Chapter 5 Hitting on a stranger

Valerie's POV

Sinn had officially turned my safe place into a haunted one.

I stabbed my pen on my book, glaring at him as he introduced himself to the class, acting all good and obedient.

Students whispered between themselves, complimenting his good looks - one I didn't even see!

Ahem!

Okay, maybe he was hot but not good. I mean, good but not hot. I mean... Oh Jesus, Valerie!

Sinn was just there. Aha, that was the word. To add, I knew he was also pretending to be cool and all. It'll falter.

"You can sit at the empty spot beside Valerie Erickson. Also, do well to take complete notes from her. She's your best bet, no offense to the rest of the class," Mrs Willy said, flashing me a grin.

My lips stretched into a fake smile. My body went rigid as Sinn dropped beside me, smirking wickedly.

"We meet again, step -"

My head snapped to Sinn's face, my gaze hard. "I dare you to complete that sentence,"

"Would you rather I call you Virgin Mary?" He scoffed at the stupid nickname I had been branded with by those stupid jocks who were frustrated that they couldn't get into my pants.

"I see... You've found your match already. I don't even know why I'm not even surprised," Eyeing him up and down irritatedly, I spat.

"Well, I was surprised to hear them call you that, thanks for asking. I wonder how celebrated I'd be if I told them how -"

"You wouldn't do that, Sinn." I said through gritted teeth, my face turning pale.

This was exactly what I feared. Shit.

"You didn't even let me finish, Little Red," he raised his hand to my hair, picking something out. I shoved his hands away, eyeing him.

"Sinn. Valerie. A little more attention and less bonding, will you two?" Mrs. Willy yelled through the speaker, her voice echoing loudly.

My stomach knotted as students snickered.

I slumped on my chair, covering my face with my palm.

"This boy is going to ruin my reputation," I whispered to myself. Faintly, I heard him chuckle lowly.

The effrontery!

Immediately the school bell rang, I aggressively shoved my books into my bag, eager to get out of his presence.

A large hand clasped around my wrist, sending electric waves down my body. My heart began to pace fast, my breath uneven.

"You can't leave me," he growled lowly raising his eyebrow at me.

My skin burned from the number of eyes that were now on us, intensively watching us.

I tried wriggling my hand from his grip but he wouldn't budge. Instead, his grip got stronger.

"Take me to the cafeteria. I'm famished."

Before I could protest, he was pulling me with him, leading me. Like actually leading me to the cafeteria he claimed not to know!

"You know, I'm starting to think you're being sent to ruin my life. Who's paying you? My father?" I asked behind him, glaring at the back of his head.

He halted in front of the cafeteria door, turning to face me with a deadpan expression.

"You think I'd prioritize ruining a person's life all for money?" He asked, his eyes masking his emotions. Now, I didn't know if I was supposed to joke or seriously tell him what my answer was.

Anyway, I settled for one.

"Well, from the look of how you've been trying to do the exact same thing I warned you not to do... Yes. I mean, your actions are looking deliberate and calculated." I told him, my tone not wavering a bit.

This was the most I had even spoken while in this school. Usually, it was class, library, cafeteria, class and back home.

He scoffed, stalking closer. I inhaled sharply, my eyes blinking rapidly as he covered the space. He held my chin up, his eyes flickering between my lips and eyes.

"It's not my fault you're lying to these people, Little Red," he started, his tone calm. "Admit that I scare you now because of how much information I have of you. But don't ever speculate things about me. Ever."

I opened my mouth to say something, but someone else cleared their throat.

My eyes flew wide open as I jerked back. While my heart was beating fast in my chest, Sinn had the calmest, unfazed look as he stared at Zack and Zariah, his twin sister.

"What's going on?" Zack looked between Sinn and I.

"Yeah. It looked ... Intense," Zariah eyed me up and down. She was always displeased at my attitude in school. She called me a pretender and she wasn't lying.

But what she didn't know was that I didn't pretend because I wanted attention. Hell, I wouldn't even call it pretense. This was just the untainted part of me that made me feel closer to my mum.

She attended this same school and graduated as one of the best. I wanted to keep her legacy, make her proud. She deserved that much.

Sinn turned to look at me, his face stoic. "Tell them, Virgin Mary."

My face morphed into a frown for a split second but then I slapped a fake ass smile on my face, looking between Zack and his sister, Zariah.

"Oh. Sinn was just being a teenage boy. You know, hitting on a stranger. So hear me loud and clear, Sinn, I am not interested in you." I bowed my head dramatically, a satisfied smirk on my lips when I lifted my head up.

Zack raised his eyebrow at Sinn, waiting for him to say something. Sinn's lips lifted up into a cocky smirk, his head bobbing up and down slowly. That didn't make me feel good at all.

Zariah shot me an irritated glare, folding her arms. She probably was wondering what about me made these boys want me. Yeah, I heard her asking her minions same question in the bathroom once.

Insecure bitch.

Sinn suddenly spoke, making my stomach churn with dread. "Would that still be your answer if I played the exact recording of our conversation, Lit - Valerie?"

My breath hitched. My throat bobbed up and down.

Zack and Zariah turned to me, waiting for my response. People began to close up, shamelessly poke nosing into our conversation.

"Cat got your tongue, nerd girl?" Sinn flipped his phone around his finger, causing my heart to squeeze with anxiety.

If I declined, people would assume I said something else. If I agreed, I didn't know if Sinn actually had the recordings.

Oh Lord.

"Play it." My tone was hard, eyes pinned against his storm-cold grey eyes.