CHAPTER NINE

Chapter Nine

Someone calls out from behind me. I duck into the shelter of a store, standing in front of the door. A figure jogs up to me. I can tell that it is a male. Broad shoulders, long legs and lean built. The figure ducks into the shelter and lets down his shield of umbrella.

   When he looks up at me, the first things I see are his amber eyes. They glint and gleam under the light like the jewels they are named after. I want to open my mouth and tell him how beautiful his eyes are. But I am not courageous like that.

     The next thing I notice is that he is way taller than me, maybe a foot taller than me. I realise that my soaked clothes cling to my body like a second skin, in the presence of this stranger, I feel naked.

    My thoughts go to school, what if I do not get there in time? I did not bring my phone or watch with me how was I expecting to know the time?

   I open my mouth to ask the stranger for the time when I hear him say something to me.

    He takes off his foggy glasses and wipes them on his wet hoodie. “You are such a terrific writer. I got mesmerised while I was watching you.”

    I pause because I do not know what to say in reply. I rehearse saying ‘thank you’ in my head but when I open my mouth, “Can you please tell me what the time is?” tumbles out instead.

   “Sure,” he says after a beat with a smile that reminds me of Adam. He slips his glasses back on, pulls back the sleeve of his hoodie and says, “The time is fifteen minutes to ten.”

     I groan with frustration. I will never get back in time.

    “You need to be somewhere?” he asks in a small voice. A curl tumbles to his eye and he shoves it back. I suddenly notice how long and lovely his dark curly hair is.

    I mentally roll my eyes at myself. I cannot believe that I am stuck under heavy rain with no means to return to school in time. And instead of me to go into panic mode, I am admiring a handsome stranger. If only Dad could see me now. “I have to get back to school before ten.”

     “Is it a boarding school?” he asks after running his tongue over his lower lip so quick, I almost did not see it.

    I correct myself: a beautiful stranger, not a handsome one. “Kind of,” I say, “it is a ballet school.”

     “Oh,” he says with a nod like it explains a lot. “Why not I walk you there?” he offers generously. “We could share my umbrella.”

     I am tempted to say yes but I shake my head instead.

    “Come on,” he pleads.

     I feel myself nod. He steps out under the rain, letting it soak his majestic mane of curls before opening the umbrella. He grins at me, beaconing on me to join him.

    He is just a stranger, I think sarcastically, what could go wrong?

     We brisk walk, leaning into each other. My head bumps against his shoulder occasionally.

     “So,” he begins as an attempt at conversation. “You are a ballerina. That must be fun.”

     I snort. “That is what people think but trust me, it is not.”

       “Really? But you must feel great getting watched by an audience.”

       I nod because the thrill of being the centre of attention cannot be denied. “It is pretty great.”

    “I have never watched a ballet before in my life but watching you on that bench back there made me wonder why. I just realised what I have been missing.” He gives me a lopsided smile that sends my pulses racing. It must be the bone-chilling cold that is making my body react the way I am.

   “Th-Thanks,” I say in a stutter. I rub the length of my arms but that does not help at all. Once I get to my room, I will run a hot bath and snuggle under my duvet.

    “I am Malik.” he informs me. I barely hear him above the roar of the incessant rain.

    “I am Yelena but everyone calls me Gigi.”

     “It is nice to meet you, Gigi.”

    The towering building of ABS appears in front of me all of a sudden. I stop and turn to Malik. “Is it ten o’clock yet?”

     “Three minutes left.”

    I turn and make a break for the school, running up the stairs as I go.

    I hear Malik behind me. “Gigi!” He sounds urgent.

    I spin to face him. “What is it?”

    His amber eyes dart to the gates then to my face. I can just barely make out his outline in the dark. If anyone is watching us now, they will think we are lovers conversing under the rain. How cliché. “Can I see you again tomorrow?” His voice breaks a bit as he raps the words.

    “I do not—”

    “Please,” he says pleadingly, “I have to see you again. Same time, same place?”

   This boy must be mad! I hear the jiggling of keys. The groundskeeper is about to lock the gates.

    “Okay!” I say over my shoulder as I run up the remaining flight of stairs, run past the grumbling groundskeeper and enter the school grounds.

     “Goodnight, Gigi!” I think I hear Malik shout, the rain drowns out his voice.

      When I get to my room, Cleo is there pacing back and forth. She flings her arms around me and hugs me to herself. “I was so worried about you! I kept calling then I discovered that you left your phone here!”

    My heart swells with bliss. Finally, Cleo is not avoiding me anymore. “I am so sorry, Cleo. Please forgive me.”

    “It is okay,” she says hushing me like a doting Mum.