CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I smiled dryly as I heard him speak. So he caught on to that, he really isn't the class topper for no reason. i remained quiet for a bit as he patiently waited for my reply..i let out a tired sigh as I turned to look him in the eye.
"…why do you want to know all of these things, xerxes…?" I questioned him back. Xerxes stared hard at me, before he turned to look into the horizon with a sigh.
"…because, I was worried, still am. Do you know how scared I was when I saw you bleed then pass out? At that moment, I couldn't think of anything, except, is ivy hurt? Couldn't I protect her?" his voice was calm but filled with anxiety and concern, but there was an underlying emotion in his voice that I could not read.
So this was the reason he wanted to know, huh? I gave him a cold dry smile as I turned my face away.
"firstly, let me apologize for putting you in harm's way…and secondly those men, were sent…by my..father"
"…your…father? But wait, didn't you tell us that your father was…"
"dead?" I completed the sentence for him, before adding;
"…I wish he were dead, but no, he is very much alive…" I said dryly as the wind moved my hair gently.
"…I don't understand…if he really is alive, why did he send low class criminals to attack you?" there was a confused and bewildered look on his face as he stared at me, asking for answers.
"because he's a lunatic, that's why…honestly I feel insulted that he sent level five criminals after me…did he think I got weak or something…" I said , clearly frustrated with such a weak attempt, completely losing my cool for a moment. I managed to calm down again. I could feel xerxes burning gaze on me.
"…ivy, the truth…who really is your father…"
"the truth?" I stared at him shocked. Did he think I as joking or something. "you want the truth, fine…my real name isn't Ivy Scarrow. It's Leah Lamont, daughter of Darius Lamont, yes, that Darius Lamont, the super villain, wanted in many countries by different heroes. He is a power hungry lunatic bent on taking over the world and will use anything…or anyone at his disposal to get that. The Lamont's one of the most vile and corrupt family of super villains to walk the earth. Three years ago, the villain, phantom suddenly went missing, along sides the viper. I…nobody knew where they went to, rumours have it that they were killed off in secret, or maybe they went out of commission, either way, no one has heard or seen them since. Three years ago, my mother took me and left, she put me in a good school, hoping that whatever shred of my childhood and humanity would be saved once I was surrounded by things a young girl my age would need, another chance at having a normal life. Three years ago, my father died in my eyes. He meant nothing to me and will forever remain nothing to me…" I spoke angrily as I revealed everything to him. I wasn't angry at xerxes, but I was just mad.
"I've always wanted to be a pro hero…" I said again, after a long silence.
"…so that's it…hmmm, Darius Lamont, huh? Well, I still have so many questions.." he finally spoke up. I'm sure he was disappointed, who wouldn't be after finding out your classmate was a villain, an ex villain. I put my leg up on the edge, then stood up straight.
"and I'll answer them all…but first…" I took in a deep breath then closed my eyes. "…you'd have to catch me first…"
"what do you mean by-" before he could finish, I turned around and let myself fall over the edge.
The terrified look in his eyes made me smile. What was I doing anyways? I just jumped off a roof and asked him to catch me. The world seemed to slow down a bit as the wind rushed through my hair and clothes, what is this feeling? I had my eyes closed as I free fell.
But then, I stopped…
My eyes slowly opened when I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and pull my closer, it was accompanied with the loud yelling of an angry classmate.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU…" he yelled as we stayed suspended in the air. A pair of his tendrils were fastened to the edge of the building, stopping us from falling, I could clearly see those red eyes of his, even in the darkness. Unfortunately, the loud noise attracted the attentions of some of the guards that had been patrolling the school grounds.
"HEY! WHO'S UP THERE!?" one of the yelled as he ran towards us, the man split himself into five other parts as they made their way into the building.
I could hear xerxes cuss under his breath, all this while I couldn't stop looking at him. The words Charlie had spoken to be earlier had replayed itself in my head…"…he likes you…"
But I'd never looked at him that way before, but now that he held me in his arms, I thought otherwise. How many people would jump after another person off of a roof, i hadn't expected him to actually do it, but here we were. The serious look on his face as he pulled us up the side of the building was…how do I put this, alluring. It is a look I've seen a million times already as he rarely showed others his smile, but this felt…different.
"..damn it! They are coming up the stairs you used!" xerxes had his hand firmly gripped on mine as he pulled me towards the other escape stairs. I could hear the heavy steps of the guards running up the stairs as we went down the other side that led towards the boys dorm. Even then, all I could think about was the guy that I've come to know as my rival. We escaped into the third floor, still being chased by the guards.
"….my room is closer.." he turned to look at me as we moved further down the long stretch of rooms. He stopped infront of his door and quickly unlocked it, pulling me inside, he shut the door as quietly as possible. He pinned me against the wall close to the door and instinctively placed his hands over my mouth. His hands were, rough and smelt like lavender, my eyes unconsciously closed as I leaned into his touch. As if on cue, the guards stopped right in front of his door and he listened carefully, Thankfully his lights were turned off. A few minutes went by when they finally decided to move on.
Xerxes let out and exhausted sigh as his hand moved away from my mouth.
"…were you trying to get us cut or something?" he scolded me and I stood frozen, staring deeply into those crimson red iris of his, my black ones reflecting in them. He stared back at me, his expression softening.
"sorry.." my words came out soft and innocent, like that of a child being remorseful for being bad. He snapped out of it and moved back.
"tch…" he turned on the study lamp and sat on his bed, while I stood there with my hands behind my back.
"I caught you…"
"what?"
"you said if I caught you, you'd answer my other questions…" he said calmly and I nodded, walking towards his desk I pulled out the chair.