The weight of the water became lighter as the surface came closer. Hands grabbed my arms as my head broke the surface.It was William. He was kneeling on deck helping pull me from the water.Then who was my rescuer?As William helped lift me to the pool deck and placed me on my side, Victor climbed from the water.Pool water rushed from my mouth as I coughed and sputtered.“Daisy, are you okay?” Victor asked. “How did you fall in the water?”I couldn’t speak as I continued to cough up water. Victor had saved me. He now sat on the pool deck in front of me while William was behind me.“She didn’t fall,” Mrs. James said. “I was inside ensuring the kitchen staff had prepared enough food when I heard a commotion near the pool house. I looked out a window and saw the Burrows girl bullying Daisy. I saw her push her into the pool.”“Are you sure Bella pushed her?” William asked his mother. He looked around the pool house for Bella, but she was gone.“Yes,” Mrs. James insisted. “But I saw Dais
“Thanks for your help, Victor, but I can walk into the house on my own,” I said as I made my way to the front entrance of Alex’s mansion.Moving slowly in my bare feet, I held closed the ugly hospital robe I was wearing with one hand. I couldn’t believe the difference a few hours made in my life.Even though I was nervous, I had been looking forward to the pool party. Now I just wanted this day to end and forget it ever happened.After almost drowning, I agreed to go to the hospital and let a doctor check me out, but I refused to stay. I wanted to go home, and I never wanted to see the wetsuit that a nurse had helped me remove ever again.I saw my reflection in the front door glass and cringed. I looked even worse than I felt. Besides the ugly hospital robe I wore, my hair was frizzed out to maximum volume, my complexion was still pasty, and there were dark circles under my eyes.I’ve never looked worse.“At least lean on me, Daisy. Please,” Victor said. “You’re tired, and you’ve been
I had a good night's sleep and was feeling better this morning, but I was horrified about the prospect of getting up and attempting to dance in front of three hundred guests.I found Alex in his private workspace in the morning.“I...I can’t dance,” I told him. “You d …don’t want anyone to see me d …dance.”Couldn’t he tell I’m an awkward, uncoordinated mess who should never attempt to sully a dance floor?“I’ve s …seen ballroom dan …dancing on television,” I said, recalling the elegant, graceful couples and how they moved in unison across a dance floor. “But I …I can't do it.”“Nonsense,” Alex replied. “I’ll hire a dance instructor. You’ll learn how to dance. Your mother and I loved to dance together. It’s fun. You’ll see. Just try it, sweetheart.”I sighed. I couldn't say no to Alex. I could tell he wanted the best for me.Maybe it would turn out better than the pool party. But even before Bella pushed me into the pool, the party had been a disaster for me.That was my fault. I am a
I groaned when I saw Victor’s Lamborghini outside the gate after school the next day.“Is learning how to dance that terrible?” Amy asked with a chuckle.“Yes,” I replied. “You didn’t see my last dance instructor lying on the floor with a broken arm. The poor man was in pain.”“Well, you say you don’t like Victor,” Amy teased. “So you shouldn’t care as much if he gets hurt.”“I would care if he got hurt because of me,” I said. “But it’s more than that. I’m tired of Victor watching me make a fool of myself.”“Then don’t do it,” Amy advised. “Nobody can make you take dance lessons.”“The ball means too much to Alex,” I said with a sigh. “I need to try my best.”“That’s all anybody can ask of you.” Amy gave me a side hug. “See you tomorrow, Daisy.”“See you,” I said and walked to the Lamborghini.“How was your day?” Victor asked as he helped me into the car and closed the door.“Fine,” I replied and crossed my arms over my chest. Part of me resented being forced to do something I didn’t
Victor’s POV.Why did I want to kiss her so badly?My body throbbed with need as my mouth moved closer to her upturned lips. Daisy’s perfect body was pressed against mine, and the urge to ravish her was stronger than I’d felt with any other woman.Yet, I didn’t dare touch her in that way. It would be a mistake that could cost me my bachelorhood or the leadership role I craved.How could this shy, innocent, and unsophisticated girl have such a powerful effect on me simply by holding her in my arms?Daisy wasn’t anywhere close to my type. My ideal woman is beautiful, high-maintenance, and ambitious.Daisy wasn’t high maintenance, and her ambitions were the opposite of mine.However, I knew Daisy could easily be considered beautiful on the surface if she tried to improve her looks.But I didn’t believe laziness kept Daisy from trying to look her best. Other people’s cruelty has eroded her self-confidence to the point that she thought she was ugly.Words can cause more damage than people
After what happened with Victor the previous day, I was in a sour mood the next day at school. But Werewolf History class made my day a nightmare.I had been looking forward to the class all morning. The chance to be in the same room as William raised my spirits a little. But my mood took a turn off a cliff soon after the class started.William smiled when he entered the room and saw me at my usual desk. I smiled back when he sat at the desk to my left.“How are you doing?” William asked me.“I …I’m good,” I said and smiled.Miss Grant, the teacher, stopped any more conversation between us when she demanded everyone’s attention.“Yesterday, I told you to read and study chapter twenty-three in your textbooks,” Miss Grant announced. “Today, I want you to write a short report on the chapter's highlights.”She handed out blank sheets of paper and said, “You have a one-half hour, and then we’ll go over some of them in class. Any questions?” When no one raised their hand, she said, “Begin.”
Daisy’s POV“Don’t give up on your dream. There is always a way for you to accomplish something if you want it badly enough.”I kept thinking about Victor’s words and his expression when he said it on our way home.“Actually…I’ve been thinking about your stutter for a while,” Victor suddenly said.Tears sprang to my eyes.“Stop making fun of me.” I put a hand on the door handle, ready to leave the car.“Look at me, Daisy,” Victor tightened his grip on my arm. I’m not being cruel or making fun of you,” he insisted. “I found out there are methods to help people control their stutter… I just didn’t have a chance to look through it and tell you about it.”I turned around and stared at him.“You told me you want to be a lawyer and advocate for poor Betas and Omegas,” he said. “That won’t happen if you can’t speak for them.”“I …I’m listening,” I said. Being able to speak clearly would make it easier to become a lawyer, and it would make me feel like less uncomfortable around other people.
Two weeks went by with daily dance lessons and speech therapy. Victor told me I was improving in both areas.But the best thing was I saw the improvement myself. So did many others at school.“You seem different lately,” Amy said as we ate lunch.“Different. How?“ I asked“You seem more … confident, I guess,“ Amy replied. “And you’re not stuttering nearly as much.“I couldn’t help grinning. “William hinted at the same thing yesterday in werewolf history class.”“That’s so great,” Amy said with a squeal. “Do you think he’s gonna ask you out sometime?”“I don’t know,“ I replied. “But he talks to me more and more every day.”“How is Victor?“ Amy asked. “ You two must be getting along better. He picks you up at the gate every afternoon.““He’s a great teacher, and the speech specialist he found for me is fantastic.“ I shrugged. “We still fight sometimes. He can be such an arrogant jerk. But I’m grateful for his help.”“Do you think Victor is hot?” Amy ask me“Why do you?” I countered.“No