#Chapter3
/"How's school, honey?/"
/"Fine,/" I lie as Heidi's words keeps repeating in my mind.
/"That was Archer Bradshaw, the director of this school's grandson. Not to mention, a multimillionaire and Montrose's infamous bad boy. You just slapped Archer Bradshaw./"
Oh my god.
I whine to myself as I walk up the stairs to my room.
/"What's wrong?/" Mom ask from downstairs after hearing my whining.
/"Nothing!/" I immediately reply. Just that I might get kicked out of school after one day because I slapped the director's precious grandson.
/"Remember we're having dinner at Rob's house,/" mom remind me for the hundredth time today. I groaned lowly and roll my eyes at the fact that I'm meeting my mom's boyfriend for the first time today. They've been going out for a few months now.
I enter my room and lay down on the bed recounting what happened today at lunch. After I slapped Archer and he sent me a death glare, the principal came to break up the fight. I got out of there as soon as I could before Archer could get his hands on me. For the rest of the day and the rest of the school year, I'll try my best to avoid him at all costs.
I don't even want to think about what he will do to me if he sees me.
-
I let out a deep breath that I didn't even know I was holding and try to relax a little. /"Relax, Chloe. You'll love Rob,/" mom assures me. I faintly smile in return.
The door open revealing a tall dark brown-haired man in an expensive suit. /"Hi, you must be Chloe. I'm Rob. Nice to finally meet you./" He smiles at me. /"Likewise./"
/"Oh, please come in./" He welcomes us into his house and lead us to his enormous living
room.
His house looked big on the outside but I didn't know it was going to be this big. He has hallways that looks like it's never ending with doors on each side of the wall and three staircases. That means this house is three stories. Who the hell is my mom dating?
/"The table is still being set up so well have to wait a bit. Sorry about that,/" Rob explains. /"We're fine with waiting, Rob,/" mom assure him. I look at the way she looks at him. Her
entire face lights up and her eyes had an indescribable shine to it. It could probably just be the
chandelier reflecting light on her eyes but I know it's not. She looks happier than two years ago when dad had passed away.
Happy is good but I'm not ready for her to move on to another man. I hate myself for hating to see her happy.
/"Where's the bathroom?/" I ask, interrupting their conversation.
/"Go through that hall, turn right then- you know what? I'll show you. I'm worry you might get lost,/" Rob said.
/"No, it's okay. Just stay with mom. I'm really good with directions just tell me where it is,/" I tell him.
/"Okay. So, you go straight to the end of that hall, turn right, then it's the last one on the
left./"
/"Straight, right, left. Got it,/" I assure him and go on my way.
I walk alone in the long hallway that never seems to end. After what felt like a minute, I turn right then continue walking down another hallway.
I enter the bathroom and wash my hands while looking at myself in the mirror. My straight black hair falls down messily just a few inches under my shoulders.
I turn off the water and wipe off my hands on the small towel hanging from the wall. I get out of the room and start making my way back to the living room.
I wonder what Rob do for a living. He must be filthy rich to be able to afford this mansion. Mom met him through Tinder which I forced her into in the first place just for fun but I didn't know she was actually going to meet someone. It's Tinder for christ sake.
The question is, why was a guy like Rob on Tinder in the first place. He's rich. He looks younger than his age. He could get any woman he wants.
I shake my head to stop overthinking. Just enjoy the moment, Chloe.
My mind returns back to planet earth and focus on where I'm going. I stop in my tracks when I realize I have no idea where I am.
Crap.
This is what happens when I overthink - I stop paying attention to where I'm going and enter into my mind.
I turn around and walk back to where I came from, hoping I can find my way.
/"Okay, see you later./" I hear a faint voice say from the other side of the wall. Curiosity got the best of me and soon I found myself walking towards the door.
To my luck, the door is slightly open so I could peek to see who's inside. I stand in a position where one of my eyes could see through the door. I search around the room with my one eye for the source of the voice but I can't see anyone. All I could see is one side of the bed in the middle of the room. I fidget around in my spot trying to find the person.
Suddenly, I lose my balance and went flying into the door which resulted in me landing straight into the floor of the room.
Shoot. Kill me now.
/"Who's there?/" Asked the same voice from earlier. I purse my lips and get ready to apologize to the person. I look up sheepishly. I begin to fluster when I see who it is.
Archer Bradshaw, in all his glory, is standing a few feet away from me, half naked with water dripping down his abs - only a towel wraps around his waist. Only a towel covering his little baby maker.
/"Well well well./" A smirk begins to form on his stupid face as he steps closer towards me. My heart starts beating faster. Did I mention he's half naked?
/"Déjà vu much?/" He questions.
I think back to this morning and quickly get up and dust off my clothes.
/"I was just...hugging the floor. It seemed lonely so I wanted to give it a little love./" I internally cringe at the bad excuse I just made.
What the fuck?
/"Right,/" he says sarcastically. Why is he here?
/"You know, I'm actually glad you're here,/" he tells me. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
He's glad?
/"I wanted to talk to you.../" He walked closer to me while I back away to the wall. /"...about what happened today-/" he walked even closer, only a few feet away from me.
Not wanting to be cornered into the wall, I back away to my right.
/"-at lunch,/" he speeds up, making me back up into the bed, a dead end for me.
He smirks because he knows he's got me trapped. I gulp, not knowing what will happen to me. I'm dead meat. He wants to talk to me about me slapping him.
/"There's nothing to t-talk about,/" I stuttered.
/"Oh, there's a lot to talk about, Chloe Williams,/" my name rolls off his tongue, surprising me. He knows my freaking name. That's not good.
As if the space between us weren't close enough, he steps even closer towards me. I want to run away but I can't. Due to our close proximity, he'll catch me even if I move an inch.
/"H-how do you know my name?/"
/"I know more about you than just your name, Chloe./" Perks of being the director's grandson, I bet.
/"What do you want?/" I ask him, begging him to end this torture. Being so close to him with his stomach exposed and the smell of him just getting out of the shower is driving me insane.
/"I want you-/" he moves his head closer to mine causing my heart to beat like crazy and my stomach to twist into all kinds of ways. He then proceeds to move his head next to my ear. I anticipate what's to come next.
/"Uh- knock knock./" Archer and I look at the door to see his two friends standing there, amused. Archer moves away from me creating some space between us, allowing me to breathe normally again.
/"Why is she here?/" Archer's friend with the caramel hair and brown eyes asks with an attitude.
/"Why am I here? Why are you here?/" I retort. /"Oh no, don't tell me you're-/"
/"Chloe, Jace, Archer, and Carter! Come eat!/" Rob's shouting interrupted him. /"Coming dad!/" Jace shout back.
Dad?