Like ice and fire

"If not… you already know what will happen, right?" Alexander's expression changed again and he was now looking at her like he was challenging her.

But Abigail stood her ground and stared back into his cold, icy eyes. "Yes."

"Good girl." He smiled, seemingly amused again.

"I-is that all?" Abi meekly asked, and when he answered a firm and solid as a cold stone "Yes," Abi was relieved but somehow, a little doubtful. This was really unexpected.

Noticing the disbelief in her eyes, that crooked and playful smile curved on Alexander's face.

"Why? Would you prefer more?" he asked and Abigail quickly shook her head.

"No, no, of course not. Your rules… I understand them very clearly… I have no complaints."

"Good."

"But I just have some questions."

"Ask."

"Uhm… What are the things I should do during my stay here? You said I should only do the things you want me to do… but what are those?"

"Good question. Come here, Abigail." Alexander was already sitting gracefully on the piano chair as he spoke. Abigail pressed her lips tight and slowly moved closer to him. Once she stood right before him, Alexander turned her around so that she was now facing away from him, placed his hands on Abi's waist and pulled her towards him, making her sit on his lap.

"Of course, you will fulfill your duty as my girlfriend," he whispered and that warm breath that caressed the crook of her neck along with that languid, enchanting voice by her ear, left Abi dumbstruck.

"C-can you tell me, specifically? This is my first time in a relationship so I'd like to be prepared –"

"Shhh… Don't worry about that, Abigail. I've already put a plan together on how to teach you everything you need to know. I will raise you into a good girlfriend."

"O-okay."

"That is if… you can handle my training and won't run away screaming."

She couldn't see his face but she knew he was wearing that dangerous smile of his again.

"I'm not going to run away." She persevered and she heard him chuckle.

"Well, we shall see about that. Any more questions?"

Abigail tried to turn to look at his face but the man didn't let her. "Don't move, just ask," he ordered and Abi slightly shuddered again. Alexander Qinn was like both winter and summer, like ice and fire. He switched from both without any warning. He would either blaze like a roaring fire, burning her or appear out of nowhere like a blizzard, freezing her. He was too unpredictable and she could find no apparent reason for why he kept changing. At that moment, he was simply cold. His voice, his eyes, his smile and chuckles, everything about him was breathtakingly beautiful but he was just… too cold.

Despite that, Abigail didn't want to get burned or just let herself get frozen to death by him. She had to deal with him, learn how to handle him, and get used to him or else things would always go his way. She would try to love this beautiful ice king but she would do it her way. She didn't want to just get swept away into the dark ocean without a paddle in her hands.

"Since the only thing I can't ask for is for you to love me, that means I can ask for any other requests, right?" she said and she felt him become still under her.

When he finally moved, he turned her around and made her face him. He gazed up at her with his probing and playful eyes while a smile played at the corner of his lips.

"It depends on the request. And… Abigail… if it isn't money you're asking for, I will have you work hard for every request you make."

Abigail didn't know why but from the way he said those words, she felt like he would make it extra hard for her. It was as if he was telling her that it won't be easy to request anything from him.

"Work? Okay, I got it," she replied enthusiastically and Alex smirked.

"Are you going to ask me to do my girlfriend duty tonight?"

"No, not yet Abigail. Why? Are you that eager to get on with it?"

"That's not it. I just thought that since you weren't planning to do anything tonight then, would it be okay for me to ask for a request now?" she asked and Alex let out a laugh.

"You just got here Abigail… and you're already asking for a request? What a brave little lamb."

"But I… I have listed the things I want to do with you within the thirty-one days. I have to do one thing on my list to achieve my daily quota," she explained in an utterly enthusiastic voice, like a child reporting her father about the list of things she had to accomplish during her one month vacation.