26. Arabella

Chapter 26

Arabella

A fter the detention with Councilwoman Talia, the rest of the week passed mostly without incident. The girls and I would meet during lunches in the same study room Isis had taken us to before and we continued to scour all the texts we could check out from the library to find any sort of answer as to whether Lucifer had a child in secret. Not one single text mentioned anything about it. Feeling helpless was the worst feeling in the world and it just continued to get worse as the week carried on.

I did my best to ignore both of my roommates. Making sure to only get back to the dorm with enough time to shower and go to sleep, then set an alarm to wake up before either of them so I could grab a quick snack and head out. Using that extra time I was either buried with my head in a book or in the combat arena practicing the moves that Rhys had taught me during our one-on-one. My classes hadn't given me any issues, and Dominion Lailah went so far as to compliment me on the improvement of my psychic magic. I may have preen a little. It was nice to have someone notice that my hard work was paying off. After class, Rhys had tried to make a comment but I grabbed my stuff and bailed before he even finished his sentence. Phoenix tried to speak to me a couple of times before or after classes but when I shook my head no, he would back down and stop trying to get through to me. I appreciated the distance instead of him trying to force himself into my life. I knew we needed to talk and work things out but mentally I wasn't ready yet, even if I knew Talia would support whatever decision I made.

As for Warrick, well he continued to bullhead forward trying to force me to talk during our mentoring sessions. I told him if he was to raise his voice one time at me I would walk out of the room. The first time he did it, I left with him yelling behind me for me to stop. I was done putting up with the shit people were putting me through. I deserved better in a mate, and better in a friend. The second session I attended with him went slightly better. I gave him simple answers to his questions and he kept his voice somewhat calmer. It's not to say he wasn't losing his temper, because he was. He just wasn't shouting at me so I was trying to give him something in return. We still have a long way to go before I trust him at the level I previously did. He apologized several times and I did believe he was sorry, I just didn't trust that he wouldn't do it again if I didn't listen to him.

I won't be controlled. I spent my whole life being controlled and he knows that. He watched it happen every single day to not only me but also my mother. I refused to follow in my mother's footsteps. I told him several times when I was younger that I didn't want to go through the same things that my mother did. If Warrick thinks he can be like that with me then I will reject him and he can come here as a student and not as a mentor anymore. It'll hurt rejecting him but it will hurt more if I take the abuse from him.

"Divine, please help me find some answers," I whisper as I sit on Phoenix's bed. I came back to the room after dinner to start getting ready for a night out with the girls but was stuck waiting until the shower was free so I could begin. Sitting next to me is the outfit I already picked out, with Isis's help. I didn't have many options left clothes-wise that weren't destroyed and I haven't had time to go into town to get more either. To say it's been a struggle getting by with very few items would be an understatement. Thank the Divine we wear uniforms. If we didn't I would be wearing the same clothes repeatedly.

Isis gave me a skirt to wear out tonight. It's a black leather mini-skirt that is skin-tight. If I were to bend over it would show everything. Why she even owns something like this I have no idea, but she made me try it on promising I would look hot. She isn't wrong either. I take one look at myself in the mirror and I know the skirt was literally made for me. It molds to my hips and hugs my thighs just the right way and in Harper's words, "it showed my ass off nicely." She isn't wrong, it really does.

Isis also tried to get me to wear one of her crop tops but I told her I had the perfect shirt to go with the skirt. Divine must have been looking out for me because my favorite black corset wasn't destroyed when my room was. I did have to grab a pair of knee-high boots from Harper to wear though to complete the outfit. I didn't own any shoes that would compliment it well and when she showed me those I knew they were perfect, especially with the silver studs that covered the bottom of the shoe.

If my outfit doesn't turn some heads while we're out tonight I will honestly be surprised. Usually, I'm good at not standing out much but I don't know, there is just something about today, or well this week, that makes me want to stand out. I want the attention, I want to turn heads and men know that they can't have me. Tonight is about me. It's about hanging out with my two best friends here at RISE and just having a good time. No guys, no drama. Just us dancing and carrying on. Even if I know my feet are going to be killing me by the end of the night. It will all be worth it.

"Shower is all yours, sorry about that!" Phoenix shouts through the door after knocking three times. He took up residence in the spare room the guys have in their dorm, leaving his room to me. Most of his items are still in here though. I tried to tell him I could move and go to the spare room but he wouldn't hear of it, something about his bed being comfier than the one in the spare room. I shrugged and just let him win that battle choosing to just accept the gift he was giving me. He didn't lie though, his bed is a lot comfier. Earlier this week I came back during lunch break to grab one of the textbooks I had left and decided to sneak into his room and try it out. That bed was hard as a rock. How anyone was getting a good night's sleep on it I had no idea.

Grabbing my clothes off the bed, I exit the room and head to the bathroom. All I need is about ten minutes to shower and shave and another five to do make-up. My hair is a different story. I have no plans to wash it. Before going out, knowing that it will become a mess anyway. Thanks to having extremely healthy hair, I can go a week without washing it if I'm not working out much. Due to the texture of my hair washing it too often can be damaging so I try to only do it every other day if needed. Today is an off day so it will be staying up in the bun I wore it in for classes today. If I am lucky when I take it down, the curls will fall nicely enough that I only need to use some hairspray to hold it in place.

Getting to the bathroom, I crank the water almost all the way hot. I used to love the burning feeling of the water on my skin, but I'm learning it was a healing tactic I would use because I could barely feel it. Now that I'm living a healthier lifestyle I'm coming to realize that when the water is turned all the way to hot it actually is burning my skin. While waiting for the water to heat up, I open the cabinet beneath the sink and pull out the small basket of supplies I keep in the bathroom. It's where I store my straightener, curling iron, make-up, and a few other small things. I thought about keeping it in the bedroom but it was easier to just put it in a basket and stick it under the sink. This way I don't need to remember to bring it with me every time I need it.

Showering doesn't take long, but I didn't account for the steam in the bathroom despite having the fan on. It is making it very difficult to get into the clothes I had picked out. The leather wants to stick to my skin and it is pissing me off. Deciding to say screw it, I toss on the t-shirt I was wearing before and begin to do my makeup to give the bathroom enough time to cool off.

It takes me about thirty minutes to get ready, thanks to my outfit deciding to give me some issue. Thank the Divine my hair cooperates and I can do a half up half down pigtail design. It will keep my hair out of my face but still look cute from the back. I just need to run back to the bedroom to drop off my clothes from before and put on the boots, which won't be all that easy to do by myself.

"Need help?" Phoenix inquires from the doorway after five minutes of fighting with the boots. I had managed to get the left one on but I was struggling with the right.

"Yes please," I blush, dropping my head back down to hide it.

"Watch your hands," he gently pushes my own out of his way so he can take their place. "Stand up and put your hands on my shoulders." Doing what he says, I'm able to get more leverage and use my body weight to force my foot all the way into the boot as he helps to hold me steady. "All good?" He asks, once my foot slides past the heel and settles all the way into the boot.

"Yup, thank you," I smile gently and let go of his shoulders, taking a step back. Things are still very awkward between us because we haven't talked. It's on my list to do this weekend if he doesn't corner me first. I'm really hoping he isn't about to because I don't have the time.

"Well, have a good night," he blushes, taking a step away from me, and begins rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Clearing his throat he looks up once more at me. "You look good." He turns and walks away before I can say thanks.

That was awkward. I really hope he gets over whatever his issue is. I definitely am going to have to be the bigger person this weekend and talk to him about everything. We can't keep avoiding the subject or avoiding one another.

I wait a few more minutes before I hear Rhys shouting from the living room. "ARABELLA!" Shit! I wanted to meet the girls at the door and not have the guys deal with them. I'm sure Isis is wearing something even less covering than me and she hates his guts so I'm sure she will have no issues making a smart-ass comment to him if he thinks to say anything.

"Hey guys!" I call out when I step foot into the living room, giving a small wave to my friends. Rhys has them blocked at the front door not letting them into the suite. He is such a jerk. This is my dorm too now and my friends should be allowed in.

As I call out, Rhys turns around to look at me his expression morphing from annoyance to anger. "Hell no! Go back and change you will not be leaving this dorm wearing that!" He points at me and begins to stalk toward me.

I don't back down. Instead, I walk to him, meeting him in the middle. "You aren't in charge of me, Rhys. I can wear whatever I want," I growl, getting into his face. All week he has done nothing but make my life utter hell. I won't let him continue to do this. Tonight is for me.

"Then you aren't fucking going," he snarls, grasping my bicep to begin pulling me back toward my room, or well Phoenix's room.

"Let me go," I demand, trying to yank my arm free of him. "I don't belong to you. I don't care what you think. I'm going out with my friends and you can't stop me." His eyes flash with fire and his grip tightens on my arm with my words. I'm not sure what I said that pissed him off more but now he's beyond angry. "You're hurting me, Rhys," I state softly not wanting to alarm my friends. Isis would jump in in two seconds flat to help me but this isn't her battle. I can handle Rhys, or at least I thought I could until now.

"Change. Now." He demands, dragging me with him. I stumble behind him as he drags me down the hallway, not used to wearing these boots just yet. It's even harder to walk when Rhys is basically sprinting down the hall with me being pulled backward. "I won't tell you again, Arabella," he growls, shoving me through the open bedroom doorway before he takes up a spot blocking the door. There's no way I can get past him and I can't even shut the door in his face because he stepped into the room.

Ugh.

"I'm not changing, Rhys," I state, crossing my arms over my chest. Discreetly I rub at the spot on my arm he was gripping me at. I can still feel his grip and I'm almost positive that if I looked down I would see his handprint there.

"Leave her alone, Rhys!" Isis shouts as she comes down the hall to my rescue. I watch as Rhys steps away from the doorway, grips the door, and waits patiently for Isis to appear before slamming the door right in her face. "Stop being a fucking jackass, Rhys!" she shouts pounding on the bedroom door. I'm pretty sure if she wanted to, she could break the door down but I'm hoping she doesn't considering this is where I have to sleep.

"Arabella," he growls. "I suggest you do what I say before I lose my temper even more and punish you." His tone drops dangerously low as he stares at me in a way I have never seen before.

"What is your issue?" I ask, curious as to why he is acting this way. He's being possessive and weird, and I don't like it.

"Rhys!" Phoenix shouts from the other side of the door.

I watch him flinch as his brother calls out his name but he doesn't move, nor answer. He continues to stare at me, waiting for me to make the first move. Sighing, I shake my head and walk right past him, reaching for the doorknob. Before my fingers can connect, he grabs me, spinning me around and pinning me to the door. His hands are placed on either side of the door by my head, his chest pressed up against me, as he shoves his knee between my legs. The movement pushes my skirt up even higher than it already is. "This," he growls, as he lowers his head until his mouth is right next to my ear. "This is how easy it is for someone to take advantage of you while you wear this. Go ahead, grind against my leg like you want to, Princess," he demands, as he moves his mouth down just a little lower to bite the side of my neck hard, then licks it lightly.

It takes everything in me not to moan or react to his actions. My heart rate picked up when he pushed me into the door and forced his body up against mine. When his head moved to beside me, I closed my eyes, trying to focus on anything else except him being so close to me. I wanted to grind myself against him until he said something about it. That was when I started to feel the cold water wash over me, and shame set in. I'm ashamed that I even feel anything for him in this situation after how he has treated me. Blaming it on my inexperience is the only thing I can do. That's why I reacted the way I did. I'm not attracted to him at all. He is an asshole through and through.

Rhys laughs as he pushes away from the door and me. "Feeling okay, Princess?" he asks with a chuckle. "I just wanted you to know how you present yourself. If you were looking for someone to sleep with you tonight, well you don't need to go out. I'll fuck you here for free."

"Oh fuck off, Rhys," I snarl, shoving him further away from me. I push him harder than I expect when he stumbles back far enough that he trips and falls onto the bed behind him.

"If you wanted me on the bed, all you needed to do was say so," he laughs, rising up on his elbows to stare at me.

Rolling my eyes, I ignore his antics to unlock the door and yank it open. "Fuck off, Rhys," I state before shoving past my friends and marching out to the front door. I can feel my friends behind me, but no one says anything until I come to a stop in the hall outside my suite.

"You okay?" Harper asks softly, placing her hand on my arm. The same arm that Rhys had gripped me by. I can feel the heat of her healing magic spread through me, and the throb in my arm subsides.

"Thanks," I nod when she lets go of my arm. "Can we just go? I need some alcohol, and I need to forget that whole nonsense."

"To alcohol!" Isis shouts, beginning down the hallway.

Harper gives me one last look before following her down the hall, and I take her up the rear. Later, once we have alcohol in us, I'll tell them exactly what happened. Maybe by then, I can process it all, or at least I hope that I can. Anything that gets me far away from this damn dorm is a good thing. I don't think I even want to come back here tonight. I may see if I can just crash on the girl's couch. Probably the safest place for me.