Luna pointed her cheeks. "You are blushing, Eve", she teased.
The bell rang, cutting off the remaining chatter. "Okay, Zoey..., Luna, see you tomorrow," Evangeline said while grabbing her bag.
"Okay.... Don't forget to tell us tomorrow, 'What was that something?' " Zoey said with a wink.
Evangeline rolled her eyes again but couldn't help a smile. She texted Aaron: I'm leaving. If you have time, come to the hallway.
Aaron replied almost immediately: Okay.
She put her phone into her bag and glanced around the room. Nate was gone. She grabbed her bag from a desk and left the classroom. Zoey and Luna trailed behind her.
"Finally, my friend Eve got some butterflies in her stomach," Zoey teased as they reached the hallway.
Luna chimed in, "About time! I was starting to think she was immune to handsome guys."
Evangeline just shook her head hearing music, a smirk playing on her lips, and she glanced walking towards the hallway, students rushing towards their homes, their voices silent in music.
The sunlight warmly reflected on Nate's face. He stood on the seventh-floor balcony, a slight breeze rustling his hair. From the height, He could see the entire campus below, the red-brick buildings, the pond at the center, and the distant sounds of students laughing and shouting. But his attention was focused on Evangeline.
She appeared from the college building, her head held high. She carries a confident walk, her heels clicking against the walkway.
Two men in dark suits stood beside a black sedan, their eyes scanning the crowd with an almost predatory look. Evangeline approached them, a small, genuine smile playing on her lips. She spoke briefly to one of the men, then turned to Aaron, who was coming to her, his sports uniform a splash of color against the sunlight.
So, that's Aaron..., Nate thought, his gaze fixed on him. He looked… comfortable around her. Too comfortable. Evangeline smiled at Aaron, a genuine smile. Is he just a friend? Or something more? He glanced at the bodyguards.
"You have a practice today?" Eve asked while glancing at him from top to bottom.
"Yup," he smiled warmly, his eyes crumpling at the corners.
"Okay, call me tonight," Evangeline said to Aaron, her voice calm.
"Of course, Evangeline. I'll be waiting," Aaron replied, his enthusiasm evident. He waved his hands before heading off in the opposite direction.
Nate's phone buzzed continuously in his pocket. He pulled it out.
"How was your day, Nate? Anything interesting?" his assistant asked with curiosity on the phone.
Nate's gaze flicked back down to Evangeline before he answered. "It was good. By the way, why didn't you tell me Kim was coming here?" He questioned, clearly upset.
"Your dad appointed him, Nate."
"He's here for your safety and to handle business matters. If the Winter family finds out about you, Kim is the backup. He knows everything," the assistant encouraged.
"Wait... What? Do you think I'm going to mess up Dad's plan?" his eyes narrowed.
"I mean..." His assistant opened his mouth, but Nate interrupted, "That's not happening!" His tone shifted to one of fury.
"Relax, Nate. Kim's on your side. He's here to help, not interfere. Trust me, he's a great asset. Don't confuse your mind," he reassured him gently with his words.
"Fine. But this makes me disappointed," Nate replied, his irritation with his father's decision evident.
"Don't worry, Kim's got your back," he reiterated. "Treat him like a friend; you need a good friend sometimes."
At that moment, Kim interrupted their conversation and signaled Nate to leave. Nate nodded to him to wait and, before ending the call, said, "Fine. Whatever Dad says has some meaning."
"That's my boy," he encouraged him.
"Okay, Nick, I have to go," he ended the call, and both left the college building.
The car door automatically closed with a soft sound as Evangeline settled into the plush leather seat. The familiar scent of lavender car spray freshener enveloped her as her bodyguards took their positions.
"How was your day, ma'am? Did everything go smoothly?" Michael asked, his usual formality replaced with a more relaxed tone.
"Did anyone cause trouble, ma'am?" Christopher, one of her bodyguards, asked.
Evangeline rolled her eyes, and her head fell back against the seat. "Uh... Are you serious?"
"Um.... Do I look like I'm in my forties or fifties? No, right?"
"Please stop with the formal tone. It's exhausting every time. Just call me Eve or Evangeline."
Christopher straightened slightly. "Apologies, ma'am...sorry, Evangeline," he corrected himself quickly. "We were assigned two weeks ago. If you'd prefer, we can adjust our tone moving forward."
A small smile twitched on her lips. "Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it. You two seem to catch on quickly. The last team didn't..." Her voice carried a hint of something darker, leaving the unspoken story hanging in the air: "One day, I will share about them."
Christopher and Michael exchanged puzzled glances; their confusion was evident. "What had the previous bodyguards done wrong?"
The rest of the ride continued in contemplative silence, and Evangeline in the back seat watched the city blur past her window, her mind elsewhere.
After arriving home, "We reached home," Michael said, standing outside the car. Evangeline came out of the car and walked, humming a cheerful tune, pausing at the front door when she noticed it was ajar. Her brows furrowed, the quiet evening suddenly felt heavy with unease.
She paused and turned to them, her eyes wide. "Guys, the doors are already open."