SHE (Book #1)

13

** Tempest POV***

I sit and tap my fingers on the wooden desk, book open in front of me. The words all blend together into a sentence I cannot understand. I reread and reread and reread but still, I cannot comprehend anything. All I see is his stupid smirking face.

"Frank," I look up and slap my book.

He turns from where he is standing, "Yes, Miss Moore,"

"I have a question, but you only have to answer it," he blinks at me and waits, "How do guys flirt with girls? and what does it mean when a guy flirts with a girl?"

His eyes widen. His mouth opens and closes a couple of times, then he says, "Aren't you old enough to know this?"

I shake my head, "I didn't really grow up in a household where I can freely discuss men nor did I go to a school that had boys so...."

He sighs and takes a seat in front of me, "Well... typically when a guy flirts with a girl, he fancies her, you know, like has feelings for her,"

"Like romantic feelings?"
He nods.

"But what if the guy asked her to be friends first, but suddenly tells her that he has been flirting with her the whole time," I am suddenly intrigued.

"The guy probably didn't want to pressure her into liking him or he was too scared to express his feelings- hold on," Franks gives me a look, "This doesn't sound like a rhetorical question anymore,"

I groan and put my head on the table, "It's not a rhetorical question, Frank. It's a real-life tragedy,"

I feel him pat my head, very gently. "Who is flirting with you?"

I squeeze my eyes shut, the image of his face pops into my mind and I feel the sudden closeness and the small he had created between us. I remember the nervous and terrifying feeling of being alone with him. I bit off more than I can chew.

"You'll be mad, Frank, and gravely disappointed," I place my chin on the table and look up at him, "It's Malachi,"

His face turns murderous, "Malachi Stone? The one your grandfather and I specifically warned you about. The one who is notorious for playing with women. Are you out of your mind, Miss Moore?"

"I didn't say I liked him, I just said he is flirting with me,"

"When? When did he ever have the chance to flirt with you?" he questions.
I don't want to tell him I lied about my whereabouts a couple of times just to sneak around and meet him at a closed library. That sounds way worse than it actually is.

"That doesn't matter, Frank. Do you think he is just playing with me?"

He looks at me like I am stupid.
Like I have no idea what I just said.

"Tempest," he says my name for the first time ever, "You are a lot of things, but you are not dumb. He is the one person you have to worry about. He is the one person who will be able to take your position in a heartbeat. I know you never had anyone explain to you how relationships work, but it is obvious he is trying to use you,"

My heart breaks.
Not because of Malachi, because I already knew what he was up to long before Frank explaining it to me.
Instead, my heart breaks at this conversation with Frank. A man I have known for a handful of months, who is being more of a father to me than my real father ever was. A man who I feel safe rather than fear. A man who is advising me to be careful and to be strong and to use my head.

"Thank you, Frank," my voice cracks a little bit, "Thank you so much,"

He dishevels my hair a little bit, "Anytime, kiddo. I needed to have this conversation more than you did, honestly. I have a five-year-old daughter who is going to ask me the same questions one day,"