The Afflicted Hearts (The Unwanted Bride Series: Book Two)

Cake for Compensation

     "Juniper... are you okay?" I pull myself away from the awful images that have plagued my mind since yesterday to focus on Collin. He stands a little ways away peering at me, his eyes filled with worry. He fidgets slightly with his fingers and rolls his shoulders. "You have been awfully quiet." He steps forward but quickly steps away. "If you need a dinner where it is a little more.. quiet... I can ask them to leave." He nods his head towards the door. Jason's muffled shouts can be heard through it. He glances back and forth between the door and me while tettering up onto the balls of his feet then rolling back onto the heels of his feet. "J-Juniper?"

     "It's okay Collin." I say and give him a genuine smile. Immediately the worry in his eyes subsides slightly, but not fully. "I am just lost in thought from our last session yesterday."

     "Oh!" He snaps as he nods with a relieved smile that is quickly replaced with a frown. "Are you doing okay? I know that you may have gotten close to some of those girls." Oh Collin... if only you really knew. "Well, maybe not..." He mutters as he switches to the more logical part of his brain. "All of those girls are actually really mean to you. At least that is what I have noticed a few times." He furrows his brow and tilts his head. "Except that Adell girl... what is her first name. Rachel? Renee?"

     "Her name is Reena." I say and he nods firmly with a snap. I roll my eyes with a smile as I lean against the wall outside of the room. "I feel fine about not being in class. The last class was just... interesteing."

     "What did you lean about?" He asks and my body grows cold and clamy.

     I cannot tell him what we learned about. I simply cannot do that; even if he would be the only one I would trust enough to share. I could tell him that we learned about what happens after marriage. I could tell him she taught us how we could be good wives. Technically, that wouldn't be a lie. I could not tell him that she drew a literal picture of  a guy's... thing. How could I possibly tell him that?  His calm eyes bore into me as he waits patiently on my answer.

     I bet Reena is going to be livid with me tomorrow. She had mentioned that she noticed weird shapes in that general area, but she hadn't the faintest idea. Then a girl asked if they are all the same size and Mrs. Webster informed us that they were not the same size at all. It varies apprently. Reena said she wasn't going to be able to handle the curiosity of it all. She was going to "take a peek". My cheeks flush at the very thought and I shake my head. I cannot do that! I could not just glance at-

      "Juniper." Collin whispers and I refocus to find him peering into my eyes with his own. The distance between us is minimal. I suck up a breath as I search his large, perplexed, brown orbs. "Are you really okay?"

     "I'm okay." I say and step back as nonchalantly as I can. "I was just thinking back to what we learned." I say and he tilts his head. "This whole time we have been learning how to be good wives. Yesterday was just an extension of what we've been learning."

     "Oh I see." He says and smiles as he scruffs at the carpet. "Did you enjoy the lesson?"

     "Uhh-"

     The door flings open and our heads swing around. Jason stands at the frame. He peers at us with angry eyes and nostrils flaring. I blink at him slightly before glancing to Collin. Collin likewise blinks blankly at him while he stands there in the doorframe. Jason looks between us as he taps against the fram of the doorway.

     "Can I help you?" Collin asks and Jason glares at him.

     "We have been waiting on you guys. I am STARVING." He barks out the last word. Collin simply blinks slowly at him before frowning.