𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 ✓

27

It was nearly impossible trying to keep my distance from Aurora, while simultaneously watching her protectively after the whole shower incident. I was torn between making sure that she was constantly safe and healthy, and trying to push her away and stop caring about her.

I knew that it made her upset when I ignored her, but it was better for both of us if I made this decision now rather than later. It may be childish but I can't help it. I need to stay away and I don't know any other way to distance myself from her, knowing that I want all or nothing when it comes to her, because for some reason, she changes everything.

"Maddox! Wait!" I hear her familiar accented voice call me in the hall, and I walk slowly to allow her to catch up. Aurora is wearing a little blue sundress as she pushes through various groups of students trying to get to their next classes and walks by my side.

I flick my eyes down her entire figure, stopping on the hem of her dress which reaches mid-thigh, baring most of her long pale legs, and again on her chest, which the spaced buttons do little to hide. This dress should look entirely innocent but on her... it is tantalizing and impossible to look away from.

"Hello." She breathes, her accent wrapping around the word and making it sound perfect and unique. Who am I anymore? Unique? I shake my head to rid myself of my thoughts.

"Hey."

We enter our Literature classroom and I momentarily curse her for being a genius. What are the odds that she would be in a second-year course with me? It seems that she was put here simply to distract and enchant me like a damn siren and I'm the poor sailor being lured to my death. I'm peering up into the rows of seats when I notice Aurora move out of the corner of my eye.

"Hey, I dropped my pencil, would you mind?" I hear a guy call to her and before I can open my mouth to stop her, she smiles and bends over at the waist, picking up the pencil and simultaneously flashing her pink underwear to anyone close enough to see. I narrow my eyes at the guy sitting in the front row, smirking slyly to his friends before pasting on a fake grateful expression and taking the pencil that Aurora offers.

She turns back to me and her face morphs into one of confusion when she sees my glare. I gently move her behind me and push the guy back harshly against his chair by his shoulder. "Don't ever fucking try anything like that again," I growl deeply and he nods his head and looks down in what I'm guessing is shame and fear. His friends slump down in their seats as well and I pull Aurora along with me, gentle but firm, to the very back corner, as far away as possible from those perverts.

I sit down with a huff and Aurora hesitantly takes the seat beside mine, placing her bag on the ground between us and looking at me, waiting tensely for an explanation. "Fuck Aurora, you can't just―" I cut myself off, running my hands through my black hair agitatedly, frustrated with her but trying to contain my anger and not release it on her. It isn't her fault.

"What? Help someone? I'm so confused." She says quietly, not looking away from me and I meet her eyes. I place my hands on her biceps and turn my body to face hers.

"Aurora, that guy dropped his pencil on purpose," I say, trying to help her understand but trying not to be as blunt as I usually am. Professor Frederick enters the room and starts to lay out all of her belongings on her desk, setting up the projector.

"Why would he do that?" Aurora asks me, confusion and innocence shining clear in her eyes. I bite the bullet and just tell her, quietly so that nobody can hear me.

"He dropped the pencil so that you would bend over to pick it up." Not wanting to just say outright that he wanted to see up her dress just to catch a glimpse of her perfect ass and pink lace underwear. She still looks confused until her face changes to one of realization. She looks angry or upset or both, I can't tell which. She glares down at the back of the guy's head and I laugh before tuning into whatever the Professor is speaking about. Aurora does the same, and eventually, her body loses the tension and she looks more peaceful. I realize that learning probably calms her, gets her mind off of anything.

"Alright class, you will be dismissed early today. But before you celebrate, I ask that you come down in rows to collect your tests from last week." Professor Frederick says and walks back into her office. Aurora immediately tenses and I place my hand on her leg unconsciously to calm her. She stares at it in awe and I remove it almost instantly, a burning feeling on my palm where it rested against her smooth thigh.

We are the last to leave, therefore the last to collect our tests and walk together to the front and pick up the last two sheets. Aurora takes one look at her test score and squeals, practically tackling me to the floor as she jumps on me excitedly. If she wasn't so tiny I probably wouldn't have been able to stay on my feet.

My hands react instinctively, flying up to grip her thighs, keeping her up against me, and she tenses. Once her excitement wears off, Aurora wiggles out of my hold and I smirk down at her. "Feels good huh?" I say raising an eyebrow. Her eyebrows shoot up and her eyes widen.

"Um, what do you―I don't." She stutters and I laugh.

"The test score, Princess." I correct and she blushes.

"Of course, right. The test. Yeah, it's good. I feel good." She breathes and I try to bite back my smile. I know I make her nervous but never to this extent. She must be flustered after climbing me like a tree a second ago.

"You need to get to class, Princess," I say to her and interrupt her thoughts, Aurora still staring up at me and looking slightly dazed. She shakes her head to snap out of it.

"Right. Well, off I go." She says, awkwardly running out the door and trying to get as far away from me as possible. It's my turn to chase her, and everyone knows that you can't outrun the big, bad wolf.