Red Pov

Conflicting emotions churned within me as Xavier's proximity intensified. Was it the knowledge of him making out with another girl moments ago that unsettled me, or was it his audacity to flirt with me immediately afterwards ? I found it difficult to decipher my own feelings amidst the chaotic swirl of attraction and aversion.

Xavier's ambition was undeniable, and while I acknowledged his drive, I couldn't help but feel that he wasn't my type. My mind involuntarily wandered to Mr. Caddel, the object of my affections. Despite the complexities of our relationship, my heart remained tethered to him.

My internal dialogue proved unhelpful, with intrusive thoughts plaguing my mind. The voice I had grown accustomed to had fallen silent, leaving me in a state of uncertainty. Had I managed to silence it for good? The prospect of finding solace in its absence should have brought me joy, but instead, a sense of emptiness filled the void.

"I'm here, Red," Xavier's voice snapped me back to reality. I turned to face him, noticing a flicker of concern in his eyes that quickly transformed into a self-assured smirk.

"Can you tell this douchebag to leave?" the voice suddenly returned on hearing Xavier's voice.

"Can you not disturb me at the moment?" I retorted.

"I will, once he leaves us alone," it declared.

"Us? There is no 'us'. It was at least peaceful when you weren't around," I lied, attempting to distance myself from the voice's influence.

"Just admit it, you miss me, love," it taunted.

"Don't call me-" I began, but my thoughts were interrupted by Xavier, who leaned closer, delicately tucking a few strands of my curls behind my ear. His breath grazed my skin as he whispered, "You're really into me, with those long stares I've been receiving."

The nauseating sensation intensified within me at his words.

"You guessed the first one right, and as for the second guess..." I leaned in close to his ear, my voice dripping with disdain, "In your fucking dreams." Although I couldn't see his reaction, I could sense a smirk forming on his face.

An abrupt realization struck me as I surveyed the classroom. We were still in the midst of a lesson, surrounded by students who watched our interaction with curiosity and the teacher with evident anger.

"Mr. Xavier and Miss Red, I won't tolerate such display here," the teacher reprimanded, his frustration palpable. It dawned on me that I had yet to utter a single word, instead, opting to distance myself from Xavier by shifting my chair away and burying my head in shame upon the desk. It didn't take long for the sound of Xavier's chuckle to reach my ears, a maddening soundtrack to my embarrassment.

"Game on, Green eyes," he whispered, but to my surprise, he refrained from further disturbing my focus for the remainder of the class.

"This is all your doing," I yelled inwardly, directing my anger at the voice that had plagued me.

"I didn't do anything," it protested.

"I don't want to hear anything from you until I fix this mess, understand?" I seethed, desperate for a reprieve from its interference. The voice fell silent once more, leaving me alone to confront the predicament I had unwittingly entangled myself in.

The sound of the bell's ringing signaled the end of the class, prompting students to file out. Xavier departed without his usual flirtatious wink, and I remained seated, contemplating how to extricate myself from the web of complications I had unwittingly woven.

"You know he's not going to let you go," Jacob's voice interrupted my thoughts, causing me to raise my head and find him smirking mischievously.

"How did you guys even meet? You've only been here for a day," Dean questioned, adjusting his glasses as he joined the conversation.

"You won't believe me," I whispered, my embarrassment momentarily forgotten.

"Surprise us," Avery chimed in.

"Alright. I was wandering through the library when I heard a noise coming from one of the bookshelves. I thought someone might be injured, but instead, I found..." I trailed off as Jacob burst into laughter, his amusement filling the room.

"Let me guess, Xavier fucking some girl," he managed to utter between fits of laughter. I nodded, allowing myself to join in the laughter, momentarily forgetting the weight of my troubles.

"How immense is his thing that keeps them coming back for more?" Ana interjected, her presence suddenly acknowledged.

Jacob, always the unabashed one, replied, "I've seen it, and it's quite impressive," leaving the rest of the group staring at him in disbelief.

"Wait, you had sex with him?" Avery exclaimed, shocked.

"No way! I'm not gay. I mean, in the restroom, you see things, dear things," Jacob clarified, causing Avery to shudder and attempt to unhear his statement. I couldn't agree more.

"Let's forget about the Xavier nonsense and delve into the real gossip," she suggested, her gaze fixed upon me, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. Without hesitation, she occupied the seat next to me, her enthusiasm contagious.

"Tell us more about this Mr. Caddel," Ana prodded, her curiosity piqued.

My cheeks flushed, and I stammered, "Oh... no... I'm not..."

Ana winked at me, interrupting my feeble denial. "Join the club, Red. It's normal if you desire him up close, I would," she said boldly, causing my embarrassment to deepen.

"Oh, it's nothing... umm, how old is Mr. Caddel, by the way?" I asked, trying to divert the conversation.

Jacob and Ana exchanged smirks, clearly enjoying the conversation. Jacob replied, "Well, if you're dying to know, he's turning 28 this year, according to my calculations."

28? Not bad

The voice in my head couldn't resist chiming in with its usual irreverence. "So, you're into older guys. Interesting."

"Shut up," I muttered under my breath, hoping no one had heard.

"What was that?" the guys looked at me with confusion.

"You are such a creep," Dean mumbled, staring at Jacob with disgust.

"But that doesn't explain why he sent for you," Avery pressed for more information.

Should I tell them the truth? Or maybe mix it up a bit? "He wanted to explain why he got to be Guardian since Guardian Jayden didn't get the chance to," I said, not entirely lying.

"Boring," Ana stood up from her seat, disappointment evident on her face.

"I expected more juicy details, especially since it's rare for him to accept students to be their guardians," Jacob added, getting up from his chair. Dean followed suit.

"I thought he also has students he guides," I said, joining them as we walked out of the classroom. Since I didn't have a bag with me, it was easier to match their pace.

"Hell no! Mr. Caddel is more of a lone wolf around here. Even though he leads his pack, he prefers to save us when needed rather than monitor some student," Ana explained.

"Consider yourself lucky and unlucky, my dear Red," Dean said cryptically.

"Why?" I couldn't help but ask, curiosity piqued.

"First, you get to be up close with him. That's luck," Jacob smirked at me.

"What's the unlucky part?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering what could be so bad.

"You will be hated even more by the females than before since you will be the only student that he might ever guide here. And second, I've heard he's brutal, and you being his student... I don't think he'll go easy on you during the training," Avery explained, her voice filled with concern as she clung to Ana.

"Females hate me here? What did I do?" I asked, perplexed.

"For starters, you stole the attention of two of the most desirable males in this school within 48 hours. That's quite a record," Jacob smirked, his words stinging.

I didn't think that would make them hate me. Would it?

Ana opened the door, and we were met with piercing gazes from a group of girls huddled in the corner.

"Why are they staring at us?" I whispered to Jacob, feeling a sudden unease.

"Not us, it's you they're trying to kill, my dear Red," Jacob replied, gripping my arm for support.

"Make sure to lock the door this time, Red," Avery advised, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and worry.

What did I get myself into?

Hope you enjoyed this Chapter ❤️