ANNABELLA’S POV
I felt a warm touch on my shoulder as I stood under the shower. But relaxed when I sensed his well-known smell, the smell that wouldn’t escape me even in my deepest sleep.” Did you decide to lock me out last night?” He whispered behind my ears as his hand creased my bare shoulder, his cold lips touching my ears.
I shut my eyes, the familiar feeling shaking my inside and my stomach crowded with butterflies. Heat pulled up at my bottom and I could feel my legs go weak.” I- I didn’t…….”
” You can’t talk now?” His hand slipped down to my arm, and I swallowed hard as he forced me to lean my back against him; the warm shower wasn’t helping my heated body cool down. ” I wasn’t angry to see the door locked last night, but I was when you ran out of my office like you did.” He whispered, and I squeezed my eyes shut, my lips pressed together. ” I don’t blame you for locking me out but I.” My eyes pushed open; maybe it was wrong to be angry with him, but why didn’t he tell me it was his birthday, and why did he have to celebrate it with Juliet and not me?
Wasn’t it his fault that I was angry?
” Bella.” He turned me around, and I was face to face with him. His fingers ran on the mate mark that was sitting on my neck. His gaze turned away from my neck after a few seconds and his parted.” You are angry at me?” He asked and I wondered if he was seriously asking that. Shouldn’t he be apologizing by now? After all, he was the one at fault. He was the one who made my day worse yesterday after forbidding me from going to school for whatever stupid reason.
I couldn’t believe I was standing under the shower with him after what he did yesterday.
Maybe I wasn’t angry with him as much as I thought I was but I wished he had told me about his birthday and didn’t leave me for her..
” I was worried about you.” He said, and I almost rolled my eyes.
Yes, he was but he didn’t bother to come after me. Perhaps he was too busy spending the rest of the day with his step-sister that he didn’t get the time to remember me.
I couldn’t believe I was being this childish.
Was it because he chose to celebrate his birthday with his step-sister or the fact that he left me to go be with her?
Maybe I shouldn’t be angry with him after all; they were siblings who had known each other right from childhood and only united after seventeen years.
Was I being unreasonable?
Was my feelings towards Juliet unnecessary? I didn’t know what to think, but I felt I was taking things too seriously than I should have. After all, there are a lot of women, but Roman never looked at any of them for the past few months I have been with him.
Yeah, I haven’t forgotten about Doctor Carolina, who still has eyes for Roman if I wasn’t mistaken.’ You are mature now.’ Eve complimented. ‘ You think so?’ I asked, and she giggled a little more.
‘ I’m just glad you are not letting her get to you ‘ she said before pulling back to the back of my head.
Looking back into his eyes, I could feel my heart trembling in my chest and my throat going dry. ” Yesterday….” He grabbed my chin and stared, but I interrupted him in seconds, ” I’m sorry for locking you out. I didn’t mean it.” I said, the look in his eyes remaining stern and soft at the same time.
“Really?”
” Yeah, I didn’t mean it. Maybe it locked when I closed it, and since I didn’t notice it, I went ahead to sleep.” I explained further as his hand slipped down my bare waist, his touch coursing sparks to run through my veins. His gaze stuck on my face while I also did the same ” You didn’t mean it?” He whispered in my ears, and I nodded like a little girl. His hand moved to the back of my waist before he pulled me to himself and settled his forehead against mine.
He was still in his black pants, and his upper body remained shirtless just like I woke up to see.
Just the perfect sight for the morning, yeah.
” I just change the temperature of the water ” he whispered, his breath fanning my face. I didn’t feel the difference between the previous water temperature and the current one, maybe because I was with him.
” Roman,” I called and he hemmed, feeling him against me.
” Was it your birthday?” I asked and he hemmed in response. That simple reply did something to my inside, but I didn’t let it get to me even though I felt a bit disappointed inside.
” You should not worry about things like this.”
I frowned at his indifferent tone. What did you mean I shouldn’t worry about things like this? It was his birthday, and yes, I wanted to celebrate it with him, but he didn’t seem to want to celebrate it either.
What was with him? Why did he sound indifferent? Did he hate his birthday very much?
” What did you wish for?” I asked even though he didn’t sound like someone who was a fan of celebrating his birthday.” Being with you was also everything I have ever wished for.” He said, and I smiled, my heart hammering Inu chest.
We remained in that position under the shower for goddess knew how long.
He carried me out of the bathroom after helping me dry my body. He helped me apply cream to my body and then assisted me with my hair.
He made breakfast for us afterward, and I couldn’t stop the happiness in my chest.
After eating the breakfast he made, he suggested taking me to school, which I didn’t say no to. He drove me to the school by himself, and throughout the drive, he would look at me once every second to make sure I was okay.
The silence between us wasn’t awkward but rather refreshing. His hand, which was holding mine, didn’t let go until we reached the school parking space.
” I have a surprise for you.” He said, and I smiled, wondering what the surprise was.” What is it?” My curiosity hoy the best of me.” You will know when I pick you up.” He said and I nodded even though I was curious.
At that moment, there was nothing I wanted more than to get over with school for the day.
” Okay.” I leaned in and hung him tightly before getting out of the car.” Bella.” He stepped down after me, and I turned to face him only to be pulled into his embrace.” Remember you are mine.” He whispered against my lips before smashing his lips against mine.
The day went by slower than I hoped. Kelly was her usual self, and of course, Kiran was way out of her usual self after finding out his cousin was worried about me and called my cell phone more than a hundred times.
She couldn’t stop talking about how much Wade Jackson was into me and how I had set the records straight.
She claimed Wade Jackson has broken the hearts of so many girls, and I was making him feel the same. What I didn’t get was that Wade wasn’t even my mate, so how could I break his heart?
Whatever, I just thought Kiran was overthinking things. Wade couldn’t possibly be attracted to me the way she made it seem because it was only his true mates that could hurt him that way, and fortunately, I wasn’t.
” Bella.” The class teacher called my attention after the lesson was over.” I would like to thank you for saving Brooke; he wouldn’t have made it if not for your help.” He added and the entire class shoved their gaze to my direction like it was their first time seeing me.
” Your healing powers are incredible; keep up the good work.” He complimented and I nodded. ” See you tomorrow.” He picked up his books and walked out.
” Wow, is she that powerful?” One of the students asked.” I heard she was the one who healed Brooke after they were attacked by rogues in the D zone.” another replied, and soon the class broke into chatter, everyone discussing me in my present like I wasn’t there.
I didn’t know how popular I had become until I stepped out of the cafeteria. Even students I didn’t recognize greeted me when they saw me; the sense of recognition was uncalled for, but I didn’t ignore them anyway.
Instead of joining the line for my food, I was immediately served the instant I got there, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Was I becoming popular?
‘ You are already popular, dear Bella.’ Eve scoffed, and I couldn’t judge my smile. ‘ Yo think so?’
‘ You certainly are.’ she shrugged as another student brought me a bottle of water. ” You should be enjoying it, it’s your time. ” Kelly leaned towards me, and whosoever, which I was sure the others heard her because Florence scoffed and Kiran giggled.
” You are the most popular girl in Rivers, Bella.” John remarked and Kiran agreed with him.” She is getting more popular than any of us have ever been.” She added filling her mouth hole with food.
” And certainly the gifted one.” Kiran couldn’t hide her joy. I didn’t know, but at times, I felt like she liked me because Florence didn’t like me.
She was fun of getting on her nerves, what if using me was her method? ” I was worried like hell when the news of you guys getting stuck in that part of the forest.” Kelly said.
” We were all worried,” Kiran said, turning to look at Wade, who was sitting beside her and hadn’t spoken a word or two. ” Including Wade.” She whispered the last part, and my gaze went to him; he was staring at me.
” None of us was able to stop him from entering the forest after you guys,” John said, and the table grew quiet. Did Wade come after us?
” Amanda was like, Bella is still there. Please save her, she saved Brooke, and I don’t want anything to happen to her.” Kelly tried to mimic her voice, and as much as it was serious, I couldn’t hide my smile.
” Amanda was shaking and at the same time pleading that they save you.”
” Do you know the funny part? She and Hens weren’t fun of each other, so I didn’t hear her say anything about him. Can you believe that?” Kiran added, rolling her eyes.
” He is just an asshole,” Kelly said and I wondered what they meant. Even though he was truly an asshole but it seemed there was more to him than what I knew.
” Oh, Bella here is confused as hell.” John noticed the look on my face.
” Let me break it down for you. Before Amanda and Brooke found each other, she used to have a little crush on Hens, but unfortunately, he was a heartbreaker and friends with Wade.”
” He broke her heart after having her first kiss.” Kiran spilled the beans, and I immediately understood why the two loved to banter.
” But I’m glad she found her mate before that jerk could touch her underwear,” Kelly spoke, and my face unconsciously went to Wade Jackson, the most popular boy in Rivers and the crush of thousands of girls!