Burning Butterfly (Prefect #1)

10. Little Do You Know

Rocket barked at the figure, and he turned at the sound, his bright blue eyes locking with mine as he gasped at the sight of me.  "What are you doing here?" he breathed, and the glowing tie floated down in front of me in answer.  I gripped it in one hand, swallowing roughly as I held it tightly to my chest.  He blushed at the sight and turned back towards the window.  His hair may have been a different color, but I would've recognized him anywhere.  Why is that?

"Elliot," I whispered while taking a step forward, and he stiffened at the sound of his name.

"Did you use the tracking Spell to find me?" he asked without looking at me.

I shook my head even though he couldn't see it.  "I had Ash do it for me since I didn't trust myself with the Spell."

He chuckled quietly.  "I suspected as much."

I smiled softly.  "I met your sister earlier today."

He looked back at me once I said that.  "Leesha?"  I nodded.  He sighed.  "What did she say to you?"

"She was worried about you because you haven't been at school for the past week."  I slowly walked up to him, his eyes never leaving me, and held out his tie for him.  He looked down at it solemnly.  "So why haven't you been at school?"

He looked away, refusing to accept the tie.  "I had too many things on my mind."

"Like what?" I frowned and clutched the tie roughly, my heart pounding at what he could possibly be thinking about for an entire week.

"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered, and exhaled lowly.

"Then at least tell me what happened to your hair."

He chuckled.  "This is actually my natural hair color.  I just used Magic to change it blonde."

I nodded in understanding.  No wonder Leesha had dark hair instead of blonde.  That explained a lot.  "Then why don't you show anyone your natural color?"

He sighed.  "Because then it means letting everyone know the truth."

I frowned.  "The truth?  About what?"

"About my family owning Brickstone Magic Academy."

I gaped.  "Your family owns Brickstone!?" I shrieked with surprise, and he winced, but nodded.  "Wow," I breathed.

Elliot nodded and walked over to sit on the wide living room couch, holding his head in his hands, elbows on his knees as he spoke, "I changed my last name to Brookes so that no one would know that I was the son of Hector Brickstone.  Made my school life easier for me that way, along with my sister.  I didn't want her to be used by people, so I had her last name changed as well."  He glanced up at me.  "It also saved me from all the girls wanting to be my Buddy.  Except you, of course."

I blushed and walked over to sit on the couch across from him.  "It wouldn't really have changed anything."

"How do you know?"

I glared up at him.  "Because you told me yourself that I'm not like everyone else who listens to you because of your higher authority.  I stand up to you, I speak my mind, I try my hardest but it's never enough.  Not for me."  I looked down at my lap and twisted his tie between my fists.

A pair of hands was placed over my own, and I snapped my head up in surprise.  Elliot's bright blue eyes were shining with an unreadable emotion, and I found myself lost in them.  "Gwen, if you were so angry at me for, um, kissing you," he mumbled, and I looked away from him, remembering that he had stolen my first kiss.  How could I possibly forget?  "Why did you come looking for me?"