Saving Garnet

Followed Home

Garnet had to go back to school when she got home. She wondered what she would do about protection, actually scared now, while she got ready for her first morning back.

She pulled her hair into a sleek, high ponytail and did her makeup, then settled on skinny jeans, her new Marc Jacobs boots, and a cream colored, oversized sweater with a black scarf. It was cold outside, but not cold enough for her coat and warm boots. 

She took her things downstairs and entered the kitchen, reaching for the rice cake and cup of black coffee waiting for her on the counter. She turned to sit at the table and nearly had a heart attack- Sean was sitting at the table, eating bacon and eggs with her father.

"Uh, hi?" she asked.

He waved happily. "You look nice."

"Uh...thanks?"

Her dad laughed. "Sean is going to school with you."

"What?"

"You're not going unprotected, sweetie. The school has been notified of him. He's enrolled as a student, but he's not really a student. He's in all of your classes and has your lunch."

This was too much to comprehend this early, especially since Garnet hadn't been able to sleep on the way home the night before.

"So what do I tell people when he's with me everywhere I go?"

"Easy!" Sean piped up. "We're dating."

She almost spit her coffee out. "Excuse me?"

He laughed. "We're not really dating. But we're pretending we are."

Her heartbeat increased. She looked him over in his fitted sweater and low slung jeans and decided that she could definitely pretend to be dating him...she could even really date him.

"Whatever," she answered, hoping her cheeks weren't pink. She definitely felt warm.

Sean stood and pushed his chair in. "Let's go, honey."

She glared at the nickname and pushed her things at him. "I have to go brush my teeth. But you can go get the car started, honey," she retorted in the same mockingly sweet tone.

He laughed and slung her bookbag over his shoulder. "Whatever you say, dear."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

***

Garnet knew she would be something of a celebrity when she got back to school, but holding Sean's hand while she walked through the halls made her popularity shoot up even more. She had to stop going to the bathroom because she was practically ambushed by a group of girls begging to know who he was, when they met, how long they'd been dating, and telling her they were just so cute and he was just so darn hot. She was almost late to class because she couldn't get away from them.

But Garnet didn't mind the pretend dating. 

She actually enjoyed it. 

Holding hands with Sean all day, being with him in all of her classes, flirting with him...it was pretty nice. By the time they drove back to her house, she felt like they were actually dating.

"How did your first day back go?" her mom asked, wringing her hands.

"It was actually pretty great."

"Really? No trouble?"

"None at all."

Her dad winked at her. "And how was your boyfriend?"