Dangerous Boy

Chapter Twenty Seven

"I dare you to say that again."

"I said you're closer to - shit!" Troy leaps off his seat when Noah goes after him. He chases him out of the kitchen until I hear a thud and screaming. My eyes widen but Xavier just rolls his, obviously used to their playful behavior.

"Ignore them, they're idiots" Xavier mutters, walking up behind me and placing his hands on my waist. "Did you sleep well?"

I try to focus on not burning the pancakes, but having Xavier pressed up against me makes that simple task much more difficult. "Yes, thank you" I breathe, clearing my throat to get rid of the weird tone in my voice. "You?"

"Perfectly."

I smile as someone clears their throat. Xavier steps away from me immediately and I look up to find a very smirking Arnica who glances between the two of us. "Good morning love birds. You both look very flustered this morning."

"Just put the pancakes on the table" I mumble. She grins as she takes the plate from me and winks at Xavier as she walks to the table. She whispers something to him that I can't hear but it makes him lift his eyebrows.

Noah walks in, he's managed to put jeans on now, but he's still shirtless. Not that Arnica's complaining, she basically jumps on him when she sees him.

"I want to eat my breakfast without vomiting thanks" Troy grumbles, pushing the two apart before sitting down.

Xavier pulls a chair out for me, I smile shyly at him and he returns it as he sits down. Noah looks like he's about to say something, but Xavier sends him a look that silences him so he just smirks instead.

"These pancakes are amazing" Troy groans. "I haven't eaten proper food in such a long time."

I thank him and turn slightly to see Xavier staring at me. I raise my eyebrows but he just smiles and looks down at his plate.

"So Masons been ignoring me" Arnica finally pouts at me. "And I haven't done anything wrong so I'm guessing it's you?"

"Grace hasn't done anything wrong" Xavier answers immediately before I can explain, catching me off guard. "Masons acting like a pathetic child."

"Well that's a surprise" Arnica rolls her eyes. "He better stop being a jerk before we go to college"

College. There's that word again. I glance at Xavier and he's already looking at me too. I'll be so far away from here.

"All I'm saying is - " Arnica stops and covers her mouth with her hand. "Excuse me" she gets up from the table, suddenly pale and runs down one of the halls. Noah goes to get up but I stop him.

"I'll go - it's probably a girl thing" he sits down at the mention of the word 'girl thing.' I follow Arnica into one of the bathrooms where she's bent over the toilet and rub her back softly.

"Are you okay?"

She groans but nods weakly. "This is the fourth day in a row"

"That you've been vomiting?"

She nods again and flushes the toilet, washing her hands as I lean against the wall.

"Just in the mornings?"

She nods again, staring at me in confusion from the mirror. "Why?"

"Arnica, when was the last time you had your period?"

She pauses for a moment and shrugs. "Probably about a mo- oh shit!" She spins around, eyes wide and worried. "I think I'm late."