Chapter 9
Jasmine
The weekend had just come to an end, and we were on our way back to school. It would be the start of a new week in a few hours; how fast time goes. As they say, time doesn’t wait for anyone.
I readjusted myself as I started to feel uncomfortable in the car. It was like something was moving in my throat that I needed to spit out, but I tried to hold it back, especially not when Mia’s brothers were right there. They would taunt me at every chance they got, and I didn’t want to allow them to do that again.
I laid back, resting my head on the rester as I looked out through the window. Faint memories of the weekend and the little dinner I had with them, which ended badly, swept through my head. I could still remember Ethan’s words and how disgusting they felt to my ears.Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.
My gaze moved slowly to him, and I caught Calix’s gaze; he seemed to have been staring at me. He quickly turned away as soon as I caught him. I was confused. How long had he been staring at me? And was there something on my body? I couldn’t tell.
I looked down at myself, making sure that my clothes weren’t opening anywhere, and I was relieved to find none. I looked back out of the window, and I got this nauseous feeling again. What could be wrong with me? I was perfectly okay until I entered the car. I didn’t want to accuse anyone, but I just couldn’t help but think that this could be one of the three brothers’ silly pranks again. But how was that even possible? They couldn’t make me feel nauseous just like that. I knew it was something else.
The feeling came again, and I just couldn’t resist it. I covered my mouth with my hand and tapped Ethan’s shoulder.
“Stop the car!” I murmured, still covering my mouth.
Ethan slammed his leg on the brake, and the car tires screeched. The car jolted forward and backward before finally coming to a halt. I pushed the door open and rushed to the roadside. My stomach rumbled, and as soon as I opened my mouth, remnants of the food I had eaten came rushing out, along with some from my nose.
I felt weak, my whole body ached, and I was almost collapsing with no strength when I felt a hand on my shoulder, holding me up.
I tilted my head to the side slowly to see Zane beside me, holding me back up and supporting me. Ethan also moved closer to us and pulled my hair back into a bun.
“You have to bend your head so you can wash your face,” he instructed, slowly and calmly.
I nodded slowly and did as he said. I felt the water wash down from my forehead to my face. The water was a little cold, but it calmed me down a bit.
“Why didn’t you tell us that you were sick, Jasmine?” Calix asked, and I could see concern all over his face.
Why was he so concerned about me? I wondered. It wasn’t like he and his other two brothers ever cared about me or my well-being. All they had always been after was a way to taunt me and make me feel like I was nothing to them or anyone. Although I hardly got affected by what they did to me, I always made sure to get payback on whatever they did. But I still got the message they always tried to pass across; that a nerd and a rogue like me didn’t matter.
With Noah, it was all different; he always made me feel special and assured me that he was with me even if the whole world turned against me.
“I think she is just car sick. She was perfectly okay before we left for school,” Mia stated, “I believe she will be fine,” she added.
The brothers nodded at the same time, and Ethan turned to me, “I’ll help you back into the car,” he stated and did as he said, assisting me back into the car.
I was confused, so confused that I kept thinking about it. Why were they acting like they cared about me? They were behaving as if we had been friends for a very long time and what they were doing was something casual.
They all got into the car, and we started the journey back to the school again. As we drove further, it felt like I was being driven further into my confusion. What could have gone wrong with their heads? Were they okay? I had expected them to ignore me and be on their own, but they helped me even when I didn’t expect it.
I turned slowly to Mia and whispered in her ear, “What is going on?”
She turned to me, her face furrowed as my question confused her. “What do you mean what is going on? Shouldn’t I be asking you that question? You should have told me that you get car sick, and we would have done something about it.”
I made a gesture to apologize before continuing with the question I asked before, “What is going on with your brothers? Why are they being weird?”
“What do you mean weird, Jasmine?” Mia asked, “Have they done anything wrong to you again?”
“No, not at all,” I responded and leaned closer to her, just to ensure they wouldn’t overhear us. “I mean, look at the way they took care of me back there. They wouldn’t do that on a normal day. Are they sick or something?” I continued.
Mia laughed, calling their attention, but they immediately turned away after taking glances at us.
“I think they’re just growing up and trying to be more responsible, Jasmine. Don’t you like their new selves?” she asked.
I nodded at her. Who wouldn’t want to be free from constant taunts and having to go out of my way to pay them back for what they did?
“Of course, I like it.” Although I knew that would only make the resistance I was practicing toward the mate bond more difficult for me. But whatever it was, I was ready to choose Noah over everyone and anyone.
“Then let’s hope it gets better from now, that these three will keep being gentlemen, and nothing changes from here,” Mia smiled.
I could only nod because deep down, I didn’t want them to change from the way they were. I didn’t want them to change from who they were. It would make it more difficult for me to fight against my ill-fated mate bond and resist it. So I just wanted them to remain as they were, so they wouldn’t get me attached to them.
Finally, we arrived at the school and alighted from the car. I heaved a low sigh of relief as I stepped out of the car. I leaned on the car, feeling the cold breeze on my face. It was like a ray of hope that everything was going to be fine, and I would finally win my fight against this mate bond. I’d fight against this mate bond of mine.
I knew it would be hard, but I was ready to break it at any cost. I didn’t want to be with the three brothers who had done nothing but taunt me since I was young. Even if they had changed, the memories of those times remain, and they would never leave.
“I will help you to your room,” that was Ethan.
I looked up at him, a big smile on his face as he stared at me, waiting for my answer. I shook my head slowly, “I am fine, I can walk.”
“I know you can walk, Jasmine, but I still need to help you. We can’t tell, anything might happen; you’re not well yet. I can tell that from your face.”
I felt the urge to shout and tell him to stop acting nice. It was so weird, and I just couldn’t handle it. I didn’t want him and his other two brothers to keep confusing me by being nice to me, and then switching back to taunting me again.
I looked up at him, and my gaze went slowly to Calix and Zane. For the first time, I saw the sincerity in their eyes. It felt like they meant what they were doing.
I sighed, maybe I was wrong. Maybe they were being nice because that’s who they are. Maybe they wanted a change, but what about Noah?
I shook those thoughts off my head. It would be great as long as they remained the way they were.
“I will get your bags too,” Calix stated, and Ethan held me close as we walked into the school.
I chased all wired thoughts away. It would be nice as long as things remained that way between us. Otherwise, it would be difficult to put up with the fight I had already started with this ill fate of mine.
Finally, we got into the room, and they helped me sit down.
“We will order you and Mia something to eat for dinner,” Zane informed and dipped his hand into his pocket for his phone.
“Thanks,” I murmured under my breath.
Mia moved closer to me and held my shoulder, “I have to go get something outside. I will be back soon,” she stated.
She left before I could tell her not to. I didn’t want to be alone in a room with these three. I wanted Mia to wait, but she already left.
Calix cleared his throat as soon as Mia left the room, “Jasmine, I know my brothers and I have been a pain in your neck for a while now. We have taunted you and played silly pranks on you, but I can assure you that we are changed people now,” he stopped and turned to his brothers who nodded at him.
I was forced to believe that they asked Mia to leave so they could tell me that.
“We want to be friends with you if you don’t mind.”
My heart skipped a beat. Friends? Wasn’t that how I and Noah started? What could be happening to me? Was my fate going to make this even worse?
I looked at them, from one to the other, and they had sincerity in their eyes that I couldn’t resist.
I nodded gently in approval, and big smiles appeared on their faces.
“You will get the food soon,” Calix said and moved closer to me, “Have a wonderful night.” He murmured and placed a soft k**s on my forehead.
My whole body felt numb as shivers ran down my spine. What was happening to me?
Zane and Ethan also moved closer to me and did the same thing, kissing my forehead as if they were claiming me as theirs.
I felt a jumble of emotions, scared that this night marked the beginning of what I wouldn’t be able to control later on. I could feel goosebumps growing all over my body because of their k****s.
I watched as they walked out of the room, and I fell flat on the bed.
I knew I had to try my best to control this bond. I had to do something, no matter what it takes.