Silhouettes: A Novel

Chapter Four

Ian had gathered everything he needed for the day, and double checked his list. School items, and the rose with the thorns carefully removed.

Perfect.

He arrived hours before his first class, and found Aislinn. She was talking to Quinn, and she seemed different.

"I'm fine. I really do appreciate the thought, though,"

Quinn discarded the food, after he kept insisting she eat something.

He had seen her weight charts: She was 19 and 70 pounds, extremely underweight for her age. Quinn noted that Ian needed to know this truth about the girl he nearly idolized before going through with his plan.

Quinn slipped a note into Ian's pocket, and clicked his tongue twice. That translated to: Read this. It's important, but read it later.

Ian nodded at Quinn, then stood behind Aislinn.

"Hello,"

She turned around so suddenly that she tripped, and Ian caught her in his arms.

"Are you alright, Aislinn?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just tired,"

"Your legs are shaking. You look as if you may pass out," he observed.

She fell, and he picked her up.

To him, holding Aislinn was like staring at an angelic figure in heavenly golden light. He couldn't begin his plan until she was awake enough to hear him. So he waited.