Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Tyrelle called the next day to say he'd pick me up for school. I only agreed to it because of a particular deal. He told me that his pack members frequently scouted my area to spy on both Aelfric and me. We had a bit of a dispute over the phone over it, but there's not much he can do not when he isn't the Alpha. But he did assure me that if we could persuade his family of our 'relationship,' they might be willing to give us a bit of space.

Mom and dad overheard my conversation with Tyrelle over the phone. Well, more like they were eavesdropping because I caught them both peeking at the kitchen door while eating my breakfast. So to say, I was ambushed by my parents the moment I got out of the kitchen. My father was spraying cologne on me while my mom attacked my hair with a comb.

"Mom, you are pulling my hair! And dad, where did you buy that feminine perfume!?"

"Your hair is a disaster, honey! Tyrelle can't possibly see how bedridden you are!" My mother gritted her teeth as she brushed through my knotted mess of hair.

"I purchased this fragrance after two of your suitors visited you. I had no idea that one day I would be a proud parent!"

I blinked and stared at my dad. "You were never proud of me?" My voice sounding hurt.

My mother scowled at my father and elbowed him in the side. "We are, of course, proud of you. But now that you're mixing with people your age, we're even more proud of you!" Their amazed and eager expressions made me feel awful since it was all just an act.

I shook my head and hurriedly made my way to the door. Once I opened it - surprise surprise! - the vampire hybrid was there. "Gabbie poo~!" He beamed with his arms wide open in a welcoming embrace.

I gave him a harsh look before slamming the door on his face and heard a satisfying grunt of pain. I opened it again to see him clutching his nose.

Good.

When he saw me, he moved his hands away from his nose and I saw blood staining his lips as he smiled. I grimaced and walked past him. I don’t even want to know where that blood came from.

"You better not touch me with blood on your hands," I warned him when I saw that he was going to grab me.

There was a honk from a familiar car. It was Tyrelle with his car window rolled down for me to see him. "What's he doing here? Geez, is he in love with me or something?" Al spoke beside me as he glared at Tyrelle. "Hey, mutt! I'm already taken! Go find another handsome devil like me because I belong to Gabriella!" He declared out in the open that passersby were giving us strange looks while others blushed at his declaration of love. I ducked my head and quickly ran for Tyrelle's car to avoid the eyes of our nosey neighbors.

I hope that they enjoyed the bit of early morning drama that just happened.

I had successfully entered Tyrelle's car and was about to close it when Al stopped me by grasping the door handle. "Gabby poo! Didn't your mother warn you about going inside a stranger's car?"

"You're the stranger here." Tyrelle snapped at him. "Now, let go of my car so we can go to school."

Al scoffed at him with a roll of his eyes. "Psh! Schools are for nerds. Come on, Gabby poo. Leave this loser behind and skip class to go on a date with me."

"No. I would rather be a nerd than go on a date with you." I said with a blank expression.

"Gabby poo!" He screamed and grasped his heart, as if in anguish. Tyrelle must have had had enough because he unbuckled his seatbelt and slammed the car door shut. "Hey!" Al objected, glaring at him through the window. Tyrelle ignored him and strapped my seatbelt before buckling his own.

"Hang on tight, Gabriella." He instructed.

I nodded and looked out of the car window one last time and met eyes with Al. There was no hint of playfulness in his eyes as he grinned darkly at me that sent shivers down my spine. The unsettling feeling that I got never vanished even as Tyrelle and I drove away, and Al's figure was getting smaller as we went farther and farther away from him.

***

When we arrived to school for our first we, I realized I had been correct about my gut instinct. I should have known that a stalker and obsessive simp like him would go to any length to have his way. Tyrelle and I were seated together for our mathematics lesson; I only agreed since he mentioned that some of his pack mates attend this school. That, and I recognize some of their faces when I was kidnapped yesterday.

"Class, I want you all to meet another unexpected new student." Mr. McGregory, our professor, says as he motions to the man beside him.

"My name is Aelfric Beaumont." Al said and grinned at me when our eyes met for the first time since he came into class. Tyrelle hissed beside me, and I noticed another student, whom I believed was a member of the Gridon pack, leering at him as well.

"This is going to be troublesome." Tyrelle sighed beside me. I couldn't agree more. All I wanted at that point was to smash my head on the table and bleed to death. Tyrelle must have noticed my disturbed expression because he abruptly seized my hand, forcing me to stare at him in distaste. Whether he spotted my gaze or not, he hasn't let go of my hand. "Do not worry, Gabrielle the ki - I mean - Gabriella. I promise that the hybrid cannot come anywhere near you."

"Thanks. But you don't have to hold my hand. I didn't bring a sanitizer." I said with a deadpanned look and drew my hand back.

There was a loud bang when Al slammed his hands on the table and grinned darkly at Tyrelle. "Excuse me, but why are you talking to my lady?"

Oh boy. Here we go again, I thought as I have already guessed what was about to happen next.

As expected, Tyrelle quickly jumped in on the argument. "You are not welcome here, hybrid." He hissed.

"TEACH!" Al looked back and called for the attention of the professor. "This guy is discriminating against me. Can I have his seat as compensation?"

"Mr. Gawen, as the son of the owner of this school, I expect you to behave and be the model student. Please avoid this kind of behavior." Our professor said and returned his gaze to Al. "As for you, sir Beaumont. You may take the other seat beside miss Bryce."

"I object." Tyrelle glared at Al.

"I second that," I added.

"Both of you!" Mr. McGregory pointed a look at Tyrelle and me. "I do not know what qualms you have with Mr. Beaumont, but we do not tolerate bullying in this school!" Behind him, Al was nodding in agreement and was shaking a finger at us.

'Shame on you.' he mouthed, clearly addressing Tyrelle as he did.

Mr. McGregory looked back at Al, who now hid his hands behind his back while playing innocent. "Mr. Beaumont, you may now take your seat beside miss Bryce. If you encounter any problem with them - any problem at all - please do not hesitate to come to me."

Al wiped an imaginary tear from his face and nodded at the professor. "Thank you, Mr. McGregory. You’re the best teacher that I have ever met." He sniffed before making his way to the vacant seat to my other side. Once he did, he moved his table closer to mine.

I immediately raised a hand to call our professor. "Sir? He's invading my personal bubble without my permission!"

"But I don't have a book." He bathed his eyes innocently at our professor.

"Miss Bryce, be considerate and share your textbook."

Then there was another skid on the floor as Tyrelle moved his seat closer to mine as well. Immediately Al and I raised our hands in unison to complain.

"Teach! The son of the owner of this school has no textbook!" l screamed.

"Teach! The mutt is invading my Gabby poo's personal bubble without my permission!" Al yelled as well.

I glared at the hybrid. "It should be my permission and not yours. Get your facts straight."

Mr. McGregory let out a loud sigh but continued to write on the board. “Miss, Bryce, once again, be considerate and share your textbook.” I could hear that he was grinding his teeth as he said it.

In the background, I could hear a few students were starting to laugh silently at the commotion that we were causing. I buried my face in my face as if that would help hiding the embarrassment that I felt.

"Yeah. Gabriella doesn't need your permission to do anything, hybrid." Tyrelle retorded.

"Babe, let me handle this." Al placed a hand on my shoulder that I immediately removed with a slap. He pointed a finger at Tyrelle and screamed, "GET LOST!"

"THAT IS IT!" Our professor stopped writing on the board. He turned around and slammed his book on the desk and turned to glare at the three of us. "Never, in my entire career as a professor have I seen students who misbehaves and disrupts the class in a way that the three of you are doing!”

Tyrelle and I glanced down shamefully in guilt while Al rested his chin on his palms and yawned. “I’m sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.” Tyrelle tried to be apologetic but it seems like it was too late. We have already done enough damage as it is.

“The three of you will meet me after school. You all will get detention!" He yelled.

Only Tyrelle and I seemed to understand what detention actually meant among the three of us. It's because only he and I appeared genuinely sorry for the situation, whereas Al simply appeared calm as he sat back in his seat.

"Great!” He chirped. “Quality time after school. Who knew that going to school would be fun?" Al beamed brightly and gave me a wink. At that moment, it took a lot of willpower from me right now not to hit him.