My Black Beauty

Chapter 26

I felt a warm smooth hand pushing my braids back. The hand was so warm that I reached up and grabbed it so that it was resting on my head. I held the hand there for a bit before opening my eyes. I looked up and saw a worried expression on Jack's face.

"Are you OK Michelle?"

"I think so." I sat up on the bed as Jack helped me up. My head started hurting and I held it with both my hands. Jack instantly got a cup of water and paracetamol.

"Here have take this." Jack handed me the pill and water which I gladly took. He took the cup from me after I was done while I placed my hands on my head. Jack grabbed one of my hands which was holding my head and held it in his. He gently rubbed circles at the back of my hand while my other hand held my forehead.

"You hit your head hard at the ball and now again. What made you pass out?" I looked down as I remembered.

"It's nothing," I said quietly.

"Tell me." I didn't say anything. I just sat in silence then Jack pulled out a £1.

"A pound if you tell me what made you pass out?" He held the shiny gold coin towards me and I slowly took it as he smiled.

"I will take it Jack as long as you don't push me of any roof." He chuckled at my response before I explained to him. "I failed a test. I got 4%." I looked down at my hands as I played with the coin.

"I think I wasn't well before so this just gave me a shock and made it worse." Jack frowned as his spare hand ran through his hair.

"Wait so...how were you able to get 4%? That's very unusual." I froze as he said this.

"Why do you find it unusual?" He turned to face me.

"I have a friend who is extremely dumb. We both even joke about it and he got 30% on his test and I know for fact you wrote a lot more sense than him. Thats why it's unusual and to get 4% you must have written one sentence."

"I wrote two pages." Jack pulled out two sheets of paper and read through them. He then looked at the back of them before looking up at me.

"Michelle you got 80%." My eyes widened at what he said.

"My grade got changed?"

"No Lucy gave me your essay. After you fainted I went to her and she told me you saw your results so I told her I want your essay. After a few minutes she got it. I didn't really look at it until now."

"I swear Jack. I know what I saw. My result was 4%." I said sounding a bit desperate. I wanted Jack to believe me.

"Ssshhh it's OK. There was probably a mistake. Maybe they put the wrong grade on your essay. It must have all been an accident." I nodded eventhough I knew that James gave me 4%. He even wrote on my test informing me about going to him tomorrow evening.

"Can I see it?" I asked as I stretched my hand towards my test. He nodded as he handed it over. The original percentage was crossed out and a stupid stamp was put on it to cover up what had been done. The note about meeting sir has just been scribbled out as it was too big to hide with a stamp. I handed the test back to Jack before gently massaging my head.

"Does your head still hurt?" I nodded and he stood up and moved closer to me. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to his chest. I rested my head on his chest and tried to forget what was happening. I tried to ignore the fact that I was hurt that Jack didn't know what was going on.

I was being punished for not allowing Jack into my life.

For not allowing him to have his way.

He failed my test deliberately.

I guess I am a bit lucky because the test wasn't a serious one but what if he does something to my other exams or even my coursework?  Jack started gently playing with my braids which made me feel a bit calm...but not completely.

I sat there quietly and after a while Jack broke the silence. "I was scared when I heard you fainted. I ran so fast that for the first time the paparazzi couldn't get me." I turned to face him as he continued. "Then it hit me hard. I can get away from these people. I can escape and you have made me see that. As I thought about you more I ran faster. That's why I smell like sweat."

I laughed at what he said. I offered to give his pound back to him but he told me to keep it. "There might be a day you would want me to say something."

"I can always use another pound I get."

"No only the shiny ones help me to open up." I smiled at what he said and that's when I observed my surrounding. This wasn't my accommodation. This was Jack's room. I looked at the wall and saw big pictures of him and his family smiling at the beach, in restaurants and even in Ascot. Jack saw me looking at the picture of him in Ascot.

"I was like 14 years old. I haven't been there since."

"How come?"

"I kind of found it boring." I didn't blame him for finding it boring. People go there to bet on horses and show of their clothes so if your not into that then you are going to be bored for hours.

Jack has a big wooden desk with his books and computer placed on it. He had a mirror placed above the desk and mini candels on top. I looked at him to see him watching me attentively.

"What are you thinking about Jack?" I asked quietly as I looked at him. He just continued to stare at me with an emotion I wasn't familiar with. I pulled out the pound he gave me a few minutes ago.

"A pound for your thoughts Jack." He took the pound from me before answering as he looked at me

"I was wondering what was running through your mind as you looked at my pictures."

"I was thinking that the pictures are beautiful Jack. I just love the way you have set them on your wall. Your room is amazing," I briefly looked around before looking back at him.

"Thank you Michelle but why do I get the feeling that something else is in your mind."

Honestly nothing was on my mind. I guess I was shocked that I was in his room.

"How did you get me here?"

"I carried you." I turned to my side and saw a pack of paracetamol.

"You need to take some Jack." He started laughing as he pushed took them and put it away. He stopped laughing and looked at me with seriousness in eyes. "Your not heavy Michelle." I nodded and looked down awkwardly

Wow things got serious soon.

"You are my black beauty." My eyes widened as he leaned forward and kissed my cheek. Just then I saw a big flash at his window and realised the paparazzi were waiting for him outside.

Jack looked at me before saying. "They are never going to leave us Michelle."

I know Jack. I know.