Alex stepped out of the coffee shop, holding her scalding hot beverage between her gloved hands. A hint of her breath escaped the confines of her scarf and created a white puff of air that didn't linger. It was actually cold this Christmas, more colder than the previous ones that is. She had bundled herself up in defense against the gusts of wind and she had to admit that she felt pretty silly with her big scarf wrapped around the bottom half of her face and her large goofy coat weighing down on he slim form. She had received a couple of less than friendly stares from those she passed by, not that she could blame them anyway. She probably would have done the same if she had seen anyone dressing as clown-like as herself.
As she neared the apartment complex that she now called her home, she saw something that made her pause. There was a limousine out parked in front of the driveway, one that she found herself oddly familiar to, considering the fact that she got the chance to see limos zoom past her each day as she made her way to the academy. Instead of going to greet them, she briskly walked past, hoping that they wouldn't notice her. Just when she was close to the stairs, a grinning face greeted her at the door.
"Alex!" Ross exclaimed. "Back so soon? Gee, you're fast!"
Alex narrowed her eyes at him, as if daring him to speak more louder than necessary. She was trying to remain unnoticed by the rich kid, not make them deaf in the ears because of her cousin's lack of knowing how to whisper.
She wasn't in that much of a mood to converse with yet another haughty, spoiled brat anyway. She already dealt with enough of that on a daily basis.
She closed her eyes to keep her face calm, then used one gloved hand to move her scarf low enough to respond to her obnoxiously loud cousin, "Hey, Ross," she dryly greeted back and since her mouth was free, she took a sip from her coffee.
"Have you met her yet?" he asked obviously eager of the newcomer.
"Nope." Her eyes grew all the more narrow as if she were daring him to drag her over to give out introductions.
"Really? She's been waiting for you for over half an hour."
Alex jolted in surprise, "Outside!" she exclaimed, "Why didn't you bring her inside?!"
"She was determined to meet you. If you ask me, it's your fault for taking your time," he snapped before starting his way back inside.
Now that's the Ross I know. Alex thought rolling her eyes.
Groaning, she whirled around to meet the said newcomer and beamed at their rather large derriere. How old was this chick? She had the butt of a thirty-five year old! Alex could come up with millions of nicknames to tease this girl with, Dunk being one of her favorites amongst them.
There came a surprised yelp from inside the vehicle and the girl hit her head on the interior roof, cursing inwardly afterwards. She then turned to face the one she had been waiting so patiently for.
She rubbed the back of her head with a rather sheepish smile as she used the other hand to wave at Alex as she wearily said, "Hey. You sorta surprised me there."
"I apologize," Alex simply said. She was used to apologizing to people higher than her.
"No worries. You didn't mean for it to happen."
Alex smiled tenderly, That wasn't expected.
"I'm Alex."
"Janet."
Silence settled between them.
"So..." Alex said shuffling her boots in the slushy snow, "what brings you here on Christmas?" I mean, my cousin told me that you were waiting for me and all."
Janet met her curious gaze and Alex suddenly felt as if she knew her. Something about those dark almond-shaped eyes were familiar to her, like as if she had seen them in a dream or on a particular person she knew. But something about them were different. They were filled with childlike amusement and innocence unlike the cold, dark eyes she was imagining currently that moment.
Janet must have noticed because she tore her gaze away from Alex's and rummaged through the backseat of the limo. Soon enough, she retrieved a white envelope from her purse and hastily offered it to Alex.
Alex blinked hard, "Is this for me?" Alex asked, with her hand twitching in an attempt to snatch it out of her hands.
Janet nodded, "Yes. It's from someone you don't really know."
Reluctantly, Alex accepted the envelope with a look of uncertainty in her eyes. She studied her full name that was cursively-written in gold ink across the front: Alex Angela Avery.
Triple A, Alex thought mentally sighing.
It wasn't handwriting that she had instantly recognized on the spot. But then, she didn't spend her days studying different forms of handwriting. The envelope was folded quite neatly for her standards so she decided to unfurl it in the same proper manner. The envelope hadn't been sealed with a lick so there was no chance of her sending it off to some sort of DNA analysis company.
Her gray eyes first fell on the precise handwriting written across the paper. It was more than readable, the entire letter written in cursive and some letters written in print. It was a typical person's handwriting.
Then she began to read:
"Dear Alex,
I wish that I was able to be with you this holiday but unfortunately, I have been caught up with things back at home. I know you very well but I doubt that you would want to know me. You have seen me on more than just occasions. You may recognize my face on the spot and you may not want to recognize me. Sometimes I am invisible to you but you're never invisible to me. I have always been watching you, in one way or another, whether I was hurting you some days and protecting you the others. I only do this because I don't want anyone else worst than me to do it. If you don't believe me, then that's just fine by me. At least I know that you know the truth about how things really are between you and me.
Anonymously yours,
Your Protector"
Alex read the note several times before she suddenly felt her breath hitch in her throat.
She had read many anonymous letters in her lifetime but never had she read one that moved her that deeply and feel so afraid at the same time. Moved because the person wrote so deceptively simple with such compassion and love and afraid because she was afraid that she knew who wrote the letter. She should have seen it coming when she first saw his little sister's eyes.
Oh god! That's his sister!
If Alex ever imagined Michael with siblings, she only expected ones that acted just like him, unpredictable, always blinded by rage and arrogant to others. Not a sweet little girl with dimples that made Alex want to pinch her cheeks!
Sighing softly, Alex quietly thanked Janet and made her way inside her apartment.
The way there was all a blur to her. All she remembered was shakily clutching the letter in her hand and wondering what possessed Michael into writing something so authentic.
Protecting me? Alex laughed under her breath, Please! Who could be more worse than him?
She tossed the envelope onto her desk and was about to plop herself down on her bed until she heard a slight jingle from behind her. Whipping around to face the source of the noise, she stared at the place where the envelope laid then down to the ground where a twinkling object had fallen onto the carpet. She kneeled down onto the floor and retrieved the silver necklace from the floor.
The cursive 'A' that represented as the charm glistened with white diamonds under the dim light of her lamp. It was a simple design, the A curving ever so elegantly and curling outwards at the end of the two legs. It was pretty, probably a bit too pretty for Alex to be wearing around in her neighborhood. It was far too risky.
She frowned slightly at the thought of wearing the necklace and then having it snatched off of her neck as soon as she stepped outside. The necklace was far too beautiful to allow to be stolen so easily.
Sighing and shaking her head, she placed the necklace on her table and walked over to her bed to let sleep take over her.
Everyday was torture for him, going to school and seeing her there, being on the receiving end of the glares she threw out. Even when she was sending him death looks, Michael still couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was to him. The way she grew aggravated when her hair kept falling in her face, the way her cheeks tint pink when she blushed, the way she bit her lip when she was upset or nervous. Hell, even the way her eyes flashed with anger whenever she caught sight of him.
Everything about her got to him and he hated myself for allowing it to happen.
Michael had noticed a change of her once he saw her the first day of second semester. She was looking particularly beautiful that day, her soft hair framing her heart-shaped face in light ebony waves, a light coating of makeup brushed over her radiant features, her gorgeous eyelashes framing her glistening gray eyes and a light dress on her slender form. She seemed to have grown more stunning over the break.
But it wasn't her physical appearance that brought out her outer beauty but it was the necklace that glimmered around her neck, the one he had told Janet to deliver to her. Not that he was too scared or anything (he was petrified). He was "busy" tending to his family at home (which only included greeting his parents whenever he saw them throughout the day).
He still couldn't believe that she actually wore it. He was worried that she wouldn't like it or that she would throw it away because she had found out that he had given it to her. He was close to not buying it because he was so afraid of what she would might do to it. She could have just easily ran up to him and wrapped it around his neck so tight that his eyes bulged out of his skull or maybe even shove it down his throat. Either way, he would have been in more pain if she wasn't wearing it at all. But seeing it around her neck only served to remind him that she was officially his.
Michael smiled inwardly, feeling his heart flutter at seeing how much it made Alex's face glow whenever it glistened in the light. Oh how beautiful she looked to him.
Girl, if only you were really mine...
With a grin playing at his lips, he decided to have a little fun with her. He swaggered his way over to Alex who was currently turning the combination on the lock on her locker.
Michael leaned his back heavily against the wall of lockers with his arms crossed over his pounding chest, his knee upraised and a foot pressed low under his rear.
"That's one pretty necklace you got there," he began glancing down at her necklace that was lying only a mere inch above her cleavage. He restrained himself from licking his lips.
"Did someone special give it to you for Christmas?"
"Nope," she replied curtly as her locker door swung open.
Michael felt a knife of pain slice through his heart.
"Ouch," he said but Alex failed to realize that it was real pain he was expressing, "The person should be pretty special to you if they went out of their way to buy you that," Michael said calmly.
"If you mean special as in that he's such a pussy that he can't even deliver it to me in person? Then, yes, I agree."
Michael laughed under his breath, "I'm sure there's a reason why he told them to do it for them. They were probably busy."
"Busy? As in what? Trying to avoid going to my house because they were too scared?"
Yes.
Michael merely shrugged, "How should I know?"
"Didn't you send it?"
Hm. Did I send it? Well, not exactly. Janet was the one who actually sent it. I never wanted you to get the letter or the necklace because I was afraid that you would get the wrong message out of it. Janet actually stole my letter and gave it to you. So, technically, it was Janet. And since you want an honest answer, it would be a big, fat...
"Nope."
Alex looked up at him with wide, curious eyes but they soon enough narrowed into a scathing glare, "Don't try to mess with me, Jackson," she hissed and slammed her locker shut before she began stomping down the hall. Away from him.
Always away from me.
"But I did write the letter and I did buy you the necklace," he said softly and it was not until Alex abruptly came to a halt did he realize that she had heard him, "It may not seem true but it is, the letter I mean. I don't only do it because I enjoy it. I do it because I know there are many other people in this world who would do it more worse than me. I don't hate you that much to see you get killed."
With the skeptical look still firmly in place, she glanced over her shoulder, causing his pulse to quicken slightly.
She was the only girl who could ever do that to him.
"Thanks," she murmured under her breath before hastily continuing her way down the hall.
Michael smiled, Well, at least me helping her out didn't end up with her crying on me. God knows she would have...
Author's Chapter Notes:
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Chapter End Notes:
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