The fluffy end of my pen tickles under my nose and I resist the urge to slap the hand holding it. It retreats and then appears again, this time blocking my view of my French book.

"Blaze," I whisper in warning, snapping my scrunchie that he stole against the skin on his wrist. He chuckles and slouches in his chair. I refocus my attention back on French pro-nouns as the teacher rapidly fires off information about our finals, fast approaching by starting at the end of the week.

The pen appears again and the fluff ends up in my nostrils, this time I grab the pen and throw it right at his big shit forehead. He catches it with ease and laughs even louder.

"You're insufferable," I whisper shout.

"You wound me Blondie. Stabbed me right in my heart." He grabs my hand and places it over his chest... then flexes his muscle with a wink. I pull my hand back and slap him on the arm.

"You're so vain, I don't know how I can even stand near you without being blinded by the light of your fricking ego!"

"Wow... you're killing me here babe. Just stab me right in the back why don't you." This time he takes the fluffy end of my pen and drags it down my neck to the valley of my breasts, appropriately displayed in the dip of my V-neck cardigan.

"Will... you stop! I need to concentrate." He tries to drag the pen down further, my cheeks blush a deep red, I reach for his wrist and push him back. Over dramatically he falls into the boy sitting beside him who under Blaze's weight topples off the chair. "Blaze!" I yelp as everyone turns to look.

"What in la terre des dieu is going on. Mr Beckett, Miss Grove... soin d'explique?" She rests her hand on her hip, the whiteboard pen resting below her lip, overdrawn eyebrow quirked up.

"What the fuck did she just say." Blaze murmurs, I bite my cheeks to contain my laugh, heat pulsing through them.

"Miss-"

"Look, Je suis et... uh... la... asshole... fell," Blaze says leaning over to point at the boy still on the floor. Poor kid looks at Blazes shoes to hide something that looks like a smirk. This time a laugh falls from my lips and the teacher's glare turns on me.

"Is this amusant Miss Grove? Do you find this funny? Well-"

"Sorry to interrupt." I lazy drawl sounds as the door bangs open, all attention going to the receptionist in the doorway, her floaty skirt swishing around her ankles. "Atlas Grove and Blaze Beckett are needed in the principles office." Everyones gaze swivels to us once again, even the teacher's disapproving frown softens. Blaze clasps my hand under the table, since I'm apparently glued to my chair. Too much staring. Too much attention.

"Of course, off you go." The French linguist waves a hand towards the door with raised eyebrows. I vaguely register Blaze shoving my books into a bag and carrying them out both in the hand he's not using to coax me off the chair.

"Blondie." He murmurs with a hand on my back. I peel off the chair and flit through the rows of pupils until we're in the echoing hall.

"What's going on?" I mumble as Blaze's hand squeezes our interlaced fingers.

"I'm not sure. Assholes." He grumbles as we follow the moody receptionist past the once again silent corridors. "You're making a habit of this my love, a new reputation as a bad girl is upon you."

"Shut up you oaf. If anything it's because of you... I've been corrupted." I pinch his bicep, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Hmm," He muses for a second before I feel his hand grab my ass and squeeze, a sound escapes me which is amplified by the dead halls. My face heats as the receptionist simply shakes her head in front of us, glaring slightly with her side-eye. "Corrupted in all the best ways." Blaze whispers low in my ear, chills erupting across my skin.

Jesus. Holy fricking Jesus, I'm going to the principal's office, chill. Shitting chill.

Blaze just smirks knowingly at me and toys with my fingers cupped in his calloused palm. The hallway seems to stretch on for eternity and all I can hear over my thumping heartbeat is Blazes heavy steps next to mine. You'd think by now I'd be calmer about going to the principles office but nope, as soon as I see the fraying wooden door my palms gather with cold sweat and my knees start to buckle.

"Hey blondie, it's okay." His palm rests on my lower back as he murmurs in my ear. I nod unconvincingly and follow the receptionist into the room.

I freeze in front of the many eyes that all swing to us crowding the doorway. The principal sits behind her desk, Mrs Strentham perched on the edge smiling pityingly, Helen and Carries mom (my social worker) sat in the chairs in front of them and two women stood in front of the window that overlooks the sports field. One of them, blonde hair tied back in a tight pony, suit tailored perfectly and frown lines cresting her forehead as she paces- looks slightly familiar. The other one just stands stoically looking completely unphased as she stares out of the window.

"What's going on?" Blazes hand smoothes across my lower back in a silent gesture. I gulp loudly.

"Atlas, take a seat, honey." Carries mom instructs, her heels pivoting on the wooden floor to gesture to the two empty chairs. "A bit of information has come to light and we need to have a small discussion." She fiddles with the rings on her fingers nervously, her engagement ring a thick diamond on a simple silver band that often refracts the light. I nod slowly and glance back and Blaze before I move towards the empty chairs. "I just want to stress that you are safe and we will do absolutely everything we can to maintain that, alright? Even with your impending eighteenth."

Definitely something legal. "What's going on." I blanch looking directly at the principal who's quietly discussing something with the stoic lady.

"Atlas." The pinned back pony stops pacing and walks closer to my chair, a warm familiar smile settling on her lips, "I don't suppose you remember me, you were quite young last time we met."

Then it hits me. All at once. Like an attack on my mind and emotions. My chest tightens as breath whooshes out of me. My fingers shake as I force myself to swallow. She isn't here, I'll wake up and this will all be a dream.

"My... My D-dad." I manage the tears gathering at my lash line.

Everything in the room begins to spin as my heart thumps in my ears, I can see mouths moving and hands reaching for me but It feels like I'm drowning, deep, deep further underwater. Roaring fills my veins and a heavyweight settles uncomfortably in my stomach. Black pokes at the corner of my vision.

Warm hands hook under my arms, settling on my stomach as I'm pulled into a hard torso, mint and lemon fills my senses and the familiar warmth of the boy whispering against my skin starts to push the black back.

"Hey butterfly, listen to me. It's okay. You're okay." His breath, hot against my sweaty skin is cooling. My fingers shake drastically as I grip his tattooed fingers that are still clasped to my stomach. "Deep breaths my love. Deep breaths." He coos as more voices start to fall back into my space. But I'm only listening to his. " It's okay. You're safe and I'm never going to let him hurt you." I feel myself being lowered and when my eyes are coaxed open I realise I'm sitting on Blaze's lap. "It's alright." He whispers a final time as I squeeze his fingers.

"Atlas, I know this must seem impossibly hard right now but we're all here for you, you kids are my babies and I'll fight until the end to protect you all." Helen grips my arm and whispers just low enough for me to hear. My heart stirs in response to her words, battling over its vigorous thumping.

The woman who I now relate to as being the prosecutor in the case against my father, the one that got him sent to jail, looks over at the other woman cautiously. Jenna, I remember her name, she worked tirelessly with me and on the case which means this is bad news. The other lady looks directly at me and holds out her hand.

"Sandra. Your father's parole officer." I stare at her hand, rough and calloused with a simple watch sitting on her wrist. Her blazer covers her wrists but I can see the start of a trail of black ink around the inside of her hand.

"Don't. Don't call him that. Please." I barely mumble the words. The word hurt enough when I said it. He doesn't deserve any kind of title.

Mrs Richmond turns to me and smiles, a file sitting on her lap, "Your... uh... Mr..." She stumbles over her words then pauses, breathing deep and pasting on a sympathetic smile "He's been released from prison on grounds of good behaviour, under supervision of his parole officer Ms Mitchel." She casts a haphazard gaze at Sandra with the simple wristwatch.

"He was meant to rot in there for life." My words are barely more than a whisper but Blaze's arms tighten around my waist, his chin grazing the dip between my neck and shoulder. His fingers clutch my own to stop the tremors running through me.

"I apologise Miss Grove. It would seem there was a... development a few years ago. New evidence was bought to light a few years ago by his lawyer, we're unclear on how it was obtained, but the judge lowered his sentence." Jenna looks genuinely crestfallen and confused. I'm not sure what kind of evidence would prove he didn't... murder... his family. Where did it come from, considering the people he used to be involved with... I don't think I want to know.

"Why wasn't I told." I turn to my social worker, who hands me a sheet from her file.

"You're past social worker was informed Atlas. Obviously, she neglected to relay the message." Carries mom huffs with contained anger. "But what we really need to discuss are the next steps forward. Legally you will be an adult in a matter of months which means you're no longer under the protection of the state regarding laws overseeing minors and... no longer under my jurisdiction."

"Seemingly I never was under state protection if they let this happen." I blink back the tears, Blaze squeezing my now cold fingers.

"That doesn't mean I won't help you Atlas. Everyone in this room is here to help you and keep you safe. No matter how shit the state is. You are my daughters best friend and a valued member of this community, I'm not going to leave you out in the cold." My eyes meet hers at her statement, a lightness filling the air as she smiles sympathetically, reaching to squeeze my arm in a motherly gesture. I muster a small smile back and then another one at Helen.

"I know this comes at a particularly hard time, what with college and Finals but my door is always open if you just need to come and chat or take a few minutes if it all gets too much." Mrs Strentham says, the principal nodding at her statement.

"Firstly we need to sort out filing a restraining order and then discuss potential living situations." Carries mom starts pulling out forms and handing them around but the last part of her sentence catches mine and Blazes attention.

"Living situations?" He beats me to it.

"Well yes, it's unsafe for her to reside in the same place, she's been in Brookehaven for a good few years and word could have got back especially if your foster parents decided to make a... irrational decision."

"But she's settled here, and she's about to take finals. You can just uproot her now." Helen protests, even Mrs Strentham looks upset at the news of my pending departure.

"Does he know where I am," I ask pointedly at Sandra. Her eyebrows raise to her hairline like it's some crime I've spoken to her directly.

"Uh no. He... he hasn't even asked about you or... your family. In fact, in his files, it's seen that he avoids the topic like the plague. To him, it's like you don't exist anymore or ever did for that matter." Well, she doesn't beat around the bush. My heart sinks, even though he's a monster that I'd never forgive I can't deny it hurts he completely avoids the topic after he's caused so much pain and destruction. He should have to live with the guilt and ruin he created.

"Well then. I wish to stay where I am." I sigh looking at my feet. I can see in the corner of my eye, her lips open and close as if to protest but then she nods simply and the room seems to relax slightly.

"He has no reason to know where she is so I think she'd be better off staying here, she's off to college soon anyway." Mrs Strentham adds. Their chatter continues but I zone out, lost in every thought running through my head.

He's out.

The man who ruined my life.

The man who murdered my family.

The man who destroyed me.

"He's out." My whisper touches Blazes skin and his hold on me tightens. A soft kiss is placed just under my ear before he whispers back.

"And you're stronger than he will ever be sweetheart."

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