The Unmatched Beauty

Chapter 9

Draw the line

"Oooh! This pretty mouth just cursed me. It's somehow stimulating, huh~~?"

"Even when your face twists like this, you still are beautiful."

"Rough her up so nicely she won't dare show up at school."

"..nn.. No.. please... NO!" Sitting up with a start, Adira breathed heavily as she woke from her nightmare and felt beads of sweat trickle down her temples.

She roamed her eyes around the familiar room and furnitures before she sighed in clear relief that she was finally in the safe comfort of her home.

Feeling disgusted by the sweat that drenched her back and her forehead, Adira tossed the blanket that covered her frame. She had a brief glance at her clock that said it was currently five in the morning.

"So early." She murmured under her breath and decided to stretch her sore body out at her garden for a while before washing all the sweat away.

Sliding the glass door that led to her little garden, Adira watched as she someone else was using her garden to stretch as well... in a vigorous and brutish way.

"Ar... Mr. Marcatto?" She called the man, who, upon hearing her small voice, immediately stopped his movements—in the middle of a high kick—and craned his head towards her way.

A big grin spread across his face when he saw Adira and greeted her a very lively "Good morning!" and brought his feet down to walk closer to her.

"You're here?" Adira, confused how her family could allow someone else stay in their manor, titled her head with a raddled raised brow.

"Mm. I'm glad to see you looking fine, little dove." He beamed just like a pure and innocent child.

No. Wait. If he's here... Could it be that he knows the nature of my family now?! If so, how can he still be as calm as this?! What the heck is going on?! But... Little dove?

"Oh. Umm.. I wasn't able to thank you properly... for saving me." Even though, you called me Adira when you came to save me. Adira, mellow and timid, thanked Archard with a slight bow as she cast her eyes downwards.

This caught Archard off guard that robbed him of words to say as he stood there silently.

Adira wondered why Archard was not saying anything—even making fun of her—there was nothing from him. She raised her head and found a different kind of smile on his face. It looked the same but it oddly felt different.

"A—" "It's no big deal, little dove. I just happened to pass by and, of course, cannot leave you alone."

Something's not right.

"You should go and have some more rest. I'll be going ahead to school." Archard excused himself before going away without even letting Adira get a word in.

Her eyes followed his figure till he disappeared at a corner and she shrugged her shoulders as if telling herself that she shouldn't care what's going on through his head.

After freshening up, Adira stepped out of her room only to find a another man, breathing evenly and calmly, hunched and leaning beside her door. She crouched to be of eye level to the sleeping man and smiled softly at his silliness sometimes.

Are you staying here to protect me cause you weren't able to yesterday?

She thought before poking him at his head that immediately made the latter open his eyes wide and already on full alert.

"Good morning sleepyhead." She greeted with a smile before crossing her arms across her chest and pouted. "Really, is that how you keep guard at my room? Sleeping? What would you have done if it was an enemy that stood here before you and you were sleeping?"

"I'd kill them." Was his simple answer as he looked straight to her eyes, without anything but seriousness in his eyes. Really, when he gets like this, Adira can't help but be scared of him. It reminds her just what a cold blooded demon this docile little thing really is.

"Okay, okay. Enough talk about killing. Come on and get up." Adira stood up after dismissing the topic right there before it escalates further. After all these years, she's still not comfortable discussing death as easily as the guys do.

Adira froze on her steps when Phil caught her wrist and she turned to his earnest and apologetic eyes. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if trying to tell her something that just doesn't come out and Adira smiled at this.

He's trying his very best. I know that very well.

"It's okay now, Phil. I'm okay. It wasn't your fault, okay?" She tried to reassure him as she pat his head that was, for once, lower than her right now. She doesn't get to do this much since he shot up to his height right now.

"Adira..." "Mm?"

"I will kill them. For you. I will." As if a promise to make up for his lack of ability to protect her, Phil promised Adira.

But I don't want you to kill though.

"I told you enough talk about killing, idiot. Why don't you make me breakfast instead if you want to make it up to me?" Adira pouted, trying to take it off Phil's mind, and acted childishly.

Phillipe finally smiled after seeing Adira acting like she used to do and stood up from his place as well while humming in assent. Everything was for Adira's smile and happiness. Even if it meant to dirty his hands with someone else's blood.

"I'll cook you a badass breakfast, princess."

Adira laughed at her nickname that brought a sense of nostalgia. Phillipe, after all, used to call her awkwardly like that when he was just new at the house Costello.

Nothing really beats a quiet and calming morning with family indeed.

Behind a door, what Adira and Phil failed to notice, was someone who quietly watched and listened to them. Feeling himself being consumed with a feeling that was too unfamiliar with him, he left as quietly as possible.

..

It was a day after the incident when Adira decided to return to school, against the persistent Phillipe suggesting to accompany her for awhile.

"I'm not a kid anymore! Besides, I know daddy planted lots of spies in the school. I'll be fine." Adira retorted before hopping off Phil's car, bid him a quick farewell and hurried to school. Not letting him say more.

It wasn't that she hated how annoying they were about her safety but sometimes, it just felt too suffocating. She cannot handle Phil and that Marcatto guy annoying her at the same time. Speaking of which...

"I've already reached the classroom without that guy annoying me first thing in the morning." Adira murmured and glanced around. She also could not see him. "Where is he? I wonder if he's fine?"

What the hell are you thinking about, Adira?! You should be thankful he's not annoying you first thing in the morning!

Adira scolded herself mentally while lightly slapping herself to get her back to her right senses when another's presence finally registered in her mind. She turned around and found Archard quietly settling down in his place.

"Oh! You're back. Welcome back, Miss Costello." Archard greeted as if he just noticed Adira standing there and seemed too distant with the way he addressed her.

"What's wrong with you?!" Adira, fed up with his sudden indifference and distance, snapped and slammed a hand on his table. That, however, didn't faze nor made Archard twitch even the tiniest bit.

"Nothing's wrong with me, Miss Costello. In fact, I was worried since you were absent yesterday." He kept on the smile she saw that early morning. A familiar yet strange smile decorating his face.

Ah... That must be it.

"I see. Fine. If that's how you want to play this, Mr. Marcatto. Since you finally know me, I hope you keep this distance between us now." Adira announced and stood up straight, as imposing and mighty as she could. "Thank you for drawing the line."