The ProtectoR

A call from Mr.Swack

"That was weird." Dark-blonde said.

"I think she might have gotten uncomfortable with you " Nathan said absentmindedly, and going back to his unfinished burger.

She raised a brow. " I dare to think....look"

Nathan raised his head. The girl had dropped her tray and walked towards a tall guy---waiting impatiently at the door with his back turned to them---with red hair just like hers.

"Oh. Guess that's her brother" He said.

"I know " She replied.

He looked at her. "How do you know?"

"It's a long story. One I'll tell at the right time" She said.

There was a brief silence. "I don't know your name though?" He said.

"Letha... Letha Bates" She said. "You? Oh don't tell me, I already know. You're Nathan" She smirked, revealing sparkling white teeth.

Nathan took her in then. If the red-haired lady had a pleasing body, then Letha had bedazzling shape, curves, a body to die for.

Like Rose.

Like Rose? What was his business with the spoilt prat.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and focused on Letha.

There were more serious matters to think on, and for some reason, his instincts kicked at him to be cautious of her.

How did she already know his name?

Was it Rose? Didn't she say no one was to figure anything out?

"How did you know?" He asked her.

"Rosetta told me" Letha said, her features stoic and perfectly placid.

Right, Rose.

That girl was nuts in the head. Going against her own imperatives already?

He'd remember to shove the accusation forming in his head, down her throat.

Letha reviewed him, then continued when he remained silent. "She said she'd seen you at the main hall. You were asking for directions and all. That's how you two met."

Nathan couldn't help himself, but he restrained himself enough to force out a snicker. "She said that didn't she?"

Letha raised a brow. "It's not true?"

"It's true. We're officially meeting today. Whatever that means. " He said. "So you're one of her friends ?"

"Yes. But I don't follow them all the time. I rather like to keep to myself most times.

"Since our family knows each other, we decided to hang around " She said, examining her almost empty plate of steaks and fries.

Nathan paused. Their parents knew each other?

Drew sauntered towards them, his tray in hand---probably come back from chatting with some group about his club or what not--- and plopped on the black seat across from them.

"You guys won't believe it. I haven't had any luck in recruiting these dumb heads to my club. Why are they such hard headed prats?"

"I wouldn't join myself, if I heard you called me those." Letha said softly, twitching her full lips.

Nathan laughed.

Drew rolled his eyes. "Of course not. I ain't stupid." He patted his forehead.

"Maybe they don't like the idea of a club that is just an idea. Maybe they decided it's an abstract concept." She said.

"It's not an abstract concept." Drew frowned.

"The Club isn't even a thing yet?" Nathan inquired, amused.

" It just haven't been established yet. I've not even found a venue for our activities. Why don't you join me? We can think up something..?" He turned to Letha, pleadingly.

"No, I can't. I'm void of ideas and I'm not the Club type, Drew" She responded.

Drew slumped his head and made a growling sound. "Forget it."

"So Letha " Nathan chirped in. "How did your families get to meet, you and Rose?"

"Oh...Well. My dad has conglomerates just like hers. So they're good friends "

"Instead of rivals...seems odd to me " Drew chewed on a substantial amount of food. "Normally they are a big competition and are supposed to fight each other "

Nathan couldn't agree more.

"What do you mean? There's always exceptions to the rule? They had both helped each other countless times, so I believe that's why they're close" Letha replied.

"Your last name though, Bates...sounds like Gates. Wonder if you're relatives...cousins?" Drew chuckled.

"No. But I've met with him before." She said in an unimpressed, stoic manner.

"Really?!?" Nathan and Drew both said at the same time.

"My Dad had a business meeting with him, and I tagged along is all" She flagged her hand dismissively. "But he's a hard-boiled man alright "

"Woa. That's cool!" Nathan chirruped.

Rose stood from her seat with her friends when their trays were finally empty of food. With a quick glance where he sat, she went out of the hall.

...............

Nathan arrived his dorm, tired and needing sleep. His day, nothing short of keeping close watch on her, and trying to not be seen doing it.

Then attempting to focus in class---instead of on Rose, or listening to Drew babble on---for what it was worth.

Devin was sprawled on his disarranged bed, skimming through a magazine, then dropped it and sighed. "My day was a mess. "

"Let's switch places" Nathan said, unthinkingly, as he pulled his boots and took off his hoodie.

"That bad huh?"

"If you considered some nuisances, yes."

The rest of his day was interesting. He'd made some exciting friends.

Devin said "I think it's a freshman-borne epidemic. But the Sports coming up tomorrow might liven things."

"Maybe " Nathan paused, musing over what he had to say next. "That aside Devin, we need to come up with a plan on how to keep this place clean

"I'm not trying to blame you, but you don't need reminding of how you left this place in the morning."

Devin yawned. "Never mind that. I was busy"

Nathan spun to him, frowning : "you got to be kidding me, is that an excuse you're spilling?"

His phone rang on the bed and he picked it up.

It was Mr Swack.

Nathan eyed Devin. "We'll get back to this topic"

He left for the door, and Devin rolled his eyes.

He walked into the hallway and then a secluded cubicle before he picked the call. "Mr, Swack"

"Nathan, nice to hear your voice. I'm safe to think you're doing good? "

"Yes all good, Sir"

"I'm glad. " He paused briefly. "What about her? Did she get into any trouble?"

"No, she didn't. She's doing fine, more than great if you asked me "

Being a brat and all.

"Well, did you find anything strange? Anybody trying to get close to her in order to harm her? You know how that shit goes... if you permit my use of the word."

There was one. No there wasn't. Letha wasn't a threat.

He didn't know why he was sure of that." No, nothing like that. All's fine."

"Alright" Mr. Swack paused. "Thank you Nathan"

When Nathan had ended the call, he went for a walk outside his dorm.

He took the winding pathway lined with Ponderosa pines, and leading to another set of Residence buildings, Rose's dorm being one among them.

He needed to know what her dorm looked like. If there were actually Subterranean pathways, underground tunnels and hidden entries and exits embedded here then he ought to be aware.

As they were used mostly when someone needed to be abducted without anyone noticing.

He had closed in on the building when he spotted her. She was with three of friends and they were seated on a stone bench, on a pavement that also served as a sidewalk.

She was quite a distance from him, so he remained somewhat hidden as he observed them chatting and debating.

Debating?

She really liked to live out her life didn't she?

But something else caught his eye.

A black Chevrolet car had pulled up at the edge of the road.

The passenger window slid down and a man, half-hidden by the tint of the windows, observed Rose and her friends chatting.

As if noticing his far off presence, the man turned to where he was. He was a middle aged man alright.

Nathan pretended to be busy, observing the flowers.

The flowers? of all things?

Seconds passed, then the window went back up, and the car, back in motion, wheeled away.

Who the hell was that?

The person after Mr.Swack's life?

Probably someone from Mr.Swack, checking up on them both? as he seemed to have known he was around. And Mr.Swack had called him earlier.

Well, Mr.Swack ought to see he was clearly doing his job, he didn't need help.