"...Well, it seems I'll have to attend this matter with Principal Powers right away." Our history teacher explained some bureaucratic issues had come up that were rather urgent so he'd have to leave earlier. "You can work on your questionnaire for the rest of the hour and hand it in to me next class."

The minute she walked past the door, I could hear all the books snapping closed marking the official beginning of some half an hour prattle. My mind immediately wandered back to the latest events in the hallway.

Don't stop kissing me? Did I really just ask him not to stop kissing me? What is my problem? His kisses. His kisses are my problem. His lips and his racy hot tongue and the way his hands fondle the curves of my body with slick assurance...-

"Well?" Magenta's eyes bored into me accusingly as she attempted to exact an explanation I didn't have.

"What?" I raised my eyebrows defensively.

"Anything you wanna tell me?"

"There isn't anything to say."

"Right. 'Cause you make out in the cafeteria and the hallway every day. With Warren Peace!"

"So? We were making out. We're supposed to be dating. It's not a big deal, Magenta." I tried to sound as unflustered as possible.

"I see... And how far are you gonna take this... this..." she made a gesture with her hand as she searched for the right word but failed to find it.

"Pretend dating," I supplied.

"Pretend dating?" She produced the words like they required definition, "Whatever that means for you, I just have to say you're really good for it," She snickered, "both of you. Hey! You got me fooled."

"It's the idea."

"Aham. Whose idea, Layla?" I gave her my sharpest look of incredulity. I mean she wasthere when I asked him, wasn't she? "No, really. You really think you're still the one pulling the strings here?"

"This was my idea. Mine."

"Which part? Which part of what happened out there was your idea and which was his?"

"He's only doing what he thinks will work best. I asked him to do this for me and he's helping me."

"And what's in it for him? The way I see it, he can't be doing you and Will a favour out of the goodness of his heart. I mean, that guy? He sure has a good reason for doing this."

"He wants to help! He's been nothing but good to me. I won't let you talk about him like that, not in front of me. He's helping me, without asking anything in return."

"Yet." She asserted. "Look, I just want you to be careful, ok? It's evident that he knows what he's doing. I mean, it's been two days and he's already got you... Osculating in public. Yeah, it's a strong word, but accurate nonetheless. You're not yourself around him. The way you behave... It's almost... reckless."

"Reckless?"

"The old you would've never pulled a stunt like that."

"The oldme? Since when there's an old me?"

"Since Warren Peace. He's changing you, Layla. You may not see it, but your friends do."

"He's my friend too. A very good friend, I might add. He lent me an ear when I needed to let it out. He supported me and gave me advice when he didn't even know me. He's been the one to cheer me up all these days. When I needed a favour he gave me a hand...-"

"Fine. Fine." She raised her palms in surrender. "The guy's untouchable, I get it. Just one last thing: keep your eyes wide open. Promise me you won't let your guard down."

"It was never up on the first place."

She snorted in frustration. "Just be careful. I don't need to tell you that I don't trust him."

"No, you don't."

"I think he's playing dirty, and he knows how to. I wasn't there the night you talked to him for the first time, so I really don't know. But I know this: he's got a way with words, and he's got a way with girls. He could've got you into thinking all this was your idea, when it was his all along. When was the last time you talked to Will? Or about him?"

"It's not my fault that he discarded me."

"He's your best friend."

"And I'm trying to get him back." My voice came out unconvincingly low.

"There. I just wanted to hear you say it. I just want you to remember. You can't fall for Warren if you remember you're in love with Will."

"Well, I am." Somehow, the words managed to come out lower than before. This whole conversation had gotten on my nerves and I was really exhausted. "Is that all? Are you happy now?"

"I'm not happy, but it'll have to do. For now. But I want you to talk to Will today, ok? I think he's starting to miss you, he's probably finding out just now how much you mean to him." I snorted. "Please?"

"Fine. I'll go see him tonight."

"Good. Now, you wanna answer some questions?"

"I just wanna get out of here." I started picking up my stuff but she stopped me.

"The bell didn't ring yet"

I smiled. "It's going to."

I rushed out of the classroom. This unnerving talk with Magenta had the opposite effect on me: instead of wanting to stay away from Warren, I just wanted to see him.

I walked straight to the gym, where I was going to wait for him. He was supposed to meet us there during free period to help us with the flag.

I stopped on my tracks when I saw he was already there, his back towards the entrance. I watched him, while Magenta's words played in my head. Be careful... He was tightening his hair into a bun. I don't trust him... He took off his jacket and threw it recklessly against a bench. What's in it for him? He rolled up one of the sleeves of his black shirt to his elbow and then proceeded with the other. You can't fall for Warren if- He turned around and smirked when he saw me standing there ogling him.

"Hey there, Hippie!" I blushed slightly as I walked to him. "You're early."

"So are you." You really think you're the one pulling the strings here?

"Yeah. Hero Strategy teacher finished the class earlier, had some-"

"Meeting with the Principal. Ours too. He left us some homework but I just had to get out of there."

"Hippie walking out before the bell? Gotta stop hanging out with me so much, I already feel like a bad influence." He's changing you. I was frowning. "Hey, are you ok?" Don't stop kissing me.

I smiled. He lent me an ear when I needed to let it out. "Sort of... Magenta's been giving me a hard time..." I trailed off.

"Girl stuff?"

I shook my head no. "Boy stuff."

"Stronghold." It was a statement more than a question. It suddenly felt wrong that he'd immediately assume the only guy in my life was Will.

"Not really." I came closer to him, looking right into his eyes, clueing him in. A remorseful expression formed on his face when it dawned on him.

"I knew this was gonna happen." He sighed. "Granted, I didn't expect it to happen this soon, but it was a given." He nodded his head towards the pole invitingly, before resuming. "She doesn't like me very much, huh?"

"Like at all." I felt really bad for him. He was being so good to me. I came to stand next to the pole and flinched when he leaned closer to me.

"Take this off." He said tugging lightly at the lapel of my jean jacket. I shrugged it off me and he took it and threw it on top of his leather one. "Don't worry about it, ok?" He was back on the other subject. He undid the two little belts on each of his fingerless gloves and slid them off his hands using his teeth. "It doesn't matter what they say about me, just don't argue with your friends over me."

"I- I can't help it." I was struggling to maintain my focus while he held one of the gloves firmly between his teeth as he spoke. All this stripping down had me blushing. "Sh- She..." he took my left hand in his, "She was making a b- big fuss about wh- what happened earlier..." I trailed off as he ever so carefully slid one glove over my fingers and adjusted the belts tighter. "She asked so many questions!"

He slid the other one over my right hand. "And you couldn't answer them." He aided me towards the pole and stood behind me. I could feel the heat radiating off his body on my back.

"N- No, I answered them." He grazed his fingers from my shoulders to my hands and cupped them in his. "Only I may not have sounded very convincing..." He brought each one of my hands to each side of the pole closing my fingers firmly around it under his own. He was so close to me, bending slightly, his chin brushing against my temple, I could hear him breathing. My stomach fluttered and my pulse raised.

"Relax." He spoke softly into my ear. You really think you're the one pulling the strings here? I shivered. "How does that feel?" He was talking about the pole. "Think you'll be able to hold your grip to it with your legs in the air?" He's got a way with words... I was holding my breath. "Hey, ease up. I'm here, ok? I won't let you fall down or anything." He's been nothing but good to me. "Close your eyes... Breath in." I took in a ragged breath. He let go of my hands as he slid his fingers up my stretched arms, around my shoulders and down my sides.

Something was utterly different with me. The way he brushed his fingers against my sides, past my armpits, it should've been annoyingly ticklish. But somehow, it was pleasurable.

He took firm hold of my waist. "I'm right here." He moved closer to me, his hard chest pressing against me and something else poking slightly lower down my back. He's got a way with girls. I whimpered helplessly. One of his hands grazed up and down my spine, torturing my back with the tips of his fingers, then coming to rest on my rib cage, while the other moved from my waist to my hipbone. I arched my back and felt him harder against me.

He groaned. I opened my eyes and looked into his own. His expression was fierce. I was heaving frantically, my breasts protruding of my V-neck, right under his sight. He grazed his bottom lip with his tongue, moistening it as his eyes flicked back and forth between my own and my lips. Tentatively, I stood on my tiptoes, my ass brushing against his hardness.

"Layla." He warned grinding his teeth.

His hand on my ribcage lowered to my stomach, creeping under my T-shirt. I felt like testing his self-restraint. I rubbed my ass up and down against his erection until his breathing became erratic. He's already got you osculating... Reckless... Since Warren Peace... He rubbed his hands in circles up my stomach, brushing under my bra and I thrust against him, bringing my arms around his neck, my head resting against his shoulder.

"Warren." I moaned shamelessly as I rubbed against him once more, drawing circles this time.

"Fuck, Layla."