Chapter 15

I woke up to the aroma of fried egg wafting into my room.

I came out of bed, descending the stairs into the kitchen.

I smiled when I saw Connor at the stove making a sandwich: adding fried egg, lettuce, slices of tomato, and finally a slice of cheese.

He lifted his head, smiling back at me.

"Breakfast is ready." He poured out a cup of tea, placing it next to the sandwich on top of the kitchen counter.

Immediately, I went to sit in the counter chair.

I picked up the sandwich, ready to take a bite, but I became nervous to see Connor watching me.

"Aren't you going to eat as well?" I asked, beaming shyly.

"I prefer to watch you eat," he said.

Nervously, I took the smallest bite, trying to eat as decently as I could before him.

I stopped chewing as Connor wiped away melted cheese from my lips.

"Remember, I have a surprise for you," he said, licking the cheese from his finger.

I stared hard at him, shocked at what he'd just done. I've never imagined a day Connor would eat cheese from my lips, let alone me becoming his one and only.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Where is it?" I came out of my chair excitedly to know what it was.

"I will lead you to it only if you wear this?" Connor went into his pocket and pulled out a black blindfold.

I went around the kitchen counter and turned my back towards him, giving him the okay to put it on.

I couldn't stop smiling, and my cheek started to hurt as he did.

As the blindfold covered my eyes, I felt his strong presence as he walked around me, and my soul leaped with joy when he took my hand.

Though I could not see anything that was happening before me, while Connor led me from the kitchen. I trusted him more than I trusted my eyes to lead me towards safety, knowing he'll never lead me astray or into any danger.

"Stop here," Connor instructed me.

I felt him go behind me, and he took off the blindfold. When he does, my eyes widen at the shiny, new, black Honda Civic in front of me.

I was speechless.

"I know how much you loathe taking the school bus, and since you're 15 minutes further away from school, it will be a struggle to catch it now. Which means you'll have to wake up way earlier, and I can't have my love going through all that struggle."

"Connor, I can't take this, not after everything you've already done for me." I spun around to him.

"I can't allow you to spend too much money on me." I spun back around to get another look at the car, seeing how expensive it is.

"If you don't take it, I'll be disappointed," Connor said, causing me to look back at him again.

He then made the saddest face that immediately melted my heart.

"I'll take it," I said.

Connor drew closer to hug me, and I hugged him tight, burying my face into his chest, taking in his earthly scent.

******

"Sweet ride," a guy from the school's football team complimented my car as I got out.

"Thanks," I said, and nervously pushed a strand behind my right ear.

As I'm walking from my car, I spot Connor and his family just arriving.

I wanted to smile at him when he looked my way, but I couldn't risk his kind finding out we are dating.

Not paying attention to where I was going, I bumped into Elena.

"Hey, look where you're going, loser." She gave me the hardest push, and I fell backward onto my butt.

Everyone started laughing, and I looked over at Connor to see him staring at me. Realizing he had seen what was happening. I got up and ran to the bathroom, embarrassed.

I locked myself into one of the stalls, and I began to cry, wishing Connor wasn't there and afraid that he would leave me and see the true person I am—not only unwanted but also weak.

As I'm crying my eyes out, my phone rings.

I looked at it to see it was Connor calling, but I'm ashamed to speak to him.

Sensing that I was ignoring his call, he sent me a text message instead.

The hardest thing was to stand there and watch you get hurt, he'd texted. I was fighting not to rip off her hands so badly for shoving you onto the ground.

I smiled that he still cared about me, even though I was considered a loser and a nobody here.

Are you okay? He sent a second message.

I'm fine, I texted back.

Good, the birdbrain will pay for what she has done to you.

Immediately, I called him by his last message, and he answered.

"No, please don't hurt her; just forget what she has done to me," I begged.

"My kind punish those who hurt anyone close to us, and sometimes it leads to killing them."

"No, no, please just don't do anything to her," I again begged.

"Okay, I can only promise that I will not touch her life," he said.

"Thanks," I responded.

When our conversation ended, I was even more worried about what he'd last said.

While I was walking to my second session, I realized what Connor meant when he said that he'd never touch Elena's life when a bucket full of the most horrible scent fell from the second floor straight onto her.

Everyone started laughing at her. She screamed and slipped a few times into the mess before successfully picking herself up and running into the girls' bathroom.

I spun around to a touch against the tip of my left fourth finger, and I saw Connor walking past me, along with Kara and his brothers, also going to their session. He gave me a quick smile right after returning his face to his normal, serious look.

I bit my lower lip, hiding my smile, knowing it was Connor who had done what had happened to Elena for me.