A pure angel wronged

His smile was warm and gorgeous. Wait. He smiled. Its starting to make me nervous.

I try to sound brave. 'Try to be quiet. This is a library.'

'Oh. I will be.' Levi looked at me with an interest that made him more attractive. An attractiveness I admire.

I paddle to one of the shelves and took out a thick black book. It was heavy to hold.

'I can't tell if that's a weapon or a book.' Levi points at the book I cradled on my chest.

'It's a book and books are meant for reading.' I turn to leave but he grabs my arm. First, he's backing me against the shelf. Now, he takes the book from me and return it to the former position on the shelf. Jesus, I'm stuck.

'I still haven't forgotten the window you broke.' he started.

'Well, if money is what you want then you will be compensated.' I reply. Then it hit me. I'm still owing Johnny and here I am promising to pay someone who God knows how much he'll bill me. Charlotte, you idiot!

'Compensation? I'll take $1 million dollars.' He ran his hand through my hair softly.

'One million? You're a fraud!' I scoff. Unbelievable.

Levi chuckles. 'Do you know I'm not the only fraud in America?'

'You're mad if you think I'll pay you a million dollars for a window that has already been fixed.' I grimaced.

Levi resumed preening me or whatever it was he was doing with my hair. Why am I not stopping him? I guess I like his touch. Jesus. No.

'I have to study.' I hold back his arm. 'When you come up with a better compensation, let me know.'

Levi smiled. 'I know just the right one.'

No. What is he doing?

Before I could turn away, he leaned down to kiss me. I didn't realise when I fisted a hand in his shirt as he sank his teeth in my bottom lip. He gave it a lazy flick of his tongue. I was aroused. He whispered close to my ears my name and my toes curl in my shoes. He said my name again before his mouth ravished mine. His mouth was greedy and his hands were quick to cup my left breast. I found a strange warm comfort. I was starved. Suddenly, he pulls away leaving me still floating on a lazy sweet pleasure.

Our breaths were raggedy. I shuddered. Then he brushed his lips gently over mine and leaned down until we were nose to nose.

'A perfect compensation, isn't it?' he looked at me.

*****

(Author's POV)

London,

Hemmingway school of London

12 : 34pm.

Warm breeze escape through the open windows, letting light into the hall. The hallway is less crowded unlike usual. Students shuffling through their lockers talk in low tones while boys trying to flirt with the girls. Sophie walks to her locker and throws it open.

'Hey, Sophie.' A hand patted her shoulder and she almost jumped.

'Bloody hell! I almost pissed my pants.' she hissed at the speaker.

'Sorry to disturb you.' It was George.

'Do you plan on disturbing me?' she took out two notebooks and slammed the locker shut.

'For a few minutes.' George cupped the back of his neck and rub it nervously.

Sophie heaves a sigh. 'You're a face I never expected to offer help to. I mean, your dad is a school official now. So you're literally a god who can do anything.'

'It's not that. It's about Charlotte.' George whispers this time.

Sophie watched him closely and leans onto her locker. 'Charlotte. You mean Charlotte Melbourne?''

'You know she's the one I'm talking about.' George has a soft look on his face that mad Sophie pinch her eyes at him.

'Did you reach out to her?' she asked.

George nods. 'I did but it didn't sound like her.'

'Didn't sound like her?' Sophie was confused.

'Yeah. Everytime I text her and I call her, someone else answers the phone. Its a man.' George whispers again.

'A man?' Sophia was confused. Since when did Charlotte become a man. She had a realisation. 'Wait. I forgot to tell you.'

'Tell me what. Did anything happen to her?' George grabbed her shoulders.

'Dude, chill out. Nothing happened to her. She lost her phone. Probably, you were calling whoever took her previous phone.'

'Oh.' George smiles nervously. 'Okay.'

'If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way ' Sophie turns to leave when George asked. 'You know if she's got a new number?'

Sophie smirks. 'Yes. Any problem?'

'I was wondering if you could give it to me.' George replied.

Sophie runs her free hand through her hair. 'You know what? I'm confused.'

'Excuse me?' George was taken aback by her response.

Sophie went on. 'While Charlotte was here, you hardly talked to her. Everyone in school knew that the girl was crazy in love with you. She joined the school medical team to cater for your wounds whenever you got an injury from running. Every christmas, she knits red stockings from the finest wool and gives it to you as a present but at school, you hardly say "Hi" to her. The day you shared a meal with her, I wonder what went through your head. Maybe you pitied her because she's sick. All those time, you never acknowledged Charlotte Melbourne and now, she's in America, you suddenly, want to talk to her? As her best friend, I failed to understand Charlotte's true feelings but now I do. I'm sure you don't know this but I'm gonna let you know that Charlotte has a boyfriend now so back off."

George scoffed. He had no words in his mouth. All he could do was watch Sophie beat a ceremonious exit to the classroom.

******

U. S. A

Alan Institute

4 : 11 pm

Charlotte and a few of her classmates had cleaning duty after school. Coincidentally, Levi was one of them. While dusting the middle aisle, he kept humming a song. Charlotte knew what song he was humming but ignored it. Derek whose eyes were glued to his phone, lifted his eyes to Levi who was humming louder. He was literally screaming with his mouth closed.

'Do you mind? I'm trying to focus here.' Derek rolled his eyes.

'You talking to me?' Levi replied him.

'Of course I'm talking to you. You're the only blue eyed son of a bitch I see here.' said Derek. His friends slapped his hands as though their leader won the lottery.

Levi scoffed. 'I'm surprised a talking pig with an American accent goes to school.'

'What did you say to me, punk?' Derek dropped his phone in rush to hit Levi. Luckily, his friends held him back.

'No. Let him come.' Levi chuckled. 'Come have a taste of my fist, Derek. Remember last time I beat you up?'

'Get off me.' Derek shrugged his friends arm off him. 'You're getting an extra year, Levi.'

Levi scoffed. 'Don't mind if I do. It isn't my first time.'

Charlotte was startled. This wasn't Levi's first time in senior year? No wonder he kept calling her "kid."

Derek and his goons marched out of the classroom.

Levi smiled and announced to everybody. 'Are we done yet?'

'Did you see the way he challenged Derek? Damn, Levi looked so damn cool.' Scottie laughed even though he struggled to carry both his bag pack and Charlotte's.

Charlotte could hardly concentrate. Her mind went back to the kiss she and Levi shared. A blush of pink coloured both her cheeks.

'You okay, Char?' Matty studied her. There was a smile on her face.

'I'm fine.' She beamed at him.

******

Darkness coloured the sky, ushering New Yorkers into another night. Cold night. Levi slammed the door behind him as he walked into the furnished parlor. Good thing no one was there. There'd be no need to exchange words.

'You're late.' A fruity voice said. It couldn't be missed. Anywhere. His father was right on time to whine and yell.

The corners of his lips twitched as Levi replied. 'I don't live by the clock.'

In a furious voice, Mr Wright shoved at the innocent glass flower vase, sending it crashing to the wall in shaped shards.

Levi shook his head as he sounded his way to his room. 'Life's too short to deal with crazy people.'

Before he went up to his room, he made a detour at Jacob's.

'You got him upset again, didn't you?' Jacob gestured to the muffled arguements coming from downstairs.

Levi dragged a hand through his dark glossy hair. 'I don't give a shit. He's not our father so he shouldn't tell me what to fucking do.'

Jacob leaned back onto his chair, shot a glanced at Levi. 'Still, you've gotta give the old man a chance. You're acting like an asshole who never abide by the rules. You came home past our curfew.'

Levi hunched his shoulders. 'I'm not an asshole. I'm a genius and geniuses never listen to anybody.'

Jacob sighs in defeat. 'You're a piece of work, dude.'

'We all are.' Levi exhaled softly.

'That aside, did you tell Charlotte about the game tomorrow?' Jacob inquired.

Having a realisation, Levi made an "O" with his lips. 'Shit. I forgot.'

Jacob almost lost his patience. 'You forgot to tell Charlotte that tomorrow's hide and seek?'

Levi shrugged it off. 'It's fine, dude. I'll be the one to protect her.'

Jacob muttered under his breath. 'You mean, we are.'

Levi went to the door and pulled it open. 'I'll be down shortly.'

'Sleep in your own room, asshole.' Jacob cursed under his breath.

After taking a shower, Levi paddles to the window. Drying his hair with a towel, he uses his free hand to grab his phone from pocket.

'I wonder if she's still awake.' He bit his lower lip and dialed her number. It gave a few rings. No answer. He tried again. It was the same thing. 'Is she ignoring me on purpose? Well. I'll deal with her when we meet in school tomorrow. You can't hide from the big bad wolf, Charlotte Melbourne.'

****

(Charlotte's POV)

As much as I would love to fondle over my kissing memories with Levi, this math problem won't solve itself. I bundled my hair in a ponytail and leaned back to solve X. Whatever X was. After what felt like an hour, I felt frustrated. Out of 20 questions, I attempted just 12. I need high grades to pass but God knows I'm at my limit here. I can't copy the answers Derek sent to the group chat. That'll be cheating. If only I could find someone to solve this problem easily. Don't say AI. For me, AI sucks.

'God! I hate school.' I brush my fingers over my hair in annoyance.

'Why are you always alone in here?' Johnny's chirpy voice asked while leaning on the jamb of the doorway.

I scoff at the stupid question. 'Dude, I'm alone by personal choice and because this room is mine.'

Johnny walks in and shuts the door. His eyes fell on the sheets of papers sprawled all over my desk. 'Education is a lot of baggage. Why does someone have to haul notebooks and a shitload of assignments to school everyday?'

I rest my head on the papers. 'Wait till you get to highschool then you'll see worse.'

'Hold up! I hate middle school. Highschool will probably be a big ass problem I'd have to negotiate with the parents.' Johnny slumped on my bed.

I lift my head and look at the digital clock above my BTS sticker on the wall. 10 : 23pm. Shit. I need sleep. Its late already.

Johnny sits up, watching me arrange my messy desk. 'You know, I've always felt a stir of pity for you. You look like a sack of broken bones and torn muscles.'

'What?!' I snarled at him.

He laughed. 'Whoa. I haven't seen an actual bear but Goddamn, you look and sound exactly like one right now.'

'Get out of my room and what the hell are you still doing awake, sleaze ball?!' Before I could get to him, he dashed out of my room. He was darn lucky. If I had gotten hold of him, the neighborhood would've heard his screams of agony.

With a sigh, I unplugged my charger and took my phone with me to bed. Unlocking it, I saw floods of Emails and calls from Levi. What does he want with me? My mind went back to the kiss and I blushed red. He's a good kisser. But wait, he has a girlfriend - Lin. Wait a second, on Tuesday, Lin told the whole world her boyfriend was Jacob when its truly Levi. Do they have some sort of arrangement?

'God knows its too damn early to be thinking.' I sigh again and set down my phone for a shut-eye when my phone rang. It was Sophie.

'Wotcha.' I smile at her image on the screen.

There was a frown on her face. Something was obviously wrong. 'I have to tell you something. It's about George.'

N/B : Your gifts and golden tickets will inspire me more. I promise a mass release once I see a gift.