Content To Be Claimed (Beauty And The Beast #1)

Chapter 11

I called Victor again, this time from behind the wheel. Dane was sick so I'd gotten his car. Driving myself was unexpectedly welcome. As I listened to Victor's phone ring, I realised that I was looking forward to driving my own car.

"Damn it, Victor, pick up the phone!" I muttered, annoyed.

"Why'd you change your number?" His voice was icy.

I blinked, amazed that he'd picked up and puzzled by his question. I held my phone away from my ear. Yep, it was mine. "I didn't," I protested, mentally verifying that I'd been using it all weekend.

"Belle?" he asked, startled.

"Hello to you too," I said drily.

"Why're you calling?"

I pulled up in the parking lot and grabbed my bag as I said, "Because you're heartless and wouldn't pick up your phone when I was worried about you. I've been calling all weekend."

"You were worried?" Now he sounded baffled.

I scowled, walking into the hall. "Of course I was! When you left on Friday you weren't feeling well, remember?" I opened my locker and shoved my bag in. "I was worried sick!"

"Sorry."

I jumped and turned. Victor had whispered it so close to my ear I'd caught the slight sweetness of his breath.

"Hi." He looked pleased about something.

"Hi back," I said, hanging up and studying him. There was a slight glow to his pale skin and his eyes were bright, as if lit up from inside. He looked okay. "How're you feeling?"

He leaned against Anya's locker. "I'm fine. There was no need to worry though. I told you I could handle it."

"You still should've answered your phone."

"Sorry. It's just...hardly anyone calls me, you know?" He frowned as if just noticing something. "Where'd you get Strandton's jacket?"

I looked down guiltily, remembering that I'd worn the sports jacket to school. I wanted to give it back and decided to wear it one last time, just to have his cologne around me. "At a party Saturday night," I said offhandedly, pretending to concentrate on getting my Biology books.

I expected a reaction, so when I heard and saw nothing, I peeked at him sideways. He just gazed at me and raised a brow at my look. "Wanna explain how that happened? You going to a party with Strandton, I mean."

"I didn't know he'd be there," I explained, closing my locker and turning to him.

"And the jacket?"

"I was cold." That was so cliché it was lame, so I said hurriedly, "Don't change the subject. You ignored me all weekend."

"Guess I missed an invite to a great party," he smirked. "Next time though." He suddenly looked up as if he heard something, then said, "I gotta get ready for my lesson." His gaze dropped back to me and he smiled again. "Let me make it up to you. Say, after school?"

I frowned. "You don't have a lesson this period."

"Then I'll get ready for my next one," he shrugged. "Bye."

I nodded and watched him go. As I started towards class, I heard Warren calling me and turned. He came to me with Roger. Roger looked up at Warren with disapproval in his dark eyes. "Greetings, Belle." "Hi, Belle."

"Hi," I replied.

Warren gave Roger a warning look and asked, "You have an engagement, I trust?"

"Uh, yeah. Bye, Belle."