12 Midnight

"Felix," I said still in a bit of a daze from the kiss, "we have to get to class."

Just to make things clear, I am not the type of girl who just let's anyone kiss her, he caught me off guard.

Once Felix had let go of me, I ran down the hallway with him still trailing after me. My face was heating up and I swear, I was probably as red as a tomatoe by now. He was right behind me and so I did what any girl would do to get a guy to stop following her... I ran into the girls toilet.

Rushing over to the basins as I looked in the mirror I saw that my face was completely red and flustered. I quickly turned open one of the cold water taps and while cupping my hands together, I splashed the cool water against my skin. It felt so nice and refreshing as I looked at my reflection in the mirror again to see that I had cooled down and my face was no longer red.

What a relief, I thought to myself as I dried my face off with a paper towel and ruffled through the tangles in my brownish black hair as I tucked a strand behind my ear. There is no way he would come in here, I thought to myself again but I was dead wrong when a knock came from behind the door.

"Alice?!.." he said in a serious voice, I could picture him giving me a stern look from behind the door, "are you in there?!.."

When I heard his voice I turned off the tap and kept as quiet as possible, hoping, no praying that he wouldn't hear me which he most probably did.

"Alice, are you alright?!.." he said sternly with concern evident in his voice, "I'm coming in, okay?..."

As he said this I slowly creeped towards the door and turned the latch closed so that he couldn't enter. Then I heard the door handle turn just as soon as I had locked it. He tried to enter but failed. Few, I thought, that was a close one.

"Alice?!.." He said again as he banged hard on the door with frustration evident in his tone. "If you don't answer me I am going to break this door down, I'm giving you to the count of three," he said with his voice unchanged as he continued to thud on the door, "1, 2, _...."

Before he could finish his "count down," I opened the door and looked at him. I couldn't let him break the door down. I mean, what did the door do?.. "Why are you here?.." I asked him under my breath with a huff.

"I thought I did something wrong..." he said, "so I rushed on, over here to make things right."

"By threatening to break the door down?!.." I said sarcastically. "Is that how you make things right?.."

"No, it's not that, I was just worried about you..." he said, "and I'm sorry I just kissed you, I shouldn't have done that, I probably caught you off guard."

"What?!.." I said in confusion.

"You probably hate me now, don't you?.." He said as though he had committed some sort of crime and I was to be his judge.

"No, don't feel bad, I don't hate you, if anything I'm not even angry with you, I'm more embarrassed than anything else." I said with a bit of a laugh.

"What do you mean?.." he said, "I saw you run away from me... Like I hurt you or something?.."

"No, you didn't hurt me..." I said with a giggle as I couldn't help but to laugh at the expression on his face. He looked even more cute and mysterious when he was confused and trust me confusion was written all over his face.

"But you ran into the girls toilet?.." he said still as confused as ever, "girls only do that if they are going to cry or something, I think?.."

I thought about it for a second, he kind of does have a point there, I thought... "Well, I'm not crying..." I said smiling as I tilted my head to the side, "and that is why you shouldn't assume things."

Look at me, I thought to myself, the world's biggest assumer giving advice. Hey, hypocrite... said the sarcastic voice in my head, maybe you should try taking your own advice for a change.

"Then why did you run into the girls toilet?.." He asked as he looked at me with a serious facial expression and then as he looked to my lips, a smirk appeared on his face. "Oh, I see... you wanted to go somewhere more "private"..." He said with a laugh as he walked closer towards the door, where I was standing and he leaned on the doorframe with his face just a few inches away from mine.

His breath once again brushed against my cheek as the smell of mint lingered in the air. He moved in closer once again so that he could kiss me and his eyes looked down as they focused on my lips.

I was stuck in place between him and the door as his arms blocked me. I couldn't bring myself to speak as I felt like I was being compelled by his mesmerizing green orbs.

"Felix, I..." That was all I could get myself to say before he brought his lips down towards mine as he closed the distance between us. He was so close to me, his lips was just about to crash against mine and I could feel the tension as he brought them down slowly. My breath hitched as he did this and I swear, in that few minutes I think I forgot how to breathe.

You'd think I would have gotten used to this by now, wouldn't you?.. I mean, we kissed already... But no, I'm still not used to it... You have to give me credit though, this is only the second time I've done this.

His lips crashed into mine in that sudden moment and then he began to hold both my wrists against the white door behind me in a rough but somehow gentle grip. He was forceful yet, he managed to remain gentle as he continued to kiss me and as much as I hate to admit it, I actually liked the kiss even though he did have a peculiar way of throwing me off guard.

When the kiss was finally over, which by the way was after a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long time... Okay, I think we get the point. If I had to go on there would be no end. But don't look at me, I wasn't the one in control, Felix was... I was just the bystander.

Suddenly snapping out of my thoughts, I came back to reality... "Felix," I said, my voice full of worry, "we still have to get to class."

As Felix let me go he gave me that look again, the one he had given me earlier... The one that made him look as though he wanted to kiss me. "Okay..." he said in his husky voice, "let's go to class."

We walked through the corridors and we both remained awkwardly silent as we heard the squeaking of our shoes on the school's tiled floor but it seemed as though Felix couldn't take how quiet I was anymore and instead of ignoring me, he ended up being the first to break the silence.

"So..." he said awkwardly as he scratched the back of his neck while we walked in the different hallways, we were almost by our class, "why did you run into the girls toilet?.."

I looked at him for a second but stayed quiet. What am I supposed to say, now?!.. Sorry, I ran into the girls toilet because I turned as red as a tomatoe after you kissed me... I don't think so, that would have been even more embarrassing.

When I continued to stay quiet he spoke again as he walked beside me... "Ah," he said with a menacing smirk on his face as he pointed his index finger up towards the ceiling, "so you did want to go somewhere "private" after all, did you really want me to kiss you that badly?.."

What?!.. I thought to myself.

His words made me even more shy than ever and suddenly it felt like I had swallowed my tongue. "N-no.. n.. n.., no, no... No!" I managed to stutter out, raising my voice in the process.

"Hey, I'm just teasing you..." he said with a laugh as he ruffled my hair, "why are you being so defensive about it."

"Because, I..." I huffed as I couldn't get myself to finish what I was about to say, my mind went blank and then he spoke.

"It's okay," he said laughing as he realised the effect he had on me, "I know you shy and I was just messing with you."

I stayed silent and looked down awkwardly as we continued to walk.

"But in all seriousness," he said with his voice a bit more stern and a questioning look on his face, "why did you run away from me?.."

Okay... Fine, I didn't want to do it but I'll tell him, I thought to myself.

"B-because," I said shyly, "a.. after y..you kissed m.. me," I said huffing, "I turned as red as a tomatoe."

He looked at me wide eyed for a minute and then he suddenly broke out into a fit of laughter as I looked down awkwardly in embarrassment.

"Embarrassment, doesn't even begin to describe how I felt."

When he had finally stopped laughing he looked at me with a smirk. "Well," he said, still smirking, "I'm glad I have that effect on you."

I just shook my head to what he said and smiled as we finally reached the door of our classroom. I waited for Felix to walk into the classroom first but instead he made a hand gesture towards me and the door. "Ladies first..." He said as he glanced at me and waited for me to walk into the classroom.

Why did he have to be such a damn gentleman?!.. I wanted to tell him age before beauty when he said that, since I'm pretty sure he was older than me but I didn't because he was too nice and that would have been insulting towards him and my better judgement.

I didn't want to walk in first but I did anyway since he did make the gesture. I peeked in through the small window of the door and saw that we were actually only 15 minutes late as it was still the homeroom session and the teacher was still busy ticking off who was here. Eva was already seated in her desk as she gazed towards mine, probably wondering where I was.

That's odd, I thought to myself. I thought we were really late, how is it that so much stuff happened yet, the time seemed to be moving slower than usual this time. I swear, it should have been third period by now.

I opened the door carefully, trying not to catch anyones attention as I entered the classroom and Felix followed behind me. Walking in, I saw Eva's face light up as soon as she saw me and then I heard murmurs coming from the girls in the class...

*Girls murmuring*

"Who is he?.."

"Is he new?.."

"I wonder what's his name?.."

"Do you think he has a girlfriend?.."

"Look at his eyes..."

"I think I'm drooling..."

"I would gladly drop my boyfriend in a flash for him..."

"He's cute..."

"He's so hot..."

"Would he give me his number?.."

"Are they a thing?.."

"No way are they a thing..."

"I think I found my new boyfriend..."

"Why is he standing with her?!.."

Once I heard this, I realised they were talking about me and as I look next to me... I saw Felix, he was standing right beside me. I looked down slightly as I could somehow feel that the girls were staring daggers at me. Let's face it, I'm not exactly what you would call popular, in fact the whole reason why I came to high school was to get out of it, I didn't come to the place to be some sort of Queen B who's super popular. Sighing, I took a deep breath as I felt Felix's hand touch mine.

"Pipe down, girls..." Said the teacher calmly as she looked towards me and then Felix.

"Sorry I'm late Miss," I said huffing as I brushed Felix's hand away.

"It's okay, Alice," she said, "I know you had to show the new student around so don't worry about it."

Thank goodness, I thought, that Biology Sir must've told her about this.

I looked back at Felix when I heard the Miss say... "Alice, you may have a seat," as she gestured towards my desk that was close to the window. Walking towards my desk, I tried to avoid eye contact with most of the students because almost all the girls in the class were giving me death glares as I walked passed them. When I finally reached my desk, I sat down and sighed. I'm glad that's over, I thought to myself.

Pulling me out of my thoughts, I heard Eva say... "What took you so long," as she turned around from the window she was facing so that she could talk to me.

"Sorry Eva," I said, "I had to show that new student around."

"What new student?.." Eva asked, obviously she wasn't taking note when Felix entered the classroom.

We were still busy talking when the teacher cleared her throat and announced... "Class we have a new student." Everyone looked to the front as she said this and he was still standing there. "Please introduce yourself..." She said to him as he faced the students.

"My name's Felix Hunter and I'm a transfer student..." He said as everyone continued to look at him.

"Okay," said the Miss, "Is that all we should know about you?.. Is there nothing else you want to say?.. Any interests?.."

"No." He said as he shook his head.

"Are you sure?.." She said with a questioning look on her face.

"Yes." He said with a smile.

"Then you may take your seat." She said as she gestured to the seat that was to the left of me.

Once he was seated I noticed how close our desks were since his desk was right beside me.

"So that's the new student..." Eva whispered to me.

Obviously, I said in my head.

"Yeah," I said to her, "that's him."

"He's super cute but I still think James looks better..." She said jokingly with a giggle.

"Eva, to you James looks better than anyone..." I said with a laugh.

We continued to chat until the bell had suddenly rang and then it was time for us to head off to our classes. At first I thought school was going to go by slowly but it seemed that, that was not the case. Class moved on faster than I could click my fingers and before I knew it, it was lunch break. Heading to my locker to drop off my text books and take the ones I needed for the next period, I saw that most of the girls seemed to be looking at me as they stood by their lockers with their main expression being "anger," and in all honesty, it made me feel rather odd.

Apart from me getting death glares and dirty looks from the girls in my school, of whom I ignored, Felix seemed to be there for me most of the time so none of those girls messed with me. I don't know if it was that he could pick up the tension between the girls and me or if he was oblivious to what was going on but he was definitely "my knight in shining armor..." I, however, thinking I was safe was beyond wrong...

When I got to my locker, there was no Felix beside me and I was alone, in other words, "no protection." I opened my locker as usual when I was suddenly surrounded by a group of girls and not to mention the fact that I was kind of boxed in since I was stuck between them and the lockers.

"Look what the cat dragged in..." Said one of the girls as I faced my locker.

"How can that guy like you?.." Said Lexie, one of the meanest girls you'd ever meet, although she looked pretty on the outside with her golden blonde hair, her perfectly tanned skin colour and her sky blue eyes, need I say more, she was as ugly as they come on the inside. "You not even that pretty, if anything you're ugly." She said to me.

"What makes you think he would want someone like you?.." said another girl in the group, "Or should I say "something" like you?.."

"Yeah," said Lexie, "why would he want someone like you when he can have me?.."

I just looked her straight in the eye with a smirk on my face and ignored her as I turned around and continued to take out the books I needed. I have no time for senseless "Bull Shark" like this, I thought to myself.

"Breathe, Alice, breathe... You don't want to do anything you'll regret."

"Hey," she said, "I'm talking to you."

"Yeah, she's talking to you..." Said one of her friends, who seemed to act rather childish to me, as I continued to ignore them.

The girls then moved closer towards me as I slammed my locker door shut once I got the books I needed and turned around with my books in my hand. Upon turning around with the books I had... Lexie hit them out of my hand and all my books ended up falling on the floor with pages scattered everywhere.

Wow, real mature, Lexie... I thought, real mature.

"You going to pick that up?.." She said with a laugh.

Go down to pick up my books so that you guys can kick me?.. I thought, Oh, Hell No!..

"Being hit or kicked around was not an option, just to make it clear... I ain't no punching bag."

"I'm going to have my lunch break..." I said, still ignoring them, "You either get out of my way or I'll move you myself."

Wow, where did that come from?.. I thought to myself, usually I'm not this confident. As I spoke to them I managed to speak without stuttering and I spoke louder than usual. Lexie looked at me in surprise, I don't think she expected me to say that and neither did I but her face went back to normal when she spoke again... She most probably thought of a comeback.

"Oh, look the little mouse finally got her voice back..." She said as her not so bright friends laughed at the comment she made and then stopped laughing when she stopped laughing. I heard one of them in the background, after the laughter died down, saying... "U-uh... Wait, I don't get it?.."

Honestly, I don't get why these people follow her blindly... I thought, was it because they were scared of her or just "Freaken Stupid?..." To this, I have no clue... Said the sarcastic voice in my head.

"You don't deserve a guy like Felix..." said Lexie, "I mean, just look at you, what does he even see in you?.."

I looked away from her as I heard footsteps further down the hallway... "In high school," she continued as I ignored her, "you are not popular and Felix is bound to be popular so just stay away from him and we'll leave you alone."

Still continuing to ignore her, I looked down at my books that were still on the floor. "If you don't stay away from him," she said, "I'll...."

"If she doesn't stay away from who?.. You'll what?.." Said a familiar but stern voice.

As I looked up I saw that it was none other than Felix standing in front of me... Lexie kept quiet in the process and it seemed like she had swallowed her tongue. Suddenly all the girls scattered as Felix looked towards Lexie. Not so tough without your friends, now... I thought. To think that they just left her here just proves that as popular as she "claimed" to be, she didn't actually have any friends, and it kind of made me feel sorry for her.

"Don't you ever threaten Alice again, you hear me!.." He exclaimed in a stern voice that seemed rather cold.

Lexie seemed to stay quiet, almost like she had bit her tongue or something.

"Alice is mine and no one else's..." He said still continuing.

Wait, I thought, since when am I his?..

"If you want to hurt her you'll have to go through me first." He said.

I just looked at him in amazement as he stood up for me.

"I heard what you said to her about me..." he continued, "about that she doesn't deserve me and you right she doesn't deserve me, she deserves way better..."

Lexie still kept quiet, her eyes widening and not a word escaping her venomous mouth as her eyes began to well up.

"You thought I would drop her for some "Shallow Fake" like you?.." he said raising his voice, "You think you're all that?.."

Lexie couldn't take it anymore and I could tell she wanted to cry.

"I'll never like a girl like you, if anything you're the ugly one." He said in the most heartless tone I've ever heard.

And just like that, she ran away sobbing...

I wanted to tell him to stop because I felt sorry for her. I mean, she was mean but I'm not like that, I don't like hurting people but I didn't say anything since I was at a loss for words.

"Felix," I said, after she had ran off, "you didn't have to be so mean to her."

"Yes, says the girl who was being picked on." He said sarcastically.

I just remained silent.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but I had to do it, otherwise they wouldn't have stopped."

He did have a point, I thought. "Will you forgive me if I make it up to you?.." He said as he grabbed my hand, pulled me towards him and cupped my cheeks with both his hands as I nodded in response. "Okay, I will..." he said again, "but first, you still owe me that tour of the school you promised."

I then looked down to my books and pages that were scattered on the floor and Felix then crouched down beside me as he helped me pick them up. After Felix helped me put all my books in my bag, I gave him a proper tour of the place and then before I knew it, it was time for us to go home.

~At Home~

When school was over Felix and I finally went on that date... It was awkward because I wasn't sure what to talk about at first but as I got more comfortable, the conversation began to flow and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then suddenly, I remembered what Felix said to Lexie earlier... "She's mine and no one else's." What did he mean?.. I'm his?.. I thought. During our conversation I was going to bring it up but I ended up forgetting about it.

*Shrugs*

"What can I say, I'm a forgetful person."

When the date was over he dropped me off by my apartment. I got out of the car as he trailed behind me, all the way to my front door. Once we were standing outside the door, he said "Goodnight" and leaned in forward so that his lips were almost touching mine.

"What are you doing?.." I asked him, turning my head to the side so that I could look away, my cheeks began to heat up.

"This..." He said as he gently held my chin and brought my lips towards his as I shut my eyes to feel nothing but softness.

After the kiss we said our good byes and then I headed inside my apartment. I then checked my watch to see that it was 12 o'clock on the dot, but I was too tired to do anything other than change out of my clothes into my sleeping clothes and jump into bed. Drifting off to sleep, I then began to fall further and further into my dreams.

To be continued...