Page 28 of I Don't Need Your Protection

“Oh, you mean the project. It’s due next week, right? We should really get started on it.” He gives me an apologetic smile. “Maybe we’ll hang out another time.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I try to say, but she is already hauling him away.

Carly rolls her eyes at me when I return to the sofa. “Don’t pay attention to Witch Clarissa. She can’t stand when other people are happy.”

“But she’s interested in Warner, right?” I say as I reach for the second controller and join Raven’s game. “Do I need toback off from Warner?”

“Does she rule the world?” Carly asks.

“No, but she might rule the school.”

“She’ll make your life miserable either way,” Raven says. “Might as well try to do whatever makes you happy.”

“And Warner is a good guy,” Carly reminds me. “He wouldn’t care what Clarissa says.”

“Well, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves,” I say as Raven and I play the game. “Who said he’s even interested in me?”

“He is,” Carly insists. “But in any case, you should be careful. He’s still one of the richest guys at school and you’re a scholarship kid.”

“If Sophie were here, she’d say ‘love conquers all,’” Raven says. “But life’s not always a book.”

“I guess we’ll see.” I lean back in my seat and smile at the thought of a cute guy being interested in me.

Chapter Ten

Caleb

I’m sitting on the floor, leaning against a wall near Raven and Sophie’s room. Addie is inside, working on homework. I can hear them laughing and chatting, and that makes me smile. It’s nice to hear Addie laugh. And it sure as heck was nice to see her having fun in the rec room. She just lost both her parents a month ago, yet she still has it in her to smile. That takes a lot of strength. I’m glad she found friends she can get close to, but at the same time, I need to be vigilant.

My thoughts focus on her smile and laugh when she and Carly danced while playing the game. I know she spotted me watching her, but I just couldn’t look away. Her smile is very electrifying, drawing me in a way I’ve never been drawn in before. By anyone.

I don’t understand it one bit, and I remind myself not to linger on it too much because I can’t let myself slip.

I also think about her telling me that she doesn’t think it’s fair that she’s having fun while I have to “babysit” her. But she doesn’t get it. I’ve sworn my life to protect people. This is what I want to do. It’s my mission. Having fun playing games or dancing is nice and all, but at the end of the day, ensuring her safety is what matters.

A few girls wave or smile at me as they pass. Some try to engage me in conversation, but I pay no attention to them. Hopefully, they’ll eventually learn I have no interest in them.

I wonder if I would try to have a girlfriend if I wasn’t born into the bodyguard family business. If I didn’t dedicate my life to protecting people. Would I be like the other kids here and only think about dating and cars? Or whatever it is these kids are into.

The door opens and Addie walks out. She stops short as her eyes pin on me. “Have you been here this whole time?”

I get to my feet. “Like I said, wherever you go, I go.”

“And you just sat there doing nothing?”

I dip my head.

“How could you do that and not go out of your mind?” she wonders as we make our way down the hall to her room. The entire hallway is adorned with many portraits of people who graduated from here, as well as large plants and statues. Perfect for bodyguards to hide behind.

“Your safety is the only thing on my mind,” I tell her.

She turns to me, looks like she wants to say something, then faces the spot in front of her.

We continue walking in silence until I say, “Did studying gowell?”

“Yeah. This school is a million times harder than my previous one, but I’m sure I can handle it. I just need to study a lot.”

“Good,” I say as she unlocks the door to her room and we enter. “You should focus on your studies and less on boys.”