Jamison had been waiting for me as I had come down the stairs this morning and despite me asking him to move, he kept crowding me, trying to take my arm, to touch me, so I had remained on the stairs having to listen to him spouting off about me dating a Steele.  It had been a relief when I had spotted Raven and Jett over his shoulder and I knew then the Steele boys had crept under all my shields and I felt safe, I trusted them.

I had also noticed two other things when I was stood in that foyer watching Raven deal with Jamison.
One... The camera's were tracking what happened both in and outside the building. And they had been pointed at me.
Two... The other students listened to the Steele brothers and it had been a relief when with just a look from Jett, cameras and phones had disappeared.

I wondered how long it would be before my family started asking questions, I had no doubt at all that they knew that something was going on, but would they interfere or let me deal with it myself. And I wondered which side would take the lead, even worse they may work together and that wouldn't be good for anyone threatening me.

As Raven had guided me across the campus and to the Physics building, Jett following us with my bag, I had felt the eyes of other students watching us, the whispered conversations that some tried to hide behind their hands and when Raven had kissed me and left me with Jett I had ignored everything except the delightful flutter in my stomach, I had never experienced anything like that with Josh or anyone else.

Jett had glared at the students we passed as he guided me to class, and had seemed very surprised that I had noticed and he made me blush with his obvious delight at my reaction.  I was glad, I had worried that my response would be taken in a negative way.

With Josh he had loved any attention, even if it was negative and he had hated how I had ignored it all, Melanie had said the right things but she too had loved any and all attention, they got a lot of attention when they set me up and revelled in it, until of course it had come back to bite them, in the form of my cousins.

After our lab, Jett had once again taken my bag and we had headed for the main cafeteria, spotting Grey already at the table with a loaded tray, looking like it held enough for all of us.

"Hey" I greet sitting in the seat Jett had pulled out for me.
"Morning Precious" he greets and I grin as Jett laughs next to me.
"Precious?" he laughs again and I smack him with the back of my hand, as Grey flushes.
"Do I get to nickname you too?" I ask him with a grin, making Jet pout and mutter he wanted one to, and we both laugh at him this time.
"What's up with him?" Ash asks dropping into one of the empty chairs?

I scan the room to see if Raven is coming yet but there is no sign of him.
"Start eating, Ray will be here soon" Grey instructs me, pushing the loaded tray my way, and they all wait fro me to choose first.

"Thank you" I mutter with a blush, opening the prepackaged salad and digging in, as the boys discuss with Jett what happened with Jamison this morning, asking me the occasional question and mostly repeating the "are you okay"

It's nearing the end of lunch and there is still no sign of Raven, and whilst his brother think he probably just go lost in studying, my gut was telling me something was wrong.
"Call him" Ash suggested noticing my searching gaze, "I have no doubt he will have given you a special ringtone that will snap him out of anything he is buried in"

I pull the phone out of my bag, ignoring their muttered comments it needed to be in my pocket not my bag and I pressed the phone to my ear, hearing it ring and ring.
I disconnected and tried again, and again, on the fourth try it was answered...
"Raven, where are you?" I rushed out, but all I could hear was silence, I pulled the phone away and looked at the screen, it shouted I was still connected.
"Hello?" I asked cautiously, my gut churning, this was all wrong.
"Hello?"

"Dee Dee?" I sagged in my seat at the sound of my Cousins voice, relief then fear gripped me.
"Leo, tell me you haven't hurt him?" I gasp out, worry making my hands shake, I can hear the boys around me, concern in their voices, Ash takes the phone from me, as Jett grabs my bag and arm, lifting me from my seat and guiding me out of the hall, Grey leading the way, opening doors till he finds a vacant room, all of us inside and Grey shutting the door behind us as Ash puts the phone on speaker.
"Put my cousin back on the phone now, or so help me God you will be sorry" Leo's voice echoes angrily around the room.
"Leo, what have you done?" I growl coming out of my shock with a rush. "Where is Raven"
We hear a couple of murmurs then Ravens voice.
"Viri, it's okay, I'm okay" he smooths down the line and I sag against Ash, his arm circling me.
"Where are you" I question, "Why are you with Leo?"

"Are you with my brothers?" He asks and I nod before shaking myself, he can't see me.
"Yes" I whisper out. "Raven?"

"Viri, I promise you I am okay, they had some questions about what was going on, I will be back shortly, I will be back before you finish classes" he replied.
"Promise" I whisper out.
"I promise and while I'm gone, my brothers will look after you."  He pauses for a second before adding, "Leo says he will see you soon and he has this number now."

The line goes dead and I raise guilty eyes to the boys watching me. "I'm sorry" I whisper out and they all shake their heads at me, but it's Jett that steps up and takes my hand between his.
"Viri, you have nothing to be sorry about, none of us blame you"
Grey's arm circles me and I lean into his side, as Ash, leans in to kiss my forehead, with all of them surrounding me I finally feel grounded again.

We hear the clock tower chime, and know it's time to go to class. "Come on sweetie.  Let's get to class, we need to trust he will be here waiting for you when class finishes" Grey loops his arm through mine and guides me to the door and I let him, not wanting to think about the what ifs.