Dedicated to: SmokingKitten

Thanks for all the feedback on the story! I like reading your opinions at the end of the chapters and I also . . . love your username.

:3

Thanks for your support!

                                *              *              *

      September 12th

      Agent R. Harris encounters Christopher Jacobs. He recognizes that she is a part of the Cherubim.

                21: To Each His Own

                Date: September 12th

Later that day the Cherubim decides to get together in the cafeteria to hang out instead of going to any of our dorms. Or rather, Susan decides.

      “Oh, come on,” Leah says. She eyes me with this look that makes it seem like she’s seeing right through me. But I don’t react the way I should. I put down my cup and stare back at her.

      “I’m serious,” I tell her.

      Natalia puts down her water bottle and pushes her hair away from her face, and I turn to her, anticipating her next words. She narrows her eyes at me, but says, “You seriously don’t find him attractive?” I shake my head. “Are you sure?”

      I shrug, just as Susan snaps in front of my face to get my attention. My head snaps to the front. “How many fingers am I holding up?” asks Susan. She holds up three fingers, and I only raise an eyebrow in response. “No answer,” she says, and then she turns to the other girls, “clearly she needs glasses.”

      They all giggle in response while I roll my eyes. “Guys, just because I don’t find Mr. Masters—whatever it was you said—adoracute—or something of that nature, does not mean that I . . .”

      “It’s getting awfully late, girls,” a voice over my shoulder interrupts. Instantly I recognize the voice and freeze, my eyes darting down to the table, where I know it’s safe to look.

      Suddenly I notice everything inside the cafeteria. Clean tables; the smell of cleaning supplies; the workers behind the counter preparing to leave; the bright light from the vending machine that radiates through the dim lunch room. The sound of doors behind us slamming one after the other rushes through my ears, and yet my heartbeat is louder.

      Christopher Jacobs’ cold gaze is sharp against the back of my head. Daring me to turn and face him.

      He takes a while to continue. I wonder why at first, but then it hits me. I am sitting with the Cherubim. These girls are the hardest people to befriend, but they are also the people with the best connections, and everyone knows that.

       Me being a part of their group means that he has to be careful which connections we have access to. And he knows that. If he can’t trust me, he can’t trust any of us.

       When Jacobs speaks again, his voice is deeper. “You best start heading back up to your dorms.”

      Simultaneously, the girls chorus, “Yes, Mr. Jacobs.”

      I say nothing.

           .          .          .

“Now that’s just insane,” Susan whispers. Minutes later we are inside our dorm, along with the rest of the crew, disobeying the rules of curfew. And all so we can discuss the looks of all the teachers in the school.

      Although that is not entirely true; we are now on to assistant principals.

      “How,” says Natalia, “do you not think Mr. Jacobs is smoking hot? I don’t know how old he is, but he’s one of the few men of which I’ve decided I don’t care.” Natalia blows on her nails as she lays on her stomach beside me, trying to dry the fresh coat of nail polish she just painted on. “He could be sixty and he’d still be sexy as hell.”

      “Agreed,” Leah and Maria say at the same time. Then they turn to each other, both laying side by side on Susan’s bed, and exchange an awkward glance.

      “Mr. Masters I can understand,” says Susan, seated on the floor in front of her bed. “He might be a little too . . . childish for your taste. But Jacobs? That goatee? No way. I think maybe you really do need glasses.”

      “To each his own,” I say nonchalantly. Three of the girls shake their heads and roll their eyes.

      And then, “Huh?”

      We all turn to Maria, who turns to Leah, trying to understand what I said. Natalia sighs, whispering something along the lines of, “Is she that stupid?” under her breath as she rolls over on my bed.

      “Nothing sweetie,” I say, falling back next to Natalia. I stare at the ceiling.

      “Oh,” says Maria. I can tell she’s biting her lip, as she usually does when trying to figure something out, and let out a sigh as well, closing my eyes. “So are you and Mr. Masters like secretly dating or something?”

      I cough, choking on misguided air, and sit up on my bed again, facing Maria, Leah and Susan. Everyone tries to shush me and my loud coughing, gesturing to the blinking numbers on the alarm clock in front of the room that display the time. It’s too late to be making this much noise.

      After I’ve calmed down I try to see Maria’s face. But there is only a single night-light on, and it is on my side of the room, leaving Susan’s side just barely visible.

      “Come again?” I whisper-yell to Maria.

      “Hmm?”

      “What did you just ask?”

      “Oh, I asked if you and Mr. Masters were—”

      “No,” I interrupt. “Definitely not.”

      “Because in class today you two looked like—”

      “We’re not.”

      The conversation dries off then, and I’m afraid I might’ve been too hard on Maria. The silence drags on endlessly, and then I’m afraid they’re a little suspicious of my defensiveness.

      If one of them is, it would be Susan, and I can’t afford a suspicious Susan on my case.

      But then a few seconds later Natalia leans in closer to me. “Good, because you got Alex pretty jealous.”

      And the girls all smile around me as my heart slows down.

                               *               *              *

*logs onto Wattpad*

*dust floats out of computer*

*coughs while fanning dust away*

Geez, when was the last time I was on here? Gosh. I bet you guys didn’t even know I still existed, huh? You’re just like, Oh, a new update from what’s-her-face . . . OH SNAP! SHE LIVES!

Hehe. Anyway. Guess what? I’m on Spring Break. Sooooo yeah, I may be on more often. May or may not update again before the end of next week. Keep your eyes peeled.

In the meantime, anyone got any books for me to read? I feel like I can’t find anything good around here anymore. Leave me some suggestions in my inbox or . . . yeah, in my inbox. Any advertisements commented here will most likely be deleted.

Best commenter shall receive a dedication, as always! :) If you’re still reading this book, I LOVE YOU.

'AwesomelyBlaze