Filed To Story: The Perfect Spiral Book PDF Free by Ashley Constantine
As we neared the end of the talk, I decided to open the floor to the audience. The lights came up, and I was taken aback by the sheer number of people in the room. “Wow! I didn’t realize how many people were here.” I murmured, laughing to myself.
The sight of so many eyes on me reignited my nerves. After a few moments, a microphone was passed along a line of people until it stopped. A girl stood up with it in her hand.
“Have you ever been bullied?” she asked, her voice small. She was a petite girl with glasses that seemed to take up half her face. Despite her lack of confidence, she was strikingly pretty. I smiled at her and nodded.
“Yes, I have been bullied. In school and at home. In school by your typical mean girl and at home by a man I had to call my dad. What’s your name?”
“Kate.”
“Kate, that’s a pretty name. I was bullied in school not because I was smart, but because I was related to certain people who were friends with certain people-namely, football players.
I could always tell when a girl was befriending me just to get closer to my brothers and their friends. But one girl, in particular, made it really hard for me to go to school. My own family doesn’t even know about any of this.
But I think it’s important to say. The fact that she would bring you down emotionally meant she was threatened by you. It took me a long time to figure it out.
But at the end of the day, she’s still chasing after the same type of guys and will likely end up as the next trophy wife. Meanwhile, I’m here, selling out an event, promoting STEM, being watched by over four million viewers.
I’m making my own impact in the world and getting recognized for it. At the end of the day, the nerds make the difference in the future, not the mean girls who stamp all over people out of fear.
Trust me, Kate, it gets better when you’re older. When you can buy a Chanel and Hermes bag with your own money, design your own house with a walk-in wardrobe, have any car you want in the world, and be happy in your own shoes.
The tough times in high school make you thick-skinned, and it makes it all worth it at the end of the long road.” As soon as I finished, a thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and I couldn’t help but smile at them.
“Plus, one day you might end up being her boss,” I added, making her laugh.
A few more questions were asked until a final one of, “Is it you in Knox Carter’s Instagram photo?” I leaned back in my seat, considering the question. I could tell the truth, but it would create a media circus if I did.
“No, it’s not me. We don’t even know if it’s him in the photo. He doesn’t talk about it. But he’s good with the camera if it is him,” I concluded, effectively ending the talk as time was up.
The lie was smooth and convincing enough that nobody challenged me further.
“Seeing as our time here is up, I would like to thank you all for coming out and taking the opportunity to listen to all the promoters in this conference, especially Alex.
But I would like to thank Alex for coming from Savannah to sit with us today and to share what she has shared. I hope it inspires a lot of girls to know that it’s alright to want to study STEM courses.”
I received a standing ovation and a round of applause. I thanked everyone for coming out and taking the time to see me, assuring them that STEM for girls can be cool too.
The cameras started flashing immediately when I stood up, catching me off guard for a second. I gave them one last wave and walked off stage to be greeted by a beaming Knox with his team behind him.
As soon as I neared Knox, he pulled me into a tight hug. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him back, resting my cheek on his chest. I never thought that Knox Carter would actually comfort me.
“You were incredible, baby doll!” he whispered into my hair.
After the event was cleared, we made our way back to his Audi that was parked in a special space for the day. We got in and drove off alone.
It was late because I wanted to stick around and see the science conference, and so did Knox. He interrupted my thoughts on the day’s events. He parked as the lights had just turned red.
“I need you to put this on,” he said, handing me a sleep mask. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Seriously? Isn’t the kinky stuff for later?” I teased, trying to suppress another bout of laughter. His brows shot up and his eyes widened at my words. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, struggling to form words.
“W-What? No, I-I, are you messing with me?” he stammered, looking adorably flustered. I smiled at him and put the blindfold over my eyes. I leaned back in the leather seats and relaxed.
“I’m messing with you. I’m not the type you can get into bed at the end of the first date. I’m not that easy,” I said, feeling his hand being placed on top of mine. I jumped slightly, not expecting it.
“I know you’re not, baby doll. You were always a tough one. It was so hard to get your attention. I know you’re giving me a chance tonight and I couldn’t be happier that you have.
I’m not going to miss this opportunity, so if you like tonight, I would like to take you out again, because I know I will have an incredible time with you. Don’t answer now, wait until I woo you, then you can answer,” he joked.
Just hearing his voice made me excited about where he was taking me. I brought his hand up to my lips and kissed it.
“What was that for?” he asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
“I didn’t want to lean over to try to kiss you on the cheek. I can’t see you, so it statistically wouldn’t have ended up there….”
His laughter rings out, filling the car and making me smile. I bite down on my lower lip, reveling in the sound of his joy.
“You can do it when we get there,” he tells me, his laughter finally subsiding.
“I brought a jacket and your camera with me. You’ll need them, trust me. I’m not telling you anything about where we’re going, so don’t even try asking me, baby doll. I covered your eyes for two reasons.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh, the sound echoing in the car until I feel us come to a stop. The click of his seatbelt releasing and the sound of the material retracting into the side of the car fill the silence.
“Stay there, I’ll come around and help you out.” I nod, hearing the door open and close behind him. The door opens again, and I hear him gather what I assume are jackets and cameras.
Then, my door opens. His hand takes mine, gently pulling me out of the car. I stand up, adjusting my skirt, and feel him guide me out of the way so he can close the door behind me.
He takes my shoulders from behind and guides me forward, then stops. We start moving again until we come to another stop. I hear the ding of an elevator and we step inside. He pushes a button and I hear the doors close.
“You’re not taking me to be sold to the mafia, are you? This sounds like a pretty upscale place….” I joke, hearing a chuckle from behind me.
He kisses my bare shoulder. “I wouldn’t dream of selling you to anyone, baby doll….. I don’t know if anyone would put up with you….” His joke makes me laugh even more.
“Hey! I’d be a perfect trophy wife” The ding of the elevator cuts me off. The doors open and I feel the chill of the air conditioning on my skin.
Goosebumps rise on my skin and he notices, so he helps me into my jacket.
“I’m going to lift you up now, alright? There are a lot of stairs here and I can’t risk you hurting yourself, baby doll.” He scoops me up bridal style and I yelp in surprise.
“Well, if I said no, you would’ve done it anyway,” I retort, making him chuckle. His breath is warm on my face. He’s close, but I can’t see how close he is.
I hear him knock on a door and feel a gust of wind as it opens. He sets me down and once again takes my shoulders in his hands, guiding me forward.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.