The heart of Cleopatra

Couple's night

Chapter fifty eight

The day Cleo could return to school had arrived. Her suspension was done, she served her time. A week of detention was her last run of punishment, but she could live with that. Cleo should be relieved that it was over, but it meant school would cut into her scheming time, she so desperately needed. She shuddered when she glanced in the mirror, the uniform really was hideous. An empty sofa was the next thing she saw, she sighed to herself, it was two days after the race and her mind wondered where Kai was. "Snap out of it." She sternly told herself. Kai was not her problem, and she had a day full of intense education to get through.

***

Every pair of eyes were set on Cleo as she walked the halls. She embraced the extra attention and took to strutting down the crowded space with her bike helmet in hand. Her car needed a little help from Jax, so she returned to her old method of transport.

When she arrived at her locker, a friendly face met her. Charlie stood with a smile. His happy expression was infectious, before she knew it her lips curled just like his. "Morning gorgeous." He said to Cleo when she finally made it next to him.

"It's still a little early for me." She complained, resting her head on the cold metal.

Charlie chuckled and pulled out his secret weapon that he was so proud of. "I came prepared." A cold can of Redbull was in his grasp. Cleo's eyes lit up, he knew exactly what she needed. Cleo reached for the heavenly can, pecking his sweet lips as she did. A surge of happiness ran through both the teens when they connected.

"You're a mind reader." She told him, his warm breathing danced on her smooth skin as she kept close. Charlie's large hands held the curve of her waist, they forgot just how natural they fit.

"I missed you." He said truthy. Oli had kept him company, but they were new friends. Before Cleo arrived, Charlie kept to himself. As much as he wished Cleo was the student he was paired with at the start of the year, it seemed to work out pretty well. "And this." He muttered before placing another kiss on her lips. Cleo smiled with dazed vision.

"Great the p.d.a is back." Oli groaned as he unlocked his locker. Cleo raised her eyebrows as she turned to look his way.

"Someone's got moody since I left." Cleo commented.

Charlie chuckled. "He's just annoyed he didn't get to see you choke hold Francesca. Actually, quite a lot of people are annoyed they didn't get to witness it either."

"So everyone knows?" Cleo asked feeling slightly embarrassed. She caused her fair share of rumours at Arcane high, now Asterin was starting to look similar.

"Pretty much." Oli confirmed. "But for the record, everyone seemed to enjoy the story. She was aiming for sympathy, but underestimated how many people despise her, and her sidekick."

Cleo's dampened mood lifted. People weren't scowling her, in a way they were praising her. She did something nobody else would dare, but they didn't know the big picture. Isabella's life was on the line, not just some petty disagreement.

The day was going smoothly for Cleo. She fit right back into her classes, as if she was never absent. She continued to be on high alert, if she got a whiff of trouble, she would be out of the door faster than wind.

Cleo sat opposite Charlie at lunch, casually admiring his strong sculpted features. The dark circles under his eyes indicated that he hadn't slept too well since Cleo last saw him, she could relate. However, his smile hadn't left. He was so angry at the gala, he was almost unrecognisable, but now he was just Charlie. The same perfect version of himself.