Forever and Always

Alexa’s POV

Walking down the hallway, I was suddenly pulled into an empty classroom. My head bumped against the wall, making me groan softly.

“Ow!” I complained, rubbing my sore head. But my concern grew when I recognized the chilling sound of his laughter.

Jackson.

“Hurting?” he asked with a malicious grin. I stared at him in a mixture of fear and horror. His smirk only grew wider. “I was wondering if Colton has already taken advantage of you. But seeing that he’s still hovering around you, I suppose not.”

My throat tightened, and I attempted to leave the room. However, he grabbed my hand forcefully, causing a sharp pang of pain.

“Let me go, Jackson,” I pleaded, my voice trembling. He tightened his grip, and my hand throbbed in agony. “P-please, you’re hurting me.” A tear slipped down my cheek.

He laughed, a wicked sound that sent shivers down my spine, before finally releasing me. I hastily fled to the nearest restroom, taking refuge in a cubicle where I let my tears flow freely. I gazed at my hand, already bruising from his harsh grip.

A knock on the door startled me.

“Um...hello? Are you okay in there?” A concerned voice called out. I sniffled and wiped my tears with my sleeve.

“Y-yeah, just give me a minute, please.” I managed to choke out, trying to compose myself. I got up, grabbed my backpack, and opened the door. A brown-haired girl with kind eyes stood there, her expression softening as she looked at me and then at my hand.

“You might want to cover that up,” she said, handing me a concealer. I took it from her and thanked her, using it to hide the evidence of my pain.

“Thank you...?” I trailed off, prompting her to introduce herself.

“Emily.”

“Yeah, thank you, Emily.” I managed a small smile.

“If you ever need anything, just let me know. After all, we’re friends now, right?” She beamed at me. I giggled and nodded.

“Absolutely.”

••••

“Where were you? What took you so long? Are you avoiding me now?” Felix’s accusatory tone greeted me as I finally met him. I frowned in confusion.

“I was in the restroom. Why are you so upset?” His anger seemed to abate, replaced by a gentler expression.

“Alright, I’m sorry,” he apologized, his demeanor shifting. He took my hand in his, and my heart fluttered, but then he frowned. “What was that?” he asked, his concern evident.

“What was what?” I feigned innocence.

“You winced!” he exclaimed, clearly catching on. Well, there was no use denying it.

“Okay, fine, I winced a little,” I admitted reluctantly.

“You winced? What happened? Did you get hurt?” He grew more concerned, his voice laced with worry. I almost melted at the genuine care in his words and tone.

“Yeah, I hurt myself while playing volleyball. But enough about that, let’s get going. I’m really in the mood for some ice cream,” I pouted, hoping to change the subject. He chuckled at my attempt.

“Don’t pout, Lex. It makes me want to kiss you,” he remarked with a mischievous glint in his eyes. My breath hitched at his words, his magnetic presence affecting me more than I cared to admit.

“Come on, let’s go,” he said, opening the door for me with his face dangerously close to mine. My heart raced as his breath fanned my face, and I gulped, struggling to regain my composure.

••••

“Bye, Felix,” I bid him farewell as I exited the car. He smirked at me, that mischievous smirk that had become so familiar.

And then he winked.

That playful wink.

And with that, he drove away.

I entered my house to find my parents engaged in a phone conversation. I smiled at them, acknowledging their presence, and made my way to my room.

After a refreshing shower, I walked out to find my mom waiting for me.

“Yeah?” I asked, curious about her request.

“We’re going to the Colton’s tonight. Get ready,” she informed me with a smile.

Felix knew about this, and he hadn’t mentioned it to me.

“Sure,” I agreed, suppressing my mixed feelings. I opened my closet and selected a floral waistline skirt paired with a sleeveless cream top. The outfit was cute yet slightly revealing, showing a hint of my stomach.

I did a bit of makeup, taking extra care to conceal the bruise on my hand. I curled my hair, accidentally burning myself a few times in the process. When I deemed myself ready, I headed downstairs to join my parents.

We climbed into the car, making our way to the Colton’s house.

••••

“Oh my gosh, Alexa! Look how much you’ve grown. You were just a little thing when I last saw you,” Felix’s mother exclaimed as she enveloped me in a warm hug. I giggled in response, patting her back before stepping back.

“You’ve blossomed into such a beautiful young lady, Lexi.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Colton,” I replied, appreciating her compliment.

She laughed and waved her hand dismissively. “Oh no, no need for formalities. Just call me Loren, or Aunt Lori, or even Mom if you prefer.”

“Sure, Aunt Lori,” I grinned, feeling at ease with her friendly demeanor.

She’s such a kind-hearted and welcoming person.

“That’s better,” she said with a wink, then turned to my parents, engaging them in conversation. I wasn’t paying much attention, my eyes scanning the room for one specific person.

“Honey, could you do me a favor and call Felix down? He’s probably still in bed,” she requested.

“Of course. Which way is his room?” I inquired. She directed me upstairs, advising me to turn left and look for the black door.

I followed her instructions, but when I took the left turn, I was surprised to see that every door along the corridor was black.

Which one leads to his room?

I hesitated for a moment before opening the first door I saw. It was an empty room with just a single shelf. I quickly shut the door and moved to the next one. However, before I could open it, I was pulled into another room across from it.

I was about to let out a yelp, but a warm hand covered my mouth. I looked up and found Felix’s familiar face, my fear instantly subsiding.

He removed his hand, and my relief turned to curiosity as he pinned me against the wall, his hands on either side of me, his body dangerously close.

“Hi,” he greeted with a grin. My gaze involuntarily flickered down, and I couldn’t help but notice that he was half-naked.

“You’re... half-naked,” I stammered, flustered by the sight. He chuckled at my reaction.

“Do you want me to be fully naked?” he teased, his hand moving toward his pants as if to undo them.

“No!” I exclaimed, covering my eyes with my hands. I heard him laughing.

Slowly, I peeked between my fingers, convinced that the coast was clear. When I realized I was safe from any further surprises, I lowered my hands and glared at him.

“What now?”

“I want a kiss,” he declared, pouting like a child. I couldn’t help but giggle at his antics.

“Why are you laughing?”

“You’re just too adorable,” I admitted, a smile gracing my lips. He looked genuinely offended.

“Adorable? Me? Excuse me, Miss Parker, I’m not adorable. I’m hot and sexy,” he corrected, his smirk returning as he flashed me a self-assured grin.

“Miss Parker?” I raised an eyebrow at his new nickname for me. He nodded, fully embracing his playful demeanor.

“Oh, very well then, Mr. Colton. I suggest you release me right now before our parents start suspecting something we don’t want them to,” I retorted, smirking in response. His expression turned more mischievous.

“I like the way you think, Ms. Parker,” he purred, leaning in closer. I giggled, then pushed him away playfully.

“Pervert.”

••••

With dinner completed and our parents engaged in conversation, only Felix and I remained in the dining room, enjoying ice cream together.

As I stood up to leave, I accidentally knocked over a glass of water, spilling it onto my hand. Luckily, the glass didn’t break, but my hand was soaked.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, reaching for a napkin to dry my hand. The concealer on my hand began to fade, revealing the bruise beneath. Before I could address the situation, Felix took my hand in his, his expression incredulous.

“What the heck, Alexa!?”