: Chapter 25

My jaw dropped at her question.

Mrs Lewis and I were similar in a way that we both liked to ask people invading questions, but I had never been on the receiving end of one.

I had no idea what to say so I kept my mouth closed Mrs Lewis noticed that I was not in a rush to respond so she spoke again ‘You and Stone need to just get together. I have never known two people more suited for eachother than you and him.’

‘It is not like that between us.’ I tried to argue by swallowing down the lie.

Of course, I knew how Stone touched me was intimate. Everything in my body knew it. I just could not acknowledge it yet because my fear of letting someone in and getting hurt was just as deep as my attraction towards the giant.

Her smile was small and full of disbelief ‘Then what is it like?’

If I said it enough times aloud then maybe it would come true.

‘Stone doesn’t feel that way about me.’ I tried to state confidently before I further explained, ‘He probably feels obliged to talk to me because Brennan is going out with Lana.’

She shook her head side to side violently like the words I were saying were impossible.

‘Both of my boys are very different. Brennan is my son and I know him better than anyone. Since he was little, he could get on with anyone. That boy could charm the socks under his bed.’ Mrs Lewis told me ‘On the other hand, Stone is a little more difficult. You have probably seen it first-hand that he does not like speaking. There are very few people he can tolerate.’

A laugh bubbled out of me as I think about all the times at school or if we were out and someone tried to talk to him. Mrs Lewis was right. He would just stay silent or offer one-word answers to anyone who attempted to start a conversation.

One scowl from him and most people ran for it.

‘You can say that again.’ I smiled in agreement before I laughed again ‘Although when it is just us then it is shutting him up that is the problem.’

The meddling Mrs Lewis’ grin was nothing short of triumphant as she mentioned ‘So you can imagine my surprise when he came home and spoke about a girl. A small green-haired girl with a smart mouth who he described as the most beautiful girl he could have ever imagined.’

My breath hitched.

‘Maybe he was talking about someone else?’ I replied stupidly, aware that what she had said was a description of me.

‘Do not tell Brennan that I told you and don’t tell Stone that Brennan told me.’ She looked sheepish as she informed me ‘The night you all met on the pier, guess the first thing Stone did as soon as he came back home from meeting you?’

‘Make a dartboard with pictures of my face?’ I deadpanned, remembering our bickering that night.

‘He came home and watched both Addams Family movies because you talked about them. He watched both movies because you called him a name from them.’

Heat rushed to my face and the room started to feel overwhelmingly hot. I hoped the interrogator in the form of Mrs Lewis did not notice how rattled I was.

Laughing it off, I told her ‘Maybe he just wanted to understand the movie reference. If he admitted that he had no idea what I was talking about then no doubt I would made fun of him for it.’

‘It is not that.’ Mrs Lewis objected ‘I love Stone. He is my son in every way that counts but he is difficult. He is not approachable, and he is not nice to others. Some people find him quite scary.’

I had a humorous comment on my mind, but I decided it was not the time to say it.

‘Ella, you are the only that challenges him. You are the only he would let challenge him.’ She smiled as she spoke, ‘I think you two argue and bicker to show each other you care about one another without coming out and saying it.’

‘That is—’

‘I seen you both at the table.’ She cut me off ‘Everyone did. The only person that does not believe you two are going to end up together is you.’

‘What about Stone?’ I challenged ‘He does not believe that.’

‘He is well aware that you two are going to be together’

I had just met the woman but I could easily tell that she had no filter. As much as I loved her forwardness, I could not help but feel bare. She would make an excellent special forces interrogator.

‘You make him so happy.’ Mrs Lewis affirmed.

I shook my head ‘I did not do anything. I do not do anything.’

‘You do not have to.’ She assured, ‘You just make him happy.’

Due to wanting to get away from her questions and because I drank a lot of her lemonade with my dinner, I asked ‘Can I use the bathroom?’

Mrs Lewis nodded her head and just as she was about to answer, she closed her mouth again.

An impish smirk made its way onto her face as she replied, ‘It is up the stairs and is the second room on the right.’

Turning away from her and walking to the kitchen door, I stopped at the doorway as I was suddenly reminded of my current challenge with Stone. I recalled our wager.

I swivelled around to face her again as I questioned ‘Mrs Lewis, what is Stone’s first name?’

Her reaction was kind of expected after our whole conversation, but I was still shocked by how delighted she was.

The woman was practically jumping up and down as she inquired ‘Why do you want to know?’

I wanted to know because of the game between us. I wanted to know because he knew my name. I wanted to know everything about him.

I picked the first reason because it was the easiest to explain ‘We have this game between us. I have three days to guess his name.’

She looked to be thinking to herself and then it appeared she had reached a decision.

‘I will tell you it.’ Mrs Lewis decided ‘Only because I know that whatever game you two are playing, he would want you to win. Stone is definitely Team Ella.’

‘Even if it is against himself?’

‘Even then.’ She said.

I knew it was a good idea not to go into detail about the Rumpelstiltskin deal. If I told her that a kiss is what we were fighting for then she would not tell me his name.

The name that left her mouth made my heart skip a beat.

‘His name is Valentine.’

Valentine. His name was Valentine Stone.

I could not come up with a better name for him if I had tried. It suited him. There was something about the name that showed authority and dominance. It sounded mysterious yet majestic.

‘Thank you.’ I said to her before I skipped out of the kitchen in victory.

I felt the pulse in my neck quiver as a hope bloomed in my chest.

“Mrs Lewis, has Stone ever had a girlfriend?” I questioned with a heated face and a anxious gut “Has he ever been interested in a relationship?”

Mrs Lewis scoffed and then laughed “Of course not!”

My head nodded autonomously, and I tried not to physically deflate at the news that he did not date.

My heart stopped racing as I climbed the stairs of the house. The white walls of the upper floor welcomed me at the top of the staircase, and I was glad to be out of the embrace of the meddling woman.

I reached for the door handle on the second door on the right of the hall like Mrs Lewis had told me. I pushed the door open and what I found only had my breathing unsettled again.

The room was not a bathroom. Four grey walls boxed the area with the only two prominent things being a black bed and a bookcase.

I was in Lurch’s lair.

My feet were on autopilot as I took two steps forward. I was too far inside his bedroom to turn back now.

Running my hand along his collection of books, I smiled to myself.

The leather jacket wearing, motorbike riding, scowling giant was a bibliophile.

I knew that he always understood what I talked about when I mentioned books but not that he had read them.

I had leverage on him now. He could no longer give me shit about being a nerd when he had a miniature library in his room.

My finger trailed along the shelf from Dickens to Oscar Wilde. From Homer to F. Scott Fitzgerald. The only item that was not a book on the shelf was a small black velvet box right next to The Great Gatsby.

I was jealous of how organised his books were.

I could not believe he had the nerve to call me out for my love of books.

Something on his bed caught my eye and made me flick my attention from the shelf to his pillow.

My collection of Edgar Allan Poe poems was situated on top of his pillow. It was positioned perfectly on the cushioned surface like a rare artefact.

A deep voice pulled me out of my snooping ‘What are you doing?’

I froze where I was.

Stone was leaning against the door, taking up all of the space between the doorway. He watched me closely from his position at the entrance of the room.

Caught in the act, I put my hands up while exaggerating my innocence ‘I was just trying to find the bathroom.’

His mouth went up in a smirk ‘Does this look like the bathroom to you?’

‘No.’ I answered ‘It looks like a bedroom. A book nerd’s bedroom.’

He took a large step and stole the distance between us. His expression morphed to more of a serious one as he neared.

‘What you said at the table.’ He said vaguely in his gruff voice that gave away that something was troubling him.

‘About what?’ I enquired before guessing ‘What I said about the bullying thing?’

He nodded, his jaw ticking in a rhythm as his chest puffed out like he was seconds away from ripping someone’s head off.

I asked, ‘What about it?’

‘The image of you hurt makes me deranged, Ella.’

My head craned upwards so I could study his face as I took a step closer to him.

‘What I would do to someone that had hurt you would land me in jail for a very long time.’ He informed me, his tone rough.

I neared him and noticed how his breaths were ragged like the very thought alone made him manic. I stepped forward and placed my hands on his chest in order to calm him down as I peered up at him.

Stone’s darkened gaze softened as I laid my palms on his chest.

‘My intention was never to hurt you.’ He voiced husky and lowly ‘You have to know that, Medusa.’

I realised that the emotion along with his anger back at dinner was guilt. He had thought he had hurt me by teasing me.

‘I know that, Lurch.’ I said softly.

His lip twitched once as his large, calloused hands went to my waist.

‘I give out as good as I get.’ I smiled up at him.

The mouth of the giant twitched twice as he looked down at me with a soft gleam in his black orbs My gaze flicked over him as I studied Valentine Stone. He was giant, not just in height but his large build. His face was striking in a rough way. His short black hair was the colour of midnight. The wide cheekbones and his strong jaw added to his scary yet attractive appearance.

I was suddenly reminded that I knew his name and that I had to plan how to weave that into the conversation ‘You look pleased with yourself, Medusa.’ He pointed out before asking ‘What are you smiling at?’

I grinned wickedly at him ‘I am just excited to tell everyone that you are just as nerdy as me.’

He smirked and it was one that sent a chill of excitement through down my spine.

Stone stepped closer. I took a step back. We continued our movement until my back was forced up against his bookshelf. I became completely trapped as he towered over me pressed himself against my body. His hands went to each side of my head.

The position was familiar. Too familiar but it still managed to leave me feeling light and dizzy. Captured was how I felt. There was nowhere to go or to escape to.

Not that I wanted to leave.

He leant neared until he was near my lips. His words promised something. Something that I did not know what it was.

His words were a low grumble ‘What makes you think that you can leave here to tell anyone?’

I did not move. I wanted to seem nonplussed as I thought up my plan.

‘Don’t worry, Lurch.’ I told him mischievously ‘I was planning to write Stone reads books in the girl’s bathroom but if you tell me your first name then I will write that instead. If you tell me then nobody will know it’s you I am talking about.’

Stone tilted his head and kept his eyes on me as he chuckled ‘Nice try, Medusa.’

‘Come on. Have a little faith in me.’ I swatted his arm ‘I might be able to guess your name in two days. I have thought up some names and I think they are possible contenders.’

‘Let’s hear them then,’ He said, amused.

Stroking my chin, I pretended to guess ‘Is your name Chris?’

His eyes were focused on my lips like he had already won the wager. He shook his head as his eyes met mine again.

Acting disappointed for a moment, I then tried a different incorrect name ‘Owen?’

‘No.’

‘I am running out of names.’ I whined before adding ‘I will take a final guess.’

‘A final guess?’ Stone repeated, his study of my lips continuing ‘Then you are giving up?’

I nodded, faking innocence.

The suspicion built in the air as I stayed silent, and he smirked at me.

‘Is it Valentine?’ I whispered to him as I smiled wickedly up at him.

His smirk had been wiped off his face.

By the veins in his arm, I could tell that he was putting more pressure on the shelf on both sides of my head as he growled ‘You are a little cheat.’

‘You obviously do not know the story of Rumpelstiltskin. The girl sends a spy into the forest to find out his name.’ I grinned in victory ‘You need to brush up on your fairytales, Lurch.’

My victory was short-lived because he was about to pull away from me.

The deal was if I got his name right then I would win. I never realised what it meant if I did. I was so focused on learning his name that I forgot what it meant. What I would miss out on.

I wanted to kiss him.

So, I clutched the fabric of his shirt and pulled him to me. I stood on my tiptoes and waited for him to bend down.

Then I put my lips on his.

I grabbed the back of his head and sealed every molecule of air between us. I held on tightly so that his body was pressed upon mine.

My control did not last long. His dominance took over as he crushed his lips against mine harder.

God, this guy could kiss.

I moved my hands up from his face up so I could grip his hair. I breathed him in and welcomed his tongue further into my mouth as his hands gripped my waist. He clutched my hips tightly as if he was securing me in place.

He let out a deep groan of satisfaction as he deepened the kiss. The movement stole the breath from my lungs as I remained pinned between him and the surface of the bookshelf.

We pulled back for air about twenty minutes later, panting.

‘You wanted to kiss me, Medusa?’ He asked with a risen mouth, his voice a hoarse low sound.

‘No.’ I giggled near his lips ‘I just felt sorry for you. Losers deserve something too.’

Stone gnarled as his hands roamed further down from my hips to under my butt. He then lifted me up, so I was hovering for a second before catching me. My legs wrapped around his middle as my back remained against the shelf.

I told myself that Stone was every other guy that had shown interest in me and that I could keep it casual with him. I loved casual with other guys.

The position was needed as it helped lessen the large height difference.

He peppered kisses on my neck as my arm reached up and gripped one of the shelves. He took skin between his teeth lightly earning a moan from me.

His mouth trailed upwards and brushed the skin from my neck to my chin to my lips and then he let out in a darkly sensuous tone ‘Say my name.’

I pulled back slightly to raise an eyebrow at him ‘I thought the reason you hid your name was because you didn’t like it.’

‘I like it when it leaves your mouth.’ He declared gravelly ‘I like it when it forms from your tongue.’

My reply got lost in the air and I remained speechless.

‘Say my name, Medusa.’ He said as he traced along my jaw with his mouth.

‘Valentine.’ I breathed out.

His lips were on mine again. They were once again taking over my senses and filling my head with thoughts of him. His aroma of leather and engine grease enveloped me as did his body as he pressed against me.

I pulled back and glared at him ‘I am mad at you.’

He chuckled as he kept his hands on the back of my thigh as he still held me ‘What for?’

‘You stole my book.’ I stated before asking ‘Why?’

‘It is your favourite. I want to read it.’

A knock at the door broke us apart.

Stone growled in the direction of the door as he let me go gently onto the ground.

It was Brennan who called from the hall ‘Get out here! You have been away for like thirty minutes.’

My eyes widened at his words.

The giant reluctantly walked over to the door as he let out grumble after grumble. He pulled open the door handle and greeted Brennan with silence.

Meanwhile, I was trying to calm down my breathing. I ran a hand through my hair and tried to fix the mess caused by the large hand.

‘Mom sent me up to tell you that dessert is ready.’ Brennan told him before he noticed me in the room ‘Ella? We have been looking for you. What are you doing in here?’

I did not miss the suggestive tone in his voice at the end of his sentence.

‘I sneaked up here to try and steal my book back.’ I lied, trying to appear nonplussed ‘Stone caught me.’

Brennan hummed before grinning ‘That book over there? Still untouched on Stone’s bed?’

I narrowed my eyes at loverboy before I quickly walked over to the bed and took back my book.

My gaze kept anywhere apart from Stone as I hurried out of the room.

A hand stopped me.

‘What were you two doing in here?’ Brennan whispered in my ear before I could go ‘You have to stay here and protect me, tiny woman. Stone looks like he is going to kill me for interrupting your alone time.’

I let out a small awkward laugh before I turned out of the room and descended the stairs.

The mint choc chip ice cream I was promised was amazing. However, I could not spend a lot of time savouring it because the two boys were adamant about pushing us out of the house.

I did not think they meant to be rude, but they seemed in a rush for something.

When I asked Stone if anything was wrong, he offered me a one-word answer and nothing more. He even avoided meeting my eye completely.

The time on the analogue clock in the hall was half eight as Mrs Lewis escorted us through the house. The two males followed also as we reached the front door of the house.

Lana hugged Mrs Lewis and thanked her ‘Dinner was amazing. It was nice meeting you.’

‘You too, dear.’ The older woman replied before she moved on to me.

Her arms swallowed me in a large tight hug before she cupped my face again. It left me wondering if I had chubby cheeks.

‘Do I really have to say goodbye?’ Mrs Lewis sighed before turning to face Stone ‘Can we not keep her?’

I let out a small nervous laugh.

‘You can stay here, Ella. We have plenty of space. You can live in Stone’s room. He has a double bed.’ Mrs Lewis blabbered on.

My mouth went agape as I tried to escape from the grasp of her.

Brennan stood outside as we said our goodbyes to the Lewis’. He gave Lana a hug and a quick peck and then said bye to me by ruffling up my hair.

Stone stood there, watching me. His expression was hard to read.

Lana elbowed me ‘We better go before Mrs Lewis kidnaps you.’

I met the giants’ eye as I joked ‘Now we know where Lurch gets it from.’

A small smirk graced his mouth as he said ‘Medusa.’

‘Bye Lurch.’ I voiced before turning and heading down the dimly lit pathway.

The heat at the back of my neck made me feel as if he was watching me walk away.

The sky was almost dark with only a ray of sunlight on the horizon. The street lamps were on and illuminating the busy road. Many cars passed and were heading down in the direction of the beach. What lit up the car though was the time on the radio. It read eight forty-six.

Lana rolled down the window of Kermit as she revealed ‘I think that went well. His parents were really nice.’

‘What did I tell you? Of course, they were going to like you.’ I replied, ‘You are very hard not to like, Lana Armstrong.’

‘You are not so bad yourself. Drizella Miler.’ She said back with a smile ‘His parents seemed to really like you.’

‘That does not really matter though. Does it?’ I asked her before pointing out ‘It is not like I am dating their son.’

Her voice seemed accusing when she asked, ‘Where did you go?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You left for like half an hour after dinner.’ She asserted ‘You went away upstairs.’

Switching lanes, I pressed harder with my foot on the pedal as I claimed, ‘It was not half an hour.’

‘Well?’

‘Well?’ I mimicked.

She let out an exasperated breath ‘Well, where did you go?’

Not being able to avoid the conversation for longer, I used the same excuse I told Brennan ‘Stone stole my book. I had to go and steal it back.’

‘How did he even get your book in the first place?’

This would be the perfect time to slip in the fact that Stone had been in my house but that would lead to more questions. For some reason, I wanted to keep it a secret. I wanted to keep whatever it was strictly between us.

‘I probably had it in my bag at school and he took it then. I don’t know.’ I excused.

‘You don’t take books to school.’ Lana mentioned ‘Not your own ones anyway. You are afraid they will get ruined.’

‘You have gotten quite inquisitive in your old age, Lovely Lana.’

At the nickname, she stilled and then asked quietly ‘It did go okay tonight. Didn’t it?’

‘Why would you think that it had not?’

She laughed a little but there was no humour in it ‘You saw Brennan ten minutes ago. Everything was fine until he started pushing us out the door. Do you think I have done something wrong?’

‘No. I don’t.’ I answered honestly ‘I think the same thing they both have been doing at nights for as long as we have known them is still going on.’

She nodded.

‘Ella?’ Lana said quietly.

I hummed in response.

‘Why do you not admit it?’ She spoke vaguely.

‘I don’t want to admit it.’ I replied in a whisper, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

I was not ready, and I was too scared.

My thoughts quietly turned back to the incident in Stone’s room I began to feel it. The sensation of change. Something that only affected half of our little group. Something blooming that had been there for a while.

I was not sure when it started or even how it had happened, but I knew it was not going anywhere.

Chapter Twenty-Four I was pretty certain that time worked differently within the walls of Leavendale high. It was the start of the week already and I was back again for another week in the limbo of lockers.

Everyone including myself was gliding through the hallways like mindless zombies heading to the cafeteria.

The day had stretched on. From waking up and arriving late until my current position cramped in the lunchroom with a hundred bodies.

It had been such a hectic day that I had not even seen Lana yet. Neither had I spoke to Brennan nor Stone.

Although thoughts of the giant had been turning around my head in an endless loop. Every single detail was crystal clear. We had kissed twice and now I was starting to doubt that it was a fluke.

Whatever I did feel for Lurch was only confirmed as I got closer to our usual table in the lunch hall. My stomach dropped and my last remaining ounce of happiness at being back at school disappeared at the sight.

Lana and Brennan were talking with each other and on the opposite of the table Stone was not alone.

The tall blonde girl who was speaking to Stone was in my seat.

Lacey was chatting away while twirling her hair around her finger.

Stone’s back was to me. It left me wondering what his reaction was to her.

I had never been so hopeful for him to grunt and growl her away.

Lacey was beauty queen perfect with her long wavy blonde hair and blue done up eyes.

The feeling was a new one. The only way I could describe something near it that I had experienced would be when Mr Dankworth told me that he got a limited edition copy of Gone with The Wind for Christmas. Only this sensation of envy was stronger.

I was angry at myself for allowing this to happen. I was angry because he could talk to whoever he wanted, and it was none of my business.

The emotion I was feeling was irrational and confusing. I had no idea why I was feeling such a way.

My legs carried me to the table, and I acted unaffected as I approached them.

‘Budge up, Loverboy.’ I said to a solemn Brennan because of my lack of a seat.

Brennan moved to the edge of the bench and allowed me to squeeze in between him and Lana.

Sitting down, I focus fully on my best friend ‘Hey, Barbie.’

‘Hey, Freakshow.’ Lana smiled widely ‘We were just talking about going to the beach after school. You in?’

I was about to answer her, but I could not. I was too distracted by the heat of the dark gaze penetrating the side of my face.

Stone was watching me.

His obsidian eyes were focused on the side of the table rather than next to him. His attention never withered away from my direction once as I spoke to Lana.

I finally gave in to the warmth covering my face from his unfaltering stare. I faced him.

A harsh breath escaped me as I got a look at his face.

The area around his left eye was slightly swollen and an ugly mix of purple and black. The new bruise did not soften his already intimidating aura.

I was filled with curiosity at the sight of the mark on his face and a million-question rested on the tip of my tongue.

The female invader to the table spoke ‘Hey. It is Ellie, right?’

‘It is Ella but close enough’ I replied to Lacey.

‘Are you okay with me sitting here?’ She said in a tone that gave away she was not asking ‘It is a free country after all.’

‘To some extent. I think that is debatable—’ I began.

Lana’s nudge and small giggle cut me off.

Stone’s mouth twitched before I shut my mouth and kept my thoughts to myself.

I guess it was not the time to share my theories on the government. Not that the blonde intruder was there to talk to me.

I did not blame her for flirting with him, but I was not thrilled about it. I was gritting my teeth at the sight.

Lacey started talking to Stone again. Her flirting was effortless like every word came naturally to her. Yet it did not seem that effective as she was having a conversation by herself with no reply.

I tried to tune out of what she was saying and instead listen to what Brennan and Lana were talking about. As they talked about classes and teachers, I nodded at the right times of their conversation rather than give in and look over to the other side of the table.

‘Medusa.’ A deep voice pronounced.

I turned and met the pair of dark eyes. Stone was still not paying any attention to the girl. He remained to give me his full attentiveness.

The giant spoke again in his rough tone ‘Come here.’

I tilted my head at him and remained seated where I was.

‘Are you okay, Brennan?’ I asked to distract myself and to point out his lack of teasing like normal.

Brennan nodded, the tendons in his neck close to snapping as he looked away from the table.

‘Do you think Stone has a girlfriend?’ I joked, motioning to across the table.

A hint of confusion flicked over his face before he chuckled. Brennan watched me with a smirk as he replied, ‘He wishes.’

My stomach dropped again as I sneaked a peek at the giant again before keeping my head down.

I needed to distance myself from him. I needed to start avoiding him.

Lacey’s silky seductive voice filled the silence ‘You are so strong. How often do you work out?’

I bit my lip and tried to contain my laughter.

I waited for Stone’s response but there was not one.

Lana giggled in my ear ‘He is not even answering her back.’

I shrugged my shoulders and acted nonchalant as I brought out my peanut butter and jelly sandwich which that I made that morning.

The heat from a certain gaze did not wither so I stole another look ahead of me. Stone’s jaw ticked as he studied my position that was not next to him. His glance did go next to him once and his expression contorted to emotionless as he did so.

About to start quietly eating my lunch, a quarterback caught my eye who was walking towards the table.

‘Hey,’ I greeted Chase as I swivelled on the bench to face him.

‘Hey, Ella.’ He said back as he took a bite of the green vegetable in his hand and then held it out to me ‘Do you want my pickle?’

‘Chase.’ I put a hand on my chest and laughed ‘At least take me out to dinner first.’

He threw his head back and laughed.

The last time I checked, the cafeteria did not have a petting zoo. However, you would think that it had from the deep predatory noises made from behind my back.

‘How was your weekend?’ I asked the quarterback, ignoring the snarling from Stone.

‘Could have been better.’ Chase answered before chuckling ‘I had to finish my first draft of that essay for English.’

‘How did you get on?’

He looked to be debating and then answered honestly ‘I don’t really know. At least you sent me some notes. They helped a lot.’

I let out a laugh at him. He had absolutely no faith that he had done well.

Trying to reassure him, I joked ‘As long as you have not written about Shakespeare liking pasta for your setting paragraph then I think you will be fine.’

‘Mr Dankworth has his standards too high.’ Chase tried to argue ‘The old man thinks we are all are actually interested in what he is teaching.’

‘Hey’ I pointed to him dramatically ‘Do not insult Mr Dankworth. You have had an extension on your essay. It is justified that he is expecting a better essay from someone that has had an extra week to do it.’

Chase laughed but he looked more amused at the sight behind me. I followed to where he was looking at a glowering Stone.

His glare was intense and stoic. The glowering was an indication that his rage was barely being contained. The dark eyes switched to a deep feral hunger as he set his sights on me.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Chase.

‘Maybe another study session would be helpful for my final draft.’ The quarterback said as he kept his eyes trained behind me ‘Ella. You free?’

Stone spoke for the first time since the arrival of Chase, and it was more of a bark than words ‘Fuck off.’

Mockingly laughing, Chase did walk away. Not without sending a few smug looks to an already fuming giant.

I swivelled around in my seat and turned to Stone ‘Why should I not go with him?’

His eyes softened as I met his gaze.

Only slightly though because the intensity between us remained. The challenge had us deadlocked. It was so fierce that I had to look away from him to stop myself from feeling on fire.

I noticed that Lacey had disappeared. She had probably taken the hint from Stone’s scowl and lack of conversing.

He did not even acknowledge her as she left the table.

Stone finally answered my question ‘Because I do not want you to.’

‘So, if you tell me to jump then I ask how high?’ I sarcastically remarked before I stated, ‘That is not a good enough reason.’

‘Either you get rid of him, or I get rid of him.’ He gnarled, his voice deepening at the last part hinting that getting rid of part involved violence.

I laughed at his dramatics.

Then I changed the subject to what I wanted to ask, ‘Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Lurch?’

He went still and he went mute. He only moved his head to the side to shake his head. It is in disagreement, but it appears as more. His expression showed disbelief at what I had said.

I could not help but stare at his black eye. It was so big and bruised that it could not have been an accident.

The urge to reach out and touch it was overwhelming.

‘What happened to your eye?’ The question bubbled out of me.

His lip went up in a small smirk.

‘Why are you smirking?’ I narrowed my eyes at him as I questioned his smugness.

‘You are just awfully caring towards your acqenemy.’

I crossed my arms ‘Whatever. I don’t care.’

Stone let out a small deep chuckle, telling me that he did not believe me.

I was glad that his eyes did no longer hold a murderous gleam. More of a determined look graced his striking features.

‘Come.’ He ordered.

‘Excuse me?’

He motioned to my crammed body between Lana and Brennan ‘Come here.’

‘No.’

‘Medusa.’ He darkly let out in warning.

‘Whatever.’ I challenged ‘What are you going to do? Make me?’

His smirk turned evil as he got up from his seat, rising to his full skyscraper height. He slowly rounded the table before he leaned over until his breath was brushing my ear.

‘Should not have said that Medusa.’ He rasped before he gently set his hands firmly on the place of my hips.

‘Ston-aah.’ I let out as he lifted me up into the air.

My feet wiggled around as he held me tightly by the waist and carried me back to his side of the table.

‘I do not like you.’ I bit out as he set me down next to him.

Stone was more interested in making sure my leg was touching his.

I made the spiteful purposed move to scoot along the bench only to be pulled back by a large set of hands.

‘Do you just do what you want?’ I said to him as I narrowed my eyes.

‘I take what I want.’

Brennan coughed and that broke our intense eye lock.

‘Beach tonight.’ The surfer across from us broke the tense silence ‘Are you both up for it?’

The giant nodded but did not let his study on me wither away.

I turned my head and nodded also ‘Sure. As long as Little Miss Sunshine next to me cheers up.’

‘I do not know what you were expecting.’ He bit out, his jaw clenching and unclenching ‘I am not going to sit here and send you on way with prince fucking charming over there.’

I raised an eyebrow at him ‘Maybe I should.’

Stone leant closer to me. His ferocious attitude had returned as he growled near my ear ‘I dare you.’

‘I like dares.’ I smiled sweetly at him ‘A little study session never harmed anyone, Lurch.’

There was something lethal building up in his eyes. Like a storm about to ruin the whole world. Large arms crept along my waist, and he ensnared me in his embrace as he started speaking lowly.

His words were a dark promise ‘If you go near him then he will be unrecognisable after I am done with him.’

‘It is wholly innocent. I am genuinely trying to help him in English.’ I affirmed in the form of an exasperated sigh ‘Have you not ever had someone over to your house and in your room just to read? It is not heated stuff.’

His smirk went malicious as he spoke ‘I have had a small green haired girl in my room, and it was heated stuff.’

Touché to the mammoth.

I turned away, my face going a beetroot colour.

Stone then remembered something because he turned his neck quickly to the side so he could gnarl out ‘He is not coming to your house.’

‘Whatever.’ I tutted, having the urge to go and sit next to Chase just to spite him.

He let out a deep breath before his shoulders relaxed from their previous tensed state. He did not remove his hand from my waist and instead moved me closer until one of my legs hitched up onto his.

His relaxed state was short-lived when Lana pointed to the other boy that was making his way to the table.

‘Ella, look who it is.’ She pointed towards the scrawny boy with curly brown hair.

‘Who is it?’ Brennan asked.

‘Biology Boy.’ Lana and I said at the same time.

‘What the fuck is a Biology Boy?’ A deep voice interjected.

We called him Biology Boy because we had no idea what his name was. All we knew is that he liked to talk to me all period when we were in biology.

‘He likes Ella.’ Lana quietly informed them ‘He even got a little excited when he had to put her into the Heimlich Manoeuvre.’

A deep bang hit the lunch table and shook it like an erupting volcano.

I cringed at the memory.

The problem was that Biology Boy could not take the hint and see that I was uninterested. He was a really nice guy, and I did not have the heart to be mean to him but it was hard to gently let him down.

I needed something to scare him away.

Then it clicked. I was sitting next to the scariest person on the planet, and he just happened to be in a foul mood at that moment in time.

Biology Boy smiled at me and spoke in his high-pitched voice ‘Hey Ella, would I be able to borrow some of your notes for biology? I wasn’t able to jot them all down.’

I nodded ‘Sure. Let me just get them out of my bag.’

Quickly kicking my bag under the table in direction of Stone, I then curled my arm around the large muscular one next to me and pulled myself closer to the huge build.

‘L—Love, can you pass my bag please.’ I quickly corrected my almost use of his nickname.

Stone went from furious to amused as soon as I said the words. His darkened eyes softened as I smiled at him.

I shot him a look that read as play along.

He snaked his hands around my middle and lifted me up onto his lap. Then he buried his head into my neck.

My body froze completely when he started to kiss the delicate skin under my chin.

I moved my head so I was closer to his ear, and I could whisper ‘What do you think you are doing?’

His hand reached up and tipped my head back so he could go back to kissing my neck ‘I want to know if you taste like apples all over.’

A delicious shiver went down my spine and I had the need to close my eyes and roll my head back.

Biology Boy coughed and looked between us ‘Is he your boyfriend?’

‘Yes.’ I lied.

My supposed boyfriend’s hands on my hips twitched and started caressing my waist.

The rough authoritative voice spoke, ‘She is mine.’

I felt slightly bad as I watched the brown curly-haired boy meet the eyes of the tattooed giant. He looked like he was going to wet himself.

The Biology Boy scurried away without a word.

‘What about the notes?’ I shouted but he was too far gone to hear.

The urge to move against the thick leg between my legs was becoming too much. My chest was panting and my muscles wanted to move my core against him over and over again.

I crawled off Stone’s lap when he was distracted. He was too busy looking pleased with himself. I could tell he was inwardly grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

‘Well, that was one way to get rid of him.’ Brennan chuckled.

A frown had etched on Stone’s face and his lighter expression was no longer there.

‘I am going to have to lock you away.’ He said in the form of a grumble.

‘No, thank you.’ I snorted ‘A few hours at school with you is more than enough. I can’t handle any more than that.’

He shook his head, his lip curling up.

I let myself glance at his lips before I narrowed my eyes at him again. I was more reassuring myself when I spoke aloud ‘I hate you.’

‘Do you?’ He raised a brow, unconvinced.

‘I hate you.’ I said again before elaborating while I raised myself on my knees, so I was at his face level ‘I hate you more than anything. I cannot think about anything else except how much I hate you.’

Stone moved a piece of hair from my face and behind my ear before he dropped his thumb, so it brushed my lip ‘For a little nerd, I am unsure you know what the word hate means.’

My gaze flicked over the mountain of a man before I sighed.

He was right.

Brennan spoke up ‘You two just need to hatef—’

The glare from Stone shut him up and made him not continue his sentence.

Lana choked on her juice and almost spat it out.

I had nothing left to say so I sat and ate my peanut butter and jelly sandwich in silence.