Page 13 of A Damaged Soul
Elle
Monday morning, I was sitting at my desk early like usual when Molly strolled into my classroom.
"What are you doing here this early?" I asked. It wasn't like Molly to come in much before the bell rang. She and I were different in that respect. I liked the mornings because it meant I could get in before other people and got a lot accomplished. Molly, on the other hand, hit the snooze button a dozen times before finally dragging her ass out of bed.
"You went AWOL this weekend after we spoke, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. I figured you were drowning yourself in work, and it looks like I was right."
Currently on my desk was lessons for the next month maybe even two. I went a little overboard yesterday when it was clear Rhett was only going to give me one- or two-word answers.
I sighed. "Rhett texted me Saturday."
"Did you give him the third degree for standing you up?" Molly crossed her arms over her chest and popped her hip like she was ready to go to battle to defend my honor.
"Not exactly."
It was Molly's turn to sigh. "Of course you didn't because you're too soft. If you don't put your foot down now, the man is going to walk all over you."
Molly's words hurt even if I knew they came from a good place.
"He was shot in the shoulder," I whispered. It was still hard for me to grasp the concept.
Molly rolled her eyes. "Is that what he told you so you wouldn't be mad? Come on, Elle. Things like that don't happen in the everyday world."
Normally I would've been the first to agree with her, and if it were one of our other friends in my place, I likely would've been saying the same thing.
"I saw it."
That stopped Molly from any further ranting and gave my friend pause. "What do you mean you saw it? Like you watched him get shot?"
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "No, I didn't watch it happen, but I video-chatted with him and he was sitting shirtless. I could see the bandage clear as day."
"Wait!" Molly held up her hands. "He called you on video?"
"No, he texted me and then called me when I used the fine word. I was the one who video-called him."
"Ooooooh you used the fine word on him. Good. Good. Tell me the rest." Molly plopped her ass on one of the students’ desks and got comfortable.
I wasted no time telling her about the conversation I had with Rhett. I did, however, leave out the specifics about where he had been and exactly what he was doing. I didn't want to betray his trust like that, and who knew if he was even supposed to be telling me the details he did.
"What the hell kind of bodyguard is he?" she asked as soon as I was done talking.
I merely lifted my shoulders. "I asked the same thing, but then I ruined it when I said I wasn't sure I could handle the full version of who he is."
I could tell Molly wasn't happy with what I’d said when she dropped her head into her hands. "You didn't?" She groaned.
"I totally did. I know. I know," I said when she gave me an incredulous look. "But I panicked. The man had just told me he had been shot while working, and this wasn't the first time and probably wouldn't be the last."
"He said that?"
I nodded my head.
"Well, no wonder you answered that way. I would've too."
"What am I supposed to do now?" I asked. "I tried texting him yesterday, but all I got were one- or two-word answers."
"Show him your boobs. That will get you a response."
I blanched at her suggestion. "I can't do that."
