"And... I think that's it" I handed her the last of the papers, that had previously scattered across the corridor.

"Um..." She stacked them atop the bundle next to where she sat on the stairs adamantly refusing to meet my gaze, her face a deep shade of red.

'Looks like I went a little overboard...' I grinned sheepishly, as I crouched beside her "There's not much swelling..." I noted as I examined her right leg "But I'm taking you to the Infirmary regardless..." I added on, as I grabbed her discarded shoes.

"But I..."

"You mind carrying these for me??" I cut in as I gestured towards the bundle, "We don't have much time" I started again, seeing as she wasn't complying "The Nurse might leave at this rate, and there's also these books that need to be returned, not to mention the test papers... I guess you were tasked with helping your Teacher grade them??" I asked, but went on without giving her a chance to reply "So they might still be waiting for..."

"Okay!!!" She finally relented, as she grabbed the bundle, "But if you even try to so much as..."

I knew her threat was more of a bluff than anything else, Alisha appeared very stubborn and headstrong on the outside, but inwardly she was a very kind and gentle person.

She could be easily convinced if one pushed the right buttons, and me being a little too forceful was one of them.

So I neither paid heed to her death glare nor to her obvious embarrassment, as I took her in my arms and unceremoniously held her in a princess carry.

"Oh, and by the way" I continued on as I straightened up "I have no clue where the Infirmary's at..." I flatly admitted as I began making my way down the stairs.

"What?!..."

"You're gonna have to direct me..." I gave her a grin, as I came to a stop, we'd reached the second-floor corridor "I'm a First Year, and it's only been three weeks since school started, so you can't exactly blame me..." I explained "Anyway, left or right?? Or do we go down another flight??"

"Well, that would expl..." Her eyes widened as they darted towards my tie, First Years wore red ties, Second Years had blue and Third Years, black "You're really a First..."

"Let's go with right..." I decided and promptly began walking in the direction, knowing full well it wasn't the correct route.

"Stop!! You're headed the wrong way!!" She immediately intoned.

"So left?"

"No!! Go down another flight!! And then..."

"I'm not very good with directions, so tell me the rest as we go on..." I told her as I resumed walking.

"Alright..." She agreed with a sigh, her face was still quite red and our eyes never met for more than a few seconds, but I could tell that she'd lowered her guard against me.

This came as a welcome bonus, considering I'd already achieved what I'd been aiming for. I was completely convinced now, that my actions could indeed, change the future and this incident marked my first step.

The scar on her forehead, that I'd grown so familiar with, would never come into existence now...

Luckily, the Nurse was in when we got there, and she made short work of the situation "Some rest and a cold compress, you'll be able to walk just fine in the morning dear, I'll prescribe a mild painkiller just in case..." The middle-aged lady told Alisha while scribbling upon a form, which she then handed to her.

"Would either of you like some tea??" She asked, "I just brewed a fresh pot"

"I'll take a pass, but you go ahead and have some..." I told Alisha before she could decline "I'll deliver these for you in the meantime" I picked up the bundle as I assured her.

"Well isn't he the considerate one, you better hold on tight!!" The Nurse advised as she walked to the adjoining room, as Alisha's face turned beet red.

An awkward silence reigned for a few moments before "Thank you..." She finally managed to utter softly.

"You're welcome..." I grinned "Well I'll be off, who do I give this to?"

"To Mr. Daniel, he's our English teacher and his desk is right across from Ms. Keen, who's your English teacher right??"

"Yeah, and she's my homeroom teacher as well!! So I'll have no problems..." I assured as I began walking toward the door.

"Oh… I nearly forgot to mention" I stopped just short of the door "It's only my personal opinion, but I think black would suit you much better than red..."

"I don't follow" she intoned "Except for the tie, all our uniforms are only a mixture of grey and..." I smiled wickedly as her puzzled expression, changed to one of outrage and embarrassment.

"Per..."

"See you later!!" I called back as I made my escape, just as the Nurse walked back in "Oh my, your face is all red!! Are you alright?..."

I was out of earshot by then, which was quite unfortunate, but I was quite satisfied with our first encounter.

Alisha Barnes was confused, utterly and thoroughly confused, her thoughts lay in a jumble and her emotions were a complex mess, they all centered around a particular person, a boy.

Her thoughts never left him even after she got back home, she quickly excused herself, on the pretext that she was still feeling weak and had since confined herself to her room.

"It's all your fault!!" She grumbled, as she lay awake on her bed, it was nearing midnight, yet sleep still eluded her. And thus, she unconsciously began recalling their almost 'fateful' encounter (MC going *cha-ching*)

The day had been fairly regular, right up to the point where she'd finished grading the test sheets "I was walking out of my class and... fell??" She frowned, everything happened so fast and so abruptly, that her lack of memory couldn't exactly be blamed.

And by the time she was acutely aware of herself, she was already in his arms, staring into those eyes of his.

"It seems so... surreal now" how he seemingly appeared out of nowhere, just in time to save her "A Knight in shining armor..." She mused, before quickly dismissing the thought.

Alisha wasn't one for fairy tales and fables, the entire concept of a 'Damsel in Distress' in her opinion, was too much of a cliché.

"But I can't deny that there's something about him..." His touch, his gaze and even the way he held her, it all seemed so natural "So... familiar, almost as if he knew me" she immediately realized how improbable these words were.

Alisha knew that she had never even laid eyes on him, let alone met him before today. In fact, all she knew currently was that he was a First Year, for he hadn't even given her his name!!

"Though he did say that Ms. Keen was his homeroom teacher" she surmised, "So finding him wouldn't be that diff..." Her eyes widened "And why exactly am I even trying to look for him?! I shouldn't be looking for him!!" she scolded herself "Especially not after... not after he... he" and shamefaced, she buried her head in a nearby pillow.

"He's a pervert!! A scoundrel!!" She firmly told herself, "And the reason I want to find him is because I... I" she was already aware that she was lying to herself, a quick look at the mirror would only confirm the fact, for her face was a bright shade of red "Jeez... What is wrong with me??"

By all rights, she should have been repulsed by him, it wouldn't have been a stretch if she ended up hating him for what he'd done, though she knew full well that the incident by the stairs, was indeed an accident.

She'd put up quite the struggle at the time "I even elbowed him in the ribs..." she chuckled, upon recalling his expression "Serves you right!!" she reprimanded her pillow severely.

But nonetheless, he stubbornly held on and refused to let go, which in her disoriented state only served to fuel her panic.

---

"Let go, or I'll call for help!!" She threatened, but he paid no heed.

"Let me explain!! I didn't me..." he started, but she'd had enough.

"Let go!! Hel..." Just as she was about to begin yelling in earnest, she unexpectedly found her chin in a gentle caress and taking advantage of her shock, he all but forced her to meet his gaze "Listen to me for a moment would you!!"

And she found that she was unable to look away, the sheer intensity of his gaze prevented her from doing so, she was practically trapped.

"Where does it hurt?" He asked, his voice low and even.

"My... Right ankle" she answered before she could stop herself.

"How bad is it?? Can you walk??"

"No, I think I've twisted it" It was almost like she was in a trance, she couldn't help but answer him.

"I think it's best if you don't strain it anymore..." came his voice, and the next thing she knew, she was already on the stairs.

"Oh... okay..." a small part of her consciousness had continuously been screaming at her, to get away.

He wasn't trustworthy, his intentions were unknown. All in all, he could just be as bad as the others, she'd been fooled so many times that after changing schools, she also ended up creating a mask that served to protect her.

'Now is the perfect opportunity...' His attention was completely focused on her injured ankle, a well-placed kick was all it would take to send him tumbling down down the stairs.

But the genuine worry she saw in his eyes deterred her, she had reached a point where she could at least distinguish as much.

His expression was almost identical, to those she sometimes saw on her parents, and some of the maids.

"Why??" She wondered, it was a question that had bothered her since.

---

"Milady??" The voice accompanied by a sudden knock on her door caused her to jump "Huh?!"

"Milady??" And the door was knocked with a little bit more force.

"I must have drifted off at some point..." She surmised as the light of the morning sun trickled through the blinds on her window.

"Please enter Sharon..." She said, upon hearing another knock, and in walked a maid complete with a tray bearing a steaming pot of coffee, and a jug of milk.

She informed her that the Doctor would be in shortly and that the school had been notified of her absence.

'I don't know his name or his background...' Alisha accepted the cup handed to her, 'But I know that he bears me no ill will...'

She was sure of the fact, but why or how she knew, was something she had yet to figure out, 'Which I fully intend to do...'

I suddenly felt a cold shiver run down my spine and stiffened, almost dropping my toast in the process.

"Something wrong John??" my mother asked.

"No... Nothing" and I hastily gobbled down the rest of my food.