?WINGLESS AND BEAUTIFUL?
?EPISODE 88?
I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Oh, there it is!” Pointinga finger at him.
He stared back at me blankly. “What?”
“Your inflated head. I was beginning to wonder if you lost it along the way.”
He laughed and couldn’t help leaning forward to giveme a smack on the lips.
“I almost forgot that one of thethings that attracted me to you was your sense of humor.”
“That’s because you spent ninety-nine percent of yourtime being angry at me since you got back.”
“I wasn’t just angry,” he admitted. “I was jealous—crazy jealous!”
“Next time you decide to be jealous, get your facts straight first, okay?”
He raised a hand to his side, swearing like a boy scout.
“Ma’am, yes, ma’am.”
Hunter drove around the city. It was only when he parked in front of Burger Inn that I realized where we were.
I was reluctant to get down from the car and he noticed it.
“You said you were craving for burgers,” he pointed out.
“Yes, I did. But half of the population of Leighton High isprobably there,” I argued.
Hunter grinned. “Then there’s no better place to makean announcement, is there?”
He rounded the car and opened the door for me.
That was new to me. I realized that I only had been in a car with Chaise and he never opened the car door for me. I’m not saying something’s wrong with that.
But I guess Hunter wasmore old-school than Chaise was. And I prefer old-schoolany day.
“What announcement?” I asked as soon as I got downfrom the car.
His eyes gleamed as he gave me a mischievous smile.
“That the prettiest girl in the campus is now officially off-limits.”
“Who me? No, I’m not…” I started but he silenced mewith a kiss.
“You are,” he said. “Why do you think I punched DonWinston in the first place?”
“Because he poured ketchup all over me?”
“And he didn’t just do that to embarrass you. Guys have different ways of expressing a crush, angel.
Winston’s brainwas just tiny. He hadn’t graduated from kindergarten tactics yet.”
“Seriously?” I asked in shock.
“Seriously. And since you played in that concert, the list of guys I would threaten to stay away from you has increased ten-folds.”
“Lie!”
“I wish it was,” he muttered under his breath.
He took my hand in his and intertwined our fingers. Ashe opened the doors to Burger Inn, he raised our hands to his lips and gave my fingers a kiss, deliberately letting everybody see.I felt like the world literally stopped spinning.
The place went quiet except for the music that was playing. Apart from that, I felt like almost everybody inside stopped talking and just stared at us.
I was right. More than half of the diners were from our school. I should know. I used to work here and it was afavorite hangout during Friday nights.When I looked up at Hunter, he had a proud grin on his face that he couldn’t seem to wipe off.
He looked mischievous and carefree as he led me to an empty table inthe corner.I looked up into his eyes.
They were dancing, and hewas obviously fighting the urge to laugh.I looked around us and found that many people were
looking at us.
Some were trying not to make it obvious that they were watching us, others didn’t care if they were caught staring at all. As expected, many girls were staring at me—with wide, furious glares on their faces.
“What the he..ll?”
“First, Chaise Anderson. Now, Hunter Vaughn?”
They also didn’t care if we overheard them.I turned to Hunter. “I’m dead. These people are going to peg me as their number one target again on Monday.”
Hunter shook his head. “Let them try. Half of them are dumb anyway, they can’t hurt you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Alone they are harmless.
But I’ve been in Leighton High long enough to learn not to underestimate the power of stupid people putting their heads together.”
Hunter laughed. “True. But remember, people can’t pull you down if they weren’t below you in the first place.” He took my hand in his, touching his ring on my finger. “They thought you were with Anderson, that’s why they weren’t scared to try.
But now that you’re with me, I doubt any ofthem would even attempt to touch you.”
“How do you know that?”
“In case you didn’t notice, I’m slightly scarier than thelast guy who followed you around, angel.” He pulled my fingers to his lips to give it a kiss.
“And unlike Anderson, Iwalk the talk. No signs. No warnings. And I’m never leaving your side, remember?”
I raised a brow at him. “Are you my boyfriend or my bodyguard?”He held his ring in front of me, my eyes weremagnetized by the intricate carvings on it. “Guardian angel, remember?” He straightened up on his seat, and in a louderthan necessary voice, he said, “And unlike the last one you had, I have a sword, not a halo.
And my wings are black, not white. It’s time they realized who they will have a problem with the next time they hurt even a single hair in yourbody!”
My eyes widened at him. He took my hand in his again,and then he bent down to kiss my fingers once again. “I loveyou, angel.” He didn’t even whisper that.
I was sure many people around us heard everything he said.Four… three… two… one.I turned around and everybody stopped staring at us.
They turned back to their respective tables and started minding their own businesses, as if they were afraid to look
at us again.Hunter took me home just before midnight.
He walked
me up to the front porch.
“Is Meredith home?” he asked.
“She texted me a while ago. She’s pulling an all-nighter on her job tonight.”
“So, you’ll be here alone?” he asked.
“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time,” I replied.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
I smiled at him. “Don’t worry about me, Hunter. I’m notas fragile as you think I am, you know.”
“I know.”
He leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead.
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
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