Dragon Fire Academy 1 First Term an RH academy romance - Rachel Jonas Page 0,70
knew it wouldn’t be easy whenever I did. In the meantime, avoiding them seemed like the best thing. Otherwise, they’d sense my sadness, and I’d bring the whole group down with me.
“So, when do you plan to drop the lost dog act?” I glanced up when Paulo asked, and he met my gaze.
“What are you talking about?”
He dropped down onto the bench beside me. “You’ve been moping since you came back to the academy, because of what happened at the ceremony I’m guessing. Still, you can’t just let that define the rest of your time here.”
However long or short that time may be.
“If my moping disturbs you, then why are you here?” I sighed.
Draping his arm across the seat behind me, I tried to ignore how the closeness of him—the closeness of any of them—made me come undone.
“Because I’m not afraid of you,” he shot back. “Your friends are trying to give you space, and I get that, but that’s not quite how we do things around here.”
Paulo scanned me with a lingering glance, and I smiled again. “Oh really. Enlighten me then. How are things done around here?”
“For starters, we don’t believe in giving each other space when what someone clearly needs is to be kept close.” After speaking, he touched me by mistake.
At least, I think it was a mistake.
His thumb moved down my shoulder—slowly, gently. Goosebumps arose on my skin despite the sweltering heat.
“That it?” I asked, clearing my throat as I pretended the feel of his skin against mine made me feel nothing.
“No, there’s also the fact that I do what I want,” he added with a teasing grin.
“And what you want is to sit next to the weird girl no one can seem to stop staring at?” On cue, another student passed by, keeping their distance as their eyes quickly darted toward me.
Paulo shrugged. “I don’t mind the attention.”
My smile turned into a laugh. “I’m sure you don’t.”
He chuckled too, and his thumb trailed up and down my shoulder again. “But seriously, if anyone speaks out of turn, just send them to me. I’ll straighten them out,” he offered.
Not sure why, but hearing how willing he was to defend my honor was a bit of a turn on.
“Why would you do that for me?” I hadn’t meant to ask. It just sort of slipped out, and now there was no taking the question back.
“Because, despite what others may think, some of us see you for who you really are,” he answered. “Not for what you might become after transitioning, not as some spoiled princess,” he added with a laugh. “At your core, you’re just a cool girl from the mainland with a bit of a mean streak, and the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.”
My eyes were wide with surprise. I felt it, and when Paulo laughed again, I knew he hadn’t missed the look.
“Was that actually a compliment?” I teased.
“I have my moments,” he smiled.
My eyes had flitted toward him, seeing him in an increasingly softening light. Seemed that was happening more and more.
“Give your friends a chance. In the very least, let Toni in,” he nodded that way as she walked up to join the others. “Tell her what you’re feeling. I think you’ll be surprised how understanding the people who love you can be.”
I took those words to heart, and it seemed my friends had sensed the shift in my resolve just that quickly, because their eyes were suddenly on me from across the courtyard.
Maybe he was right.
“Thank you,” I said, standing before I lost the nerve, expecting my guardians to follow. However, the three continued to sit, only watching. It was a sign of how their trust in me had grown.
Privacy was something I appreciated, especially considering how difficult it would be to tell my friends the decision I reached, my decision to leave the academy.
If someone had asked months ago what I expected to gain coming here, I never would’ve guessed I’d make so many meaningful connections. Not only with my classmates, but my guards.
The words Nayeli, Lehua, and Kalea spoke hadn’t fallen on deaf ears, I was just fairly certain that the future of my relationship with the guys would just look a little different than the sisters were hoping. I was asked to keep my heart open to Spirit, and I’d done that, reaching the conclusion that I would keep in touch with the guys, but from a distance.
I’d call, I’d write, but staying here wasn’t an option.