: Chapter 42

Stone’s arm rested on the back of my chair and every minute his hand moved up and brushed my neck. A small movement that might not have looked like much, but it was enough to send my heart racing. It was enough to make me think of things that were not deemed appropriate for in the school building.

From the other side of the table, Lana grinned at us.

During period one, two and a bit of four, she had me explain what had happened after my revelation at the mall. Once I had finished telling her everything except the intimate details, she hit me with a load of I-told-you-so’s and a few more comment about my obliviousness.

Despite that, the blonde helpless romantic squealed ‘So are you two finally officially together?’

The giant answered for me and spoke one strong syllable ‘Yes.’

It was unusual to see Brennan quiet. He had not said more than five words since the start of lunch. All he did was look around the lunchroom for something or someone.

The relationship between Lana and Brennan was not doing so well. I had asked Lana about it a dozen times, but she just changed the subject.

Brennan seemed to shake off what he was thinking because he gained back his smile as he turned to my best friend and said, “It looks like I owe you ten dollars, Lovely Lana.’

Lana did not meet his eye, but she did reply ‘Yeah. It does.’

Pointing at them accusingly, I questioned a with sharp tone ‘Did you have a bet about when Stone and I would get together?’

‘Of course, we did.’ Brennan responded with a smirk ‘Lana was the closest with two months. I said three weeks and I was so sure of it. I lost thanks to you, Ella.’

‘I know my best friend and her stubbornness.’ She explained with a smile.

I sent a glare their way before turning to Stone and asking, ‘Can you believe they had a bet about us?’

He stayed quiet with a small smile on his lips and no trace of surprise about what had just been said.

‘You do not look shocked.’ I voiced before going on to put my hands on my hips and asserting ‘Why are you not shocked about this?’

Stone leaned closer until he was grazing my ear with his mouth. He did not seem to care that we had company or that we were in a public place.

I was frozen still at the contact and as much as I wanted to move my head to the side and see his face, I did not. I wanted to hear what he had to say.

‘I lost the bet.’ He said with no elaboration as he nibbled my earlobe softly.

At his words, I turned my head and raised my brow ‘You were involved in this little bet too?’

‘A week is what I had my money on.’ Stone answered before adding ‘That is what I hoped for anyway, but my girl happens to be very strong willed.’

My face began to heat up as I was lost for words. I blinked while I was still trying to process what he was telling me.

‘Ha-Ha. You lost.’ I retorted tauntingly while smiling up at him ‘Maybe you just need to work on your flirting.’

His arm that was around the chair moved to around my waist and it was pulling me closer towards him. So close that I was practically on his lap. He was getting his revenge because he put his veiny hand on my leg and started to draw circles on the inside of my thigh.

My ear was back in the grasp of his teeth as he quietly and gruffly disclosed ‘I never really lost. I got you.’

‘Yeah.’ I released breathily ‘You did.’

I hated public affection. I used to feel sick while watching couples snogging in the corridor. I currently wanted to jump the giant’s bones and it left me feeling like a hypocrite.

Brennan tutted from the other side of the lunch table ‘If I thought you two had it bad for each other before then it is worse now. The flirting is now even hotter.’

‘I never flirted with him at the start.’ I tried to argue.

‘Really?’ Brennan said, unconvinced ‘It was not the traditional way of flirting, but it was flirting all right. Freaky hate flirting. It is like you both speak a secret language only you two know. All nerd-talk that nobody else gets.’

Embarrassed at the conversation, I let out a small giggle while paying an unnatural amount of attention to the noodles on my plate. Stone chuckled at my mortified state.

I jabbed him in the ribs by that only resulted in him touching a part of my leg that he knew was ticklish.

When I finally remembered that he and I were not the only two people in the world, I looked up and found Lana with a puzzled expression on her face.

She asked with a gleam of inquisitive in her blue eyes ‘What does your dad think about you two?’

‘Also due to Stone’s bedroom never being occupied anymore, I can only guess he stays at yours.’ Brennan added in a mischievous tone ‘What does your father think about that?’

I grew tense in my seat. The hand on my lap squeezed in response, probably in encouragement to finally tell Lana the truth.

It was the perfect opportunity to come clean and tell her about my dad, but I did not.

Keeping full eye contact with her so she did not suspect that I was lying through my teeth, I crossed my arms that leant on the table and explained ‘My dad knows about Stone. He just does not know that he stays over. Lurch climbs up to my room. He is like a spider monkey.’

Lana and Brennan could not contain their amusement.

‘Actually, he is more like a giraffe.’ I corrected before explaining ‘I live one storey up so his head is pretty much poking through on the ground already.’

After my funny and obscure rant of an explanation, Stone did not laugh. He appeared worried as he watched me.

The other two looked convinced and went back to having a conversation with each other. Their talk did not last long as Lana only nodded as he spoke.

Lana stood abruptly up from the table and announced ‘I am actually going to go and practise in the music room for a while. I have an assignment and I really need it to be perfect.’

Suspecting that it was not just about music, I smiled up at her while already pulling myself away from Stone’s embrace “Do you want me to come with you?’

Her hair swished as she violently shook her head ‘I do need to practise. You just distract me by finding a drum or even a triangle to make noise with.’

I let out a small laugh ‘That is how I show my support.’

She waved and laughed before walking away. Her reply did seem genuine when she hinted that she wanted to be alone. Maybe it was a music assignment that occupied her mind. If it was that or something else, then I hoped she was okay.

Once she had left, Brennan shook his head before smirking towards Stone ‘Mom is asking that you come visit tomorrow night. She has not seen you for a week. Plus, she is desperate to hear the latest about Ella.’

Feeling unbelievable guilty that I was the one stealing him away from his family, I glared at Stone and told him ‘You are going. I can’t believe you have not been home. Mrs Lewis must hate me.’

‘She loves you, Ella.’ Brennan scoffed before explaining ‘Mom knows why Stone has been preoccupied. She says that she wants to borrow him from you for a night.’

I turned to the guy next to me and repeated ‘You are going.’

Stone interjected, ‘But I told you that I would take you out tomorrow night.’

‘I do not care. You will go back to your house or…’ I stopped and thought of a threat that would work ‘Or I will not kiss you for a week.’

His eyes darkened as he challenged me to even try to stop him from kissing me.

He let out a smile grumble before he surrendered to my bargaining chip and asked Brennan ‘What time?’

I grinned at Stone as Brennan laughed while he typed on his phone.

Once Brennan had finished texting, he smiled at the two of us ‘Now I know where to go if I need something from Stone.’

‘Little minx.’ The giant commented from beside me and then lowered his hoarse voice ‘You are coming with me.’

Brennan butted in ‘Of course she is coming. I think mom wants to see your roommate more than she wants to see you.’

The hand on my leg started rising teasingly as Brennan continued talking about the difficulties of life without Stone in the house like how he had more chores.

I could not focus on any details of what was is saying.

When I started to feel a sigh about to escape from within me, I pulled back and thought of anything that I could to make myself less flustered.

‘I need to go to my locker to switch some books for my gym clothes. Also, I need to grab the massive list that I wrote for Coach Carson.’ I voiced in the form of a groan ‘He is failing me for gym class so I have written him a mini essay on why he should let me pass.’

‘No wonder you are failing.’ Brennan replied ‘You sit and do nothing all periods ‘I do not have enough speed or stamina.’ I complained.

It was when Brennan went back to eating his lunch that Stone looked over at me with a suggestive smirk.

He mouthed ‘Liar.’

Standing up to go, I leaned over his shoulder and whispered sweetly ‘I am going to kill you, Lurch.’

Stone turned his head and made it so I was inches from his face. The hot air from his mouth hit my bottom lip as I licked my lips. His black eyes darkened once again as he focused on my mouth.

I found it difficult to not bring his lips to mine and climb on top of him. Cafeteria be damned.

He shook his head with a smile. Not a smug one but one of content as he spoke ‘I do not think you will, Medusa.’

‘Why is that?’ I returned.

‘Because you love me.’

Covering my mouth to try and wipe off my grin, I glared at him before I turned to leave ‘I can love the memory of you after I have got rid of you.’

‘Not possible.’ He rasped darkly.

The halls were empty. Just an endless stretch of mustard-coloured lockers as I passed them. A few of the plain lockers were decorated with posters for The Fall Ball.

One of them in particular stood out as Chase’s. A sticker with the logo of his football team was on the top of his one.

The quarterback leaned against the door of his locker. A few of his friends were there too. About four of them were play fighting with one of the guys in a headlock.

I was a few lockers away from his, so he noticed when I opened my locker to exchange my chemistry books for a change of clothes. I tried to keep my attention on the back of the locker as he approached.

The next conversation was one that I had been dreading all day. I was never really in a relationship with Chase, but I thought out of decency that I should tell him about Stone.

Chase had been of the first people I had confided in about my parents. He had also opened up to me and shared his story about his broken home. As little as a bond we had, it was still a bond.

He rested his arm on the locker next to mine as he greeted me ‘Gym, huh? I bet you are excited for that.’

I let out a nervous laugh ‘You know me. I just love exercising.’

‘Is that why you are not going to the dance?’ He joked while chuckling ‘You are just too lazy.’

‘Actually…I am going.’

All amusement drained from his face. He tensed and frowned.

‘So, you are going with him then?’ He spat.

‘No.’ I answered truthfully ‘I am going with Lana.’

He laughed but it was void of amusement and sounded more mocking ‘But you are with him now?’

‘Yes.’

It went quiet between us until one of his friends standing in the place he was before, called over ‘Shocker! We all knew it was going to happen!’

The holler reminded Chase that he had a small audience and that is why he sneered and spoke again in a bitter tone “He only wants you for one thing.’

I questioned, ‘And what is that?’

‘I am going to be honest with you because he will not be.’ Chase tutted ‘You are hot, and you have daddy issues. The only two things that matter to him.’

‘Daddy issues?’ I repeated with the same amount of malice he had in his voice ‘Are you serious?’

‘He is going to fuck you and then he is going to ditch you.’ He moved in closer while continuing his angry rant.

‘Excuse me?’

‘Then where does that leave you?’ Chase asked before answering ‘Poor little Ella Miller, heartbroken.’

I opened my mouth and then closed it again before I raised my tone ‘What the hell!’

‘Whatever. I do not care.’ He shook his head while chuckling ‘You will probably end up just like your mom anyway.’

As much as I wanted to slap that stupid grin off his face, I remained cool and emotionless because I knew that would annoy him.

It did. He had insulted me for the theatrics and the reaction, and I was not going to entertain him.

He continued ‘I can understand why your dad runs a mile every time he sees you.’

At the mention of my father, my bottom lip felt as if it was trembling and all I could see was red. He had brought back thoughts that I had tried to press down.

I took a step closer subconsciously and I was up in his face while insulting him “My dad is a drunk. He is under the influence of alcohol. What is your excuse for your parents hating your existence?’

Chase said nothing.

I continued ‘Even in their right mind, your mommy and daddy will not come home to you.’

A chorus of oh’s and ah’s come from behind him, and I suddenly felt a small, twisted feeling of pride.

I was about to walk off and claim my victory when he grabbed my arm. Tightly, he held my wrist and pulled me back to him and I almost cried out in pain.

I did not back down from his glare. I could not see my arm, but I knew it was probably red at the strength he was putting on it.

Chase smirked down at me, and it made me want to punch his teeth out.

‘Do you know where he goes at nights, Medusa?’ He asked, his tone turning lighter.

‘Do not call me that.’ I bit out.

He noticed that I had avoided the question because he leant closer ‘You are a game to him. You were hard to get. Now that he has you, he will not want you anymore.’

I froze and listened to him.

‘Where did you think he goes at nights?’ Chase asked, ‘He is away getting with every other girl stupid enough like you to fall for him.’

After a few breaths and fighting the urge to hit his head off the lockers, I exhaled ‘Fuck you.’

‘Do not come running back to me when you find out.’ He spat.

A few boys were laughing from behind us. I did not really care. All I wanted was to get out of there. Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I swivels around and watched my feet as I walked away.

Then I heard a bang.

Chase was against the lockers and Brennan had him by the collar.

Brennan looked furious. As furious as I had ever seen him.

I knew then that Brennan was not just the easy-going guy as I thought. He had a hidden anger like an underwater predatory animal hiding in the depths of the ocean.

I reached for his arm and tried to calm down ‘Just leave him.’

I was so determined to get out of there without reacting that I sent Brennan another pleading look before he finally gave in, and we walked away.

The science block stairs came into view as we sauntered away. I dropped down on the steps and let out an agitated moan Brennan sat down next to me and put his arm on my shoulder ‘Ella, are you okay?’

I nodded my head and then laugh humourlessly ‘How much of that did you hear?’

‘All of it.’ He admitted ‘I was heading to the bathroom and seen you at your locker. I was about to come up to you, but that asshole beat me to it.’

‘He makes jokes to show off all the time, but they are usually harmless.’ I said to him ‘I am just humiliated that it is out there now about my dad—’

‘Chase is an ass. That is it. None of that was your fault.’ He reassured before apologising ‘I never would have mentioned your dad back at the table if I knew.’

Turning on the stair, I pleaded ‘Please do not tell Lana.’

‘Why have you not told her?’

Rubbing my arm discreetly which felt like it still had pressure on it from Chase’s grip, I let out a small chuckle at his expression as I pointed to it ‘So she does not look at me like you are right now.’

‘Like what?’

‘Like I am some puppy that has been kicked.’ I replied with a small smile ‘I do not need sympathy and I do not want to worry her.’

The surfer spoke while glancing down at my reddened arm ‘You need to tell Stone about what Chase said.’

‘What good would that do?’

Brennan let his jaw drop like it was an obvious solution ‘He can kick the living shit out of him.’

I did not have any intention of telling Stone. I hated what Chase had said but I did not want him to be six-foot underground.

The only thing going through my head was Chase’s words. Over and over again.

A soft but stern voice broke my train of thought as Brennan spoke again ‘Don’t you dare even think that anything Chase said was true. Stone would never look at anyone else.’

Nothing left my lips in reply.

‘There was nobody before you and there will be nobody after you.’ Brennan said as if it was the undeniable truth ‘You are it for him. All he sees is you. You are the most important thing to him in the whole world. If not the only.’

Chase words disappear from my mind, and they seemed so irrelevant and insignificant compared to what Brennan had said.

I was digesting every word he had said but my expression must not have changed because Brennan kept speaking.

‘I love my brother, but he is one moody fucker. He never showed any feeling to anything at all.’ He retold with a grin ‘Then you walked into the ice cream parlour that night at the pier and his breath hitched as soon as he seen you. You opened your mouth and spoke all of your nerdy stuff and I think that his heart skilled a beat. It was like he was cast under some sort of spell.’

I was lost for words.

‘Ever since that night, he laughs, he jokes, and he is happy.’ Brennan continued ‘That is all because of you.’

My breath hitched and I had no idea what to say because there were no words. It only could have felt better if it was Stone telling me the words.

‘Should you really be telling me this?’ I questioned.

‘No.’ He muttered to himself as he looked at the floor ‘But at least I am not telling you about the Addams Family thing.’

‘Oh, I already know about that.’

His head snapped up ‘What? I did not think that he would tell you.’

‘He didn’t.’ I replied, ‘Mrs Lewis did.’

‘I told her not to tell anyone.’ Brennan chuckled but it sounded strained and full of fear ‘Promise me you will protect my face when Stone comes to pummel it.’

I could not help but admire their relationship. They really were brothers in every way that mattered.

‘You two are so cute’ I mentioned.

‘You are insulting our masculinity, Little Ella.’ He joked before adding seriously ‘You need to tell Stone.’

‘It does not matter.’ I argued.

‘Yes. It does.’ He affirmed ‘What is done is done.’ I sighed.

Brennan noticed my dishearten behaviour and wrapped his arms around me before pulling my body into his embrace as he spoke ‘You need a Brennan-hug.’

Deep determined footsteps were heard from behind me.

Stone was standing in front of us like some avenging fallen angel. He towered over my sitting stance, casting a shadow.

‘Give her to me.’ Stone growled.

I pulled away and rolled my eyes at his terminator stance.

The dark gaze flicked over my face determinedly. Then his expression contorted to an alarmed expression.

I blinked and he had moved in front of me. He kneeled beside me so he could cup my face in his large hands.

I thought that I was good at hiding what I was thinking. Even when I was upset. Turned out that I was not.

At least not with the person who knew me most.

‘What is wrong? What happened to you?’ He tried to ask softly but it came out as pressing and darkly impatient.

‘Nothing.’ I gave him my best attempt at a smile ‘I am fine.’

His tone was rough and commanding as he spoke my name ‘Ella.’

It both made my heart soar and annoyed me how he seemed to know my thoughts better than myself.

When I just kept staring into his eyes and not saying anything, he scanned up and down my body until his attention lingered on my arm for longer.

I looked down at where he was frowning at. There was no explanation needed, the redness and the faint marks of a hand mark spoke for itself.

‘I am fine’ I tried to reassure again.

At this point, Stone was shaking with anger as he gnarled at Brennan ‘What happened?’

‘Well—’ The surfer began.

Stone cut him off as he snarled in a dark and threatening tone ‘Who do I need to kill?’

I shot Brennan a pleading look.

He ignored me as he told Stone ‘Chase said some stuff to Ella and—’

That was all the giant needed to hear because he took his hands from my face and clenched them into fists.

If he was angry before then he was outraged now. It was the most wrathful I had seen him. His dark pupils darkened further, his jaw clenched, and his nostrils flared.

Before I could even comprehend his intentions, he was already storming down the halls away from us. Away from me.

I sent Brennan a look of concern before I rushed down the hallway after the large figure while shouting ‘What are you doing?’

Chase and his friends were still standing in the same place they were before. Like sitting ducks.

Stone took large steps towards the quarterback like he was on a warpath and as graceful as a cobra without warning, he grabbed Chase by the T-shirt and threw him against a locker.

The sound of his back hitting the metal travelled through the halls and made me wince. What also had me concerned was the fact that four lockers had been dented from the impact.

I was shouting and so were some other people, but Stone did not care. The boys that were standing with Chase just watched as they appeared too scared to say anything.

None of them dared to cross the path of Stone.

‘You fucking touched her?’ Stone bellowed into the footballer’s face, the tendons in his neck so tight that they looked like they were going to snap.

Chase laughed.

I had never compared the two males before. Chase, I had always considered tall but now he seemed to cower in front of the mountain who had a hold of him. Chase was well built but that was nothing compared to Stone’s build that was over three hundred pounds of muscle.

There was not a second thought about who would win between them. I could not name one person that I thought would have the courage to take on the man built like a gorilla.

Stone had Chase off the floor and in his grip while he lowly sneered at him under his breath. The grumbling threats of Stone were too low to be heard.

The quarterback’s eyes widened in fear.

Then Chase grew some sort of courage because he retorted loudly to Stone ‘What are you going to do when she finds you out? What are you going to do when you lose her?’

Stone reacted instantly to the words. He let out a growl as he wrapped his skull-tattooed hand around his neck and squeezed.

Chase quickly turned blue as Stone continued cutting off his oxygen supply.

I blinked a few times before I quickly unfroze from my stunned place.

I reached up and placed my hand on the flexed forearm that was holding the blonde guy’s neck.

The contact did not stop Stone glaring at the guy pressed up against the locker with all the hate and terror in the world.

I applied more pressure to the bulky arm and tried shaking him, my gaze flicking between Stone and a very blue Chase.

Stone did not move an inch. It was like he could not hear me, and he had entered a fit of rage that nobody could break.

Everyone could feel the anger pulsate through the room, but nobody intervened.

‘Stone.’ I tried to sound calm but stern despite my panic ‘He has had enough.’

A realisation hit me that made my voice come out panicked as I called his name.

Stone could murder someone with a flick of his wrist.

The giant relaxed when he heard my voice. The taut tendons and the bulging veins in his arms faded away under my touch.

What Chase said was horrible and wrong, but I did not want him to get seriously hurt.

He was still the Chase that was the person most there for me when my mother died. He was still the Chase who let me sleep over in his guest room when I felt too lonely or too scared to go home. He was still the Chase who helped during a dark time.

The quarterback fell to the floor with a thud as Stone let go of his neck and turned to me.

The hardness in his rough face and dark eyes disappeared as he looked down at me. His expression went soft and loving like he was not just strangling someone a second ago.

Before Chase could run away, Stone barked in his direction ‘If you ever touch her or talk to her again then I will fucking gut you.’

The blonde jock nodded.

Once he and his buddies walked a few metres away, Chase started laughing mockingly like he was wanting a rise from him.

I felt the tension in Stone’s arm muscles and watched as the veins bulged. That is why I grabbed hold of his hand to stop him.

‘Do not do anything.’ I begged, ‘Just let him go.’

Stone gazed down at me and gritted out ‘Why?’

‘It has been dealt with. I did not just stand there and not defend myself.’ I told him before trying to guilt-trip him into calming down ‘Do you not think I can handle myself?’

‘He hurt you.’ He gritted out like it was causing him pain to see my reddened arm.

‘I do not need you to swoop in and save me.’ I gave him a pointed look ‘I love that you care that much but I can take care of myself. Plus, I don’t want you in trouble.’

His harsh facial features relaxed a little as he removed the tension from his fists. He uncurled his hands and rested them on my waist.

‘I know you can stick up for yourself, Medusa.’ He stated before explaining ‘But you should not have to. He fucking hurt you and that is never going to sit well with me.’

I tilted my head at him.

‘I want to hurt him.’ He replied gruffly.

I placed my hands on his chest as I stepped closer ‘Please calm down.’

My marked arm was now visible and that did the very opposite of what I was encouraging. As he saw it and let out a deep rough noise.

His jaw clenched once again, and he closed his eyes ‘I am going to need a better reason not to hunt him down.’

There were a million reasons why I did not want that to happen, but I went for the one line of persuasion that was most likely to work.

‘I do not want you getting kicked out of school for an eighteenth time.’ I spoke while smiling up at him ‘Because believe it or not, I kind of like you here with me, Lurch.’

My smile seemed to do the trick because I could see a ghost of a smile on his lips. The big arms around my waist pulled me closer to his chest as he kissed my head.

A voice that I recognise as Brennan called from next to us ‘I am gonna go now.’

Laughing as Brennan scurries away, I peered up at Stone’s happier face and asked, ‘Are you okay now?’

‘I should not have lost control like that.’ He bit out, his voice depending on determinedness ‘Not with you that close.’

I shook my head and decided to change the topic ‘I once read this article about how to calm yourself when you are mad. To relax you need to list stuff for a few minutes. Nothing elementary like the alphabet but something with loads of different answers. Like name countries or animals.’

His grip on my hips strengthened once again like he was scared that I was going somewhere or that I was going to be stolen away.

He whispered into my hair ‘I could name all the things that I love about you.’

I hummed to myself in content because I could never get enough of hearing those words from his lips.

I smiled wickedly up at him before teasing ‘I said a list for a few minutes. Not one that lasts all day.’

Stone finally relaxed completely, chuckling while kissing my head again ‘You are wrong because my list would last a lifetime.’