My Little Secret

Chapter 2

Anxious was one way to describe her state. Sophia wasn’t ready at all for the next day of school. Felix knew, she was sure of it. How could he not have noticed it was her. If it had been anyone else they might have passed it as a coincidence or a sister of their creepy classmate, but not Felix. He was the only person who payed enough attention to her to recognize her in such a situation. And then there was still the possibility that he had followed her…

Sophia glanced up when she noticed a shadow falling over her untouched notebook. Just her luck. Tall, blond and arrogant had decided to join her for studies in the library. He sat down next to her, gathered his stuff from his bag, and placed them on the table. Opening his notebook, just like she had, he started to doodle.

At first she paid not much attention to him until he started to make a rather curious sound. A sound that sounded very much like the purr of a cat…

Sophia’s eyes widened as she noticed the little furry animal he was drawing on the piece of paper. She groaned to herself, rubbing her temple and trying her best to ignore him. Of course he wouldn’t let her. Felix started to purr louder, and even dared to brush his leg against hers like a feline would do when walking by, seeking attention.

“Can you stop purring like a bloody cat?” she growled, snatching the pen from his hands when he didn’t look up at her at first. He simply turned to her, holding out his hand. The most mischievous look was in his eyes, and so was the grin he was holding back. Narrowing her eyes, she could see right through him.

“Can I have my pen back,” he said casually before adding, “sir?”

Snap.

Sophia’s eyes fell on the pen in her hand. She had snapped it in two. Taking in a deep breath, she placed the pieces of the pen on the table, gathered her books, and left without another word. With a fastened pace she turned the corners of the hallways, heading straight for her locker. She opened it, placed her books inside, and closed it again. She leaned against the cold metal with her back, closer her eyes for just a second. Not long after the bell rang, and the quiet halls were filled with chattering students heading towards their next class.

Very light and subtle, a hand brushed against her cheek. She knew it was him, but for some reason she didn’t open her eyes. Neither did she slap his hand away. When was the last time someone actually touched her with such… care? She kept herself from leaning in, but she just could pull away.

That was, until he moved his fingers to be right under her nose, and said, “Whenever a human sleeps and the cat is in the room they will place their paw under their owners nose to check if they are still breathing, if they aren’t they start eat their owners face.”

Finally opening her eyes, she slapped his hand away, glaring. “What do you want, Felix?”

He hummed a laugh. “You owe me a pen.”

“I owe you nothing,” she hissed, ready to turn and walk off to her next class without another word, when he slammed his arm against the locker beside her head. He actually managed to startle her a bit. With his free hand he took the strings of her hoody, pulling her closer until they almost stood chest to chest.

“You owe me…” he whispered, his eyes never breaking away from hers. There was something in his eyes, something she couldn’t place, or didn’t want to.

Sophia groaned, annoyed to her limit, and roughly pushed him away from her. Felix let her, even stepping back a few paces. She scoffed at him before turning and leaving. People had been staring, she’d noticed just before she’d walked off. Fine, let them think whatever they wanted. Felix was the one acting out, not her.

-------

That night after her shift, Sophia was all but ready to head home. Felix had come by the café, of course he had, but he had kept his mouth. He’d been watching her, quietly drinking whatever he had ordered. Apparently he’d asked her coworkers a few things about her. Not big secrets or anything they’d told her later, not even about her home or family. He’d asked about her favorite item from the menu, what color she preferred. It was actually kind of sweet if he had been anyone else.

Sophia sighed as she left through the back door that led to an alley with a single light above her. For the second time that day Felix seemed to surprise her when she noticed him leaning against the wall across from her. She pretended to not see him, adjusting the strap of her bag instead, and started to walk.

She didn’t get very far.

“Miss me?” he called after her, but when she didn’t respond he didn’t seem to have a problem with going physical. He took her hand in a gentle, yet firm way. She turned to him, glaring so hard her head started to heard.

“Do I know you?”

Sophia gritted her teeth when his lips parted into a sideways grin. “You know me very well.”

Felix came closer and closer, forcing her to step back. “I’ve only seen you around the café, I don’t think we’ve met before.”

He hummed, low and rich, more sounding like a purr, but different from the ones he sounded that morning. “I think… you would have ran by now if that was true.”

Her back hit a wall, strapping her between him and the solid bricks. “I-I- uhm…”

Slowly, he reached up with his hand, first stroking her cheek, like he’d done at school. Sophia had to force her eyes to stay open. His touch… it was enchanting in a way. Perhaps it was the lack of warmth she had in her life at the moment. Yeah, she blamed it on that. If anyone caressed her that soft, that gentle, that… lovingly, of course she would give in. She knew she was lonely, she’d admitted that years ago, but she hadn’t know she was starving this much…

“Please,” she breathed, unsure if the plea was for him to continue or to stop. His half grin slipped into a soft smile, and again that look returned to his eyes. The one she couldn’t place. His thumb brushed over her lower lip, making his want rather obvious. Sophia didn’t seem to have it in her to care. He was so warm, so close, so caring…

Her eyes started to prick with unshed tears. Her longing, her want was rather different from his she realized, yet the same. He wanted her lips, her body, and she wanted his warmth. She wanted, needed, a hug. He wanted a ki-

Sophia snapped out of her trance when she noticed his other hand, the one not on her face, brushing away her raven black locks. Her hands shot up to cover her neck, and suddenly she was able to think again.

“Get away from me, Felix!” she shouted, pushing him away from her. An act. She breathed a laugh. It was all an act. He just wanted to see how far he could go, when she’d give in, just so that he could check the facts. “How dare you?”

“Took you long enough,” he said, a smug grin returning to his lips. “I’m impressed, almost gave in myself.”

“What now, huh?” Sophia tried to keep herself standing, trying to hide the fact that she was trembling. How dare he play her like that. “Do you even understand how screwed I am?”

The smugness faded from his face. “I do, and I don’t, but you don’t have to worry.”

“And why is that?”

He took a step closer, a cautious one this time. “You’re my little secret, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Sophia shook her head. “You’re a freak.”

He put his thumb, the one that had been on her lips before, against his own, smiling against it. “A freak with your secret.”

“Why not leave me alone?”

Felix chuckled, deliciously rough and low. She could at least admit that. “Because you’re mine, and mine alone.”

He licked his thumb, slowly walking back into the barely lit alleyway. Sophia just stood there, watching after him as her heart pounded in her chest. She could barely keep her breathing at a normal rate. She ran a hand through her hair, slowly processing what just happened. There was only one thing she was sure of at that moment. Glaring at the dark to which he had retreated, she hoped her statement was loud and clear, “I am not yours to have!”