“Get away from her!” he screamed and thrust his hand out. A force hit James and he went flying across the classroom releasing me in the process. His cackle filled the room.
Adelaide looked at me with wide, dark-blue eyes. Her plump lips were open in surprise and she couldn’t seem to form a coherent sentence so she just stuttered.
We both turned to watch Theo stalk toward the teacher. He lifted the large man up by his shirt and said, “I think it’s you that needs to learn control. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from her.”
James’s eyes dilated in … fear? I couldn’t blame the man for being afraid of him—when Theo was like this he was a total bad ass. Theo dropped the man and stalked toward me. His movements were quick and smooth, and I found myself once again comparing him to a ninja. He had a grace to him.
Class was over, but no one moved. Theo picked up his jacket and shrugged it on. Everyone stared in awe at him while James quietly stalked out of the room. Theo turned around and looked at the people lingering in the room. They ceased their excited babbling. The silence filling the room seemed somehow louder than a thousand voices.
“You do know it’s time to go, right?” he asked, looking at them like they were idiots.
Several people jumped up, gathered their bags, and ran out of the room. I guess they were afraid he might attack them next. Others seemed frozen. Theo shook his head and rolled his eyes while he came toward me. “Honestly,” he said with a cocky grin and then took my hand in his, “you’d think no one had ever seen a fight before.”
Chapter 14
HEY, DICKWAD, WHAT ARE YOU READING?” Theo flicked a fry off his plate and onto Winston’s head.
I shot a glare at Theo.
Could he not be a dick for five seconds?
Winston looked up and over at him. “A book,” he replied in a duh tone.
“Yeah, but it’s dinner. I’m sure having a conversation with me would be much more interesting than whatever you’re reading.”
I stepped on Theo’s foot hard and he glared at me. “Can I help you?” he asked.
“Yeah, you can, by shutting your mouth.”
I didn’t understand what his problem was with Winston. As far as I knew, Winston seemed like a pretty decent guy. Plus, he was like me. Shouldn’t that count for something?
“Aw, but where’s the fun in that?” He smiled, a dark curl falling over his forehead. “Besides, if I shut my mouth, you’d be awfully bored. I’m a great conversationalist.”
I shook my head. “You’re impossible.”
“You never answered my question.” He turned back to Winston. “What are you reading?” he enunciated each word slowly and carefully.
Winston placed a bookmark in the book and closed it before holding it up. “Happy now?” he asked, tilting his head in challenge. He knew Theo was full of shit and poking at him for no good reason.
“Pride and Prejudice? Interesting choice. I didn’t know you had a vagina.”
“Oh, my God,” I muttered. On my other side, Adelaide shook her head but didn’t intervene. I guess she’d learned by now it was pointless.
Winston cracked a smile. “On the contrary, I find being well read gets me laid.”
“There’s only like five girls here and I doubt any of them would go for you,” Theo sneered. “No offense, but you kind of look like a weasel.”
“Well, weaselness aside, the panties sure do drop. Must be the accent.” Winston smirked at Theo not backing down. Normally, he seemed to take his shit, but not today. “Your sister sure had no problem screaming my name.”
Adelaide choked beside me and, before I could blink, Theo growled and launched himself across the table, grabbing Winston by the shirt collar in the process, before the two of them tumbled to the ground.
“Theodore, stop!” Adelaide jumped up, running to the other side of the table. I did the same while others looked on curiously with no intentions of stopping the two guys.
I made it around in time to see Theo smash his fist into Winston’s nose, blood spurting all over the place.
“Theo,” I pleaded making a grab for his arm.
His elbow jolted back into my abdomen, knocking me back.
The air left my lungs and I fell smack on my butt on the floor. I grabbed the spot where he hit me, and it throbbed beneath my touch.
Suddenly, Theo stopped attacking Winston and whipped around with a horrified look on his face.
“Mara,” he breathed. Not doll face. No, I was Mara in that moment. The way he said my name was slightly heartbroken and desperate. He dropped to his knees beside me. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. You have to know that.”
Winston groaned and slowly stood up, wiping the blood that had dripped from nose to mouth. “Maybe you’ll finally learn to watch your temper.”
Winston rolled his shoulders and sat back down calmly, flipping his book open like nothing at all had happened.
“Let me see,” Theo pleaded, gripping at my shirt and trying to pull it up so he could see my stomach. Adelaide stood behind him, her eyes wide with horror, a hand over her mouth.
“Don’t touch me. I’m fine.” I pushed his hand away roughly and he fell back on his butt too.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his jaw clenched like he was angry with himself.
I shook my head. I knew he didn’t mean to, and I’d probably only get a bruise, but I was angry with him for losing his temper and provoking Winston in the first place.
“Grow up,” I told him as I slowly gathered myself to stand.
Adelaide scurried to my side and helped me up. “We need to go to astronomy,” she whispered.
“Lead the way.”
I had barely eaten my dinner but I couldn’t stomach anything now.
Theo stood from the floor to follow us. I wanted to tell him to go away and I didn’t need him, but I also knew it’d be dumb of me to send him away. He probably wouldn’t go anyway.
We grabbed our plates off the table so we could dispose of them on our way out. Winston stood up then and grabbed his book and plate, walking with us out of the dining hall.
“I didn’t sleep with Adelaide, just so you know,” he whispered in my ear in passing. “Good luck with astronomy, love,” he said louder so Theo and Adelaide could hear.
“You don’t have to go?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I’m twenty-one so I’m free to do as I please. Are we still hanging out later?” he asked.
Honestly, I was exhausted, but when Theo rolled his eyes I couldn’t help but say, “Yeah, as soon as astronomy is done I’ll come by your room.”
“Cool.” He grinned, and my stomach flipped a little. It was nothing like the somersaults it did when Theo smiled at me but it was better than nothing. Maybe this unrequited crush would be easier to get rid of than I believed. “See you later, love,” he called as he left.
“I found out it’s Finn who’s back to teach astronomy this year,” Adelaide gushed as we walked along. “He’s so hot—just wait and see.”
“Ugh,” Theo gagged dramatically. “Finn’s my friend. Can you, my little sister, try not to refer to him as hot?”
“What?” Adelaide blinked at me innocently. “He is. I’m only stating facts here.”
Theo tilted his head back and muttered something at the ceiling. Righting himself, he grumbled, “This way,” and motioned us up a hidden staircase that reminded me of the one that led to the library. Adelaide went up first, then me, and Theo brought up the rear. The staircase kept going up until we reached the roof. By the time we got there, I was out of breath. I seriously needed to work out more.
A light drizzle was falling but it didn’t touch us. I looked around and Theo tapped my arm. He pointed up and I followed with my eyes, gasping in surprise. A shimmery bubble enclosed the area.
“Wow,” I murmured in awe.
“Pretty cool, huh?” someone to my left asked. Startled, I turned to the source of the voice.
The g
uy was a little older than me with a mega-watt smile, golden hair, and a chiseled face. “It’s amazing.”
“Evening, Finn,” Theo bit out, oddly formal. However, there was nothing formal to the scathing look he sent the man.
“Theodore? Wow, what are you doing here?”
“You know why I’m here, Finn,” he sighed, exasperated.
“Right, protector duty,” Finn said. He flashed me a grin. “I don’t think you need any protecting.”
Theo rolled his eyes. “Could you not flirt with my charge?” he asked Finn.
He was flirting with me? I hadn’t thought so. It seemed to me Theo was overly protective today.
Finn laughed. “Same old Theodore. I heard what you did today.”
Theo rolled his eyes again. “I think the whole place knows. People gossip too much.”
“I’m sure they do. Word gets around. Anyway …” Finn turned back to me. “The bubble protects us from the elements and allows us to truly see the stars.”
“Did you … do this?” I asked and motioned to the clear, shimmery bubble.
He chuckled; it was a soft raspy sound. “I did. It’s a basic spell, nothing exciting, I assure you.” He looked around at the small group of us. “Well, I guess I better start. I’ll see you later.”
“My name’s Mara,” I said as he started to turn away.
He turned back and winked a pale-blue eye. “I know.”
“Oh, my God. Is he not swoon worthy or what?” Adelaide cooed and laid her head on my shoulder. “And it looks like he has his eye on your doll face.” She punched her brother’s shoulder. “He didn’t even notice me and I was practically drooling and sending out all possible fuck-me vibes I have in my arsenal so he’d hopefully no longer see me as your kid sister.”
Theo wiggled. “First off, that’s against the rules. Student teacher relationships are just as frowned upon in enchanter society as they are in human society. Secondly, ew. Don’t ever say fuck-me vibes in my presence ever again. You’re my sister. I need like ten showers to get this ick off of me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dramatic. Besides, you don’t follow the rules, so why should he? Mara’s going to be eighteen in a week. I say if she wants to go after the guy she should.”
“I follow the rules that matter,” Theo growled.
Adelaide looked at me and muttered, “He has a really messed up logic.”
I had to agree, but instead, I said, “I’m not even interested in him—which I doubt he’s interested in me—so let’s drop this. Nothing is going to happen.”
Adelaide bumped my shoulder and licked her lips. “I’ll take him off your hands then.”
“La, la, la,” Theo sing-songed, his hands over his ears. “I can’t hear you.”
“Gather around,” Finn called out, motioning for us all to come closer. We all huddled in a circle in front of him. He flashed a smile. “Welcome to astronomy. I’m Finn. I’m sure many of you are wondering why you need to take an astronomy class but let me assure you, this class is important. The stars are a map of the night sky; a map that you may be dependent upon someday. Everyone knows that The Iniquitous gather strength from the night and if you find yourself caught by them just remember the stars and they can lead you out.”
“He’s so dreamy,” Adelaide sighed happily in my ear. “He makes ordinary words sound so poetic.”
Theo coughed but I was pretty sure he was covering up a snort.
“Get into groups of two and head to one of the telescopes,” he instructed.
“It’s too bad he doesn’t have a desk,” Adelaide whispered under her breath. “I’d so let him bend me over it.”
Theo choked beside us. “I think I’m going to puke.”
“Bite me.” Adelaide bared her teeth at him, and then turned to me laughing. “Come on, partner.” Adelaide grabbed my arm as she dragged me to one of the telescopes. Finn was walking around, instructing everyone on how to use them. I noticed that Adelaide had picked the last telescope in the lineup. This couldn’t mean anything good.
“Adelaide—” Theo warned.
“What?” she asked, a bit too innocently.
“You know how to use a telescope.”
“Ah, but Mr. Hotty McHot Pants doesn’t know that.” She waggled her eyebrows.
Finn slowly made his way toward us. Adelaide bumped me with her bony hip, sending me into Theo, all for the purpose of being closer to Finn. He caught me easily and I jerked away like I’d been burned. When I looked at him, I expected to see his trademark smirk but instead he was looking away, his jaw clenched with his hands held into fists.
“Having trouble, ladies? I thought Theo would be able to help you.”
Adelaide pouted her bottom lip. “I asked him to, but he wouldn’t. Could you help me?” she asked in a sickeningly-sweet voice. She trailed her finger enticingly down his arm.
“Sure.” He then began explaining the different knobs to her.
“I think we may have another Naomi on our hands,” I stood on tiptoes to whisper in Theo’s ear. My lips brushed his ear and he shivered despite the fact it wasn’t a bit cold. I took a step away from him and color flooded my cheeks. I hoped it was dark enough that he wouldn’t notice.
Finn turned and said, “There’s an extra telescope over there.” He pointed to an empty one on the row. “Maybe you could help Mara.”
“I don’t think so.” Theo eyed Finn’s hand where it rested on Adelaide’s back.
I rolled my eyes, I guess I was picking up on the habit, and grabbed Theo’s arm. “This way, Theo.” He reluctantly followed me. I stopped in front of the telescope that Finn had indicated. “Come on, show me how to work this thing. Unlike Adelaide, I truly don’t know what I’m doing.”
He glanced over his shoulder at his sister.
“Leave it alone, Theo.” I sighed. “She’s a big girl and I really don’t think he’s going to do anything.”
“You don’t know him like I do,” he growled.
“I thought you were friends.”
“We are; therefore, I know exactly what he’s thinking, and it shouldn’t involve my little sister,” he growled, his fists clenched at his sides. His gaze was still glued to them.
“Theo,” I said in a warning tone and placed my hand on his upper arm. I pretended that I didn’t notice how muscular it was.
“What?” he snapped and glared at me. His gray eyes seemed to burn.
“They’re right there.” I pointed like he didn’t already know where they were. “Nothing inappropriate is going to happen under your nose.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” His chest heaved.
“Adelaide’s not stupid. It’s just some harmless flirting.”
“That’s what you think,” he muttered. He sighed and, with a last glance at his sister, turned his attention to me. “Let me show you how to work this.”
Theo showed me how to adjust the height of the telescope and then how to adjust the focus. He spouted out several things that I knew I’d never remember the names of. I just decided to call them the watchamagidgits. He then showed me how to look through the lens and center it on a star. Everything he said blurred together after a while. Who knew working a telescope could be so difficult?
“And that’s it.” He stepped away.
When I didn’t make a move, he put his hand on the small of my back and guided me toward the telescope. “Go on, look through it.”
I gave him an apprehensive smile and then looked through the lens.
I gasped in surprise.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked. “They use a spell to clear the sky of clouds and fog so you get to see everything perfectly.”
“I never knew the sky could look like this,” I murmured in awe.
Theo sat down and leaned his back against the balcony railing. He drew his knees up and rested his arms loosely upon them.
“This was probably my favorite class,” he admitted, and I was shocked to learn something personal abou
t him so willingly.
“Except for the fighting,” I inserted.
He laughed. “You must think I’m such a hot head.”
“You did go nuclear multiple times today, Theodore.”
He winced. “I always know you’re serious when you say my full name.”
“I’m always serious, Theodore,” I tried to say with a straight face but ended up laughing.
He joined in with my laughter but soon a serious look overcame him. He began to play with his lip ring. He leaned his head against the railing and said, “Whenever I feel like you’re being threatened a … a haze sort of comes over me and I see red.”
I pulled away from the telescope. “Not everyone is out to hurt me.” I lightly touched his knee.
“I don’t know who to trust,” he murmured softly, almost worriedly. “Anyone could have ulterior motives. Anyone.”
I blinked. “Am I going to have to live my whole life looking over my shoulder? Am I going to have to shake hands with someone and then question whether or not they’re going to try and kill me? I don’t think I can do that, Theo.”
He sighed and dropped his hand from his lip ring. He didn’t say anything for a while and I went back to star gazing. Finally, he said, in a defeated voice, “You’ll have to. Anyone and everyone could be an enemy.”
“Is that why you don’t want me to hang out with Winston?” I asked. “I really don’t think he’s going to kill me.”
Theo swallowed thickly. “Churchill … No, I don’t think he’ll hurt you.”
“Then why are you so against him spending time with me?” I pushed.
He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Drop it, Mara.”
I smiled to ease the tension and said, “I always know you’re serious when you call me Mara instead of doll face.”
He grinned. “I’m always serious, Mara.”
“Please replace your dust caps,” Finn called out, “and I’ll see you all on Wednesday.”
“Wednesday?” I asked Theo. “We don’t have this every day?”
“No.” He shook his head. “You only have it three days a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”
Enchant (The Enchanted Book 1) Page 13
