HEATHER'S POV,
I arrived early at the university the next day, only to be informed that our class had been rescheduled to 3:00 PM. As I clumsily adjusted my French twist while walking down the hallway, I bumped into Elliot Lancaster. His paintbrushes and drawing utensils scattered everywhere, and I scoffed as incoming students stepped on them without a second thought.
Feeling responsible, I immediately knelt to help him gather his supplies. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you and ruin your equipment."
He smiled, reaching for the drawing pad and large paint board I held. "It's totally okay, and I'm sorry for the other day. I didn't mean to be rude to you." His braces glinted as he smiled, revealing a perfectly white set of teeth. "I'm just heading to class right now, but can we catch up tomorrow at lunchtime? I'd like to make it up to you."
I was stunned, but quickly composed myself. I planned to decline politely; Magnus was watching, and he'd likely lose his mind if I got too close to Elliot. "Ugh... I'm kind of busy tomorrow. I have a presentation to make, and I'm so sorry, but I can't catch up with you anytime soon." I bit my lower lip, my cheeks betraying me with a flush.
Elliot's brows creased suspiciously, but he seemed to accept my excuse. "Anyway, I believe we can always grab lunch together some other time, won't we?"
I nodded affirmatively, and he chuckled before patting my pink beanie. "You look cute. See you later, Heather Morgan."
"See you later," I waved, watching him depart. As I turned, I bumped into Drake, and he did not look happy. "Hi, Drake! What brings you here at this hour? I thought the architects and medical faculty classes were rescheduled?"
Drake's gaze remained fixed on Elliot's retreating figure before he finally met my eyes. "I'm here because I received the news late, and I figured my best friend would also coincidentally be here," he replied, grabbing my wrist possessively. "So, did you have a good time chatting with Da Vinci?"
I looked towards the path Elliot had taken, then back at Drake. His hair fell over his eyes, giving him a handsome look, and his pink lips were pressed into a fine line. "Da Vinci? Is that what he's called?" I asked, confused by the nickname. Drake just smiled as if nothing had happened. "I bumped into him earlier, and I had to apologize to him. It was nothing more."
"So, where are you headed without the guards today?" he asked, his voice low and seductive. "What if someone bad approaches you when I'm not looking?"
I chuckled, but he stared at me with amusement. "Remember what you said? No one would dare attack what's yours. I'm your bestie, and no one would dare attack me."
Drake's smile widened. "Yeah, that's right!" he said, and I chuckled, walking out of the building with him following close behind. I paused at the top of three stairs, preparing to descend, when a monarch butterfly gracefully perched on my cute button nose.
I giggled, a joyful sound. "Oh, look! It's a monarch!" I exclaimed, "You know, they symbolize transformation and new beginnings."
He pulled out his phone, snapping a picture. "Cute," he said, then playfully added, "Alright, stop daydreaming, fairy tales aren't real." I chuckled, lightly fist-bumping his chest.
"So, where are you headed?" I asked.
"Mr. Garfield assigned me some research on modern and ancient bridges," he explained.
"Oh, so you're off to the library then?" I teased.
"I will be," he countered, "but only after I hit the museum first."
Then, with a glint in his eye, he asked, "Hey, want to join me on my power bike? You'd love it. You just woke up from a coma, you haven't really seen the whole city yet."
The idea was appealing. "Really? That sounds amazing!" I said, and subtly, I sent a quick message to Magnus, Uriel, and Gabriel, my bodyguards, who were no doubt already monitoring my every move.
As we set off on the bike, I knew Magnus and his colleagues would be following. But unbeknownst to them, Drake had already spotted their tail. He revved the engine, speeding up and expertly weaving through traffic. Soon, Magnus lost sight of us as we merged into the crossroads, leaving them behind.