Page 42 of Reign of the Queen
I watch her approach her locker, Raegan in tow, looking subdued. Mia's already rocking a scowl across her face. Someone has already displeased her; for once, it's not me. Rage fills my blood, an irrational desire to destroy whoever has already disturbed her morning filling me.What is wrong with me?
"Carter?" she questions with a raised eyebrow, her scowl marring her beautiful moue.
"Good morning, beautiful." I casually lean against her locker and smile, feigning a calmness and cockiness that I'm not currently feeling. The strong desire to cup my nuts in case she grabs for them is there, but I force myself to remain aloof. I can't show her any weakness. She’s an alpha wolf watching for weaker prey.
"Two fucking days in a row at my locker. Something you need?" She motions for me to move with the tilt of her head.
"Need? No beautiful, I just came to walk you to first period." I respond calmly, although my palms are now sweaty. I shove them in my pants pockets to disguise my reaction. I'm not used to having to do the chasing. Usually, girls come to me willingly. This situation is messed up and uncomfortable, especially knowing her perplexity for violence first, asking questions later.
"I see." Mia moves to open her locker and gives Raegan a glance over her shoulder. Raegan looks even more defeated at the scrutiny from Mia, her shoulders seeming to curb in on her body. I narrow my eyes and watch both of their body language; something is not quite right here.
I feel bad about having to use Raegan against Mia, she doesn't deserve it, and we have nothing against her personally. But there was no other choice. The info on her sister alone wasn't enough of a threat to bend Mia to our will, we knew it, too, but we were out of time. We had to use Raegan's shitty-ass father against her.
I spy a pink rose sitting on top of her waiting books when she opens her locker.What the hell? Who left that there for her?
Mia picks up the pink bloom and brings it to her nose, taking a deep inhale, and then I watch as she crushes it in her fist and all the petals fall down to the ground at her feet. She throws the stem back into her locker and grabs her books. She stands there staring at me, lips pursed like she tastes something sour and a look of pure malice crossing her features.
"Shall we go then?" she asks, already starting to walk off in the direction of her first class.
"Um, yeah?" I question, confused that she's allowing this to go down. I reach for her books and take them from her, careful in my movements in case I provoke the vicious lioness lying in wait.
Raegan follows behind us like a lost puppy and then heads off to her first-period class without a word. I can't tell if Mia is mad at her or what the hell is going on. Once I reach her class, Theo and Mateo are already sitting inside; I see them through the open doorway. I nod to them and move to pass Mia her books. I hold on to her hand for a brief moment, using my thumb to caress the inside of her wrist.
She takes a small, shallow breath, staring at my lips, before she forcefully yanks the books from my grasp, turns on her heels, and heads into the classroom, never looking back and studiously ignoring Mateo and Theo at the desks on either side of her.
Hmm, so maybe there is potential there?Perhaps I will try Finn's way and see if there is any hope. She's not as immune to me as she makes out. I must remember to tread lightly and not at my usual callous speed.
What's the worst that can happen? She kicks me in the nuts?
* * *
I'm waiting after third period at Mia's locker to escort her to lunch after having waited outside first to take her to second, then doing the same after second to bring her to third. It's tedious rushing from one class to another to catch her and then escort her, usually in the opposite direction of where I need to be, but she's worth the effort, I guess.Is she worth the effort or am I just scared of losing my crown?
I can hear the vultures whispering amongst themselves, commenting on my actions, and waiting for an attack from Mia. Some days I wish I lived anywhere but here. These people are only happy when chaos is happening, especially if it’s happening to someone else.
Mia has yet to comment on my presence, and I haven't tried to touch her again. Not even in biology, where her scent was driving me nuts, and the urge to stroke her bare legs under the desk made me antsy and my cock hard.Progress, I guess?
I watch her walk in my direction, a scowl on her face when she notices I'm waiting for her again against her locker. Everyone around her is hurrying to get out of her way in the hallway but watching us from a distance.Fucking gawkers.
"I'm hungry dick, and I'm starting to get a headache. Let’s stop with the bullshit," she demands as she approaches me, handing me her books so she can open her locker. Raegan is nowhere in sight, which is a bit odd; those two are usually tied at the hip.
"What bullshit, babe?" I question with a straight face, studiously trying to avoid provoking her.
"Seriously?" She peeks her head from around her locker door. "This...this bullshit." She motions to her locker and the books I'm currently holding.
"What, I can't be nice to my girl?" I question with a smirk.
"Your what?" A screech lets out behind me. I turn to look for who it came from, and there's Melinda, fists clenched and rapidly on the way to a meltdown if her blotched creamy complexing is anything to go by.Ah hell, here we go.
"Meli." I try to motion with my hand for her to calm down, the other hand currently holding Mia's books, damn.
"What did you call her? Did you fucking call her your girl, Carter Pemberton? After everything that she has done?" Meli's voice is just getting louder. Everyone that was walking in the hallways has entirely stopped to watch the show we are putting on free of charge. I'd be surprised if someone doesn't show up with damn popcorn.
Mia reaches over, takes the books from my hands, and throws them into her locker, closing the door and leaning against it with a look of pure enjoyment as she watches Melinda go from zero to insane at me.
"Meli...um yeah, Mia is my girl. So, like, you can't be talking shit to her like that, understand." I grab Melinda's wrist and pull her against the lockers, trying to calm her down and get her to stop the spectacle she's putting on.
"Your girl! Your fucking girl! When did this happen? How can this be Carter?" Melinda tries to yank her wrist back from my grasp, but I hold firm, squeezing the delicate bone until I see a wince cross her features.
