GHOST TRILLIONAIRE OF VANDERBILT

Chapter four: Be my girlfriend

Step away now," Caius used the same tone, "or everyone of you will regret it!"

The Cafeteria was as silent as a grave yard. No single cutleries clanged, no table screeched. Just dead silence. At exactly five seconds, a spoon clattered to the floor.

Instinctively, the crowd parted to the Young woman at the centre. Even she raised her head, the confusion or surprise on her face veiled by the hair scattered over her face. 

Caius walked through to her, his footsteps barely audible on the ground. He stopped in her front and crouched before her. The entire cafeteria watched in the silence.

Disregarding the juice sticking in her hair, he gently threw her hair to the back to see her face. His chest hammered.

It was really her.

The girl in her dream. His destiny partner sitting in ruin surrounded by predators.

Her thick black hair, her small attractive eyes and face that was sketched on his phone. It was her perfect resemblance. The only difference was that she was looking messy— tears filled her eyes, food crumbs patted to her face. Caius's heart tightened.

He leaned closer and did the most shocking thing. His arms went under her and he lifted her gently into his arm.

The Cafeteria gasped.

The young woman, Arabella Kingsley gasped softly in his arm but she didn't struggle. Her face flushed.

Comments flooded the air. Phone were out, snapping and recording the entire thing that could be tagged 'ROMANTIC."

"Who is that? Is he a student here?" 

"Did he know he before?"

"Awwn..this looks romantic." One girl giggled.

Caius rose to his feet and turned to face the crowd. His expression was hard. Arabella was in his arms curled up like a baby.

"Listen you all." His voice carried across with a commanding authority. "Whoever among you should lay a hand on her again will be in serious trouble. And I mean it. Very serious trouble."

He finished and turned walking out of the ruin  with his queen in his arm.

The cafeteria exploded with comments, the school media— KingswellMed was on fire—  The video of Caius lifting Arabella up circulated fast, comments exploding under it.

"Damn! Is that Dirty Arabella?!" 

She was called dirty because Arabella is the poorest girl in the school and they even hate her more because she top the class.

"Aww...this is Epic Romance." 

"Miserable Hero and the Dirty Ara. How matching." 

Meanwhile, inside a quiet Classroom, Caius gently set her down on her feet, staring at her.  

Arabella didn't look up. Her finger twisted the front of her skirt, her knuckles whitening. The silence stretched between them.

"W— ho are you? W— hat do you want from me?" Her shoulder shuddered. Her head remained down.

Caius took one step closer and Arabella step backward in fear.

"Please don't harm me. Please. I'll do anything you say. Please." 

Caius's heart tightened, understanding her situation.

"I didn't take you from them to harm you. I won't." He said, his voice gentle.

Arabella shook her head frantically. "No..no..you don't know what you're doing. Everyone hate me. They bully me. I.." Her voice cracked. "..they take advantage of me. Tell me what do you want?" 

Caius's heart ached merely hearing her voice breaking.

"I don't want..." 

Arabella suddenly turned, sprinting to the door in fear. 

"Please please..Let me go." Her footsteps echoed in the empty Hall.

"You can't keep running, Arabella. You need to stand up and fight for yourself for once." Caius said louder without running after her.

 Arabella didn't stop.

"I know you have been bullied. I know everyone hate you. They look down on you but I don't. I can't— "

She didn't stop yet. Tears streamed down her face as she continued running.

"— I can't because I want you to be my girlfriend, Arabella."

And so, She finally froze at the door.