Vulnerable

I felt my head throbbing as I walked into school the next day. I had just barely made it home last night before curfew, but luckily, my dad was busy in his study and the only strange looks I was given were by Shannon, the maid. Shannon knew not to question me unless I was sick or bleeding, although, I might have been both for all I knew.

After what had happened upstairs at Josh’s, I took off after the hooded guy. He had jumped into his car and sped off before I could talk to him. It bothered me that I didn’t know who the hell had saved me from being raped. The hooded stranger had crept into the room like a fucking ninja and thrown the guy threw a wall. I wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or terrified. But I didn’t have time to think about it; I was running late for class.

*****

Slipping into Mr. Kramer’s first period English, I tried to focus on the tasks at hand. But it was near impossible. Every few minutes, I would find myself drawing my mysterious stranger. I wish I knew who he was.

A loud engine outside caused the whole class to look out the windows. Upon seeing who was getting out of the car, I snorted. Burke would be late after a party. He just didn’t know how to do it like me. But something else caught my eye. His car.

James Burke’s car was identical to the one the hooded guy drove off in the night before. Creepy.

I shuddered at the thought that James might have saved me. He wasn’t that type of guy, though, right? It couldn’t have been him. It just couldn’t. I wrapped my leather jacket tighter around me, hoping to ward off the weird thoughts that were running through my head. It didn’t work.

*****

I didn’t see James at all until fifth period. He stalked into Mrs. Palmer’s Calculus class just before the late bell and I could have sworn I caught him sending me a few glances. But that had to be my imagination.

“Now class,” my least favorite teacher began. “As the Christmas holidays are fast approaching, so are mid-terms. Because this is an advanced course, I’ve decided to assign you all study partners to help you better prepare for this very important test.” Mrs. Palmer continued on to rattle off a list of names, pausing here and there to address a few things. Eventually, she got to me. “Donavan with Burke and Matthews with Lombardi.”

I gaped. “Excuse me, Mrs. Palmer. I don’t think I heard you correctly. Did you say I was with… Burke?” I spat out his name like it was a dirty word.

Mrs. Palmer shot both me and James a look. “Yes, Ryleigh, you did. You and James will be partners. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

I nodded slowly. This was so not my day.

“Now, at the end of class, you and your partners will exchange cell phone numbers if you haven’t already done so. Open your books to page 394 and get ready to copy down some notes.”

Needless to say, I sped out of that room after the bell as fast as my boots would carry me.

*****

After school, I decided to opt out of my usual run and just head downtown to my dad’s corporate office.

Getting into my baby, er, I mean Volkswagen bug, I sped out of the parking lot to beat the after school traffic. Having a CEO father had its perks, you know.

As I drove down into the city of Seattle, I couldn’t help but notice I wasn’t exactly dressed for the office. My skinny jeans were a little too distressed and my jacket was a little too rough and tumble, but I didn’t really give a shit. My dad could think whatever he wanted about my outfit. But maybe I should butter him up with his favorite coffee, just so he didn’t send me home before we went for Chinese.

*****

I carried two to-go cups of Starbucks into the lobby of Donavan Inc. and made my way to the elevators. Or at least I was, until someone bumped into me.

“Fuck,” I groaned. The hot coffee had avoided my outfit but still splattered the marble floor.

“God dammit,” the guy muttered. “I’m so sorry.”

“Lou,” I called to my favorite custodian. “Could help me out here?” I switched my attention back to my coffee wrecker. “It’s okay, real-,” I frowned. “Oh, it’s you.”

“What are you doing here?” James asked.

I pointed to one of the signs that hung on the wall. “My dad’s Mike Donavan, the CEO. You?”

“Job interview… with your dad,” he explained. “But I’m lost.”

I sighed. “I’ll take you up.” Why was I so nice?

Getting into the elevator, I hit the button for the top floor.

“What’s the interview for?” I wondered.

“A junior position for the support staff of your dad’s board. I’ll just help out at meetings,” James explained.

I nodded my head. Of course Dad would offer that to a kid I knew.

We stood in silence for a bit before James spoke up.

“I never did get your number,” he said. “You know, for Calc.”

Sighing, I dug out my iPhone from my bag and we swapped devices.

“I must have-uh- forgot,” I lied.

He snorted. “Yeah, sure thing. Whatever you say.”

Getting off the elevator, I couldn’t but share a little observation I had made.

“You know, that’s the longest time I think we’ve ever gone without fighting.”

James stopped walking. “Huh, weird.”

“I know,” I agreed. “What’s wrong with us today?”

He muttered something under his breath that sounded like ‘You have no idea.’, but I shrugged it off.

“My dad’s secretary is through there,” I said pointing to a side door. “She’ll buzz you in. Tell him I’m waiting out here.”

He nodded slowly before heading into my dad’s waiting room. He seemed nervous.

That’s odd, James Burke is nervous. Never thought I’d see the day.