Chapter 43: Chapter 43:Who sent me Flowers?
Before she even reaches the Ashford gates, they slide open automatically.
Nyra walks in to find Julian already standing there, arms folded across his chest, green eyes narrowing the moment he sees her.
"...Why do you look so guilty?"
Nyra blinks. "I don’t."
"You do," he says flatly. "You have the face of someone who definitely did something stupid."
Before she can answer, Elena peeks out from behind him with a grin.
"I just saw some hot biker boy drop her off. I watched them from upstairs-- he kissed her cheek."
Nyra nearly trips over her own feet.
"That’s not--" she turns bright red. "Elena, stop lying!"
Julian’s eyes widen. "And look at her neck!" Nyra slaps a hand over it, but it’s useless over Julian’s hawk eyes. "...Nyra!"
"It’s nothing."
Elena laughs. "So who’s the liar now? Those are freaking kiss marks!"
"They are not!"
"They absolutely are!" Elena points accusingly. "Who did it, is it the biker dude?" She shakes her head amused, "Adrian is going to lose it when he sees those."
Nyra’s face turns even redder. Her ears down to her neck are bright pink.
Julian pinches the bridge of his nose. "Please don’t tell me the hot biker dude Elena is yapping about is Adrian."
Elena turns to her younger brother. "I thought he drives a black SUV?"
"He rides motorcycles too." Julian exhales, already sounding frustrated.
"It’s not what you guys think!" She sputters, "I just-- it was an accident."
Julian stares at her, "How exactly do people accidentally end up with someone’s mouth on their neck?"
She opens her mouth, starts gaping like a fish. "It’s a long story."
Elena bursts into laughter. "But you let him kiss your cheeks too?"
She groans, hoping the ground could swallow her whole and save her from this nightmare.
"I am not discussing this with any of you!"
She ducks between the two of them and marches toward the mansion.
"Hey!" Elena calls after her. "Get back here and give me the full details!"
"You’ll never get them!" Nyra shouts over her shoulder without looking back.
Elena giggles, nudging Julian’s arm.
"You know... she’s smiling. I think she’s starting to like him."
Julian sighs as he watches Nyra disappear inside. "That’s exactly what worries me."
Elena nods in understanding. She’d been there, she had read all those messages, seen the mess it created.
"But no matter what we do, they are still bonded mates. So maybe it’s better like this..letting things play out naturally?"
Julian fists clenches. "That’s the only reason I’ve not punched his face in yet. If he hurts her again, I swear to God I’ll break his jaw."
---
The next morning, on Friday, Nyra opens her locker and freezes.
Inside are a bunch of her favourite flowers-- daisies, all tied together with a simple silver ribbon. There’s also a small note.
I hope you have a nice day today:-)
She looks down the hallway in surprise, wondering who exactly could’ve left them. It’s the first time in her life anyone has ever gifted her flowers.
"They’re so soft." She mumbles under her breath, pressing the petals to her nose. She doesn’t see her three friends sneak up from behind her.
"Nyra got gifted flowers!!" Lena shrieks, making Nyra jump in fright.
"What is wrong with you, Naya?" Nyra snaps, but she’s still smiling. "It’s just flowers."
"It’s not just flowers." Naya argues, "and look how much you’re smiling."
Nyra tries to hide her smile behind the flower, but it’s useless.
Leah behind three of them whistles. "Someone is seriously down bad...these are so beautiful!"
Nyra’s lips twitch no matter how hard she tries to stop them. "And they’re my favorite flowers."
Lena, the only one who’s rooting for Adrian out of the three, smirks. "Adrian definitely got them." She picks up the note, "look, the handwriting matches his face."
Nyra snorts. "I don’t think it’s him. Adrian doesn’t do flowers." But the words don’t sound convincing even to her own ears.
The four girls are still arguing about who sent Nyra flowers, when the junior hallways suddenly falls quiet as it does whenever seniors pass through
Nyra already knows who it is before he even approaches.
Adrian approaches, looking extremely handsome in a black leather jacket and blue jeans. His broad shoulders and unfairly full lips make Nyra’s breath stutter.
Her wolf unfairly supplies how good the kids from yesterday felt. *Shut up* she hisses to herself, making Adrian chuckle as he gets to her.
"I haven’t even said anything yet."
She can’t even meet his eyes. "I wasn’t talking to you. What do you want?"
His scent is unfairly strong this morning, making her feel dizzy.
"I just wanted to say hi." He says glancing down at the flowers in her hand. "It took a lot of effort to find the exact flowers you like."
Lena behind them squeals so loud, that Adrian smiles. "I think your friend likes me for you."
"She does not!" Nyra shoots Lena a warning look. "Thank you for the flowers. Can you go now? Everyone’s staring."
And it’s true. Every single student in the hallway is watching them like they’re some main character novel characters.
Adrian shrugs. "Let them stare." Then he brushes her brown hair from her face, "would you be free tonight?"
"No." Nyra quickly answers, looking down. "I’ll be busy the entire weekend too."
Adrian raises a brow knowing she’s lying, but doesn’t push. "Okay...I have class now. But.." He leans in, hot breath brushing the shell of her ear. "Maybe lunch then?"
Nyra shudders, clutching the flowers harder. She can’t even tell if all these feelings are because of the bond, or just her own traitorous heart.
"She’ll be there!" Lena answers for her from the back, ignoring the looks from the other girls. "I’ll personally ensure it."
Adrian looks grateful. "Thank you." Then he turns to Nyra, grinning brightly. "I’ll be expecting you then, babe."
Babe?
Babe?
Nyra almost explodes on the spot.
Lena keeps to her promise and pushes Nyra to the senior cafeteria by lunch time. And though she wouldn’t admit it, it’s not half as bad as she thought.
Adrian is genuinely funny when he’s not being a jerk, and surprisingly attentive.
She understands Anna so badly now.
---
On Monday it’s the same thing; she opens her locker and finds a box of luxury chocolates, and a note.
Tuesday, it’s a lunch coupon to one of the most expensive cafes in the academy. Not just for her, but for her friends too.
’Have a nice day with your friends, babe’ the note says.
"Okay..." Leah gasps, holding the coupons to her chest. "I switch sides. Nyra, Adrian is one for you."
"Because of food?" Nyra shakes her head in amusement.
--
Thursday comes too fast.
Nyra and her friends are already planning to go shopping after classes for the Moon dance tomorrow night. They need to get dinner dresses.
"I swear if my date doesn’t match my outfit, I’ll scream," Lena says, flipping through shopping ideas on her phone.
Naya laughs. "You don’t even have a date yet."
"I do." The blonde girl retorts, "He asked me out last night."
All the girls squeal as Lena gives them absolutely too much details, including how good of a kisser her date is.
They all make faces, but are genuinely happy for her.
Leah and Naya decide to go together, already choosing matching red dresses.
That leaves... Nyra.
All three girls turn to her, "Who are you going with?"
Nyra shrugs, casually going through Leah’s shopping cart. "Probably Jason," she says, like it doesn’t matter.
Lena’s fry pauses halfway her mouth, "Jason? As in, Adrian’s ex friend Jason?"
Nyra sighs. "He asked properly. Though I haven’t given him a response yet. I’ll tell him yes tonight. "
"Adrian hasn’t asked yet?"
Nyra tries to brush it off. "Why would he? We’re not like a thing...I never expected him to want to go with me."
None of them miss the way her voice cracks at the end.
