The ORION Project | ✔

chapter 16

The soft classical music suddenly sounded like death metal to her ears.

Jamal was leading her in a waltz dance before she could protest, his hands slipping down dangerously to her waist and his other hand holding hers. Grace opened her mouth and closed it like a gaping fish, as a shiver snaked down her spine. He was saying something but she couldn't hear anything over the ringing in her ears.

Grace caught Amina's concerned gaze and forced herself to nod, because no matter how much she wanted, they couldn't cause a scene and Amina needed to find the man they were looking for — especially because Jamal's presence meant he was seeking out the same person, she knew that much that The ORION Project and The MEDUSA Project were rivals, enemies and each one was always seeking to sabotage the other.

Go, Grace mouthed to a still standing Amina, the other girl nodded and then she was gone, sweeping into the crowd, leaving Kendrick behind. He gave her a single look that told her that he was ready to make a scene if she gave the word. It was one of his traits that she liked — the fact that he was fiercely protective — and hated because it meant he wore his emotions on his sleeve, with people like Joshua Phillips, it meant vulnerability.

A tap on her shoulder made her snap back to the present and she hoped that Jamal hadn't noticed her looking at Kendrick. Jamal smiled his crooked smile, the one she had had a brief crush on, but now it just made her want to smack his teeth down his throat.

"I see you're running with the wolves now?" Jamal asked in a low voice as they resumed their dance, he was leading and she was just shuffling her feet along, wanting to step on his feet, but he was careful.

"Wolves?" Her voice was a fragile whisper.

"The ORION Project, everyone on campus calls them the wolves." Jamal answered, watching her face twist into something bitter.

Jamal laughed, and it drew the attention of the couple dancing near them. He let his hand lower down her back, and almost touching her butt when she gave him a withering glare, daring him to.

Grace looked at Jamal, wondering why she had ever thought him attractive, everything about him seemed fake and manufactured, his smile was too wide, his face was rough, crooked nose and slanted eyes — she remembered commenting on it and him telling her that girls dug boys with scars. — and a mouth that was feminine, he knew how to twist it into that smile that made it seem like he was laughing at you. She tried to sneak a glance at Kendrick wanting to mentally compare both boys when she saw that he was gone, no longer standing by the buffet table.

Grace scanned her eyes around, searching for him but Jamal's hand tilted her face back to his, he looked angry but tried to hide it with that mocking smile he usually wore.

"What is so fascinating than me that you keep looking around?" Jamal asked, tsking his tongue. "I know you are in awe of all the wealth around."

Grace narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"

"I am being a good person by looking after you," Jamal said with a shrug that came off as anything but innocent. She wasn't deceived by it.

"Since when have you ever looked after anything but yourself?" She snapped, regretting it when his grip on her waist tightened. Fear made her palms clammy, would Jamal dare to hit her in front of people?

"Be careful, darling, I am not a very patient man." He told her softly. No, she wanted to say, you are brash and it will be your downfall someday.

Grace wished she could say it to his face, but she found out she couldn't, not when he was peering intently into her face with something that looked like awe shinning in his eyes as if he couldn't quite believe he was looking at her. It made Grace wary, and desperate to leave, the pressure in her chest increasing. She was foolish for thinking that she could be brave like Amina and face Jamal after how things had ended a year ago.