Protected & Unsafe I Sequel to B&A

Chapter Three

A R I E L

I jolted awake, finding my boyfriend, Kian, seated beside me on the bed's edge.

"Morning." He said softly, offering a gentle smile. I shot up in bed and immediately wrapped my arms tightly around him. "Are you okay?" He asked, concern evident in his eyes. Pulling back slightly, tears welled up in my eyes, and he instantly understood. "The nightmare again." 

I nodded, memories flooding back. Three weeks had passed since Detective Pierce and Officer Brooks had visited our home. Three weeks since the haunting nightmares had returned. I remembered them from Nick's trial, but they had faded once he was pronounced guilty. 

Now, with his unexpected return, the chilling dreams were back.

Kian pulled me close, his arms a comforting shield. Resting my head against his chest, I found solace in the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat, a comforting rhythm amidst my turmoil. He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back. 

"You're safe with me, Ariel." He whispered. Drawing a shaky breath, I gazed into his warm brown eyes, mirrors of empathy and love. "I promise I won't let anything happened to you." I snuggled closer to him, feeling his warmth and comfort. 

"I can't shake this feeling that I'm being watched." I admitted, my face buried into his chest. "I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, scared I'll see him." Kian tightened his grip around me, as if trying to shield me from the world. 

"I know you're scared, Ariel." He replied, his chin resting above my head. "But the FBI is looking for him, and with the restraining order, he can't get near you." I took a deep breath.

"Kian, you didn't see the look in his eyes during the trial." I paused, glancing down as the memory of my mother's murder trial came flooding back. It was the worst time of my life. Three months of reliving that night. "He- he looked like he wanted to kill me. And now he's out." I whispered, tears streaming down my face. He sighed, gently reaching up and whipping them away. 

"You know you're always welcome here." He whispered back. "This building is super secure- cameras everywhere, security codes needed to access the building, the whole deal." A small smile tugged at my lips. His offer was tempting, and I appreciated it, but couldn't abandon my aunts, especially after they had taken me in. 

"You know I can't leave my aunts." I said, shaking my head. "I can't do that to them after everything they've done for me." Kian nodded understanding. "Plus, we haven't even been dating for a year yet."

"A year? That's your dating standard. Most people say at least two years," he teased. I playfully hit his shoulder, cracking a grin. Our banter provided a brief respite from the looming shadows.

I glanced at the clock, realizing the morning was slipping away. "I need to get ready for school," I murmured. Kian slipped off the bed and I ripped the sheets off and moved to get out of bed.

"Will I see you after school?" he asked, hope evident in his voice.

Shaking my head, I replied, "Not today. I promised my aunts I'd be home for dinner tonight." With a sigh, Kian nodded, understanding the importance of family commitments. We shared a kiss goodbye before I stood up and got ready for school. 

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I parked in front of Claremont High School, glancing at it in my side mirror. For two and a half years, I'd dreaded this place. Today felt different, maybe because the guys had graduated, or maybe because I was a senior. 

Either way, feeling this way was nice. Really nice.

My car shut off, then I stepped out, closing the door behind me. I threw my bag over my shoulder and began walking, heading inside.

The hallway was loud with students chatting with one other and teachers yelling at the usual troublemakers. I smiled at my surroundings. I forgot how crazy the first day of school was after summer break.

I was gonna miss this.

Pushing through the crowd, I made my way down the hallway to my locker.

"Ariel!" A familiar voice called out as I swung my locker open. My head quickly turned, then smiled seeing Julia and Caleb walking my way. Caleb's arm was wrapped around her shoulders. "Hey, I'll catch up with you later, okay?" She told her boyfriend, stopping in front of me.

"Okay." He nodded, then kissed her lips. "I love you." He whispered into her ear before moving his arm off her shoulders. His eyes glanced at me as he walked by. "Nice to see you, Ariel." Julia's eyes followed him until she disappeared into the crowd.

Once he was out of sight, her eyes flickered over to me.

"Sorry." She apologized, slipping a piece of hair behind her ear. "I know this year must be hard for you without your brother or Kian here." She spoke as I continued putting my books into my locker. "Especially with everything going on with your birthfather." My eyes darted at her.

"I mean, is it even safe for you to be in school?" She questioned, leaning against the lockers.

I sighed, then shook my head. "Honestly, I don't know." She nodded. "But I'm not gonna let him run the way I live my life." I paused for a moment. "I've already let other people do that for way too long." I whispered, referring to Jc and the guys' bullying.

"Ariel, I'm worried about you." Julia replied. "This whole situation you're in is really messed up." I let out a little huff, then nodded. Before either of us could say anything else, the bell rang- signaling our first period classes would be starting soon. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.

As soon as I walked in, the bell rang again for the start of class. I quickly rushed to one of desks and prepared myself for class. Our teacher stood up from his desk at the front of the room and began introducing himself.

"Good morning, everyone! Hope you had a good summer. I'm Mr. Peterson, your biology teacher." He sounded excited. I played with my chain and doodled while he talked about our syllabus.

Suddenly, a loud knock on the door interrupted us. Everyone looked as Mr. Peterson went to answer. I went back to my doodling until footsteps approached the front.

"Class, we have a new student today," he announced. "Please welcome Miss Melody Hunt." I looked up sharply at the surname. Next to our teacher stood a girl with reddish-brown hair that fell to her shoulders. She offered a smile and a wave to the class. Mr. Peterson pointed toward my lab table. "You can sit next to Miss Reed," he said.

As she approached, I focused on my work. I sensed her movement behind me, then the thud of her books and the rustle of her bag. When she settled in the chair next to mine, she looked at me, arms crossed.

"Hi," she greeted cheerfully. "I'm Melody." I turned, studying her face. We shared a diamond-shaped face and a similar fair complexion. Her nose was a tad narrower, and her lips a touch fuller. But when our eyes met, a shiver ran down my spine.

Her crystal blue eyes—they were unmistakably his.