Apology Presents

^^^ Does that remind you of some people???👀👀👀

My babies are back on track! 😁😁

Feels good don't it *sighs*

You guys would never guess what I got......

MORE COVERS!!!

They're so beautiful, *sniffles* just gimmi a sec... 😪😪😪

...Aren't they Gorgeous! Like damn! I want to thank c0l0rful_RaInb0wz for my beautiful covers! They are stunning. I seriously love that you guys take the time to make me absolutely astonishing covers and I appreciate it, along with your kind words and support. Thanks guys. 😘😘

Also, for anyone who would want to make me covers in the future, you are very welcomed to inbox me here on wattpad, just to let me know, and you can find my email address in my bio. Or you can just email me if you want to talk about my book/s, but you will be getting no spoilers. Nah-uh. Nope. Nada. Other than that, you're welcomed to pop up on me. Just a heads up, I don't check my emails everyday but I will often.

Thank you lovliez! Mwah! 😘😘

**~**

"You guys are so cute!" Kim gushes as soon as we step out of class. "When did you even have a handshake? Never mind! Just know you have to tell me everything!" She clings to my arm.

Groaning, I try prying my arm away from her. "Please, just go ask him. He'll be more than happy to tell you." She's gripping me like a koala on a tree.

"Nuh-uh. I wanna hear it from your perspective." I can't even believe what I'm seeing. She's giddy. I rarely see Kim this excited about much. It's always, "Yeah, okay, whatever."

I shake my head but can't help my smile. "Okay."

"Oh, oh, oh, there he is! Go over!" She shoves me forward, clasping her hands under her chin.

I gape at her incredulously. "I have to get to class..." Unbelievable.

This causes a hissing match of me denying her request and her retaliating through gritted teeth. This goes on for a couple of seconds before I exclaim, "Fine!"

Kim grins and gestures with her hand for me to go.

Rolling my eyes, I turn in Arthur's direction. These days when I see him, he always seems to be surrounded by my people and this scenario is no different.

What I zone in on, though, is the brunette standing so close to him that her chest is practically resting on his arm. He isn't paying any attention to her as his attention is solely on the dark-haired guy standing across from him. I doubt Arthur even knows she's there.

But I know she's there and I don't like it. At the same time, I'm not about to get into a fight with a girl over Arthur, or any guy for that matter. Knowing I'll probably punch her in the throat if I do go over there and she starts acting up, I decide not to approach him.

Without telling Kim, I turn on my heels and walk the opposite way, taking the longer route to my next class. I'm not angry at him. Matter of fact, I'm not angry at all, I just don't want to do anything senseless.

"Grace!" Kim shouts after me.

It feels like almost every pair of eyes in the hallway turn on me out of reflex. In the past, this was the kind of attention that would have me shaking. Now, I simply smile and wave.

**~**

The rest of the day goes by smoothly. Except for the glares and nasty looks I get from Sarah at random times throughout.

I don't see much of Arthur because we only have one class together. Well, he has the study sem, so we basically have two classes. I'd see him as we're navigating classes and he'd give me that darn smirk and nod. It never fails to put a goofy smile on my face.

I can't get enough of him. He's just so... Ugh! Now I'm getting frustrated. Thinking about his smile, his hands - God his hands! And those lips-

I can't do this anymore.

I rest my head against my closed locker, taking long breaths, trying to direct my thoughts to a more Godly path that involves marriage before sex, getting a degree, being financially stable, and a house-

"You okay?"

I almost jump out of my skin. "Oh, hi!" I say, a little too squeaky.

Arthur smiles at me like he knows something no one else does. Then he leans against the lockers, crossing his arms over his chest, and tilting his head slightly, causing his hair to fall across his forehead. Oh my God. Just take m-

"What were you thinking about?" His stare is intense and almost daring.

I swallow, wincing at how loud this sound is in the deserted hallway. "Uh, nothing really. Stuff." I try playing it off with a laugh but it comes out sounding like a pig getting hit. To my ear anyway.

"Hmm."

All I know is, one second he's two feet away and the next he's bracing me against the lockers. I bite my lip to hold back whatever embarrassing sound is about to escape me, gripping onto his biceps to displace it instead. His lean body stretches against mine, making me warm.

He leans in, lips at my ear. "What would you let me do to you right here?" he says in a gruff tone, then presses his lips against the skin beneath my ear. My eyes roll back and my knees almost give out. Thank heavens for the foundation behind me.

Arthur presses into me even more, keeping me up with his hands on my sides, pressing me firmly into the uncomfortable surface. That's when I realized I'd been sliding down the lockers like a popsicle in Arizona heat. He hums low and deep in my ear, a questioning sound, as his hands move down my sides to slide around my back and down to my butt, gripping it firmly and pulling my hips into his.

"Is this okay, Gorgeous?"

I can't form words, but my hands are running over his shoulders to bury themselves in the back of his hair. I need him to kiss me.

His name leaves me in a breathless whisper, my lips against the side of his face. His warm and soft on my neck.

"Aren't you two supposed to be going home."

I can't pull away as far as I want to. And instead of doing the logical thing of getting off me, Arthur lifts his head away from my neck to give the teacher his attention. My entire body is on fire from embarrassment. I try hiding my face in Arthur's neck but peek out not long after.

Mr. Dane's arms are crossed as he raises an eyebrow, staring at us expectantly. He expects us to pull away, to have some kind of shame. I do. Arthur on the other hand isn't a shameful person.

"Hey, man." Arthur jerks his head in greeting.

"Don't 'hey man' me. No fornicating in the halls." Dane tries to be stern but I can see the humor melting into his eyes.

Arthur gives the man a handsome lopsided smile. "Can we borrow a room?" My jaw drops.

I slap his chest and push him away. He only lets me go because it's obvious I want him to. I shake my head when he chuckles. I scoff and walk away, feeling his light tap against my behind. The only reason why I don't blow up on him is because he's subtle about it. Plus, I don't have the confidence to turn back. I've never been so embarrassed in my life.

It's when I'm in the parking lot that I see that he's following me after he takes my hand and pulls me to a stop. His chest on my back. "Are you really mad?" he mumbles, his cheek pressed against the side of my head. My eyes go to the overcast sky.

Sure, I'm embarrassed and I won't be able to look my teacher in the eye again. But am I angry?

His fingers play with my own until I've had enough.

Turning to face him, I exclaim, "I can't believe you did that!" Yeah, I was a willing participant, but it isn't about that. It's about what he said and did after. Who does that in front of a teacher?

"You didn't seem to have a problem."

I stare blankly at him before turning away, heading toward my car again.

"Okay, okay," he says frantically. He catches my hand again but steps in front of me to block my path. "I'm sorry. It was incredibly rude and inappropriate." With each word, he moves closer until I have to tilt my head back to keep his eyes. "I'll try to keep a filter on my mouth. I promise." He looks and sounds sincere. "Forgive me, baby. Please?" His forehead rests against mine.

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine." His smile is perfect and lights up his entire being. Oh, he's good. "Now if you'll excuse me," I say, pulling away and stepping around him, "I have errands to run." I turn away from him, unlocking my car with my keys. It beeps a few cars in the distance.

"Errands?" he stands there, curious as he watches me walk away, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah." There's no harm in telling him. "Getting my dad something nice. He's still mad about me letting John in the house and lying about it. I'm going to the mall."

His eyes light up, probably at the thought of what happened to John. I swear, he can be having the worst day but I'm convinced bringing that up will always put him in a good mood.

"Can I come?"

"Sure." I watch him jog toward his car that's on the opposite end of the so he can follow me. The parking lot is half empty, with only a few cars still exiting the school grounds and people leaving the building. It's always a mystery how they clear this place out so fast.

He does have a fine a-

**~**

I pull into the mall's huge parking lot, overflowing with cars, and turn the engine off. I step out of my vehicle with my purse, locking it behind me. A couple cars over, a group of guys who look to be college students are getting rowdy with each other at the back of a huge truck.

For some reason, they spot me, hollering and whistling when I see that their ruckus caught my attention.

"Mama! Lemme holla at you!"

Unfortunately the one who caught me looking already gave me away so I can't act effectively act like I don't know who they're talking to. There are three of them. And even though they're not bad to look at, having them do all that to me is not fun.

"How old are you?" one calls. Tan with light brown eyes. Beautiful smile. I have to put that out there. He's rocking a low cut, studs in his ears and sharp features. As in, his jawline can send me to the hospital, sharp.

I put on a large smile, a giddy, eager-looking expression. As if I haven't been acknowledged by a man before. "Sixteen!" I chirp, waving at them madly.

As I thought, their grins fall and they mutter curses under their breaths, looking away from me. One of them even pull their snap back down to hide their face. Good. They're not horrible at least.

"You ready?" Arthur comes up behind me out of nowhere, curling an arm around my waist.

The guys, after seeing Arthur, focus their attention back on me. Shocked, with some jaws on the ground with the realization that they just got played. I would believe me too if I were them. In this generation, fifteen-year-olds are looking twenty.

I laugh at their faces before turning to Arthur. "Took you long enough."

"That was nice." He smirks, letting his hand slide down, gripping the side of my butt firmly in his hand.

"You're so petty," I state, shaking my head with a smile.

"Only for you." He glances over his shoulder, giving the group a nod.

Such a caveman. I snicker to myself.

When we get to the entrance of Macy's, he holds the door open above my head, making me walk through first. We all know that comes with a price, so of course I expect the smack.

"Do you ever get tired?" I retort.

"Actions would speak louder to answer that question."

"Maybe later," I say over my shoulder, feeling a bit daring myself.

"Grace, don't play with me," he warns, his light teasing dropping to something dangerously filthy.

"And if I'm not?"

All he does is chuckle lowly, a sound that sends shivers down my spine.

We walk for a while until it comes to a point where I'm just looking around the store, lost. I don't even know what my father would want as a gift. He already has everything he needs. My mom, me, and another munchkin on the way. What else can a man want!

"You don't know what to get him do you?" Arthur says in amusement.

"No." I stop, standing in the middle of the store, looking in every direction. "I mean," I let out a sharp laugh, "another one of me can't pop up out of nowhere." I throw my hands up in frustration. I'm the best gift anyone can ever receive, am I not?

"Okay," Arthur coos, holding my arms and turning me around. "Okay, how about..." He looks around the store briefly before his gaze stops on a long glass case not too far away with jewelry. "There." He leads me over.

I take in the golds and silvers glistening under the light, in awe. Then I realize I can't bring home a gift for just Dad. My mom is the kind of person who expects a gift even if it's not her occasion. Unless it's birthdays, that is. Every time I go to the store, she asks me to bring back something for her. And if I don't get something for my dad too, then he'll be a baby about it, saying I love my mom more than him.

"How about this?" Arthur pulls me out of my trance and I blink a couple of times before giving him my full attention. I move closer to him to see what he's pointing at. "It says, "Best Dad Ever". They have it in gold too but that has a higher price."

I stare at the silver watch, shining beautifully under the white lights. The words are engraved on the band around the edge of the clock face. "Yes." There's no need for second thoughts. It's perfect and he'll love it.

**~**

For some fucking stupid ass reason three of my covers that we're done by c0l0rful_RaInb0wz isn't showing. Which is pissing me off. So I'll post the others in the next update. 😘😘