Chapter 3

The next day I woke up really rested and also with a good mood for school. The book fell off my bed right on the floor. I picked it up and put it on the bedside.

"Poor book" I was thinking as I glanced towards the colorful cover that had taken some of the dust from the floor

I did my daily routine, I put on a pair of jeans and a shirt, adding one pair of sneakers, then I went down the stairs in to the living-room.

-Good morning, mom!

-Good morning, honey! I made pancakes. Do you want some?

-Mom, don't be silly! Is it really necessary to ask me that? You know they are my favorite, I said laughing.

After I finished eating, I was getting ready to leave.

-Ally! Wait! Don't you want me to take you to the high school?

-No, Mom. It's ok. I'll take a walk. I was just thinking that I could do some more exercise.

I didn't wait for her answer and I rushed out of the house. Not after a long time I arrived at the high school, entering the big building and heading to my locker.

-Oh, look who we've got here! The carless girl! said someone behind me making me turn around.

It was the guy that I bumped in, not very nicely, the other day. I watched him for a few seconds and then I just continued my way. I finally reach my locker, I took a notebook and left my bag inside.

I was just about to close the locker, but, out of nowhere, the door shuts quick. I looked around and saw an arm that was just a few centimeters away from my head, laying on the locker's door.

-What are you doing gorgeous? First you stumble on me and now you're not even noticing me. I put a lot of effort into forgiving you. I believe you owe someone an apollogy.

I could hear the other boys silently laughing about what he just said.

-I didn't do it on purpose! I tried to defend myself.

-You should be more careful, he said while getting closer to my ear and starting to whisper. Especially when you're wearing a dress, he continued with a smirk on his face.

"Oh my God! I didn't even notice I was wearing a dress! I feel so ashamed! And on top of that, why can't I move? I've got a weird feeling in his presence. Why is he intimidating me so bad?"

-Did the cat got your tongue, gorgeous? his voice knocked me out of the questioning avalanche that was in my head. I looked up at him because he was really much taller than me. I was sitting like that, watching him without saying a word and only now noticing the depth of the black abyss in his look.

-Will you stay and stare at me all day like that, or will you answer my question? his voice was the one breaking the silence between us.

- Hm? What? Which question? i hear myself saying.

"What is he talking about? Maybe I was too absorbed by my own thoughts when he asked."

- I asked for your name, he said.

- Alessia.. Alessia Hale, I answer him almost roboticaly.

- Hmn... Alessia... beautiful name! I am Jansen! But you can call me Jan. Nice to meet you!

He took one step back, just to see me better, taking my hand in his and lifting towards his lips, but I withdraw it quickly.

- Yeah... It's a pleasure to meet you too... more or less. Now... can I leave? I said, without waiting for his answer and being ready to leave.

But, suddenly, he catches my wrist, sticking me to the locker.

- Where are you rushing to?

- Uhm.. for class.. i'm late.

"Gosh! Why I don't feel hate towards him even though he is so brutal to me?"

- What class do you have?

- None of your business! Let me go!

- No.

- Let me go imediately! What? You want an apology? Very well! I apologize for stumbling into you! Now can you please let me go?! I already apologized! Let me go!

I said it all in one breath. I don't know why i reacted like that but right now I don't want to look like a coward, especially in front of him. Who does he thinks he is? Queen of England? I may be shy but I'm not stupid.

- You heard her, Jan! Let her go! I hear another voice and I turn around to see its source.

The one who talked was a taller boy, with brown hair… He was... Oh! He was the boy with the pink t-shirt. The one who got my attention, because he was the only one dressed differently in his group of friends.

- Not your business, Jae! Leave! said Jansen, irritated.

- You know it is! Can't you see you're hurting her? said the brown haired one that seems to be called Jae and until hearing him saying that I didn't noticed him holding my wrist. I was mesmerized by his beauty… "Geez! What am I even saying? This dude is a douche!"

Jansen, let go of my wrist, as if he had just realized what he had just done, but he put his hands on both sides of my head.

-Alessia! I hear my name and I look back.

There I see Maddie. Glory to Heaven!

-Hey you! Leave her alone! she said as she approached us.

Jansen looked at her and, in that very moment, I gave him a kick. He instinctively took his hands off me and I immediately walked away from there with Maddie, stopping just when we arrived in front of the class.

-What's his problem? she asked.

-I don't know! I can't understand what's wrong with me. I also apologized hoping that he will leave me alone, but it was in vain.

-Sorry? For what? You didn't do anything to him, did you?

-No ... just ... he said he forgave me because I hit him yesterday, despite not apologizing and ...

-And did you think that if he told you that, you would apologize and he would leave you alone?

-Something like that.

-Ugh! Stay away from him, Alessia! This guy is a scoundrel!

-I kind of realized that… I said making her laugh and we entered the class.