t. But it wasn’t for lack of trying on my part. I was more than ready to take that step, but Philip wasn’t.
The girls continue teasing me, and I notice Jason has a smile on his face. No doubt he can hear at least part of our conversation.
Talk eventually moves on from whatever shenanigans Philip and I got up to on Saturday to Jasmine’s new certification in Taekwondo to Layla debating what to wear at her wedding.
“We should all go dress shopping,” Jasmine says. “We’ll help you pick something out.”
“Would you?” Layla asks. “I’d really appreciate it. My mom would want to come, too. And maybe my brother, Ian. He has a much better fashion sense than I do. Look at me—I live in jeans and hoodies.”
“No matter what you choose,” I tell her, “you’re going to be the prettiest bride ever.”
A guy walks up to our table and sits down. “You’re Layla Alexander,” he says to Layla. “I’m in your history class. I just wanted to say hi.” He holds out his hand to her. “Name’s Tom Walford.”
Layla stares at his hand but doesn’t make any move to shake it.
