Chapter 3

STELLA I get back to my room alone as Elle tells me that she has some business with Carter. I laugh but bless them. Their business is obviously another passionate making out session somewhere in the hidden corners of the school. And I can't blame them. Love is beautiful. It's a shame that it's not for me. It's already dark, and the room seems gloomy and cold. I get the two photo frames out of my suitcase. One photo is of me with my parents, and the other is with my friends. However, looking at all their faces makes me sad and not happy. This room seems stuffy all of a sudden as I feel tears burning my eyes, and I desperately need to get out! However, I have been told that we can't leave the dorms after 9:00 pm, which is a real bummer since it is already well past this time. I open the large window and look around. A crazy idea strikes my head. My room is located at the top of the building, and the widow is actually a part of the roof. So, theoretically speaking, I can get that air that I so desperately need after all. I carefully get out onto the ledge near the window. It's spacious and easy to walk. Making a few careful steps, I get to the sloping roof a few feet away and crawl there to sit down and have a breath. The view is much better now. I can see all the grounds from here, and the little adjusted church connected to the main building with a high Gothic tower that gives the whole place a creepier feel. "I hope they do not have ghosts here," I mumble to myself as right now the academy territory looks like a scene from a horror movie. "Not really," a husky voice behind me makes me squeal in shock, and I almost fall down from the freaking rooftop. Yet thankfully, two masculine hands grab me by my waist and pull me onto something at the very last second… I catch my ragged breathing and have a feel of what's under me. Is that… Is that his lap? I raise my head and see a pair of familiar dark blue eyes. The guy from the dining hall is holding me firmly in his arms, and I am now literally sitting on his knees. Not that he minds, judging by his happy expression. "Xa-Xavier, right?" I say carefully, trying to pull away, but just like the last time, he doesn't let go of me. Does he have some kind of motor skills problems or something? No, not possible, considering how fast he is to catch things. "You can call me Xave," he says calmly. "Okay, Xave," I nod, "Thanks for catching me again. But could you, uhm, let me go now?" He slowly releases me to a place right next to him. That's a bit too close, but I guess it's better than staying on a stranger's lap. "You are clumsy, you know that?" he comments, no emotions in his voice whatsoever. "So I've been told, Sherlock," I chuckle nervously. His presents has some kind of a strange effect on me. "What are you doing here?" "That's actually my place," he smirks, and I bite my lip. "What are you doing here?" "I wanted to get some air, and I've been told not to leave the dorms at night," I confess to him. "Yeah, you'd better stay inside after dark," he agrees, not really explaining why. We just sit there for a minute or two, not saying a word, when he suddenly turns to me. "Do you really not feel it?" his eyes look desperate for something, but I cannot figure out what. "Feel what?" I ask, dumbfounded. What kind of question is that? "Nothing," he turns away, and for a second, it seems that his eyes grew darker, becoming almost black. But when I think about it, it's probably in my head. I am too tired now. And then it hits me. "Oh!" I jump up. "Am I interrupting something? Is this the place where you meet with Maddie?" I could swear his eyes are as black as night now. Which isn't physically possible. Am I seeing things? Did the stress finally get to me? "No," he says firmly. "Why would you say that?" "Well, you two seem, uhm, close?" I mutter. It's hard to know how to him. He doesn't seem happy whatever I do or say for some reason. "We are", he finally admits, and I breathe out, "But not in a way that you are implying." "Okay, I am not implying anything. I am new here, and I don't know things," I shrug my shoulders. He scans my face as if looking for something but then just nods calmly. "Do you like it here?" he suddenly asks me, and I look at him, not knowing what to say for the first time. And as usual, in situations like that, I just speak the truth. "Not really," I shiver slightly because of the cold. Xavier looks disappointed by my words. Does he love this school so much? And why would he care what some new girl thinks about it? "Why?" he asks. "Um, I don't know… This place is foreign to me. It would never be my home, I guess. And I miss home. I want to return there, but I am stuck here, and it doesn't help." "What do you mean you are stuck here?" He furrows his brows. "My aunt sent me here, and she is probably draining all my accounts this very moment. My parents died, making her my legal guardian. So she found a perfect solution to get rid of me legally – this school. And this is the reason why I hate it!" I spout it all in one go, although I am usually not the type of person to pour my heart and soul to complete strangers. "Intense," is all he says, and I feel like an i***t. Like he cares about my tragic life story? Like anyone will ever care about it or me. I should just go back. I am about to move when I feel something landing on my shoulders. Taking a quick glance, I see that it's Xavier's school blazer. Did he just put it on me? "You seem cold," he smiles while avoiding my gaze. "Look, this is not the worst place in the world, trust me. Especially if you have no one to take care of you anymore. We are a family here. You can become a part of it too if..." "It's not the same, you don't understand," I interrupt him bitterly. "I actually do," he retorts. "My mum died when I was young, and my Dad passed just two years ago." "Oh! I'm so sorry! I am such an i***t!" I cover my face with my hands. Why do I always assume that I am the only one with a life drama? "You are not. You just didn't know," Xave takes my palms into his own, and looks me in the eyes, his gaze starngely mesmerising. "Trust me, everyone will treat you nicely here. You have nothing to worry about. And if they don't – just come to me." "Um, thanks," I squeeze out of myself, "I think I'll manage on my own. No need to think about me too much." His expression changes to an almost angry one as the words escape my mouth. This guy is a roller-coaster. One second you go up and another – down. He experienced a thousand of mood swings in just a few minutes that we talked. "The offer still stands." He just adds, exhaling heavily. Is it a calming technique or something? "Thanks," I smile at him, standing up and handing him his blazer. "It's getting late, and I am crazy tired today. I think I'll go." "Wait!" He catches my hand, and I just stare at him as the wind blows my hair. "I'll help you get into your room. You are so clumsy, so letting you go alone is just reckless. The school can't take risks like that." "Ah." I laugh. "And I thought chivalry was dead!" A little grin forms on his face, and we slide down to the ledge where we both carefully walk to my window, with him holding me tight at all times. A bit too tight... "And here we are!" I sit on my windowsill and get my legs back into my room gracefully. For a second, he towers over me, and our faces almost brush against each other. I feel his hot breath on my skin and I gulp. This is dangerous. I am alone here, and I know this guy for literally just a few minutes. My thoughts must have shown on my face as he pulled back instantly. "Don't worry, little bird, I will not impose my company on you." He smirks and then adds. "Not tonight anyway. Unless you want me to? Then I am all yours." Gasping, I stare at him and see his grin growing wider. I close my eyes for a second as my cheeks flush, but he is already gone when I open them again just a moment later. What the hell? Did he fall off?