Whispers, Rumors, and His Protection

People believe what they want to believe—and right now, they want to believe I belong to him.”

---

The walk out of the cafeteria was the longest of my life.

Everyone had seen it—Raven Cross draping his arm around me, steering me away like I was his. And no matter how much I wanted to scream that it wasn’t true, the looks, the gasps, the whispers… they told a different story.

By the time we made it into the empty hallway, I jerked out of his grip.

“What the hell was that?” I demanded, spinning on him.

His storm-gray eyes were annoyingly calm, like he hadn’t just set my life on fire. “That was me shutting Tiffany up before she said something stupid.”

“You basically announced to the entire school that we’re—” I broke off, unable to even finish the thought. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”

He smirked, leaning against the lockers like he owned them. “Yeah. Made you untouchable.”

“Untouchable?” My voice rose. “You’ve just made me the number-one target of every rumor in Northwood!”

He shrugged, infuriatingly casual. “Better rumors than people messing with you.”

I groaned, dragging my hands down my face. “You don’t get it. I liked being invisible. I liked being the girl no one noticed.”

“Too late for that,” he said simply. “You’re with me now.”

“I am not with you!”

“Not yet.”

I gaped at him. “You can’t just… claim people, Raven! That’s not how it works!”

“Worked just fine back there,” he replied, smirk curling his lips. “Did you see Tiffany’s face? Priceless.”

I wanted to argue, to tell him how reckless and arrogant he was—but then I remembered the look in his eyes when he’d said it. The way his voice had softened, just slightly, like maybe it wasn’t all a game.

Before I could untangle my thoughts, the bell rang, echoing down the hall. Students spilled out of classrooms, and instantly, the whispers started again.

“There they are.”

“Did you see him put his arm around her?”

“They’re totally together.”

My chest tightened. I wanted to disappear.

But Raven? Raven thrived under the attention. He slipped his hand into his pocket and leaned closer to me, his voice low but firm.

“Walk with me.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Walk. With. Me,” he repeated slowly, as if I was the one being unreasonable.

And against every ounce of common sense, I did.

We walked side by side through the crowded hall, and just like that, the whispers multiplied. I caught the glares, the stares, the jealousy burning in people’s eyes.

I hated it.

But I also hated how… safe I felt. Like no one would dare touch me with Raven there.

When we reached my next class, he stopped, blocking the doorway with his broad frame. His eyes bored into mine, unreadable.

“Don’t let them get to you,” he said, softer than I expected. “People talk because they’re bored. But you? You’re not like them.”

Something in my chest twisted. “You don’t even know me.”

His lips curved into that maddening grin. “Not yet. But I will.”

And before I could respond, he was gone, swallowed by the sea of students.

---

Lunch turned into an afternoon blur of stares and whispers. By the end of the day, I was ready to crawl into a hole and never come out.

But as I shoved my books into my bag, a folded note slipped out of my locker. I frowned, unfolding it.

In Raven’s messy scrawl, it read:

Meet me after school. Parking lot. Don’t say no.