| Daisy |

It was me who cracked the code.

Unintentionally.

Another guy had asked me out and I had said yes . Out of desperation and self doubt.

I kept wondering. .

Why was every guy running in the opposite direction? Why was no one liking me? Why wasn't anyone sticking around?

I would stand in front of the mirror and examine my body . I was told I looked like a petite doll. Gloria called me her gazelle. Her swan. . then why. .

And it wasn't even that I wanted to date but rather it was me wanting to be wanted .

To feel wanted. .yeah.

This cute guy , Aiden had asked me out in the cafeteria . His blue eyes twinkling. He was my classmate. We would bump into each other occasionally .

"He better be the one who take your virginity." Jenn said chomping on a juicy apple.

" I'm not having sex."

"No one said anything about fuck. I meant your dating virginity. Fingers crossed." And she did cross her fingers .

She was more worried about me than me.

After lunchtime, she had gone to take her class and I was free so I was kind of roaming around like a ghost. And somehow someway , I took the route that would take me to the back of the school . . Logan had warned me to never step a foot there but the boredom got to me.

Students were moving around with their laptops and books and girlfriends. Absently, I walked through the empty corridor with nothing in my head . .i could see the blue bright sky peeking at the end of the corridor. Excited at the clear sky, I walked faster and just as I reached the end of the way—i stopped.

Right there.

And quick as lightning I backtracked and pressed myself against the wall. Heart thumping, breath coming in short puffs. .it was him!.

What was Dean Harrison doing at a place like that?

As stealthy as I could, I peeked out .

And wish I hadn't because he looked so. . smoking hot.

He was leaning against the wall, the gray T shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows , a cigarette tucked between his fingers . In the sunlight, his green eyes seemed like orbs.

Glowing.

And then I noticed.

He wasn't alone.

I tried not to move when I spotted Aiden standing near him. His lips moving . I couldn't hear him out . He seemed stressed .

Dean was looking down at the ground, listening and then as Aiden got silent. .Dean looked up at him.

Looked up and then took a swig off his burning cigarette. The smoke bellowing out of his mouth . .concealing his face in mist.

Then his lips moved.

And  Aiden replied.

What happened after that. .was enough to jolt my senses but I stood rooted to my spot.

Dean reacted so suddenly.

Straightening up to his full height, his green eyes going wild —Aiden stepped back raising his hands in surrender as if to calm him down.

Dean bit the inside of his cheek , his eyes curling in disgust ,a slight shake visible in his body. .the aggression still there. He waved his hand in dismissal .

And seeing Aiden hightailing out of there...my eyes widened when I realized.

He was coming towards me.

And that instant I knew.

My gut told me what was wrong. All the guys...all the dates. I kept walking straight. .my heart burning a little. . I was in disbelief.. I was hurt. .I was confused because why would Dean Harrison keep cancelling my dates?

Why would my brother's friend do that?

He didn't even speak to me in his entire life.

I was in love with him but that was completely my business and I was sensible enough to never  pursue my love . Can anyone imagine pursuing Brad Pitt? I knew my league and he was way out of it.

It was like reaching for the moon.

My disbelief morphed into anger. Jenn kept going on about what was wrong with me. .why was I being so grouchy. .if only she knew. .

The anger in me had pushed back my silent love for him. Because the why of it got stuck in my head . . my heart asking over and over again until I felt like crying.

I didn't dare ask Aiden when he came to dump me. I didn't ask him the why. All I did was stare stonly at his red face.

When I reached home, my head was buzzing with so much of crap even Logan asked. All I did was complain of a headache when really I had a storm brewing in me.

All this time. .

All this time he had been the one !

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That day I waited.

Waited patiently for the specific horn of his BMW. But this time I didn't went to my window to sneak on him stepping out of his car.

Or tried to turn off the lights so he wouldn't spot me spying.

I stayed on my bed, bunching and unbunching the sheets in my hand.

I knew their routine so well. He would come and Logan would go out to get the pizzas while he stayed in his room.  Not once did he try to step out of the room. When J.D was home he would come to chat with him.

As soon as I heard Logan ushering him in his room and then going out to get some burgers .  .I was off the bed.

When I reached the door , I raised my hand to knock but then I realize why should I? He didn't  deserve any courtesy after what he did to me.

Gripping the handle , I pushed the door open and then all of sudden my heart started to thump wildly. So wildly it surprised me . Just one second earlier I was bent on unleashing my wrath on him and now. .

But it was too late to back off now.

Shutting the door close with unnecessary force , I turned around at him—the tv was on but it was paused on some shooting scene and I spotted him on the couch.

Dressed in a black hoodie and jeans , Looking relaxed with his arm around the back of the couch , legs slightly apart. .his aura intimidating me . .

His eyes had lifted up towards me .

"Logan is out." He said and then glanced back at the TV .

His careless tone burned me to the core.

"It was you. ." I hissed .

And his neck turned towards me again, one dark brow raised.

"It is still me."

I could hear the underlying arrogance in his tone.

"Why dean? Why did you went out of your way to cancel my dates?" I asked directly instead of beating around the bush.

Nothing on his void face changed.

His green eyes flared up . .

"Why did you—"

"I don't want you to date. " He leaned fully against the couch , watching me . . unnerving me with his intense stare.

His answer was so. .so unbelievable that all I could do was open my mouth and then close.

Did he just straight out accept—

"Who gave you the right to do it? What gave you the right—who the hell are you to do anything for me?!" My voice raising , fisting my hands at my sides.

He lifted his index finger at me.

"Keep your voice down . I don't need to be your anyone to do anything for you. I'll do it anyways."

Was he even listening to himself?!

His careless tone just erupted the smoking volcano in me.

"You better not tell me what to do and what to not! You better not, Dean Harrison! I'll not allow it! If you tried to pull that crap on me again . ." I trailed off realizing I was going to give him a threat .

I was so not that person.

And he was making me into one!

I thought he got my message and then I turned around moving towards the door.

I had opened it half way, just a crack , when his large hand suddenly slammed the door shut . Startling me so bad , I nearly gasped.

How did he move so fast?!

With his hand on the door , he was looming over me. An expensive cologne surrounding me and I never thought I would ever get to be this close to him. .someone I loved in my heart.

"I'm not finished yet." He said impassively . Not realizing the proximity was too much for me.

It was making me forget everything.

He had sort of trapped me with his hand on the door.

He took advantage of my smacked face.

"I don't like repeating myself . Listen well. If I saw you with that shit bag or any other guy at school , I'm not going to be a happy man. They will never know what hit them. You don't want that now do you?"

My eyes screwed up.

"Are you threatening me?!"

He shook his head slightly as if amused at the probability.

"No. Never you. I'm only telling you the future forecast. "

Watching me open my mouth in protest , he suddenly leaned in with all his allure, my back melted against the door...palms flat on the door. .eyes wide.

His green eyes looked straight in my eyes , a breath of space between our faces . .I could see the gold flecks in his eyes. .

Everything in me went into an overdrive!

"Don't resist me. Don't fear me. Don't go against me. All I want is for you to be safe. "

"And you? Am I safe from you?" I breathed out.

His lips went up into a blinding smirk—his other hand lifted and he placed it on the door beside my head.

Now I was trapped!

My chest raising up and down. .

And strangely he seemed calm.

"I'm the only one keeping you safe."

Seeing the puzzle on my face , he continued. .

"Richard wanted to pop your virginity, Daniel wanted to have you because you have a bomb figure, not my words but his. And Aiden . .if I tell you I nearly killed him would you believe me? If I tell you I did want to kill him would it scare you? "

"What. .what did he do?"

"Slipping drug in your drink. " He said smoothly and the horror on my face was palpable. .raising my hand I covered my mouth.

Aiden.

Shitty Aiden.

And then a sudden thought hit me.

"Why. .why are you doing this Dean? Do you like—"

He pulled back so suddenly. And that day I noticed that he was a sudden kind of person.

Everything about him was sudden.

That moment I knew I shouldn't have said what I did . .he didn't step back. .all he did was release me from his prison . . . looking at me.

"No. I don't ."

His straight out answer jagged at my heart but I didn't let it show.

He must have seen the why in my eyes.

"I only want you to be safe."

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