Whispers of Hollowbrooks

Chapter 7: Whispers of Desire

Adeline

"Hey, Adeline... how are you holding up?" Bonnie asked as she slid into the seat next to me. The worry etched on her face mirrored the concern I had seen reflected in so many others over the past few days. I couldn't blame them; the recent attack had shaken everyone. I was trying to push past it, though. I wanted to focus on moving forward rather than dwelling on what had happened. Still, there was a nagging urge within me to understand who attacked me and why. But I was letting the police handle that—by police, I meant Ethan.

Ever since that night, Ethan hadn't left my side. He was always there, a steady presence, and I couldn't say I minded it. The way he was constantly watching over me made me feel safe. When he had to go somewhere, he left Beast with me 24/7. The dog had become my shadow, following me everywhere I went. At first, it felt strange, but now it provided a comforting sense of security. After everything, it was reassuring to know that Beast would alert someone if anything went wrong.

"Yeah, I'm still wrapping my head around it all, but I'm okay," I replied, forcing a smile. "Besides, I have two shadows making sure I'm safe." I gestured toward Ethan, who stood at the back of the room, arms crossed, scanning the area like a hawk. Beast lay beside him, his head resting on his front paws, ever alert. My stomach fluttered with butterflies at the thought that Ethan refused to leave my side.

Bonnie chuckled, a teasing glint in her eye. "So, a hunky man and a pup? Sounds like you're playing house!"

I felt heat rush to my cheeks. "Gosh, no! He's just being a good friend. Making sure I'm okay..." But my voice faltered as I recalled how close we had grown since the attack.

"Oh, right! And having him sleep over every night doesn't hurt," she shot back, her eyes sparkling with mischief. I froze, refusing to look back at Ethan to see if he'd heard her.

"Bonnie! It's not like that! I—" I sighed, tapping my pen against my notebook, feeling overwhelmed. "I don't know what it is... I'm still confused. He told me Katherine attacked him, but the way he insists on staying with me—it's a lot to process."

Bonnie nodded, giving me a supportive hug. "I get it. Just know that you look happier and more relaxed with him around. But I still don't want to see you hurt. I'm not sure how to feel about him kissing Katherine, either. We both know how pushy she can be."

Just then, Katherine walked in, her presence as commanding as ever, dressed like a picture-perfect Barbie.

"Well, speak of the devil..." I muttered, trying to keep my expression neutral. I turned to glance at Ethan, who was watching me, a small smirk playing on his lips. He lifted a finger and circled it, silently telling me to focus. I felt my cheeks heat up, a mix of embarrassment and thrill washing over me.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Katherine purred, her gaze landing on Ethan, who was still standing by the door, arms crossed. She flashed him a flirty smile that made my stomach twist uncomfortably. The whispers from the other women in the room had already started, and I could sense their curiosity about what was going on between us. I wanted to lean into the gossip; I wanted them to think we were dating so they'd back off. I couldn't stand the thought of losing him to someone else.

Katherine droned on about the festival preparations, her voice fading into the background as I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen.

Ethan: If you keep wiggling like that, I'll give you something to wiggle about.

My heart raced, and I nearly gasped out loud. Was Ethan actually flirting with me? A smile crept across my face as I remembered how he used to send funny texts during class to keep me awake.