It’s insane, and I know this is all fake, but Caleb’s behavior is granting me moments with Silas I’d otherwise never have. “What are you doing here?” I murmur against his hoodie.
“Something about our conversation yesterday didn’t sit well with me, and I wanted to come see you at school, just to make sure you really were okay. As expected, that guy is still pursuing you, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to give up anytime soon. I thought being seen with your alleged boyfriend might make him back off.”
He smiles at me in a way he never has before, and I can’t help but smile back. “You didn’t need to do that for me,” I murmur. My school is really far from the shelter, and I can’t imagine how long it must’ve taken him to get here.
“It’s okay,” he says, the back of his fingers brushing over my cheek tenderly. I swallow hard at his touch. It’s strangely intimate. I know I should step out of his embrace, but I want more of this. I’m not ready to let go of this fantasy. “Your school is pretty close to Astor College.”
I gasp, my eyes widening. “You go to Astor College?” It’s the best school in this state, and it’s my dream college. It’s not easy to get into Astor College, and because it’s a prestigious private school, it’s insanely expensive too. I can’t even imagine how high his student loans must be.
“I do. I study Computer Science. Their programme is among the best in the country, and I’ve always wanted to go there. Some days it’s still surreal to me, to be honest.”
Silas lets go of me and takes a step back. I sigh, missing his touch already. The way he smirks at me makes me suspect that he realizes how I feel about him, but thankfully he isn’t teasing me.
“Let me drive you back,” I murmur, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Silas glances at the car behind me and nods. My dad bought me a Porsche for my sixteenth birthday, and at the time I loved the car, but now that I’m standing in front of Silas, it seems pretentious and shameful. I hesitate for a moment, and then I hand him the keys. “Actually, why don’t you drive?”
He looks at me the way he does sometimes. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve managed to decipher the looks he throws my way. He’s trying to figure out if this is a pity move or not. “Si,” I murmur. “I’ve only been driving for a couple of months, and I don’t want you to judge my driving. You just drive.”
He smiles then, and I breathe a sigh of relief when his fingers curl around the keys. He walks around the car and holds the passenger door open for me, surprising me. I don’t think anyone has ever done that for me before.
I’m nervous as he gets behind the wheel. It’s silly, but I’ve never been in a car with a guy I like. I frown when he adjusts the seat and mirrors with ease. It took me ages to figure out what all the buttons did, and where they even were. “You seem really familiar with my car,” I murmur, surprised.
He smiles at me. “I used to have a Porsche 911 myself. It’s a good car.”
I blink in surprise. “What?”
Silas glances at me as he reverses out. “Alanna… I grew up really rich. My father was the founder of a popular hedge fund.”
I nod, surprised. “I see… but then how… I mean…”
“I don’t know,” he says, his tone strained. “I’m sure something dodgy went down when my father passed away. There’s no way he wouldn’t have had a proper estate plan. He wouldn’t have cut both my brother and me out of his will, and his will couldn’t have been as simple as it was, but I can’t prove that. I couldn’t then, and I still can’t now. One day, I’ll regain everything I lost, but until then, I’m biding my time, studying as hard as I can and working my way up the only way I can. I’m in no position to forcibly take back what’s mine, but one day I will be.”
I nod at him. “I have no doubt,” I tell him. “You’re going to do amazing things, Silas.”
He smiles at me. “So will you, Alanna. I know it probably isn’t easy for you right now. You may not have said much, but I was sixteen just a few years ago, and I have a pretty good idea how much of an asshole that kid must be. Always remember the bigger picture, okay? Don’t get into silly fights, and don’t let him get to you. If you need help, just ask me, all right?”
I nod, refusing to voice the words. I can’t promise him anything. I don’t want to rely on Silas. I don’t want to be another burden to him. I’ll take care of Caleb myself.