Behind Every Man

Elm Treigh


Chapter One

She clutched her tattered clothes against her, trying her best to cover her naked body; ignoring the stinging sensations along her back and arms. How sore her legs felt and the bruises already forming on her thighs.

She couldn't believe this. She couldn't believe he of all people would do what he did to her. She thought he loved her. He had been so caring. So charming. He was so beautiful. It was luck that he even spoke to her let alone looked at her. She being the plain Jane. The ordinary geekette that no boy or girl even looked at twice. The day he showed interest in her and the way he was so gentle with her the first time. She loved him.

"Don't look at me like that," He said, pulling on his shirt. "It was good. You were good."

She stifled a sob as she wiped away the tears resting at the corner of her eyes. She looked up at him. Hurt, pain, broken. "Why?" She asked him weakly.

He buckled his belt and strutted his way toward her. She flinched at his movements and how close he was to her; hating that the boy she had once adored was now the boy she both feared and loathed. He bent to her level, tucking away a strand of honey brown hair behind her ear.

"I leave to Ipswich tonight," He whispered, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. "I wanted to leave us a good bye present neither of us will ever forget."

She glared up at him, hate clearly expressed on her features. He smiled at her, unfazed. It was then she vowed she'd be avenged.


She wandered the halls of Spencer Academy completely lost and feeling out of her element. She looked down at the piece of paper in her hand. It was supposed to be a map of the campus but she was useless when it came to reading maps. As simple as it read, it might as well have been written in Chinese for that was the little she understood the damned thing.

Maybe she should have accepted the tour guide Provost Higgins had offered. But no. She insisted that the tour she was given the day before was enough for her to know where she was going. She had to be the independent one after all. To prove that being the new girl wasn't going to hinder her time in Spencer and that she was more than competent to get around and not get lost. Yet, here she was. Lost.

She sighed, readjusting her book bag and looking up at the signs. "Hmm..." She hummed to herself. She opened the door to what she hoped was the right class and not another janitors closet.

Peering inside, she let out a relieved sigh to see rows of students instead of cleaning supplies. Ignoring the heat burning her face showing her embarrassment in interrupting the teacher, who had turned his attention to her.

"Yes?" He asked patiently.

She cleared her throat nervously. "I apologize for interrupting, Professor." She began. "I'm looking for Advanced American Literature." She could hear some of the students snicker and her blushed deepened.

The teacher approached her, a small reassuring smile on his handsomely aged face. "You've come to the right class, dear. Are you Amelia Hewitt?" The girl nodded. "Good to meet you Ms. Hewitt. I'm Mr. Kaufman."

"Mia," She said shaking the extended hand.

Mr. Kaufman nodded, pulling Amelia— hand and all— further inside the classroom. He scribbled down her name on his roster. "An adorable accent you have there, Mia," He said offhandedly. Mia's blush resurfaced as she quietly thanked him. "Welcome to the class. If you'd please take a seat next to Ms. Wenham."

Mia nodded, looking upward at the rows of seats, searching for the afore mentioned girl. A petite blond smiled and waved at her. Mia smiled and trudged up the stairs toward her seat mate. She plopped next to the young blond, letting out a tired sigh.

"I'm Sarah Wenham," The blond whispered.

"Mia Hewitt," Mia replied, taking out her books, preparing to get caught up.

Sarah took note of the accent and complimented on it, asking her where she was from. "England," Mia answered.

"England. Wow. What brings you to Ipswich?"

"My father," She replied.

"Your dad made you move to Ipswich," She commented, writing down the notes on the blackboard.

"No," Mia responded, also writing down notes. "My father is ill."

Sarah turned to face her. "Oh," She said, patting her arm consolingly. It surprised her how casually she said it, but figured it was her way to deal with it.

The rest of the class was spent with just the same first day, meet and greet conversation coupled with taking notes and Mr. Kaufman giving Mia make up assignments she could take. The bell rang for the class to end soon after. Normally, Mia would be much too shy to initiate any friendships but she liked Sarah Wenham.

She stood from her seat when Sarah had, shouldering her book bag. They descended the stairs and reached the first floor. Mia turned to face her. "Sarah?" She said timidly.

Sarah turned and smiled at her. "Yeah?"

They approached the exit and walked out of the class together. "Would you—" But was interrupted by a tall young man enveloping Sarah in his arms, lifting her up in the air, kissing her. Amelia looked away, feeling like an intruder.

When she heard Sarah's feet land gently back on the ground she returned her gaze at the two beautiful couple, doing her best to ignore the pained jealousy taking hold of her heart. She stood awkwardly before them, adjusting her book bag higher on her shoulder.

Sarah smiled contently, interlacing her fingers with that of her beau's and returned her attention to Mia. "Mia Hewitt, this Caleb Danvers. Caleb, this is Mia."

Caleb extended out a hand to Mia whom was standing beside him, sharing a dazzling smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure to meet you as well," She replied, taking the big hand and shaking it shyly. Caleb Danvers is a very handsome man. She thought.

"Cute accent," He said.

"Thank you," She said blushing.

Caleb began walking, pulling Sarah alongside him. Sarah, in turn, smiled at Mia for her to follow. Mia grinned appreciatively as she fell into stride with what she quickly found were to be the 'it' couple on campus.

"What brings you to Spencer?" Caleb asked.

Amelia shrugged. "It's a prestigious institution."

Caleb and Sarah laughed lightly. "That it is," Sarah agreed. "I'm here on scholarship."

"What about you Mia?" Caleb asked.

"My father was a very good lawyer," Mia said looking down at her feet.

Caleb frowned. "'Was'?"

Mia nodded. "He is ill." Was all she said.

Caleb nodded. "I'm sorry." He sympathized. "My dad died recently."

Mia looked up at him, eyes sad, bottom lip quivering. "My condolences." She choked out.

"Hey," Caleb said, touching her arm. She looked up. "It'll be fine."

Mia nodded, taking a breath. She glanced at Sarah and tried a smile. "Anyhow," She said slowly. "Sarah, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind terribly showing me to my next class? I've lost count at how many janitorial closets I've mistaken for a classroom."

Sarah chuckled. "Of course," She said, asking her class schedule. Mia fished through her bag for it, pulling it out, and handed it to her. Sarah studied it. "Lucky for you, Mia, you have the next two classes with Caleb." She poked him on the side. He smiled, waving her hand away playfully. "He can walk you. Actually, he can probably point you to your classes better than I can."

Mia regarded Caleb. "I'd be very grateful."

"It's settled," Sarah said, not allowing Caleb a choice, though he had already accepted with a smile at Amelia.

Sarah stopped in front of a door. Mia took a couple of steps away from the pair as they said their good-byes. Looking away. After a moment, Caleb turned to her, giving her a friendly smile.

"Shall we?" He said, waving a hand forward for her. Mia smiled as she fell into stride next to him.


Mia wasn't sure how she managed to find the library, but she was glad she had. She needed the quiet time to catch up on the first couple of months or so of the school year and the library was and had always been the best place to do just that.

She found a table furthest from the other students, caged by three tall bookshelves, and one window that was opened slightly to allow a breeze in. The smell of new books, aged books, and books read a thousand times over combined with the smell of autumn leaves and winter approaching immediately made her feel comfortable for the first time since the school day began.

She still wore her school uniform, despite the school day was over. She pulled out her books and homework as well as extra credit assignments the teachers were kind enough to give for the assignments she could not make up and began to work. It was lucky she had always been an excellent student and that most if not all the material she was given she had already completed at her previous school in England.

So, in a way, all she was really doing was freshening up her memory and working on the extra credit essays she was given. After a while, she stood to look up some books she could reference. Going down the aisles, she grabbed book after book carrying them carefully in her arms and slowly returning to her spot at the table.

When she returned she was surprised to see two other students sitting at her table. Books and papers spread before them on the table but were untouched as the two— one male, one female— were too preoccupied with snogging the air out of each other's lungs.

She tried to retract her steps and walk back from where she came from, to leave the couples be, even though she didn't want to have to give up her place. However, it never failed that her clumsy self would surface eventually and it decided to make an appearance right then by swaying with the weight of the books in her arms.

"Oh!" She gasped as the books toppled over and fell with a loud thud onto the floor. Mia quickly fell to her knees to retrieve the books, muttering frantic 'I'm sorry's' to the couple she interrupted.

"Now what?" The female said, clearly irritated.

"Just some nerd. Ignore her," The male said.

Mia frowned at the books she was picking up from the floor. She managed to grab them all and although she knew she should just leave, she instead plopped the stack on the table loudly, startling the couple apart. They looked up at her, frowning and glaring.

"My apologies," Mia bit out. "Didn't mean to interrupt, however, I was studying."

"Well, go study somewhere else," The red headed girl stated simply.

Mia regarded the girl for a while. Her red and unruly curls and dark eyes set up arrogantly at her. She had the look of someone desperate to be Queen Bee and was determined to not only look the part but act the part as well. On any other given day, Amelia would gather her things and walk away. She wasn't one for confrontations, verbal or physical. But today, she decided she was going to stand her ground. She was there first. Red can snog somewhere else. She thought.

She opened her mouth to say just that when the boy wanna be Queen Bee was with spoke up. "Amelia?" He asked, sounding surprised.

Amelia turned her attention away from the girl and to the boy that knew her name. She tilted her head at him, studying him. He had brown wavy locks, blue eyes, and a square chin. He was obviously a handsome young man and a fit one at that. Even with the bulky letterman jacket he wore, she knew, this young fellow was in great physical shape.

"Yes," She answered, head still tilted to the side. "Do I know you?"

The boy stood from his seat, waving off the hand of the girl he was intimate with moments ago as he walked around their seats and table toward Amelia. Amelia straightened, watching his movements cautiously. She took one step back, away from him when he stopped inches from her.

"Don't you remember me?" He asked, his voice sounding pleasantly surprised and amused.

"Should I?" She asked him carefully, studying his features once more. The boy smiled and that's when Amelia's eyes lit up in recognition. "Aaron!" She said loudly as she leaped into his already opened arms.

Aaron chuckled, holding her tightly and swaying her body from left to right. At the sight, the girl stood haughtily. "Aaron? You know this girl?"

Aaron gently placed Amelia back on her feet. He stared happily at her as he answered the girl. "Yeah. This is Amelia Hewitt. Amelia, that's Kira Snider." He introduced with a nod at Kira's direction.

It was Amelia that broke contact with Aaron to acknowledge Kira properly. She pulled away from Aaron who settled on putting a hand on her elbow to keep some sort of physical contact. Amelia extended out a hand and a friendly smile at Kira.

"Pleasure to meet you, Kira," She said politely.

"Yeah, sure," Kira dismissed curtly, watching Aaron check Amelia out instead of shaking her hand.

Amelia let her hand fall sadly to her side as she frowned at Kira. "Is there something the matter?" She asked her then glanced at Aaron.

"Yes!"

"No."

Kira gaped at Aaron. Aaron continued to ignore her. "You sure have grown, Mia," He said suggestively landing his eyes on Mia's large breasts.

Amelia blushed, placing her hand over her chest as she smacked him playfully. "So have you," She replied pulling her arm away from him and walked toward her seat. "I see the gym has been kind to you."

Aaron shrugged, a smile still set on his features. "When did you get here?" He walked closer to her. "I missed you the last two summers."

Amelia glanced at Kira briefly. She was giving her major stink eye. Amelia tried an apologetic look sent her way, but that only caused the stink eye to become a full out glare. Amelia sighed, sensing Aaron's presence slowly getting closer and closer to her. She decided to take a seat.

"A few days ago. I've been quite busy the last couple of summers. Father became ill and I had some loose ends to tie up," She replied.

Aaron frowned, placing his hands on the table beside her. "James is sick? He seemed fine yesterday."

Amelia looked up then. She sucked in a breath when she realized how close Aaron was. "You spoke to father yesterday?" She squeaked out. Neither heard the angry huff and shuffling of books and papers of Kira leaving them.

Aaron held back an arrogant grin at Mia's apprehensive look. "Yeah. But he didn't mention you were here or that you'd be attending Spencer."

Amelia leaned away from Aaron, gulping down a knot as she tried her best not to blush or stare at his lips; ignoring the shivers that ran down her spine from the feel of his hot breath on her. She forced herself to smile.

"A promise is a promise."

Aaron leaned forward, a wicked smile spread across his face. "That wasn't the only promise made."

Amelia's face saddened at these words. She looked away from Aaron, shame and hurt clear across her face. She looked up to see that Kira had long left and in her place were two young men. "Hello there!" She said, her voice feigning pleasantly.

Aaron glanced up to see himself who Amelia was greeting. None to happy to have their reunion interrupted nor caring that Kira had left angry with him. He narrowed his eyes at the two strangers that took her place instead.

"Danvers. Simms," He muttered coldly, straightening into a defensive posture.

Amelia stared between the three, confused. She could feel the tension coming off them in waves.

"You alright, Mia?" Caleb asked calmly, his eyes still on Aaron.

"Yes, of course," Amelia replied still confused.

"You know Danvers?" Aaron asked Amelia, keeping his eyes on said person.

"Yes. He was kind enough to show me to my classes."

There was an awkward silence as the tension build. Amelia quickly became bored with the machismo fight the three were currently in. Especially since it seemed that neither were going to explain their behavior. She gathered her belongings and stood to leave. I'll complete the rest of my work at home. She thought annoyed.

Aaron was the first to react. "Where're you going?"

"I'm not going to sit here and wait for the three of you to finish your little cock fight," She muttered impatiently. "Especially since I don't possess that certain part in my anatomy to join in."

Aaron and the other two raised a brow at her comment, shocked that she had said it. Aaron especially, seeing as it was a remark Amelia wouldn't normally make. It seemed her appearance wasn't the only part of her that changed the last couple of summers.

"It was pleasant seeing you again Caleb," She said walking past him and sending an apologetic glance at his friend.

"Wait!" Caleb called out. Amelia stopped and turned. "I'm sorry." Amelia smiled and rolled her eyes chuckling as she continued out of the library.

"Amelia, wait!" Aaron called out, making his way to follow her.

"Give it a rest Aaron," Caleb said.

"Back off Caleb," Aaron snarled glancing at Amelia who stood tapping her feet impatiently for him. Aaron smiled at her then at Caleb. He soon reached her and said, "I'm sorry, Mia. Caleb, Tyler, and I don't really get along."

Mia arched a brow at him. "Really? I hadn't noticed," She replied sarcastically. Aaron gave her a look and she laughed sticking her tongue out at him. "So," She began as they walked further out. She glanced back at Caleb and his friend and shared a smile and wave. Caleb and friend returned the gesture with a smile and wave too. Aaron scowled at them and wrapped an arm around Mia's shoulders. "Caleb's friend's name is Tyler? Tyler Simms?"

Aaron nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"No reason," Mia dismissed. "He's just a good-looking bloke I wouldn't mind getting to know."

Aaron frowned at Amelia. Amelia poked him in the side playfully. Aaron smiled tickling her. "Do you wanna come to Nicky's with me?"

"What's Nicky's?"

Aaron smiled impishly as he walked her down the hall and out of campus.


A/N: Alrighty everyone. I wasn't planning on writing a Covenant fic but seeing as I've been reading Covenant fics lately... Well, let me put it this way. While many of you AMAZING ffauthors are inspired by friends, family, and most importantly music my inspirations come from reading your fics. You all have such great stories that sometimes I go to bed thinking about them, which then leads to dreaming about them that in turn changes into a fic of my own and next thing I know I have an original fic that won't let me live unless it's written or saved on the computer and it's all thanks to y'all! By the way, I don't know about y'all, but I make it a habit that with any review or alert I receive, not only do I reply but I also check out your stories and read a few and even review and subscribe to some, which leads me to be inspired and the whole cycle begins all over again. :D Oh! LOL Lastly... I'm not really sure where this fic is going. I have a general idea as to where I want it to go but I am deathly afraid I'm gonna screw it up somehow... Anyway, thanks for reading! :)