Bolt Academy

Chapter 11

(Jaylin's pov)

Xena Bolt.

I'm sorry, but I hate you.

My father has an unhealthy obsession with the Bolt family name. He wants me to marry into their family and take their last name so our families can merge.

I remember when I was eight or nine he sat me down and showed me a picture of Xena. He said "she's cute right? This is who you'll marry in the future, if you marry her you'll be filthy rich".

He did that the entirety of my childhood, once I turned 18 he demanded that I get a job and save up for Bolt Academy.

He said if I got accepted for free it would be embarrassing for me and Xena would never marry me. At this point I'm starting to get annoyed, I've had a crush on this boy that I met in school for a while now. The only reason I agreed to come to Bolt Academy is because I knew he'd be here.

🥷🏾

(Xena's pov)

I went to my father's office on campus looking for anything that could help me find him.

Of course. I found nothing.

I'll be on my way to Wakie after I finish up here. All I need to do is confirm that all five hundred contestants got scanned into the system.

All students except one showed up.

"Of course it's you Shiloh....welp, now I'm coming to get you"

🧚🏼‍♀️

(Shiloh's pov)

I'm just sitting in the barn staring at my luggage. I did all of this packing for what? I can't go.

My mom's sick, she can't even go to the bathroom without assistance.

If I leave she'll die and if I stay she'll die.

At least she won't die alone if I stay.

Tears roll down my cheeks and my chest feels tight. "We almost made it, we almost made it out of here" I say to myself.

I burry my face in my hands and let out a sob and a frustrated scream. Seconds later I hear a knock at the door.

I made my way down the ladder but before I could get to the door Sky opened it and peeked her head in

"Knock, knock" she said smiling

I quickly wiped my face so she wouldn't notice I had been crying but it was too late. Her smile dropped and she came rushing to me.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying" she cupped my face in her hands and wiped away my tears with her thumbs.

I began to cry harder and she pulled me into a hug.

"You don't have to tell me if you're not ready" she rubbed my back in an attempt to comfort me but it just gave me chills, feeling her hands on my back like that.

I pull away from the hug and take a few steps back.

"It's just....I'm...." Should I tell her about this? It's not like she can fix it, it'll just burden her.

She takes a seat on one of the old bales of hay we used to store in here for the animals and pats her lap.

"Come, tell me all about it" she says.

Does she want me to...sit in her....... lap?!

She always does stuff like this, it's so embarrassing.

I hesitate before sitting. The warmth of her lap actually feels nice, I feel safe.

She placed a hand on my knee "you want to tell me about it now, Shiloh?"

"It's just.....I got accepted into Bolt Academy but I can't go..... because my mom is sick and I can't leave her here by herself" I sniffled. I couldn't force myself to look at her face, I felt too embarrassed.

She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a squeeze "I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were going through so much. I feel like a terrible friend"

"N-no! You're a great friend! You're my....best friend" I mumbled. She lifts my face and looks me in my eyes. It almost felt like my soul left my body as I just stared into her eyes.

She planted a light kiss on the corner of my lips and ran her hand up my inner thigh. "Should I stay the night?" She asked.

My mind went blank and I continued to just stare....

What?!

What does she mean by that?!

She laughs "if you'd rather be alone that's cool too"

"It's not that! It's just....I'm sorry, I'm really sorry but I...."

"It's fine Shiloh, you should get some rest. Lets have lunch tomorrow? My treat, okay?"

"Okay"

"I'll see you tomorrow" she said before leaving.

🧚🏼‍♀️

A little later I heard the barn door open again and I rushed to greet Sky. "Sky I-.......you're not sky"

"Yeah. No shit" Xena says.