High School Again: The President's Secret Lady Boss

Winter started attending classes again this morning, and in the afternoon, August came to pick her up and give her a drive back home.

It isn't really necessary for him to do it himself since she already has a couple of bodyguards tagging along. Marcellus was the one who chose them specifically, saying that they used to be part of an elite force in the military. Her friends and schoolmates were taken aback to see her being tailed by these men in suits almost everywhere on campus, especially Maxine, Courtney, and Xander.     

Winter was rambling about how her day went while August quietly drove and listened.

Little does she know that he knows she's just distracting him. He won't let her chattiness divert his focus from the main topic at hand.   

"Why are you the one taking care of him?" he grumbled, and she flinched even though she was already used to his grumbling. 

By him, he's pertaining to Marcellus - apparently, he has gotten sick again. Claude had informed her that it's not usually as bad as a fever.. But because he's been overworking himself lately, it's only a matter of time before his health further declined. Winter knows that it's partly her fault. Apart from his usual workload and the preparations for Harold's homecoming party, he also has to deal with the Middleton family.   

So, Winter decided to take care of Marcellus, though August wasn't happy about it.

"Because he's sick and his grandparents can't take care of him…" she reminded him. 

"All his other relatives are out of the country right now."

"Can't they, I don't know, catch a flight back here…?" he grumbled again, rolling his eyes this time. 

"They're so rich they own private jets!"

"They've got work, August. It's not like he's in a critical condition, either. It's just a fever."

"Exactly! Just a fever! So, why you?!"

"Why not me?"

Knowing he won't win the argument anymore, he just clicks his tongue and lightens the pressure on the gas, making the car go as slow as physically possible. If he can't stop her from going there, then he might as well delay the inevitable.

"Do you always have to go this slow?" Winter deadpanned.

"Safety measures," August also deadpanned.

Rolling her eyes, she places her feet on the dash and makes herself comfortable in the front seat. After fiddling with the radio channels for a while, she pulls out her phone and starts playing games at random just to pass the time.

"You're going to be late for work," she eventually said.

"So? I practically own my department. I can afford to be late."

"And look like the worst supervisor on the planet?"

"Who cares what they think?"

"Uh-huh. And what happens if there's a random inspection and you're not there?"

"There's no such thing as a random inspection. You're making that up."

"How sure are you?"

"Two hundred percent."

"Then, there's the remaining eight hundred percent of doubt."

"Math doesn't work that way!"

"I'm the one who's studying math, August. I'm pretty sure it works that way."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does."

"Whatever. They can inspect things without me."

"And if they end up finding your top-secret documents from your undercover work?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Winter rapidly blinks at him. August raises a brow at her. 

"You're no fun," she then huffed, crossing her arms.

"No fun? I'm plenty fun!" he bolted out, exasperated.

"You can't even play along."

"Play along with what?"

"The roleplay."

"Oh, so we're having a roleplay?"

"Yes, we were!"

"No, we weren't! You were talking about random inspections!"

She groans while he gives her a glare. Neither was still snapping out of their banter. 

"That was part of the roleplay, August!"

"What? How was I supposed to know?"

"I literally said top-secret undercover work!"

"And that was supposed to be my cue? Why are you even trying to role-play?"

"Because I'm bored!"

"Go be bored doing something else!"

"Or maybe you should drive faster! You drive like an old lady –"

August raises a finger. Winter groans again, already guessing where this is heading. 

"I'm giving you time to change your mind."

"Change my mind about what?"

"Going to Lexington's place."

"But Sir Lexington is sick! Changing my mind is not an option!"

"Yes, it is! He's a grown-up! He can take care of himself!"

"He can't even stand properly for more than five minutes. How's he supposed to eat?"

"Stick a can in the microwave! I don't know!"

"And that's why I need to go-"

"But I don't want you to go-"

"And why not?"

"Cause you're my little sis!"

Her eyes widen in surprise. 

His words register in her mind, and she shrinks into her seat, looking up at him in child-like wonder. He hasn't noticed her stunned silence in the least, so he continues to ramble, "I know you're almost nineteen, and you're too old to be called 'little' or whatever, but you're my sister, and I don't like the way that man looks at you. Have you seen the way he looks at you? It's all lovey-dovey and gooey and disgusting and-"

"But I am your little sis…" she interrupted him, grinning widely. 

"Who said anything could ever change that?"

"Huh?" 

August looks at her - really looks at her. Then, he realizes what Winter is saying. 

"Oh."

Her smile seems to brighten up even more. She leans back into her seat, quite satisfied.

"You know, August…" she began to say cheerfully. 

"Just because I love Marcellus doesn't mean I'll ever stop loving you. I mean, you're my big bro, right? You've kept me with you, and even though we have our unpleasant days, I'll always be your little sis."

Winter turns to look at him again. She's then caught off-guard to find August's flabbergasted expression. Baffled, she tilts her head and blurts out, "What?"

"You love Mr. Lexington?" he repeated, and her heart exploded in her chest.

She's screwed. She can't believe she said that so easily – and in front of him at that. 

"That's it…!" August announced, attempting to make a U-turn, much to Winter's surprise. 

"I'm not bringing you to his place or to ours! Let's stay at a hotel from now on-"

"Hey!"

---

"Here, Sir Lexington."

Marcellus blinks at the spoon of soup that's being held out for him. Winter makes a puzzled look upon noticing his reluctance. 

"O-Oh, I'm not very hungry," he said nervously. 

"You keep on saying that…" she groused, pouting. 

"It's five in the afternoon. Of course, you're hungry-"

"No, I'm really not." 

He insists, turning his head and hiding underneath his blanket. She blinks down at him, now even more puzzled. 

"You can go to the living room and watch TV if you want. I'm just going to go to sleep."

"But you have to eat!"

"Not hungry."

"Sir Lexington!"

Marcellus peeks at Winter from under the comforter. He then buries his head again when he looks to the side and finds August's furious stare burning into his soul.

"Nope, I'm good!" Marcellus squeaked. 

"Get up, you rascal! You're going to eat whether you like it or not!" Winter ordered.

"No!"

"You heard him, Winter…" August piped in with a self-satisfied smirk, leaning back against the wall and lifting his feet up onto a nearby stool. 

"He's going to be just fine."

She turned to the side and shot him a glare. With a huff, she points to the door and orders him next, "Out."

"What?" he blurted out, his smirk dropping.

"Go to the living room and watch TV."

"Who died and made you boss?"

"Just!" 

Winter frantically gestures to the door. Rolling his eyes, August stands up with a stretch.

"You better make sure that the only thing touching his mouth is the spoon-"

"August!"

"You heard me, young lady."

"I know! Now, get out so he can eat!"

It takes five more minutes before August shuts the door behind him. Winter turns to Marcellus with a sigh and picks up the bowl of soup. 

"Will you eat now?" she asked, and to her surprise, he shook his head.

"Nope."

"But my brother's not glaring at you anymore."

"Yep. I know."

"So why aren't you-"

"Because I was never intimidated by your brother's look." 

He put away the blanket and sat upright. She watches him turn to him, his legs swinging at the side of his bed, and with a dumbfounded look, she intones, "What?" 

"I have to commend your brother, though…" he said as he gave her a smile.

"That was, by far, one of the scariest looks I've ever seen in my whole life."

"Wait. So, if you weren't intimidated, why were you being such a rascal?"

"I was just pretending. I needed him to leave the room. That's all."

"And why's that?"

He draws closer to her, his hands reaching out to hold the sides of her face. She can feel that he's warmer than usual – must be the fever. As he starts gently stroking her cheeks with his thumbs, smiling somewhat weakly, she puts her hands on top of his and stares straight into his eyes.

That loving, affectionate pair of eyes. 

"I have to confess something to you, Winter."

Right then, Marcellus suddenly looks grim, earning Winter's concern and confusion.