Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

None of us dared to speak and just grabbed this opportunity to stare into each other's eyes, the intensity of the stare even rising as time goes by. But it was also me who gathered all my willpower together to break down this utterly awkward silence.

I cleared my throat first. "We probably should need to go back now. Don't you think?"

It was then when his senses already dawned upon him once more. And then he coughed, a kind of cough that signifies that he is trying his best to act composed once again.

"Right." he finally said for more like than one minute. "We shall go back to the castle as I was told to at this fine evening."

I forced a smile. "Very well. Begin chanting the teleportation spell then, oh mighty captain."

Alex looked like he doesn't know whether to laugh or to ignore my last remark, but knowing his personality, he chose the latter option. I patiently waited for him to chant the needed spell, but our three minutes is up and he said nothing… totally nothing.

"Have you gone mute?" I arched one eyebrow. "Why are you not saying anything?"

It appears to me that this annoying jerk would like to test my magic skills and therefore would like me to chant the necessary spell instead. After all, he kept reminding me of my stupid mistake during our first encounter in the marketplace of Citadel.

With this thought in my mind, I took my time to roll my eyes at him and then prepared myself to initiate our teleportation. If he really wants to test how great I have improved now, I will show him that I can really teleport ourselves back to the castle.

"Wait…" he finally said after what seems to be like an eternity when I was about to chant the spell.

"What is it this time? I thought you are too lazy to utilize the spell and therefore would like me to do it myself."

His stare went back towards my direction once again the moment he cocked his head to look at me.

"An idea just came inside my head… something beyond my knowledge but also something that doesn't look bad as well."

I made an exasperated sigh just by hearing him talk this nonsense.

"If you may, could you please get to the point already?" I said quite irritated.

"I want to dance with you… in this very room!" he uttered in a frustrated way as well, frustrated to himself that he just can't say it directly, I suppose.

It left me dumbfounded.

"What?"

He did not say anything after, but rather he spontaneously pulled me through my right hand closer to him and put me into a position as I was back on the dancefloor… but this time, it was Alex who has his hands planted on my hips at this very moment.

"I… I do not understand." I muttered. "You could have invited me to dance earlier where there is music provided, but you didn't--"

He cuts me off rather irritated, sighing defeatedly in the process, explaining, "There are too many nippers who fancies you for a dance. "

That statement amused me and put my lips to a grin. "Are you calling my school acquaintances, and even Lucas himself, your very best friend, a child? Is that what you are saying?"

"Hush already. If you want us to get back as soon as possible, let me seize this moment with you even just for a while."

"But there is no music--"

And again, I was cut off when Alex put a finger over my lips to silence me, a gesture that made my heart achingly throbbed for him.

"I said hush."

Too afraid to say anything now, I decided to contain myself and my thoughts all to myself and did as what he told me to do. And then the next thing that I knew, he was singing right in front of me as he started swaying me for tonight.

---

{Song: So Close by Jon McLaughlin

Featured in the Disney Movie: Enchanted}

You're in my arms

And all the world is gone

The music playing on

For only two

So close together

And when I'm with you

So close to feeling alive

---

I cannot believe it myself. This man, whom I regarded as a heartless, cold, most annoying jerk that I have ever met (aside from the class president, of course) sings to me at this very moment while we are both dancing just to provide a piece of music for the two of us.

I… I don't know what to say anymore.

---

So close to feeling alive

A life goes by

Romantic dreams must die

So I bid mine goodbye

And never knew

So close was waiting, waiting here with you

And now forever I know

All that I want is to hold you so close

---

My heart continues to flutter all the way as he continues to sing while we are both dancing in this very room. But not long, Alex decided to spin me around, and the moment he caught me in his arms once again, that's when I felt a tingling on my skin… the achingly desire for him to touch me some more even without me realizing it.

I have something for him, something that could explain why my heart is currently throbbing so loud and fast than its regular pace, or the fact that my cheeks are turning beet red every time our burning gazes met. 

---

So close to reaching that famous happy end

Almost believing this one's not pretend

And now you're beside me, and look how far we've come

So far, we are so close

---

With one last glance at the handsome face of this man standing in front of me… I think I understand now as to why I am feeling this way. 

I finally realized the true desires of my heart. It only took me time because of my ignorance to see this while trying to convince myself that this was not real. That I still have feelings for a childhood friend of mine from my past.

But now, I am certain. I like this man. I like Alexander Crimson.

He stopped singing when he probably saw me parting my lips slightly for the realization that suddenly occurred to my mind. I do not know what is going on inside that head of his, but the moment I blinked for merely a split second, it was also the moment when he decided to lean in closer and sealed my lips with his.

My first kiss...

Alex did not say anything and pulled away afterward, his eyes daring me to stop. I do want to stop him, I really do. But then I could feel my tongue being thick and heavy for me to even utter a single word in his presence, and he took that as my way of saying he could do as he pleases with me.

Without having second thoughts, Alex leaned in again and started kissing me senselessly, his tongue pleading access inside my mouth. And the funny part is that I let him, I let him invade my thoughts temporarily and take charge of me. I responded to his kisses, trying to match his pace, as our lips moved into a perfect rhythm.

I let out a grunt as his kisses went down to my neck while his hands are starting to explore my body and then finally making their way to the zipper of my dress. I felt him unzip my back, but then I did not punch him for it nor complain about t. I just let him do his thing while his lips made their way back towards mine.

Once the dress slides out of my body and landed on the floor, my undergarments plainly made in thin, white cloth was displayed in front of his eyes that exposes my chest very well. 

He looked at it for a few seconds, trying to register may be in his head what to do about it. But much to my surprise, he did not remove it as well and instead started groping for my breasts while kissing me passionately once again. A soft moan escaped my lips as his hands made contact with them.

This action made me took little, slow steps, as his weight makes me push backward, until I fell on his bed all of a sudden. By then he decided to straddle over my petite body frame and continued kissing me down my neck, my shoulder blades, my arms, and all the way to my open chest. Every kiss makes me omit incomprehensible grunts and moans.

He was on his way to removing my undergarment when something caught him, something that suddenly sank inside his head that made him stop what he was doing. And because of that he peeled himself away from me, picked up my dress, and handed it over to me.

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let my guard down and defiled your innocence," he said, his right hand smacking his forehead quite hard.

I took the dress and said, "Now, now. Don't be too hard on yourself. I clearly liked it myself."

But then it was too late for me before I realized what I just said. How stupid of me for saying that.

When I put the dress on again, I asked Alex for a little help to zip up the back before I spun around and put my hands on my hips while saying, "Look, how do I put this… I think..."

He did not say anything and let me have this moment to express my thoughts.

"No… I am definitely certain that I like you, Mr. Alexander Crimson. I like you very much."