Darkling

5| Reputation

Chapter 5: Reputation (Clara's POV)

The class was nearly over and I was nearly done making my notes too. 

He started packing up beside me and sighed as I finished the last sentence. "Is your father Flynn Desmond by any chance?" he asked. 

"Yes, why?" I asked. 

He didn't answer as he stood up, putting all the books back. 

I stood up, dusting my skirt off. 

"I know you," he nodded. 

"What?" I scoffed. 

"Nothing." He rolled his eyes and then spun on his heel, walking away. 

I quickly followed him downstairs and out of the library. I caught up to him and fell into step beside him. "What do you mean you know me?" I asked. 

"When was the last time you came to Ilea?" 

"Um, never?" 

He stopped abruptly and I skidded to a halt beside him too. 

"What?" I asked in confusion. 

"Are you sure about that?" He stepped closer and I instinctively stepped back. 

"Positive," I nodded. 

"If you say so," he retorted and then started walking away again. 

I watched in confusion and slowly walked behind him while pulling out my phone to check where my next class was. Room 12A for French. Now, where the hell do I go for that? 

I started by making my way to the staircase, knowing that the room isn't on this floor. I was still walking behind him with a few students trailing behind me. He stopped abruptly on the stairs and swiveled around to face me. The people behind me clearly didn't see that coming and ran right into me. I stumbled forward, bracing myself on his shoulders while he grabbed my waist, steadying me. 

"Sorry," I mumbled. 

"Why are you following me?" he cleared his throat. 

"I'm just going downstairs. Room 12A. Would you help?" I asked hesitantly. 

"No," he said and then turned back around to leave. 

I rolled my eyes, "What? Being helpful doesn't go with the whole douchebag reputation?" 

He chuckled, glancing at me over his shoulder. "Precisely that. It doesn't go with the reputation." 

I glared at the back of his head. 

What a dick. 

"But I have that same class. Follow me. If you dare," he said dramatically without even turning to look at me. What if he's just lying to embarrass me even more? I have to risk it, maybe he isn't as much of a dick as he tries to be. I followed him, keeping a safe distance between us. And then he strolled into a classroom labeled 12A. 

So he wasn't lying. 

I went and sat in a chair somewhat in the back but not the last row and he went and took the seat behind me. 

"I might be a dick, but I'm not a liar," he whispered. 

I turned to say something. To argue. With anything. I froze, my breath hitching in my throat when I realized how close he was to me, forgetting all the words that existed until just a second ago. We were just a few inches apart. I spun back around, making sure my ponytail hit his face. 

"Fuck's sake," he said under his breath. 

I smiled to myself as the rest of the class and the teacher walked in. "Is Ms. Desmond here today?" he asked, grabbing the whiteboard marker.