4

Emma is the kind of person who never trusts someone easily. She never warms up to anyone just after a few meets. Connor is the only person in this world whom she trusts. The invisible walls around her are high and strong. She didn't socialize, so almost all the time she kept to herself which led her to talk to herself.

Work was hectic today as it was Monday evening. Customers kept rolling in and the time flew in a blink. It was late at night when her shift ended. Stacy has already left.

Connor locked the gate as they both strolled to their path. Connor has been working here since before her. He was the one who got her job here. He has been her friend since she was 14. She always considered him as an elder brother who looked after his sister. He's 20 years old.

Many times he offered her to sell her apartment and buy one near his house as her area wasn't safe but she never wanted to sell the only thing that was left of her family, so she declined his offer.

But he was so worried for her all the time that every night after her shift ended he would walk her to her apartment. Connor was the one who suggested to her the idea of dressing like a boy while walking back home after work because, at that time of night, it wasn't safe for a girl to walk alone or with a man on the streets of her place.

Emma wore a big hoodie that Connor gifted her on her last birthday. Her hair was hidden and the cap she wore hid most of her face. The cloth wrapped around her chest was the thing she hated most. She can't even breathe. She's fat as per her bullies. Her busts are big so to appear like a boy she has to wrap her chest in a cloth and breathe like a dying cat.

They quietly walked past the group of thugs who were drinking near their bikes and they didn't pay attention to her and Connor. Once Emma was in front of her apartment she turned to thank him. "Thank you Connor but you don't have to do this every day." She said softly, feeling like a burden.

Connor smiled before he smacked her forehead playfully with the flick of his stone-like finger. Emma let out a wince of pain and rubbed her forehead while glaring at him who was taller than her.

"Shut up, Emma." He said with a roll of his eyes. "You hit my forehead again and I... I...will not make a sponge cake, ever!" She threatened and Connor's jaw dropped.

"Don't you dare! I can't live without your homemade sponge cake!" Connor said with fake heartbreak.

"Then don't hit me!" Emma muttered, making him chuckle. "Fine." He smiled before ruffling her cap as he motioned her to go in.

With a soft smile and a nod, she sauntered inside and closed her door after a small wave. Once she locked the door, she heard his footsteps fading away.

Emma walked to her room and immediately removed her hoodie followed by the cloth wrapped around her chest. As soon as it was off, she took a deep breath and wore her hoodie back.

Freedom!

The perks of living alone are that she could wear anything or nothing at all. It's comfortable.

Going into the restroom she freshened herself and walked into the kitchen to make dinner. It was extremely late at night so she ended up with a sandwich. After eating it, she checked the lock of her door again and padded into her room. Flopping herself down on the bed she let out a heavy sigh.

It was a hectic day. One down and a lot more days to go.

Emma was sitting in the library doing her pending assignment in her free time. After that, she took out her notebook and started writing the groceries and stuff that was needed in the house as the month had ended.

She made the list and then mentioned the price of each and everything. A smile appeared on her face when the total money was under her budget and still some amount of money was left which she could keep as her savings.

After finishing up her work she left the library. All the students were in the corridor going towards their respective classes.

Her mind was completely drowned in the fact; that she could buy the groceries. Sunday was still six days away and she didn't have much time during the weekdays due to education and work.

A yelp escaped her lips when her body collided with a hard wall. For a second her brain stopped working and her body was falling back.

A rough hold on her arm and a harsh yanking of her body had a scream leaving her lips. Her body yet again collided with a wall.

She didn't dare open her eyes. The hold on her arm became rough, making her wince and her eyes shot open. The first thing that came to her line of vision was a wolf. Not a wolf exactly but a steel pendant of a viciously growling wolf.

In a millisecond her eyes shot up and widened to the size of saucers when they met with the green forest eyes.

Her breath hitched and a chill ran down her spine. She abruptly moved two steps back. Staring at Mr. Colt with terror-filled eyes.

"I-I'm s-sorry." She stuttered badly, her voice a mere whisper. Not being able to look in his dark intense eyes she looked down at the floor.

She was scared of him. Who wouldn't be scared of a dangerous-looking large man like him?

"Look where you're going." He said coldly, making her gulp.

She raised her eyes to give him an apologetic explanation but his cold expressionless face and those piercing eyes were enough to make her shut her mouth.

Without further word, he walked past her making her gulp. Once he was gone did she realize what truly happened?

Emma picked up her bag from the floor and looked around to find a couple of eyes set dead on her.

"This nerd is so lucky that she felt him up." One of the girls standing near the lockers sneered.

Emma's heart dropped into the deepest hollow of disgust at their words.