She looks lonely on the rooftop

~Alexie Ivanov~

Parking my car in a vacant spot, I looked up, and a fallen leaf caught my attention. That's when I saw her at the edge of the rooftop. My eyes widened in panic as I dashed through the halls filled with students to reach her. Reaching the top, I steadied my breath, reminding myself to approach this gently before turning the knob and walking toward her.

My steps, which I had unknowingly mastered to be almost soundless over the years in my profession, were eerily quiet compared to the usual sounds. I approached her with a friendly tone, unaware of the stealth in my movements. "You know, jumping is not a pleasant way to go. In fact, you'd think it would be rather painful." What I didn't realize was that I had, in fact, startled her, causing her to lose her footing on the edge. The girl was just inches away from slipping to her ultimate death, all because of my stupidity. Panic shot through my body as my reflexes kicked in, and I reached out to catch hold of her wrist. Her eyes instantly closed, her features contorted in fear and regret. On the verge of tears, I heard her sigh in relief, indicating her will to live.

'Stupid, stupid, you were about to kill the one you were entrusted to protect, that too on your first meeting!' I scolded myself, yet her odd behavior humored me as a smirk formed on my face, and I asked her "Good, I see you still have the will to live."

I observed her beautiful doe eyes flutter as she nervously bit her lip, her evident attraction to my male form reflected in my eyes, filling me with a sense of pride. While I was well aware of the impact I had on the opposite gender, witnessing her embarrassment, her face turning as red as a tomato, was a unique experience. Despite her attempts to regain composure by coughing and reaching for the railing with her free hand, I wasn't inclined to let her off the hook so easily. My grip on her wrist remained firm. Regardless of her attempts to amuse me, I couldn't afford to entertain improper thoughts. She was under my guardianship for the year, and my responsibility was to guide her through the complexities of adolescence, nothing more, nothing less.

"Um…" confused she mewled.

My stern demeanor back I instructed her " Alright, now slowly put up your leg on this side and come this way." My grip on her wrist remained firm as I guided her to the safety of the rooftop. Watching closely as she followed my instructions, sliding the curve of one of her legs over the edge, the sun highlighted the tempting curves of her thighs. Suddenly, she jumped, causing a shake that momentarily loosened my hold. Instinctively, I gave her the space she needed, but what surprised me was her bold choice, causing her skirt to flutter up in the wind. The curve of her hips and the brief exposure of the fabric covering her intimate area unexpectedly came into view. I had witnessed similar acts of seduction by men and women that society might deem more conventionally attractive, yet there was something about her unconventional actions, the rebellion in her spirit, the fierce gaze that made desire surge within me. My pants tightened beneath the curtain of my wool trench coat, and I silently thanked the chilly weather for concealing my reaction.

Apparently, it was clear that this unintentional display of skin was not her intention either. Embarrassment surged through her actions as she mechanically willed her body towards the door. Amused, I cooed, "That was a nice view, I might add better than this," and pointed to the scenery behind me. I watched her spirits rise, leaning against the railing and observed her soft lips mutter the defiant response. "Well, take it as payment for your generosity." Instead of angering my insides, it tempted me even more as I watched her rush out. Laughter filled my lungs as I said loud and clear enough for her to hear, "How disobedient."

Well, we could always correct such deviant behavior, but for now, I needed to catch the little running rabbit. Yet again, I reminded myself to be patient. As much as I wanted to sweep her off her feet, throw her over my shoulders, and maybe even deliver a disciplinary action, I knew I had to approach her with care. Building trust, treating her like a friend, was crucial—not making her hate me for eternity. Though the thought of disciplinary action was tempting, I silently prayed, "Oh Lord, our father above, please give me strength. Amen." With that, I made my way toward the dean's office. The authorities should understand how necessary it is to protect an underage young lady, especially now that the roof over her head had been abruptly removed. However, it seemed the institute cared more about maintaining its reputation than the well-being of its entrusted younglings.

Nari's father had confided in me about how the last remnants of their personal income, following his wife's medical treatment, were devoted to Nari's tuition, as per his late wife's dying wish. In the wake of the Patel family's decline, the special attention afforded to Nari waned, relegating her to the status of an outcast allowed to remain on the premises to finish her studies, as though she hadn't paid for the privilege. Prestigious schools, however, are not mere institutions; they are battlegrounds for politics and murky connections. As I confidently strode through the halls, drawing the attention of many, a feigned humble smile graced my features. I recognized several familiar faces, individuals whose dark secrets were just a click away from my knowledge. Upon reaching the double doors, I was greeted by his secretary, a young blonde named Mrs. Henderson, the trophy wife of Mikel Henderson from Henderson Attorneys.

A smile bloomed as I said "Hello, Mrs Henderson. I am Aliexie Ivonov" I extended my hand towards her.

"Hello, Mr. Ivanov," greeted the dean's secretary with a coy smile, her lips subtly fluttering as she extended her hand towards mine. "Mr Thorton will see you now." I acknowledged her with a nod, retracting my hand before striding towards the connecting corridor without a second glance.

Entering the dean's office, my dark Russian accent filled the air as I addressed Thornton Tusker. The man, once a drunk turned professor turned dean, knew the precarious balance he maintained with me. His position, acquired through dubious means, was at the mercy of the secrets I held. He gulped, replying with a forced diplomatic smile, "Hello, Mr. Ivanov. So, you are here about Nariya Patel?"

"Yes," I replied without bothering with any fakeness, "you see her father put her under my care." with that I fished out the Gaurdianship documents that clearly stated so.

"Nariya Patel... haha," his nervous laughter echoed in the enclosed space. "Who would've thought Mr. Patel knew someone like yo—" Before he could complete his sentence, my raised eyebrow signaled the dominance in the room. My fingers impatiently tapped on the cold leather couch as the older man fidgeted with his phone to inform the secretary of my demand for Nari. The wait felt like a lifelong torture for the dean. I won't disagree; I was relishing the unease my presence brought forward in people. Three times he offered me a beverage, and three times I rejected him. Finally, as the tension grew in his stomach, he started stammering, expressing the thoughts that weighed heavily on his mind.

"I see you have the authority letter, and I understand what she and her father have gone through. Yet, it seems a bit imposing, dont' you think, Mr Ivanov?" the last words "to show up here impromptu" remained lost in his breath.

Leaning forward, a smile bloomed on my rosy lips. "You knew of her condition, yet, I know how you and your staff have been treating her. You would think no one knows, but I know, Mr. Thornton. You would realize, I always know."

Gulping, he understood what I meant. Despite her family's conditions, the institute had no reason whatsoever to intervene. However, now things were completely different. She was a minor, and a homeless one at that. Her well-being directly correlated to theirs, but none of them ever made any effort. What a joke of a prestigious institute.

Frustration laced voice replied "I know, I know. The police had contacted me about her father's whereabouts and even her behaviour. I honestly thought she didn't know and thats what I informed them."

"Hmm," I looked around the posh office filled with treasures worth millions. Not a single piece of furniture in his office failed to scream richness, and I knew from where the river of riches flowed. In a round circle—if you are in the circle, that's great; you are either a lucky or a cunning bastard. If you are not, your entire life you'll try your luck or your cunning nature to get in. This man in front of me came from the first half. He didn't give a rat's shit about some unlucky bastard or his daughter. In fact, I can bet a million on it right now that he just bribed his way to the authorities as well to keep his and the institute's names out of the papers. After a minute of casual staring, I looked at the sweating heap of human mass sitting in front of me. "Really now?" My thick accent sat deep on the 'now,' as we both knew what a big fat lie this big fat ass had just spurted out.

Gulping he continued, "Well, I guess legally you are her guardian" in his tries at redeeming his blabbering, he offered "but you know the girl hasnt approached you on her own, so….." he trailed off thinking and hoping to end this awkward conversation "you know what? I have called Miss Patel here, why don't we wait for here and then you both can have a one on one."

"So be it." I leaned back in my plush chair, legs casually crossed, as we awaited the arrival of the girl. This subordinate wasn't naive; he could sense the subtle tension in the air. Yet, revealing my cards now would be unnecessary. Escalating the situation further at this point served no purpose—at least, not for the time being.

But the wait was abruptly interrupted when the secretary burst into the room, her breath racing, eyes scanning the space in fear. "Principal Thornton, I..." she stammered, her gaze meeting mine briefly before guilt compelled her to look at the floor. "I need to tell you something in private, please-"

However, I was in no mood for her stammering incompetence. "Spit," I snapped, my anger surging through my veins. I knew Nari was late, a little too late, and whatever it was, I didn't like it. Her expression changed from guilt to fear in an instant. As if transfixed by my command, she informed, "Nariya Patel, she ran out of the office, and when we tried to track her, she had already left the campus ground..." Her meek words trailed into the air. From the corner of my eyes, I saw the heap of mass motioning to get up, and in a quick flow, I showed him my palm, indicating to stop. With a quick turn towards the door, I walked out, but not before leaving a warning in the environment. "I'll take care of this; however, don't ever disappoint me, Thornton," my thick accent sitting tight on his name. I narrowed my fixated gaze on him one last time before my steps carried me out.

As I made a quick stride out to the parking lot, my jaws tightened in rage. The patience tactic was out the window now. Sliding into my car, I scooped out my phone and accessed a secret folder. Clicking on apps, I selected the one titled "tracking" and generated a fake message to send to anyone who opened the spam message. Selecting Nari's contact, I sent the message to her. Waiting a few minutes, my prompt informed me that the gullible girl had opened the message, and now her location was easily accessible to me.

I vaguely knew she would be at her minimum-wage job right now, but what about later? Where would she head after that for the night? She probably would try to break into the sealed-off house, I thought, and made my way towards her job site. However, en route, I saw her moving in the opposite direction I had anticipated. Parking my car on the side, I checked the map, and the location I had anticipated didn't look promising. I narrowed my eyes and rushed to her new location.