Chapter 11

It’s been about 2 weeks since me and Xavier finally admitted to ourselves that we’re ready for one another and it’s honestly been good. I’ve been going to school everyday, he’s been picking me up and finally, he’s let his guard down for me. But he can switch it up, quick. One moment he’s in the car, telling me how much he loves me, then the next, he’s arguing and cursing with someone for something they said to me, then he’s cold. But that’s only out in public. When he’s alone with me, he’s vulnerable and open, and he keeps his walls down. In front of his parents, he shows them that he loves me, he’s just not as vulnerable. Still has to put on a strong, hard face for his father.

Speaking of fathers, mine’s funeral is this week. I’m honestly glad he’s gone, then again, he’s my father, so there’s a sliver of me that still wants someone to call a father. That’s another time though.

As me and Xavier pull up to the entrance of the university, my hand in his, he lifts my hand to his lips and he kisses it, looking me in my eyes the whole time.

“I love you. Go out there and show ‘em who’s boss, baby.” He says.

“You say that every day.” I say, laughing.

“And every day, you always come back to me with a story to tell. Go on, you’re gonna be late. Go.” He says, gesturing for me to lean in and kiss him.

I lean into the car and I place a kiss on his lips before leaving. “Bye. See you at 4.” I say, closing the car door.

“Bye-bye.” He says, winking at me and wiggling his jewelry filled fingers at me. I walk away, smiling as I meet Charlotte by the front office.

“Every day I see you two, I fall harder in love with you guys. You’re honestly the cutest.” Charlotte says in a whiny tone.

“Save it. Let’s talk about you and Cray!” I say, pushing her arm.

“We’re good. He’s always texting me and telling me about this book he’s reading. It’s honestly adorable, how invested he is in it. In us.” She says, putting her hands over her heart.

“You guys are nerdy and adorable.” I say, laughing.

Speaking of, here he comes. When Charlotte spots him, she smiles a big smile as he walks up to her with a smile.

“Hey babe.” He says, leaning down to kiss her. “What’s up, Foster?” he says, looking over to me.

“ ‘Sup, cornerback.” I say.

Yes, he’s on the football team. Plays the hardest position out there besides the quarterback. No, that’s Dillan Ross.

“Where’s pretty boy?” he asks, biting a piece of an energy bar.

‘Pretty boy’ is what he calls Xavier.

“Work. Duh.” I say with a laugh. None of my friends know what Xavier or I do for a living and I plan on keeping it that way. I just know that someday, I’m gonna have to tell them.

“Alright, we need to get to class. Love you babe.” Charlotte says, kissing him. “Hey!” A loud voice calls out. Dillan Ross himself.

He’s the quarterback, he’s built, tall, muscular, handsome. He’s what all the girls want. All the girls except me. That doesn’t stop him from flirting though.

“Where have you been, Foster?” he says, looking me up and down.

“Eyes to yourself, Ross.” I say, rolling my eyes.

“I love that little attitude of yours.” He says, smiling.

“My boyfriend loves getting rid of it too.” I say.

Me and Xavier haven’t gotten there yet-sex wise. I don’t really know why, we just haven’t let it get that far yet. He’s my boyfriend to everyone except Charlotte. She hasn’t left me alone about it ever since I came back from being expelled. I don’t want to tell people I’m married at 19 and then they start tosay ‘He only did it because she’s carrying his baby.” Or they either start to ask a lot of questions. Don’t get me wrong, I love the thought of being his wife, I just hate confrontation.

“Ooh, she’s hot!” one of his friends say.

“See you after school, beautiful.” He says, leaning over to look me in my eyes as he walks away. I roll my eyes and I give him a fake smile as I turn back to Charlotte.

“I’ll go with them. Bye babe.” Cray says, leaving a quick kiss on her lips before running to Dillan and his other football buddies.

“Okay, let’s go to class now.” Charlotte says, pulling me along.

We go to math class, then writing, then our nursing class, then our Spanish class, then lastly, our psychology class. When I walk outside, I see Xavier sitting in the car. A smile spreads onto my face as I hug Charlotte goodbye, running to the car. When I sit down in the passenger seat, I close the door and I lean over the middle console to kiss him. I sit all the way down in my seat, taking offmy backpack and putting on my seatbelt.

“Ugh, I’ve missed you. Being around Charlotte and Cray all day’s been making me crazy.” I say, relaxing in my seat.

“You’re here now.” He says, smiling and kissing my cheek, pulling off. “So I have something to tell you.” He says, rubbing my thigh softly.

“Okay. What’s up?” I say, lying my head back, looking at him while running my thumb across his fingers on my thigh.

“We’ve recently gotten a call about a situation that needs some attention. About an old enemy.”

“Okay. What about this ‘old enemy’? What does he have to do with us?” I ask.

“Well, for now, you’ll be alright, but with an enemy as dangerous as him on the loose, we can’t risk anything happening to anybody. So I was thinking about any way to guarantee your safety and … one of the ways I came up with is …. Taking you out of school, and yes, I know how much you wanted to go and I really don’t want to keep you from getting this nursing degree that you want, but your life is way more important than anything, including that degree, to me.” He says, looking from me to the road with apologetic eyes.

I look down at our hands, considering the fact that I may have to leave school behind. Something that I’ve worked hard to get into for years. Then again, my life is more important. School is no use to me if I’m dead.

I look back up at him and I sigh.

“Thank you for talking to me ahead of time. I agree that you should take every precaution that you can to keep me and yourself safe .. I just don’t want it to be that easy to strip away.” I say.

He looks over to me, confused. “What do you mean?” he asks.

“I mean, I want to stay in school as long as it’s not a one hundred percent, absolute, positive death or death situation. I understand that either way, it’s a dangerous risk, but if I can, I’m gonna stay in school, no matter what. But only if it’s absolutely, necessarily urgent to take me out.”

He looks at me with a look that says “Baby, I can’t do that. I’m so sorry.”. But instead of saying that, he sighs and says “Okay. I can do that. But as soon as it’s an immediate threat, I’m pulling you out.” He says as I dance in my seat.

“Thank you. You have no idea how happy that makes me.” I say, giving him a big, warm smile.

He smiles back.

“That’s all I ever wanna see. You happy and smiling because of me.” He says, kissing my hand, my fingers interlocked with his.