Arielle's first morning as a child with a bodyguard turned out to be much worse than she had imagined.
Not because there were bad people.
Not because their home was attacked.
Nor because something threatened her safety.
The problem was much simpler.
A fifteen-year-old monster was now following her everywhere.
Arielle was sitting at the dining table, stirring her chocolate milk with a spoon, when she realized something.
Cassian was standing near the door.
Silent.
Still.
Not speaking.
Just standing there.
Arielle glanced over.
Cassian was still there.
Arielle looked back at her glass.
A few seconds later, she glanced over again.
Still there.
Arielle wrinkled her nose.
She scooted her chair slightly to the left.
Cassian shifted along with her.
Arielle stopped immediately.
"Why is Cassian following me?"
"I'm assigned to protect Miss."
Arielle snorted.
"Arielle doesn't need protecting."
Cassian was silent for a moment.
"Miss still needs protection."
"Why?"
"Because that's my duty."
Arielle rolled her eyes.
Duty again.
Why was every answer Cassian gave always about duty?
She went back to drinking her chocolate milk with a sulky expression.
From the end of the table, her dad watched them while reading the newspaper. Every now and then, the corners of his lips lifted as he watched his daughter try to find a way to get rid of Cassian.
"Arielle," her dad called.
"What?"
"Don't bother Cassian."
"Arielle isn't bothering him."
Her dad lowered the newspaper slightly.
"You've been looking at Cassian every five seconds."
Arielle fell silent.
She quickly turned her face away.
"Arielle was just making sure the monster was still there."
Her dad nearly choked on his coffee.
Cassian remained expressionless.
"Arielle."
"What?"
"He's not a monster."
"You only say that because you're not scared."
"Has Cassian ever done anything to you?"
Arielle thought about it.
No.
Yesterday, Cassian had caught her when she almost fell down the stairs.
That night, Cassian had only stood outside her room.
Nothing strange had happened.
But that didn't mean Arielle had to like him.
Arielle shook her head firmly.
"Arielle doesn't want to, period."
Cassian looked at her.
"Doesn't want what?"
"Arielle doesn't want Cassian to protect her."
Cassian replied calmly,
"All right."
Arielle fell silent.
She hadn't expected Cassian to answer so quickly.
"All right?"
"Yes."
Arielle smiled a little.
"So Cassian is leaving?"
"No."
Arielle's smile vanished at once.
"Huh?"
"I'm still on duty."
Arielle stared at him in disbelief.
"Then why did you say all right?"
"Because you don't want to be protected. I understand."
"But Cassian is still going to protect me?"
"Yes."
Arielle opened her mouth.
Then closed it again.
She looked at her dad.
"Dad..."
Her dad pretended to be busy reading the newspaper.
"Dad!"
"What is it?"
"Cassian is weird."
Her dad held back a smile.
"I know."
Arielle let out a long sigh.
She climbed down from her chair.
Cassian automatically watched her movements.
Arielle headed toward the garden.
Cassian followed.
Arielle quickened her pace.
Cassian continued walking calmly.
Arielle ran.
Cassian quickened his pace.
Arielle grew even more annoyed.
She stopped abruptly and turned around.
"Cassian!"
"Yes, Miss?"
"Don't follow Arielle!"
"I have to follow you, Miss."
"Why?"
"If you go off by yourself, I can't make sure you're safe."
"Arielle is safe!"
Cassian glanced at the expansive yard.
"You almost tripped over a flowerpot just now."
Arielle looked behind her.
He was right.
Her foot had almost hit a large pot.
But she wasn't about to lose.
"That's because the pot was in the wrong place."
Cassian didn't argue.
Arielle started walking again.
This time, she deliberately turned behind the bushes.
She hoped Cassian would lose her trail.
But when Arielle peeked out from behind the leaves, Cassian was already standing a few yards behind her.
Arielle's eyes widened.
"How did Cassian know?"
"You left a trail."
Arielle looked down.
The end of her hair ribbon was caught on a branch.
She hurriedly tugged it free.
"That's cheating."
Cassian shook his head.
"It isn't."
"Cheating."
"No."
"Cheating!"
Cassian said nothing.
Arielle ran off again.
This time, she went inside the house.
She crossed the living room, climbed the stairs, and then turned into her playroom.
The door closed.
Arielle held her breath.
She waited.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
There was no sound.
Arielle smiled in satisfaction.
"I did it."
She sat on the floor and picked up a few dolls.
But only a few minutes into playing, someone knocked on her door.
Tap.
Tap.
Arielle froze.
"Cassian?"
"Yes, Miss."
Arielle hugged her bunny doll.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm making sure you're all right, Miss."
"Arielle is fine."
"All right."
Cassian's footsteps sounded as he walked away.
Arielle peeked through the crack in the door.
Cassian had really left.
Arielle smiled.
"See?"
She went back to playing.
Ten minutes later, Arielle took a storybook from the shelf.
She walked toward the small library at the end of the hallway.
When she arrived, Cassian was already there.
Arielle stopped.
Cassian was standing near the window.
Arielle stared at him.
Cassian stared back.
"Are you going to read, Miss?"
Arielle nodded.
Then shook her head.
Then nodded again because she had confused herself.
Cassian didn't say anything.
Arielle picked up her book.
She sat on the sofa farthest away.
Cassian remained standing.
Arielle opened the book.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
She started to feel distracted.
"Cassian."
"Yes?"
"Why are you standing?"
"Because I'm on duty."
"You're tired."
"No."
"Your legs hurt."
"No."
"You're sleepy."
"No."
Arielle furrowed her brow.
"Can Cassian say anything besides no?"
Cassian thought for a moment.
"I can say yes."
Arielle stared at him.
For the first time, Cassian looked like he truly had no idea how to deal with her.
Arielle almost laughed.
Almost.
But she quickly held it in.
She couldn't.
If Arielle laughed, that meant the monster had won.
She went back to reading.
A few minutes later, a small doll fell off the sofa.
Cassian picked it up.
He walked over and placed the doll beside Arielle.
Arielle looked at him.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Arielle went back to reading.
Then she glanced at Cassian.
Cassian had already returned to his spot.
Arielle began to pay attention.
Actually, Cassian never forced her to do anything.
He never pulled her by the hand.
He never told her to be quiet.
He never scolded her when she ran.
He only followed.
Always staying behind her.
Always watching.
But Arielle still refused to admit it.
Because accepting Cassian meant accepting the fact that from now on, she would no longer be free to go anywhere without someone following her.
And Arielle didn't like that.
She wanted to play by herself.
She wanted to run by herself.
She wanted to go to the garden by herself.
She wanted to be a big girl.
So when afternoon came, Arielle found another way to avoid Cassian.
She asked for permission to go to the kitchen.
Cassian followed.
Arielle entered the kitchen.
Cassian stopped in front of the door.
Arielle smiled.
"Just stay here."
Cassian nodded.
Arielle took a cookie from the table.
Then she walked toward the back door.
Cassian immediately followed.
Arielle turned around.
"Cassian!"
"Miss."
"Arielle wants to eat a cookie."
"I know."
"Why are you following me?"
"Because you're leaving."
"If Arielle eats a cookie, Cassian has to come too?"
"If necessary."
Arielle sighed.
"Then sit down."
Cassian looked at the chair.
Then sat down.
Arielle smiled in satisfaction.
"There. Don't move."
Cassian nodded.
Arielle ran to the garden.
Cassian remained seated for a few seconds.
But then he saw Arielle climbing onto a stone bench that was far too high.
He immediately stood up.
Arielle turned around.
"Cassian!"
"Miss, get down."
"Arielle can do it!"
"Miss."
"Arielle can do it!"
Arielle's foot slipped.
Her little body lost its balance.
Cassian rushed forward and caught her before she fell.
Arielle fell silent in his arms.
Cassian checked her knees and hands.
"Does anything hurt?"
Arielle shook her head.
Cassian let go of her.
"Don't climb up there again."
Arielle looked at him.
"Why?"
"It's dangerous."
"But Arielle can do it."
"You almost fell just now, Miss."
"But Cassian caught me."
"Yes."
Arielle lowered her head.
For some reason, those words made her fall silent.
Cassian then walked backward.
"I'll stay here."
Arielle lifted her face.
"Why?"
"So if you fall again, I can catch you."
Arielle didn't answer.
For a moment, the monster didn't look like a monster.
But a few seconds later, Arielle shook her head hard.
No.
He was still a monster.
The afternoon began to fade.
Arielle was finally tired of playing.
She went back inside the house.
Cassian was still following her.
This time, Arielle didn't complain much.
But when they reached the stairs, she suddenly stopped.
Cassian stopped too.
"Arielle wants to ask something."
"Go ahead."
"If Cassian is Arielle's bodyguard..."
Cassian waited.
"...will Cassian stay in this house forever?"
"Yes."
"Every day?"
"Yes."
"Every morning?"
"Yes."
"Every night?"
"Yes."
Arielle immediately made an annoyed face.
"Arielle doesn't want that."
Cassian didn't answer.
Arielle walked upstairs.
Before entering her room, she turned around.
"Cassian."
"Yes, Miss?"
"Don't follow Arielle tomorrow."
Cassian looked at her.
"I can't promise that."
Arielle snorted.
"Arielle doesn't like Cassian."
Cassian was silent.
Arielle closed the door.
But after the door shut, she leaned against it.
Her heart was beating a little faster.
Not because she was afraid.
She didn't know why.
Outside, Cassian remained standing for a while before returning to his post.
He still didn't understand children.
He knew how to deal with threats.
He knew how to read someone's movements.
He knew how to protect someone.
But dealing with a seven-year-old girl who could go from running around to pouting in a matter of seconds was much more difficult.
Cassian even began wondering to himself whether this task would be as difficult as expected.
The answer turned out to be that it would be much more difficult.
Night came.
The house grew quiet.
Arielle had already showered and put on her pajamas.
She lay in bed, hugging her bunny doll.
Usually, she would ask someone to read her a bedtime story.
But that night, she didn't want to ask anyone.
Especially not Cassian.
Arielle closed her eyes.
She tried to sleep.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
She couldn't.
She opened her eyes.
The room felt too quiet.
Arielle sat up.
She picked up her bunny doll and climbed out of bed.
Maybe she was thirsty.
Yes.
Arielle was only thirsty.
It wasn't because she wanted to look for Cassian.
She opened her bedroom door.
The hallway was dark.
The wall lamps glowed dimly.
Arielle stepped outside.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
Then she heard a sound from the end of the hallway.
Arielle stopped.
There was no one there.
She hugged her doll tighter.
Maybe it was just the wind.
Arielle started walking again.
But when she reached the stairs, she saw something.
Someone's shadow stretched across the floor.
Arielle froze.
The shadow was tall.
Too tall.
It stood right in front of her bedroom door.
Arielle slowly lifted her face.
Someone was standing there.
Black clothes.
A tall body.
The face wasn't clearly visible because of the light behind him.
Arielle immediately remembered yesterday.
The first time she had seen Cassian.
That cold stare.
The black clothes.
The unsmiling face.
Monster.
Arielle took one step backward.
The shadow moved.
Arielle panicked even more.
She didn't have time to think.
She immediately screamed as loudly as she could, her voice echoing through the entire hallway.
"DAD! THE MONSTER IS IN FRONT OF ARIELLE'S ROOM!"