Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 186756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 934(@200wpm)___ 747(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 934(@200wpm)___ 747(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
I roll my eyes before sing-songing, “Yes, Daddy.”
The last thing I see before I shut the door in his face is his flared eyes and tight fists.
So yeah, that’s just day one.
Over the next few days, we develop a routine. Lots of bus travel where Shep and I sit in the same seat and he sits right behind us. I’m not going to say that my awareness of him has lessened. Oh gosh no. I still feel his gaze, and I still tingle and hurt everywhere, but I will say that I think I’ve learned to handle it better.
Besides, I have homework.
Ew.
Which I have to do myself.
Double ew.
So I spend the long hours on the bus, trying to do what God only intended I have someone else do for me. Until one particularly frustrating day I get a text:
Wildfire Thorn
Is it history?
I stiffen at his message and first go to hide it from Shepard. But then I remember that he’s up front, shooting the shit with some of the guys: Ledger, Riot, Isiah. Actually, he’s been doing that a lot. As in, we sit together for a little while and then he gets up to go talk to the guys, leaving me alone with the only person sitting in the corner, his twin brother. He’s uber popular, plus the captain of the team, so I totally get it. I do miss my best friend, though; I’m not going to lie, but again, I won’t complain. I have no right to.
I will simply trust him and the process.
Looking down at the phone, I tap out a reply.
Isadora
No. Math.
Wildfire Thorn
Ah, that’s why you look like your dog died.
I roll my eyes at the phone.
Isadora
I wouldn’t have a dog. If anything, I’d have a cat.
With long, sharp claws. 💅💅💅 Who’d look at everyone with disdain including me and especially you.
And second, how do you know what I look like when you’re soooo busy with whatever’s on that clipboard?
Wildfire Thorn
It’s hard to be busy with my clipboard when you sigh every five seconds and disturb me.
Isadora
Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know the sound of my breathing was so objectionable to you. 😒😒😒
Wildfire Thorn
And why don’t you sheath your kitty’s claws and tell me what your assignment is about?
I sit up straight then.
I so, so want to look behind me.
God.
I so want to look at his face.
Just once.
Because he’s asking to do my homework, isn’t he?
But I can’t.
Not only is Shepard up ahead, in my line of vision, but also because if I do look at his face, I may spontaneously combust. With a pounding heart, I type out:
Isadora
So you can do my homework for me?
Wildfire Thorn
So that in turn I can focus on my work, yes.
I breathe out loudly.
Just to annoy him.
And I swear I hear a deep but low chuckle from behind me.
It settles in my belly as a warm, sticky puddle of something sweet.
Isadora
You don’t have to be so mean about it. Math is hard. 🤨🤨🤨🤨
Wildfire Thorn
Not for me, it isn’t.
Isadora
That’s because you’re weird. 😒😒😒
Wildfire Thorn
I’m also the guy who’s going to get you a passing grade on your homework.
So how about we wrap up this chitchat and you let me help you.
I don’t.
I will not stop chitchatting with him.
Isadora
I have no clue how your baby sister hasn’t killed you yet.
If this is how you treat people her age, I don’t want to have anything to do with you. 😠
Wildfire Thorn
If she had, you’d be failing every class right now. So you should really thank her.
And second, you’re younger than my baby sister. There’s a difference.
Isadora
Yeah? What’s the difference?
Wildfire Thorn
The difference is that you call me by a name that gives me the right to take care of you in all the fucking ways. So stop arguing with me and let me do my job.
I groan loudly, throwing my head back.
Again, I hear a chuckle, low and deep, and again it settles like a gooey puddle of something sweet.
Isadora
Fine, you win! 😤😤😤
And then I email him the assignment and shut my stupid laptop.
Wildfire Thorn
You should save that response for the future.
Isadora
Yeah, why?
Wildfire Thorn
Because you’ve got a habit of arguing with me and I have a habit of winning them.
So from then on, he does my homework and writes my assignments.
Which again cannot be good for the cause—me moving on from him—but he won’t budge. I don’t even know how he has the time to do any of it, but his response is always, you’re on the road because of me, so it’s my responsibility.
Which he is super big on, of course.
Being responsible.
Doing the work.
Doing his job.
As days pass, I notice that that’s all he does, though.
He works.
He sits in a corner either busy on his clipboard or watching game replays while discussing strategies with Coach Thorne. But he never, not ever, gets involved with the guys. He hardly ever talks to them outside of work talk. Even Coach Thorne does that and I still maintain that he’s so scary.