The Ivy Academy [COMPLETED]

Chapter 8

That's when I ran straight into a guard.

I backed up, my heart in my chest. In the dark, I couldn't see his face. When he stepped in the shadows, I was more relieved than I had ever been before in my 17 years of life.

It was Dane, who was just as confused to see me as I was to see him this late at night.

"Dane," I breathed, still recovering from the scare. He was so tall and strong, he looked like a guard.

"Rhiannon?" He returned. "What are you doing down here?" I couldn't tell him what I was doing, that I was trying to get my phone back. It was too dangerous. He was my friend, but I couldn't give away any of my plans when my sisters were in danger.

"I got hungry. I needed a snack," I lied. He seemed to believe me. Almost.

"You can't be out this late. It's against curfew."

"I know," I said. "I was really hungry." It's true. I was. I hadn't eaten since dinner and that was almost 6 hours ago.

He laughed. "If the guards see you, they'll probably shoot you with a tranquilizer. I haven't been shot before, but I'm sure you know how painful it feels."

I laughed, which probably sounded as forced as it actually was.

"Come on, let's go to the kitchen. I'll get you some food," I followed him down the stairs. I jumped when I saw two guards at the bottom of the stairs. I had made it so far without getting caught by one, and now they were going to shoot us? The guards waved to Dane, like he was a familiar friend, and they turned back to their post. I wondered why Dane was allowed to walk around late at night like this whereas anyone else would get in trouble.

When we got into the kitchen, I sat down at the table. He began making me something he claimed was his specialty. He refused to tell me what it was, that it would ruin the surprise. 

"Why are you allowed to walk around at night?" I asked as I watched him make my food.

"You'll know eventually." He didn't turn around.

"Can't you just tell me now?" I begged. "Pretty please."

"Since you want to know so badly..." He brought over two plates. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Wow. Fancy. Nevertheless, I was starved. I scarfed down my entire sandwich before he even touched his. I looked up and saw him watching me eat. Our cheeks both turned red.

"You can eat mine," He pushed his plate towards me.

"Thanks," I said, mouth still full from my first sandwich. "I'm a growing girl." He laughed.

"Why do you laugh so goddamn much?" I asked as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Cause you're funny. You're the only person I laugh around," He said, to which I raised my eyebrows doubtfully. "No, really, you should see my face around other girls. I mean people. I don't even smile."

I squinted at him suspiciously and took a bite of my sandwich. I had to admit, this was one of the best PB&J sandwiches I'd ever had.

 I noticed how he said how he is with 'girls', as though I, Rhiannon, was part of this magical, exclusive group that he happened to have romantic feelings for.

"So, why does curfew not apply to you?"

He made a reluctant face, almost as though he didn't want to tell me. But he did tell me.

"Stealth training," He said, a serious face. Now was my turn to laugh. I nearly spit out my sandwich I was laughing so much.

"That sounds so dumb," I said, through bouts of laughter.

"I know. But how else would we practice? When you've been here for three months, you'll start practice," He returned. A pang of sadness stabbed my chest when he said three months. I wondered if anyone else had ever tried to escape. If they successfully did. If they got caught, what happened to them?

I noticed him staring at my lips.

"What." I looked at him, curious.

"You..." I saw him lean toward me. Was he going to kiss me? He reaches his hand out to my face, almost touching my lips. I braced myself. Maybe I wanted him to kiss me. He retracted it.

"Never mind," He began.

"What?" I said again, this time annoyed.

"You had some chewed-up sandwich on your lip," He said. "I was going to wipe it off, but it was too gross." I wiped my mouth, mortified. The first time I'm hopeful enough to convince myself that a boy likes me, and I ruin it by being my disgusting self.

I thought you were going to kiss me, I thought to myself. I looked up and realized that I didn't say that to myself. I said it aloud. To him. His eyes widened. Both of us were quiet.

"Did you want me to kiss you?" He broke the silence. I saw a sparkle of lust in his eyes. At that moment, I knew he wanted me. And I wanted him. We leaned in close to each other, our faces almost touching. I could smell his sweet breath; his body was warm. Our lips inches apart.

Click!

We jumped away from each other.

Click!

The noise was coming from the door of the kitchen. Someone was turning the key. They were about to enter the room.

"Who is that?!" I whispered to him.

"The cooks. They start early. Hundreds of people to feed." He grabbed my hand and rushed toward the back door. "Come on, let's go back to your room." We slipped out of the kitchen right as the cook entered.

We walked back up to my room, us both silent. The thing is, when you're about to kiss someone you just met and then get interrupted, everything is awkward. I knew that if we had just met lips earlier, there wouldn't be such stiff energy in between us. If only we could have finished what we started.

We got to my room, both exhausted from the walk.

"Goodnight, Rhiannon," he said to me. I wanted to kiss him, but I knew it had to be right, like it was in the kitchen. This wasn't the moment.

"Goodnight," I took one last look at him and closed the door.

I fell asleep as soon as I got into bed, thinking about how close we were. 

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Phew, it was just Dane. But what would happen if Rhi was caught by a guard? Not something good, that's for sure.

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