Page 35 of Savage Vicious Heir: Part Two

9

ELLIOT

My entire body was heavy as I walked away from Abigail’s house.

I didn’t really expect her to welcome me with open arms and forget about everything that happened.

I prayed for that, but I’m not that stupid.

Still, I was hoping she’d at least let me explain. Instead, I barely managed to get a decent apology in before she sent me away telling me that I was to avoid her at all costs.

Not the outcome I wanted but ultimately one I should have been more prepared for.

Tally was right, I needed to go. I needed to face her. I just didn’t anticipate how much it would hurt to look into her dark, pain-filled eyes.

And the sight of that dressing on her thigh though, that cut me deeper than any blade could.

Movement at the front of the classroom catches my attention and I glance up just as she walks inside.This is the only class we share.For a few months now, it’s been my favourite class. Five hours of my week where I’ve been able to sit and watch her without anyone ribbing me for it.

I’ve learned a lot about Abi here. From the fact that she underlines all her work with a purple gel pen to how she prefers to sit with her right leg crossed over her left. How she never, ever puts her hand up to answer a question despite the fact I know she knows the answer. Her worst nightmare is having to speak up, to attract the attention of our classmates. The second our teacher looks around to pick on someone, she physically shrinks in her chair.

Once this year our teacher has chosen her. But despite her anxiety, she stood up and gave a perfect answer. She was confident and direct, and explained her point easily and clearly. She’d never agree that she did, but I saw it with my own eyes.

Abigail Bancroft might be shy. She might want to hide in the shadows and try to ignore the pain she’s suffered and avoid the curious looks of others. But there is so much more to her than that.

I just wish I could get the chance to discover it all.

It was stupid of me to think we could have anything.

We were never going to work, and our parting ways now is for the best.

Even though it feels like the absolute worst.

Abi makes it no more than five steps into the room before she senses my attention.

I’m the only one here, choosing to arrive early in the hopes of getting these few precious seconds with her.

She should have seen it coming. I did it on Tuesday as well. She looked as shocked then as she does now.

Doesn’t she know me at all?

Of course I was going to be here first. I just expected her to wait until the last second so that she could try to blend into the crowd as they walked in.

My lips part, my nickname for her teetering on the tip of my tongue, but I manage to keep it inside.

She asked me to keep my distance, and I fully intend to keep that promise… for now.

She’s been in school every day so far this week. I want to be relieved that she has returned to normal life. Shit, I am relieved. But with her back in her dorm, I’ve lost my connection to her.

Every single night I’ve laid in my bed, staring up at the ceiling and wondering if she is doing the same thing.

I have the key, I could go and find out.

Hell, a couple of nights I even left the Chapel with the intention of doing so, but I stopped myself before walking into the Bronte Building. Instead, I chose to walk around the corner and look up at her window. Each time, her light was out, but something told me that she wasn’t sleeping.

Abigail hesitates, and my heart jumps into my throat that she’s going to say something to me.We haven’t spoken since I left her house on Sunday and I’m desperate to hear her voice, but it seems that today isn’t the day.

No sooner have our eyes connected does she rip hers away, preferring to look at her feet as she finds her desk and gets her books and pencil case out.

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