HEATHER'S POV,
I arrived early at the university the next day, only to be informed that our class had been rescheduled to 3:00 PM. As I clumsily adjusted my French twist while walking down the hallway, I bumped into Elliot Lancaster. His paintbrushes and drawing utensils scattered everywhere, and I scoffed as incoming students stepped on them without a second thought.
Feeling responsible, I immediately knelt to help him gather his supplies. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you and ruin your equipment."
He smiled, reaching for the drawing pad and large paint board I held. "It's totally okay, and I'm sorry for the other day. I didn't mean to be rude to you." His braces glinted as he smiled, revealing a perfectly white set of teeth. "I'm just heading to class right now, but can we catch up tomorrow at lunchtime? I'd like to make it up to you."
I was stunned, but quickly composed myself. I planned to decline politely; Magnus was watching, and he'd likely lose his mind if I got too close to Elliot. "Ugh... I'm kind of busy tomorrow. I have a presentation to make, and I'm so sorry, but I can't catch up with you anytime soon." I bit my lower lip, my cheeks betraying me with a flush.
Elliot's brows creased suspiciously, but he seemed to accept my excuse. "Anyway, I believe we can always grab lunch together some other time, won't we?"
I nodded affirmatively, and he chuckled before patting my pink beanie. "You look cute. See you later, Heather Morgan."
"See you later," I waved, watching him depart. As I turned, I bumped into Drake, and he did not look happy. "Hi, Drake! What brings you here at this hour? I thought the architects and medical faculty classes were rescheduled?"
Drake's gaze remained fixed on Elliot's retreating figure before he finally met my eyes. "I'm here because I received the news late, and I figured my best friend would also coincidentally be here," he replied, grabbing my wrist possessively. "So, did you have a good time chatting with Da Vinci?"
I looked towards the path Elliot had taken, then back at Drake. His hair fell over his eyes, giving him a handsome look, and his pink lips were pressed into a fine line. "Da Vinci? Is that what he's called?" I asked, confused by the nickname. Drake just smiled as if nothing had happened. "I bumped into him earlier, and I had to apologize to him. It was nothing more."
"So, where are you headed without the guards today?" he asked, his voice low and seductive. "What if someone bad approaches you when I'm not looking?"
I chuckled, but he stared at me with amusement. "Remember what you said? No one would dare attack what's yours. I'm your bestie, and no one would dare attack me."
Drake's smile widened. "Yeah, that's right!" he said, and I chuckled, walking out of the building with him following close behind. I paused at the top of three stairs, preparing to descend, when a monarch butterfly gracefully perched on my cute button nose.
I giggled, a joyful sound. "Oh, look! It's a monarch!" I exclaimed, "You know, they symbolize transformation and new beginnings."
He pulled out his phone, snapping a picture. "Cute," he said, then playfully added, "Alright, stop daydreaming, fairy tales aren't real." I chuckled, lightly fist-bumping his chest.
"So, where are you headed?" I asked.
"Mr. Garfield assigned me some research on modern and ancient bridges," he explained.
"Oh, so you're off to the library then?" I teased.
"I will be," he countered, "but only after I hit the museum first."
Then, with a glint in his eye, he asked, "Hey, want to join me on my power bike? You'd love it. You just woke up from a coma, you haven't really seen the whole city yet."
The idea was appealing. "Really? That sounds amazing!" I said, and subtly, I sent a quick message to Magnus, Uriel, and Gabriel, my bodyguards, who were no doubt already monitoring my every move.
As we set off on the bike, I knew Magnus and his colleagues would be following. But unbeknownst to them, Drake had already spotted their tail. He revved the engine, speeding up and expertly weaving through traffic. Soon, Magnus lost sight of us as we merged into the crossroads, leaving them behind.
The New York streets blurred as we zipped by on Drake's bike. It was a spectacular view, and I had to admit, I was enjoying it. The fresh breeze hit my face, and trees flew past at an accelerating speed. Drake said we'd stop at the mall, Rosario, so I could grab some new clothes—something suitable for the ride and a disguise to get past my bodyguards, who were no doubt tearing the city apart looking for me.
The clothes at Rosario weren't as expensive as what I usually wore, but they were comfy and perfect for a disguise. Drake picked out a black polo, leather trousers, and a cheap-looking biker jacket. Even though everything he wore was inexpensive, he looked stunning. I couldn't help but stare as he slipped on huge sunglasses, his white teeth flashing in a smile at the woman at the counter.
He started walking back towards me, and I quickly averted my gaze, trying to avoid the awkwardness of being caught staring. But as he got closer, I felt his presence, almost his breath on my neck.
"Hey, Missy, I saw you gawking. Like what you saw?" he asked, and I snapped my head back, meeting his piercing grey eyes his sunglass placed above his head.
I swallowed nervously, desperate for a lie to ease my shame, but my face betrayed me, heating up. "I wasn't looking at you. I was just... never mind. I'm going to change into these so we can get going."
He smiled, poking my head with his index finger. "What's funny? Why are you laughing?" I inquired pouting.
"I'm laughing at you, and you know it too," he admitted, winking. "You're practically lying through your teeth, sweetheart, and your body just betrayed you because you're as red as a tomato."
I scoffed, pouting and crossing my arms. "How did you know I was looking at you, Drake, when clearly I wasn't?" I lied, and he smirked, rolling his eyes. "Are you imagining things right now?"
"I've been watching you, Missy, and I saw you looking at me. But there's no reason to hide it. If I'm handsome, just admit it already, or you might just become speechless from absorbing my over-handsomeness." He shrugged, then took my hand, bringing it to his mouth and gently kissing each of my fingers.
I snatched my hand away, tossing my hair over my shoulder. "Perv! I'm going to change, so stay out and don't think about trying anything mischievous." I warned him, entering the dressing room with the clothes in my hand.
"I promise I'll be sitting here just minding my business," he replied as I shut the door.
Once inside, I quickly changed into my disguise: a turtleneck white tank top and high-waisted Fendi jeans. I paired them with Dior sunglasses, a jean purse for my phone, and a bold red lipstick—a stark contrast to the pink lip gloss I usually wore.
I emerged from the dressing room, feeling a strange mix of anonymity and newfound confidence in my simple disguise. The white tank top and Fendi jeans felt surprisingly liberating after years of restrictive, high-fashion attire. I even liked the bold pop of red on my lips.
Drake was true to his word, lounging on a nearby leather couch, seemingly engrossed in his phone. He looked up as I approached, his sunglasses still firmly in place, above his head, though I could feel his gaze on me. A slow smile spread across his face, revealing that familiar flash of white teeth.
"Well, well, well, sweetie," he drawled, pushing himself off the couch and standing to his full height. He took a step closer, circling me slowly, his eyes raking over my new outfit. "Look at you. Almost unrecognizable. Good job."
My heart did a little flutter at his approval, a reaction I quickly tried to quash. "That's the point, isn't it? Disguise."
He chuckled, reaching out and adjusting the strap of my new jean purse on my shoulder. His fingers brushed against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. "Indeed. Though even in this, you still manage to turn heads."
"Don't flatter yourself," I retorted, though I felt a blush creeping up my neck. "Let's just say this is a marked improvement from... whatever I was wearing before."
He grinned, a genuine, easy smile that made his grey eyes crinkle at the corners. "I thought you looked rather stunning before, too. But this definitely suits the fugitive look."
"Fugitive?" I scoffed, though the word was uncomfortably accurate. "More like escaping from an overprotective bodyguard so I tour the museum and library, remember?"
"Sweetie you should calm down," he said with a shrug, then motioned towards the mall exit before putting on his sunglass. "Ready to hit the road, then? We've got a lot of ground to cover before your bodyguards realize you've swapped out your designer threads for something a little more... practical."
"Lead the way," I said, a sense of adventure stirring within me. The fresh breeze of the city and the thrill of the unknown were starting to feel less like a panicked escape and more like an exciting new chapter. As we walked out of the mall, I adjusted my Dior sunglasses, ready for whatever came next..