Chapter 7.

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I bit my lip as I ran a brush through my brown hair in an attempt to make it look presentable as I would not be tying it today.

I had decided to keep quiet about Vincent. I did not want an incomplete on my profile and I did not want to be known for backing out of a fricking guarding mission. I decided I would call Rave and explain the situation to him; hopefully he had been listening to my messages and finally decides to call back and then teach me how to disarm a bomb.

My other siblings, Liliana, my 24-year-old sister and my brothers Tony, who was 22 and Gerard, who was 21, were all 3rd level agents. Rave was a 4th. They all knew how to disarm bombs, but I knew Tony, Gerard and Liliana would tell my dad about the mission and I would be taken off it, still resulting in an incomplete. I was praying Rave wouldn't tell.

I put the brush down and ran my fingers through my hair, which was curling on its own accord because that was just the way it was. I couldn't really care less that the curls all looked weird; I wasn't going to waste an extra half hour or hour trying to get better looking curls out of the hair that reached my mid-upper arm. It was just pretend school, right?

I smiled remembering how Liliana constantly complained about my lack of interest in my hair whenever we were around each other. She thought it was unfair that her hair was much straighter than mine naturally where as I got 'amazing' curly hair and didn't bother doing anything with it.

I grabbed my bag and walked out of my room pulling the door shut behind me.

"Oh, look at you."

I bit my lip shutting my eyes as I heard the last voice I wanted to. I wasn't sure why, but he gave me a weird feeling. He made me uneasy, sort of. Well, it felt that way. I turned around and gave Adrian a crooked smile.

"Now all I have to do is walk and talk like them." I shrugged.

He chuckled stepping closer to me. I froze as he lifted his hand and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Trust me, you walk and talk just fine, Jessica." He said.

I let out a nervous laugh as I looked down to avoid his green eyes as I felt my face burn.

"Um – y-you're not wearing black." I observed.

He was wearing a nude pair of trousers with a pair of brown shoes and a white shirt. I noticed he had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and that he wasn't wearing a tie so the first two buttons of his shirt were loose.

"Yes, my mother said something about there being an article on some very popular website about my being in a cult so now I have to 'look less dark'" he shrugged pulling his face and I laughed. He smiled.

"Can't have a king that's in a cult?" I asked.

He sighed, his smile fell before he pulled it back as his eyes met mine again, "No... We cannot..."

I nodded wanting to know why he reacted that way but my words were lost when I heard another door open.

"Good morning family!" Edward called as he stepped into the hallway in just his silk pyjama pants.

"Please be quiet." The reply came from his twin brother as Edgar walked out of his room and began making his way to the stairs, already dressed.

"Yeah, shut up." That was Maximilian, whose face was just as grumpy as his older brother's as he followed him downstairs.

"They will be better after breakfast." Adrian assured me with a chuckle as he patted my shoulder. I gave a laugh as Edward agreed while we all made our way downstairs.

-----

"Come on," Gabriel said poking my cheek with his pencil.

I grit my teeth as I ran through the math work I was currently doing.

"Jessica..." he sang.

I let out an annoyed sigh. I thought we weren't supposed to speak in class? It said so on the rules beside the door.

"Smile." He whispered.

"Gabriel, I'm working." I replied quietly.

"You're done; you're just obsessively going over it." He said sounding a little weirded out by me. "Come on, smile, smile for me." He poked my cheek more. I was getting dangerously close to grabbing his pencil and snapping it in half before I buried both halves in each side of his face.

"Not allowed to talk. It says so over there." I pointed to the rule poster.

He chuckled before he stared at me. "You're serious?" he asked.

"Jessica, those rules aren't literal." Shayne said.

I looked at him; he was sitting in front of me. I had Maximilian and Gabriel seated at either side of me. Jaime wasn't in our Maths class.

"And even if they are, it will not be much fun here if you obey every single one, Jessica." That was Maximilian, I looked at him as he crumbled a piece of paper, "I am telling you, cousin, it is much more fun to just –" he stopped as he threw the ball of paper.

"Break them." I cringed back towards Maximilian as I turned to Gabriel while he laughed. He had spoken so close to my ear, his lips had touched it before he licked it.

"Maximilian!" Mr James exclaimed when Maximilian's ball of paper hit his head.

"Ew!" I yelled louder than I had expected as I wiped my ear while Shayne, Maximilian and Gabriel laughed.

"Jessica!" I turned to look at Mr James apologetically.

He was fuming as we had literally disrupted the entire class. I covered my face leaning my head in my hands as he handed out detention to all four of us. Great. Now I'm going to get it from Steve and the King and if my Dad hears about this, add him to the party.

The bell rang and I quickly shoved my books away before I got up grabbing my bag.

"Maximilian, principles office." Mr James smirked. His smirk fell when Maximilian smiled back at him.

Yes, it didn't seem like trouble bothered this young prince very much. We walked out of the classroom and I turned to him as none of his friends were close to us right now.

"How am I supposed to watch you now?" I asked.

"It's fine, the principle here is a first level agent – from your agency. His real name is Brad Kensington. School, he's Mr Barnes. He always lets an agent walk me back to class as well." He said.

How did he know his real name? I recognised it so I nodded and he smiled before he walked into the office waving at me.

I let out a sigh and began making my way down the hall but I tensed as arms suddenly circled my waist and lifted me off the floor. My defence system kicked in and I impulsively lifted my elbow, elbowing them in the face, he let out a grunt and I turned to hit him but I froze as my eyes fell on Brandon's face as he groaned rubbing his eye.

"Oh my gosh – I'm so – I'm so sorry –" I covered my mouth.

"No, don't be –" He said giving a chuckle.

"Yes, don't be, you'll be making him look better if that's a black eye." Gabriel's arm fell onto my shoulder and he pulled me against his side. I didn't mind, I realised Maximilian's friends were really touchy, in a friendly way.

"Gabe, this isn't funny." I nudged his side gently hearing some people chuckle – I knew they were Gabriel's friends, "I'm really sorry –" I could not be getting in trouble for the second time in less than fifteen minutes.

"Jessica, it's fine, calm down." He laughed, "I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that." He smiled at me.

I gave a tight smile and finally realised people were actually gathered around us and a bunch of girls and guys were asking him if he was alright.

"Yeah, don't fucking touch her next time." Jaime's voice came from my side.

Brandon chuckled as he let his hand drop from his eye which was, from the way his eye already looked, was definitely going to be a black eye.

"Come on." Gabriel said turning me around before they began leading me down the hall.

I glanced back at Brandon to see him shaking his head at something one of his friends asked him as he still stared at me. He smiled seeing me look at him and I turned away.

Why the heck would he think he could do that anyway? I barely knew him; you don't just hug people you don't know from behind.

"Are you okay?" I was surprised to see Candice looking at me concerned.

"She's fine." That was Shayne. Instead of throwing some snarky remark at him, she just gave me a friendly smile.

I smiled back at her before waving at Shayne and Jaime as they walked into class and heading to my next class with Gabriel and Candice.

------

I walked out of the bathroom into an almost empty hallway. I had set another guard on Maximilian because I had to go to the bathroom after last period, Maximilian complained it was unnecessary but had to accept it anyway.

I had to stop myself to keep my fist down when someone suddenly grabbed my shoulders and pushed me into the wall. I waited to see if they were going to hurt me, they didn't so I relaxed knowing it was probably just another kid.

I looked up and met a pair of familiar brown eyes. I bit my lip seeing the dark circle beneath it. Crap, I messed his face up...

"Brandon..." I mumbled taking his wrist and pushing them from my shoulders, effectively pushing him out of my personal space bubble as I did because he stepped back a couple of steps. "Sorry about... your... face." I said slowly.

He chuckled. "You can make it up to me by letting me escort you to that dance Friday night."

"What?" I asked raising my brows.

"You heard me." He smirked.

"She did, and she will not." I looked at Maximilian and I have to admit that is probably the most grateful I have been to see him – and probably will ever be.

"Let her answer herself." Brandon looked at me.

"Um... We – we have to get home. I'm really sorry about your face..."

I looked to see Maximilian shoot a glare at Brandon as he took my wrist and led me down the hall.

"Hey, didn't I leave you with Craig?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"Well... where is he?" I asked annoyed.

He gave me a crooked smile, "He might have gotten hit by a ball – it is not my fault, the rugby guys were playing outside and the ball hit his head. So, he is out cold in the nurse's office, but she says he will be fine so it's fine." I couldn't yell at him if it wasn't his fault... but I still glared at him because he probably put the guard in that position.

I turned to walk towards the school's front entrance and exit but I was stopped by his hand grabbing my arm.

"Nu-uh, practice."

Oh. Right.

*****