The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~SCARLETT~

After spending an hour in the bathroom, I finally exited with Clara and Jenna.

We were late for our first class and didn’t see the point in attending it.

“We should have gone to the beach instead.” Jenna sighs. “Swim our sorrows away.”

It was easier said than done. A beach day wouldn’t be enough to drown my sorrows. I needed more than that.

My conversation with Clara only tripled my guilt. I don’t think there was anything I could ever say or do to make my sister forgive me when she found out the truth.

“Our next class will start in half an hour.” I remind them. “I don’t want to skip any more classes.”

Jenna sighs, “Nerd Scarlett has returned.”

I roll my eyes and shove her away from me.

She’s about to say something else when she pauses midway. Her eyes are wide. I followed her gaze, and in front of us were Carter and two of his brothers. Alaric Prince and Ares Prince.

Did Alaric already start teaching classes?

He looks at Clara, “Don’t you have a class now?”

Clara blushes under his penetrating gaze. “I–I… We’re. . .”

She can’t even form a sentence in front of Alaric. I’ve never seen her this nervous in my entire life.

I try my best not to look at Carter while she tries to form a sentence. However, I eventually gave in. To my disappointment, he isn’t looking at me. His eyes are on his phone, and he seems to be concentrating on it.

He’s probably busy messaging some new girl that he can’t wait to sleep with.

I bit my l*p to stop myself from saying something to him. Why was I this angry that he was ignoring me? I was the one that begged him to stay away from me.

What the hell was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I behave around him?

“I didn’t quite get that, Miss Clara Mae.” I hear Alaric say to my sister.

I was too caught up in Carter ignoring me to pay attention to her. A part of me knew that I should probably step in and help her form a sentence, but I couldn’t focus on anything except the man in front of me.

“She’s trying to say we came a bit too late.” Jenna cuts in. “We didn’t have time to attend class, so we’re just waiting to attend our second one.”

“Late on your first day back.” Alaric notes with concern in his voice.

I noticed his attention was mainly on Clara; he barely acknowledged Jenna and me. Maybe that’s why she felt so nervous under his gaze; she had his full attention.

I force myself to study her reactions to Carter’s eldest sibling. It was weird to me. No one ever had that effect on her, not even Carter.

Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked like it was hard to stand. She could barely look him in his eyes.

Why was she this nervous around him?

“Come on, Alaric,” Carter cuts in, and I almost lose my mind at finally hearing his voice after so long. I love Carter’s voice. “You haven’t even started teaching here, and already you’re scolding the students. We have more important things to do.”

Alaric looks surprised at his brother’s words. He doesn’t bother saying anything else as he walks away. I watch Carter as he goes and feel my heart sink.

Was it really over for us? He never once looked at me, and it was the opposite for me. I couldn’t stop staring at him and wishing he would at least acknowledge me. He acted like we were strangers.

“What happened there?” Jenna asks Clara. “I’ve never seen you that nervous in front of anyone before. Does he scare you?”

I turn to my sister, as I wait for her to answer Jenna.

“Oh, no,” Clara disagreed. “I’m definitely not scared of Alaric. He’s one of the sweetest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He isn’t like the rest of them. He’s kind and gentle. I don’t know why I always choke on my words when he’s around.”

“It’s probably because Carter was right there.” Jenna points out.

“You’re right,” Clara says. “Carter was right there. He didn’t even acknowledge Scarlett. I thought he was falling in love with her, but I was clearly wrong. I guess that’s for the best. Now, we can all truly move on from the past.”

Her words cut through me like a knife. He doesn’t love me. He never even liked me. I was foolish, for thinking there was a chance that he did. All of the signs were always there.

I turned around to look for him, but he was already out of my view.

I hate this.

I hate this so much.

The pain in my chest was almost too much for me to bear.