Page 14 of Feral
“There you are.”
Another familiar voice called to Ella as she put her books away in her locker for the day. She shut the door to find Bishop’s handsome face smiling at her. He was usually a sight for sore eyes, but after the morning’s event, she didn’t have it in her to socialize and he was the last person she wanted to drag down with her sour mood.
“Hey,” she said, forcing a smile.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were ignoring me,” he said, his hands slipped casually into his pockets as he leaned against his locker. “First the date, and now you’re not answering your texts.”
Ella looked down at her phone, realizing she had missed a couple from him. She’d had it off since she didn’t feel like dealing with Axel and was sure he’d come calling before long.
“Sorry. Things have been crazy lately,” she admitted.
“You mean since you kicked Marissa’s ass,” he said, his eyes glimmering with amusement.
Ella sighed. “Thatfeels like it happened a year ago.”
“How about you tell me all about it over dinner?” he offered.
“Now?” she asked doubtfully.
“I’m not taking the chance on you disappearing on me again,” he said, his grin turning up a few hundred watts.
She hesitated, but couldn’t think of a valid reason that wouldn’t just sound like an excuse. Bishop was definitely not the kind of guy who got turned down often, and she doubted he would know how to handle it if he thought he was. Besides, maybe getting away from the Academy for a bit would be good for her.
“It’s a little short notice, but...sure. What the hell.”
“That’s the spirit,” he said, glancing her up and down. “Not that you’re not the best thing that’s ever happened to that uniform, but how about we both get changed and I’ll pick you up outside the dorm in thirty?”
“Sure,” she said, her face growing warm from the compliment. If he didn’t watch it, she was actually going to start to believe him.
Bishop turned back halfway down the hall and called over the chatter of the other students, “Remember, no disappearing!”
Ella couldn’t help but smile as she shut her locker, pretending like she didn’t notice the envious glances of the other girls down the hall. Maybe there was something to be said for not caring what anyone else thought.
* * *
After changing into one of her new dresses, Ella examined her appearance in the full-length mirror on the back of her door. She had to admit, Axel had good taste. She felt almost glamorous in the simple, fitted black dress and boots, although she doubted he would have been very happy if he’d known she was wearing them out on a date with Bishop.
She took care to lock her room, having changed the entire door set with permission from the Headmaster, and set the alarm he’d grudgingly offered to install. She wasn’t taking any more chances, though Hurricane Marissaseemedto have died down for the time being.
Bishop was waiting for her at the curb in a car that was far less ostentatious but just as expensive-looking as Axel’s. He stood by the door, waiting to hold it open for her and when she stepped off the curb, he took her hand.
“Wow,” he murmured, letting his gaze travel over her in a way that made her blush all over again.
“Do you flatter all the queens like this?” she teased, letting him help her into the car.
“It’s only flattery if it isn’t true,” he countered.
The drive with Bishop was far more pleasant than the one with Axel had been, though she resented her tendency to compare them. It was night and day, and there was no point. The sooner she could learn to control the intensity of her feelings for Axel, the sooner she could redirect that energy to more suitable pastimes.
He refused to tell Ella where they were going, only that it was a restaurant he was sure she’d love with an incredible view. When they arrived only to walk through the packed restaurant and past the heavenly smells coming from the kitchen, led toward a flight of stairs by the maitre d’, she looked at Bishop in confusion.
“It’s worth the walk,” he said, winking at her before leading her up the stairs.
Ella followed him, hand in hand and trying not to think about how much that simple touch affected her. Hopefully her desperation wasn’t as obvious to him as it felt to her.
She had to ask him tonight. There was no more time for putting it off.
When the door opened and Bishop led them out onto a rooftop decorated with a beautiful latticed arbor that allowed the starlight to shine onto the table set below, she forgot all about the rings and the Academy with all its tangled webs of lies and allegiances.
