Chapter 6

After the shock of the confrontation melted I headed back to my class and tried my best to avoid the stares of my friends or I should say, ex-friends. 

It was hard to concentrate when there were more than a couple of eyes that were drilling holes in the back of my head. 

When lunchtime came, the dread in my stomach increased. What would be the new dynamics of the cafeteria and how would I fit in all of that? I cannot sit with Zander and others. 

I don’t think my heart can take that much. 

I took a deep breath and decided that I would go with the flow. 

I took my lunch and tried to find an empty table, but as I was so lucky nowadays, there were none. 

“Bleacher, it is then,” I muttered to myself and as I was about to turn, I was stopped in my tracks by a commanding voice that I am very familiar with. 

“Daph,” Hunter's voice echoed in the canteen and everyone fell silent. 

My eyes widened at this. If he was also going to insult me then the only way I would be able to deal with this situation was by changing school. 

I turned to look at him, and everyone waited for another shoe to drop. 

But he didn’t say anything except gesturing toward the empty seat by his side. 

Hunter Davenport, The captain of our school’s football team. The guy who punched Zander for me, but was I sure to trust him? 

People who I knew from childhood betrayed me and how could I trust him now?

He waited for me to say something but I had nothing. 

“Come along, or I might be tempted to carry you in my arms,” he said again and I snorted at him. 

I shook my head and went toward his table. But I was aware of the eyes that were following me, they were sitting on the adjoining table. 

I also took notice that Hunter was not at his usual table and there might be some rift on the team because of me. 

“You didn’t have to do that. I could have sat on the bleachers.” I said while sitting. 

“I didn’t have to but I wanted to. I don’t want you to sit alone and I don’t want you to feel like a culprit when you didn’t even do anything. People who were wrong are supposed to be punished and not the other way around.” He said while drawing his chair near mine. 

“What if I was the wrong one,” I asked him in a hushed tone. 

He turned his face towards me and looked straight into my eyes. 

“Then I could have found a way to make it alright.”

I gave him a half smile, “I am not a saint, so stop putting me on a pedestal.” 

He chuckled, “Thank god for that.” he then lowered his voice and whispered in my ear. 

“I would have been miserable if you were a saint.” 

My cheeks heated listening to his words, his changed behavior was giving me whiplash. 

**

After school, I noticed a car was waiting for me outside the school. 

“Miss James, Mr. James has called for you.” Mr. Brown said to me while he opened the car’s door for me. 

“A prior warning would have been beneficial for me.” I muttered and I heard a chuckle behind me. 

“Thanks, if you find me amusing Mr. Brown.” 

His old eyes got wrinkled when he barked a laugh at me. 

“As far I know, Miss James, Mr. James already informed you, it’s not my fault that you were caught unaware.” he told me with an amused tone. 

Then I remembered, yes Grandpa told me in the morning only that Uncle Jullian wanted to meet me. 

I started to recount all the things I had done, and I couldn’t recall anything that would land me in trouble with Uncle Jullian. 

What if? 

No, no, no.  

Nobody knows about that, I was the only one there. 

My whole body shook with dread and a chill ran down my spine. 

This can’t happen. 

“Any idea, why would he call me?” I asked Mr. Brown calmly, even though there was not a single bone in my body which was calm. 

“I am just a driver, Miss. James, not his friend. I am sure he will let you know once you reach there.” he answered. 

I knew that it was all futile to ask him because if Uncle Jullian knew anything about that night, he wouldn’t tell Mr. Brown about that. 

Memories of that night tried to drown me and I again went back to that night. 

No, no, no. 

I can’t do that right now. I took a deep breath and locked all those drowning feelings inside some dark corner of my heart. 

The car stopped at Uncle Jullian’s restaurant and I was escorted to his office. 

I was waiting patiently for him but he wasn’t there in the office. 

Suddenly the door opened and he entered the room. 

In his all-muscular glory, he was an exact copy of my father Nicholas, but he looked much younger than him. 

Automatically I greeted him and he only shook his head. 

Cold. 

Shit. 

He knows. He would never act like this with me. 

He always had smiles and praises for me.

My heartbeat soared and it started beating radically. Sweat formed on my forehead and I waited for my doom. 

“You should have told me.” he said while glaring at me. 

My whole body shook and nothing but air left my mouth.