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"I think I'm finally getting it now." I lied through my teeth as I stared at the many scribbles and drawings on the paper.

"You don't have to lie," Harley said nonchalantly and I felt guilt wash over me instantly.

I rotated my head to meet his crystal blue eyes that were filled with amusement. "It's not your teaching. I'm just really bad at math."

Harley laughed and it made my heart skip a beat. My cheeks felt hot and I knew the skin had turned a bright red color. I huffed and turned away, feeling like a child. The library was void of any life-form if vampires were technically still alive. Sitting here next to Harley in a quiet space made me feel better.

I blinked, glancing over at the bookshelf where Nolan had pinned me. Some novels were missing, leaving various open spaces and some had fallen to the floor. I frowned and suddenly found myself standing up. With shaky legs, I slowly walked toward the untidy shelf.

I could feel Harley's intense gaze on my back as I came to a halt. Getting down on my knees, I reached for the closest novel that rested oddly on the carpeted floor. My fingers grasped the worn down cover and I had not noticed how badly my hands were shaking.

Cool hands sent electric shocks down my arm as they suddenly made contact with my own. "Are you okay?"

"I can't stop the shaking," I whispered and I felt his grip tighten slightly.

Turning my head, I saw that Harley was sitting on his knees beside me. Since he was so close to me, I noticed that his brown curls were a bit disheveled but it didn't make him any less attractive. The library lights were dimmer in between the bookshelves and yet his blue eyes still glistened.

"I don't know what happened, but you don't have to be afraid." Harley's soothing voice attempted to comfort me.

Glancing down at our hands, I mumbled. "I wish that were true."

I heard a soft sigh escape his lips and I knew that he was beginning to become frustrated with me. I couldn't tell him what Nolan did to me. He wouldn't understand. I'm a human surrounded by vampires in this literal hellhole of a school. The guilt was burning through my soul, I really wanted to trust him.

Harley removed his hands and instantly my own felt even more colder than when his were touching mine. I interlocked my own fingers, trying to get the shaking to stop. Large hands rested on my shoulders and I felt my body rotate to the right. Looking up, I saw that Harley had turned me to face him.

"Whether you're fearful of spiders or demons, the only way to survive in this world is to face it head-on," Harley said with a slight seriousness on his features.

"What if it can kill me?" I whispered, my arms unconsciously wrapped around my torso.

"It can only kill you if you let it." The way the words left his lips made me think he had the first-hand experience.

His eyes held a sort of sadness and understanding in them. Almost as if he didn't pity me, but had sympathy. I really didn't want his sympathy or pity, I just wish there was some way I could escape this school. My mother wouldn't believe my reasons for wanting to leave this town.

"Thanks, Harley," I said and leaned forward to rest my head on his shoulder.

The moment my forehead made contact with his blazer his body tensed for a moment, but it relaxed after a few seconds. His aroma on his jacket was nice, the smell reminding me of citrus. I hadn't meant to take a large inhale, but I couldn't help myself. The faint sound of a chuckle rang in my ears.

"How about we finish picking these books up and end the session?" Harley suggested, making me lift my head up to make eye contact with him.

"Yeah, that's fine." I agreed, becoming ecstatic over the fact I got a break from the torture known as math.

I shifted out of his hold and turned to reach for the closest novel to me. Harley did the same, rotating his torso away from me. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him glancing at me every so often. It made me blush, but I brushed the feeling away.

I picked up four books and randomly placed them in the empty slots on the shelf. Harley stood up with the remaining books and fit them where ever he could. At least we picked up the novels instead of leaving them on the floor for someone to step on. I could blame Nolan for the mess anyway.

"Let's go before the bell rings," Harley recommended and I nodded my head in response.

Lunch was about to end anyway. There probably wouldn't have been much to continue the tutoring session anyway. Walking out from in between the shelves, I made my way to the bean bag chairs where math books were sprawled out. Harley followed close behind me, so close that it made the skin on the back of my neck heat up.

I bent down and closed my math book with a satisfying thud. Grabbing random papers with scribbles on them, I placed them inside my bookbag along with my math book. I zipped my bag closed and glanced over at Harley with anticipation. He finished packing up his school items and gave me a nod.

We walked toward the exit of the library, flashing the lady sitting behind a counter bright smiles. The hallway was empty, our footsteps creating echoes of sounds each time the soles of our shoes hit the solid ground. He slowed his pace down to keep next to me and for some reason that made me feel protected. Safe, almost.

My next class was, unfortunately, math. Even though I spent nearly twenty minutes with Harley trying to actually understand the equations, I wasn't sure if it was of any help to me. The classroom was up ahead and I was glad that Harley had the same class as me. This school could still be confusing.

"Damn it!" Someone's loud voice nearly made me jump.

An ear-splitting crack could be heard and it sounded like wood breaking in half. My footsteps abruptly halted and my head whipped to the side to see one of the classroom doors was left ajar. A sliver of light peeked out and I saw a dark figure move from inside.

I turned to see Harley giving me the same confused expression I had. My feet were about to move forward to glance inside the classroom, but Harley shook his head at me. A large lump formed at the back of my throat and I tried to force it down. Something about this didn't feel right.

"What the hell is your problem?" A different— and yet familiar— voice spoke up.

My curiosity getting the better of me, I took a hesitant step forward. Blinking, I strained to see inside the room through the crack of the door. I wish I had listened to Harley when I saw who stood in the middle of the room. The dark-haired boy stood with a scowl on his face and muscles rippling underneath his button-down shirt.

"Nothing you need to worry about." His wicked voice said through what looked like gritted teeth.

My breath faltered and I wanted to hide behind Harley, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the scene. Nolan, the boy who had threatened my life only an hour ago, stood ominously in the center of the classroom. In one of the nearby desks, Reece sat with his arms folded across his chest in a calm manner.

"Just asking what's got you so pissed off," Reece said nonchalantly with a shrug of his shoulders.

My eyes began to burn and I suddenly felt the strong urge to cry. Just the sight of Nolan had my body trembling in fear. My hands were shaking so badly and I tried to conceal them just in case Harley could see. I watched with wide eyes as the two glared at each other.

Nolan collapsed in a nearby chair with a sigh and the motion alone had me take a step backward. I sure as hell didn't want them to see me. Who knows how angry the dark-haired boy would be. I was about to turn away to leave, but the continuation of their conversation had my feet frozen.

"What plan are you stirring up in that screwed up brain of yours?" Nolan's dark voice asked.

Reece laughed and feigned hurt. "I'm wounded by the way you insult my genius brain."

My lungs began to work and I took a quiet inhale of air. Someone's cold fingers pushed away a few strands of my dark hair. I flinched to the side but relaxed when I saw Harley had come up beside me to watch as well. My head leaned closer to him, the familiar scent of citrus entering my nose.

"Genius my ass." Nolan scoffed.

Harley and I both watched the scene, curious to know what they were talking about. My heart was pounding, the sound of blood rushing roared through my ears. It was almost too difficult to focus on their conversation. The muscles in my body began to twitch, wanting to run away as fast I as could.

"Well Saige, the new girl, has become an interest of mine." Reece's lips tugged upward into a wide grin, one that sent shivers down my spine. "Not as a romantic interest, if that's what you were thinking."

I hadn't bothered to hear the last part of what Reece said. My brain was stuck on two words, my name and interest. I didn't know how to feel about that. He made it sound like a dark interest, rather than a good one. Like I was a pawn in some sort of sick and twisted game.

I was too zoned out to notice a hand gripping my small wrist and pulling me away from the classroom. The hallway became a blur and I didn't realize it was Harley dragging my limp body. If I wasn't focused on myself, I would have caught sight of a scowl painting his features.

My eyes were focused on the dirty tiled floor, not bothering to pay attention to the fact Harley had stopped pulling me. It was when his cold fingers lifted my chin upward to make eye contact with his electric blue eyes I became aware. I blinked a couple times to retrieve my mind from its dream-like state.

"What did Reece mean?" The question slipped my mouth in a soft whisper.

Harley's scowl turned to one of surprise. His eyes watched me and I didn't feel the least bit scared.

"I'm not sure, but it would be best to stay away from the two of them," Harley said.

I solemnly nodded in response. "Do you think they're planning something bad?"

Maybe it was his silence that threw me for a loop. I tried to search his features for an answer, but it was no use. Harley seemed to be as clueless as I was with answers. His hands moved to my shoulders, gripping slightly with pressure but not enough to hurt in the least bit.

"Whatever it is, I'll make sure they won't hurt you." His voice filled with determination.

With a hesitant voice, I spoke. "Promise?"

"Promise." Harley's arms wrapped around me, engulfing me in a warm hug.

The bell rang, making a god-awful noise. A chorus of laughing and talking filled the silence between us. Though for some reason, I couldn't focus on that. A flood of thoughts and emotions made it difficult to pay attention to one thing, but something caught my eye. Something that made my world spin around in circles.

The attractive blonde-haired boy, who I had no clue what to think about, stood at the end of the hallway watching Harley and me with a scowl.

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★ @within_days

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★ @within_days

★ : @within_days