"Will she ever stop looking back?" Adam asked and I looked ahead to find Hayley staring at me and immediately we made eye contact, she looked away.

Creep

I groaned, I barely got any sleep last night making me groggy.

"We're having a party at Chris's house you coming?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know" I shrugged packing my things as the class ended.

"Come on Theo" Chris nudged me and I sighed.

"I hope it isn't an all-boys party" I said.

"Of course not" Chris smiled.

My phone chimed and I looked down to see it was a notification from Hayley, ignoring my obeyed messages I opened hers.

*Hi*

*can you come outside*

I found myself smiling.

What was the little mouse planning?

I left my friends as they kept talking and came outside to find Hayley waiting.

"Why should I come outside?" I asked with a smile.

"I...I wanted us to walk together, I know it is your first" she said and I chuckled.

It was actually my first

I wasn't one for public display of affection.

But I hadn't really had anyone to try it with.

I held my hand out and she smiled placing her hand in mine.

She had such smooth and soft skin.

I squeezed her hand a little causing her cheeks to redden and we began to walk hand in hand.

Where was our destination?

I don't know.

"You know, you're nicer than you look" she said and I smiled.

"What else?" I asked.

"What?" She asked.

"Go on keep on complimenting me" I said and she laughed.

"You're also sweet"

I cringed.

I was nothing near sweet.

"You have a good sense of humour, not to mention handsome" she murmured making me smile brighter.

"And you are humble" she said stopping and grabbing my second hand and gazing at me.

What's going on here?

"Theodore I..." she started but immediately frowned and pushed me down the next thing I heard was a gunshot followed by Hayley crashing on me.

"Are you okay," she asked.

"What?" I asked confused.

Where had the gunshot come from?

I noticed something drip to the floor and looked to see Hayley's hand bleeding.

How did this happen?

When did this happen?

She held herself on her hands as if she were covering me.

No, she was covering me.

"Hayley!" I called coming back to say senses and raised her hand to see it pleading profusely.

Shit

Shit

Shit

Fuck!

I took off my shirt and began tying it to my hand, her eyelids fluttered, they were going to close.

"Hayley" I tapped her face looking worriedly at the way she lost blood.

I tightened the cloth lifting her noticing people running every which way due to the sound of the gunshot.

I rushed over to my car, gently placing her in the back seat I drove like a madman to the nearest hospital.

Carefully bringing her out of the car, I carried her into the building

"Emergency" I shouted and a nurse rushed to me seeing how much blood was on my hands and on the cloth used to tie the wound.

She said something to another nurse and led me to place Hayley on a stretcher and they immediately rushed her to an emergency room I followed them but they stopped me at the door.

"Sir you need to fill out some forms, her treatment has started" the nurse said and I nodded.

"The blood on your hands sir" she said and I groaned and rushed to wash my hands before coming to fill out the form when a doctor came saying he had some questions for me.

"Who are you to the patient?" He asked.

"A friend" I replied.

"Where did this happen?" He asked

"On school grounds" I replied and he frowned.

"Do you have any idea why she was being targeted?" He asked and I shook my head.

Except I did, father

"We will need you to make your statement to the police soon, for now, you can wait till she comes out of the operation" he said and I nodded pulling out Hayley's phone that I had taken to get Vandel's number.

Immediately I pressed the power button I saw a picture of a young couple.

I had thought it was an aesthetic but I couldn't mistake the face of the woman anywhere.

My father also had an image of her on his desk.

Luna

Why the hell was Luna on Hayley's home screen the man in the picture wasn't Vandel and he fits the perfect description of Xadrian.

I decided to ignore it for now opening her phone

Who the hell doesn't use security on their phone?

I scrolled down her contacts and was shocked to find Vandel's number saved as Vandel and not any paternal name.

Ignoring it again I dialled his number.

"Hey baby girl" he greeted cheerfully.

"Vandel" I said into the phone.

"Who is this?" He asked his tone immediately changing.

"It's Theodore, Hayley is in the hospital" I said and heard clattering.

"What's the name?" He asked.

After informing him of the name I hung up and stared at the room where the operation was taking place.

She had pushed me out of the way

She was protecting me

Why would she do that!

It wasn't long before Vandel arrived and thanked me for rushing her to the hospital.

I dismissed it not telling him she was protecting me and told him I had somewhere to go to.

I entered my car and drove directly to my dad's office.

That sick man had some explaining to do.

I was clearly the target but she had seen the assassin and protected me.

Shit!!