Seems Like Royalty

XXVII: People's interference and girls' conference

27

            “So are you going to tell me now why you didn’t attend English class earlier? Since you didn’t tell me during lunch even though you promised.”

            Blake turned his head to the right to look at me as he clutched the steering wheel. It might be hard for him to keep up a conversation like this when he was driving but I think that it was harder for me to interrogate him when he looked like he was concentrating on what he was doing. I always found that character of his irresistible.

            “I couldn’t tell you when those three are present. And they never left us alone, did they?” He reasoned as he raised one brown eyebrow at me.

            I guess he was right. He couldn’t really reveal something to me that easily. Richarde, Maddie and Izza might not know what it was about and he was right. We were never left alone right after we told them that we were dating. They said that we might do something pleasurable inside the comfort rooms or the janitor’s closet if Blake and I were left without ‘adult supervision’ or so they said. I gave them each a bump on the head for that.

            I scratched my jaw, ashamed for their behavior. “Yeah. Remind me to slap them tomorrow.”

            He laughed. “It is obvious that they care for us so much.”

            “Now, aren’t you evading the topic?” I shifted myself so as my body faced his, my left elbow above the seat.

            “Okay, cranky. I told you I was absent because your dad called me, right?”

            I nodded.

            “He told me that I should tell you as soon as possible but I waited…”

            “So? Hurry up. I can’t handle the suspense, Stupid!”

            He chuckled at me but it ended with an edge. “Fine, fine. When you were kidnapped in December, I was with a SWAT team, remember? Well, it turns out that they didn’t catch Finn, only the ones cooperating with him. They tried to keep up with his tracks but unfortunately, they couldn’t find him where those tracks lead them. Those who were caught weren’t of any help. They said that Finn paid them to kidnap you. They really didn’t know Finn personally. Your dad was infuriated, of course. So he called me up and told me to increase my guard. I’m kind of off edge with that. Sorry.”

            I didn’t say anything for a few seconds then, it sunk in. I still wasn’t safe. Blake still wasn’t safe. “We’re not yet safe… Is that what you’re telling me?”

            He nodded slowly, studying my expression. I tried to look calculating but I was sure I just looked blank.

            “Yes. I’m sorry, princess. I thought of leaving again but I can’t bear to do that now, can I?” He glanced sincerely at me, gray orbs into green ones.

            “I wouldn’t let you even if you wanted,” I said quietly.

            “I know that.” He smirked at me but it was limited, like he couldn’t smirk like he normally did. He was worried.

            I knew that he was more worried for me than he was for himself. I appreciated his concern for me but he should have some self-preservation. He couldn’t just forget everything and focus all on one thing—me, for that matter. Did he know that I was worried sick for him too?