Please read first..

And I have a surprise for all of you.

I just made an instagram account where I'm going to post EXTRAS about the story. That means more AESTHETICS, more from the characters themselves.. Like their texts, their to do lists or whatever.. Ace, Kai, Rehan, Remi , Francy and Lucy of course are all going to be included. There will be interview with the characters (if you want that ) where you can ask them questions and you can also talk to me and ask me questions

about the story.. or about writing.....you can even tell me about your stories and we can have a little community.

I'm inviting everyone ❤️The introverts too. You can just like the posts or silently follow. That's okay too. ❤️

Any updates that I have I'm also going to post there.

Possibly even about part 2 of this book somewhere in the future. *cough cough*

Without further delay, here is the new chapter you all deserved.

After hours of phone conversation with Remi about Kai, I was nearly going to be late for my date with Elric. Not to mention outside snow was falling like the world depended on it. I got off the tramway, heavy snowflakes falling all over my hair and face making it hard to see, but even through the thickness of white I saw Elric waiting for me. I ran into his arms hugging him.

He brushed the snowflakes off my hair and then leaned to kiss me. His lips and nose were cold over my warm ones. I wrapped my hands around his neck pulling him closer. His new cologne smelled so good.

"You smell really nice." I leaned closer to where his jacket was unzipped.

"And you look so beautiful." He cupped my face and kissed me again. Any more of those kisses and we'd be forbidden to go out in public.

He took my hand and we headed towards the mall.

The inside of the mall was no lesser, than Wintertown in decorative work. A giant Christmas tree stood in the center reaching the enormously high ceiling. There were massive ornaments hanging in the air in different colors and masked dancers at every floor, dressed like fairy tail characters from winter story tales. There was a family of five taking pictures with Elsa and Anna. And another couple was taking a picture in front of the Christmas tree. Aww they were so cute.

"Come here." Elric dragged me closer to the tree by the shoulders. "Stay here." he ran to an older couple passing by. He passed them his phone and ran back to me. He came from behind me and hugged me. I leaned my head and grinned at the camera.

Click.

They took a few pictures of us. Elric thanked them and ran back to me showing me the pictures. He was so much taller than me and handsome in the picture. I couldn't believe he was my boyfriend.

And we looked so cute. It was surreal.

"Should we go and have a look around?" Elric asked.

"Yes." I gave him back the phone and took his hand.

There was a stage bit further than the Christmas Tree and a choir of elves was on it, singing famous Christmas songs. Bunch of kids were surrounding the stage and danced along with the tunes.

We toured around the mall for quite some time and then came back when the concert began. We managed to get closer to the stage and swayed as the bend started playing.

The band got us all dancing and singing. Well Elric and I mostly swayed and sang along some of the songs.

After the band was done we gave them a huge applause and sent them off with whistles. It was really amazing.

Suddenly all I could think about was food. Steaming noodles, eggplant parmigiana, dumplings...

"I'm starving." I turned towards Elric hoping no saliva was dripping down my chin. "And freezing. Let's go somewhere warm to eat."

"How about we grab some food and head to my place?" Elric said like he was contemplating that idea for a while now. He was probably starving as well.

"I like that idea." I cuddled closer.

We bought some food and then grabbed a cab to Elric's place. When we entered the house, it was freezing.

"I thought you had heating here." I said taking off my scarf and started to unbutton my coat when suddenly Elric put out his arm stopping me from taking another step.

I looked up at him and saw his face had become completely serious. There was something scary in his look that worried me.

What could be the cause of it? His gaze was cold and with a warning as he stared at the other part of the house.

Something was wrong.

He pointed at the couch and gestured for me to get behind it.

Bit panicked I listened and tiptoed behind the couch. I crouched in hiding with the food.

Elric took a few steps back and closed the front door. He took off his coat and leaned there with his arms crossed. I noticed he was waiting for someone.

Suddenly I heard footsteps in the room. They stopped abruptly. I was too scared to peek so I just stayed down.

The person was probably shocked to see Elric.

"I knew someone would come back. I mean I had made it so easy that I worried you'll find it suspicious." Elric spoke in a cold, dry voice.

From my position I could only see Elric. He unglued himself from the wall and took a few steps forward.

"I only came back to take what you owe us." The guy sounded angry.

"I don't recall owing you anything." Elric was really angry. I could tell.

It all happened in a flash. I heard footsteps running forward and then a fight broke out.

Oh no! Elric!

I tried to peek from behind the couch.

I saw him and the guy trying to wrestle it out and with one swift move Elric tripped him and pressed him on the ground. One hand on the poor guys neck the other a fist in the air really to hit him.

"I could beat you up or you could cooperate and I let you off with minor injuries."

The guy nodded his head trying to release his neck from Elric's grip. When Elric let him go he coughed out and tried to get air back into his lungs.

"So..Let's begin." Elric pulled out his phone recording him. "Who sent you and why?"

"Who sent you and why?"

He glared at me. "He said you'll ask that if you ever got your hands on his guys."

"So?" I urged him to keep going.

"He said to tell you he's an old friend."

I snickered. Wow an old friend. I knew exactly who would call themselves like that. The nerve.

Can you imagine your bully calling themselves your old friend.

"Is he still angry that he got expelled because of me?" I asked. "Or is he angry about the juvie thing?"

The guy made a face. He probably didn't know.

"He wants your game developing data. Said we could make money with that." He said rubbing his neck.

I sighed. "We? There is no we. He could get money. Don't even think for a second he will ever give you any part of the money. He is a selfish bastard that only thinks of himself. Trust me. I know this guy."

He hesitated.

"Listen kid. You're a kid right? How old are you?" He didn't look older than Rehan.

"I'm 16." He spat out.

"Okay okay don't get angry at me" I chuckled. I might be only two years older, yet he and I couldn't even be compared to where we were in life.

I rose up and looked down at him. "You know me and you know what I do. You're also aware of what I do to those who cross me."

His eyes widened and he slid further away from me. Finally he showed some fear.

"Now.. I have a proposal for you that will spare you. I rarely do this so you should be honored. Interested?"

He nodded.

Great. All was going according to plan. I reached in my pocket and pulled out an USB. I tossed it to him and he caught it confused.

"What's this?" He asked.

"It's your life thread." I explained. "It has all the shit you and your stupid friends have been doing under my "so called old friend's" orders. Breaking in my house. stealing data, causing fights and so on...Now I could take this to the police including this last tape I have of you breaking into my house. I could ruin your life in a million ways. However instead here is what I'm offering. You take this evidence and show it to your friends. Convince them to turn on your "boss" and find something to incriminate him. Then you bring it to me. If you do that then you and your friends are spared. And I'm throwing in a bonus. You do this for me and I'll forget I ever saw your face."

He contemplated and then rose up dusting himself off. "And you won't come after any of us?"

"That's the bonus."

"Okay. Give me some time."

"You have a week."

The kid nodded and took the USB. "Alright. I'll bring you something in a week."

I scoffed "You're not coming near this place again. I'll text you the meeting place and time."

"But you don't have my number..."

"How about you let me worry about that." I smiled.

He nodded and almost tripped as he was leaving. Once he was gone, I closed the door and locked it.

Ah..... I could finally breathe. Thank god this is over.

Ace did a good job collecting the data about them and luckily we made a plan on how to deal with them when they show up again.

But this timing was..

Oh god Francy..

I turned around and walked towards the couch. "It's okay now. You can come out"

Francy rose from behind the couch. She dusted off her clothes.

God knows how scared she was. And she saw me like this. She must think I'm horrible and just the person she thought I was as Lucy.

"Francy I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone would show up tonight. If I have known I never would have brought you here. And what you just heard..."

She pushed her hair back and looked at me. Her eyes were glistening.

"Baby are you okay? Did you get hurt?" She reached out wrapping her arms around my waist and looking up.

"I'm okay." I answered thrown off. Baby? That was the first time she's called me dearly.Wasn't she angry with me? Disgusted..

"Thank god it's over. That was nerve wracking." She bit her lip.

"I know. I'm sorry. I know you must want to hate me now.. "

She shook her head. "Hate you? You were amazing. You were so mature in the way you handled it. You didn't even have to punch him."

"Thank you?" I raised a brow.

"Don't get me wrong..I don't want to go through this ever again. Lucy needs to keep trouble away. Not bring it to his home."

"Noted." A-ha. I knew she was angry.

She then shyly looked at my chest avoiding eye contact and whispered. "That being said. You were kind of hot."

I leaned down trying to understand what she was saying.

She looked up and she grabbed my shirt in her fist "When you grabbed him and bam nailed him on the ground.". She trailed her hand up and touched my neck with her gentle fingers. "And then you held him like this. I could only think how hot you looked."

She finally raised her eyes to face me. "really really hot."

I smiled. "Hot? Baby? You should be around Lucy more often."

She nudged me playfully. "Can I kiss you now?"

"Call me baby one more time." I pulled her closer.

"Baby." She smiled.

I lifted her up in my arms. She laughed and wrapped her legs around me.

"Okay you can kiss me now." I said.

Instantly she pressed her lips on mine. She kissed me deeply, lustfully and then bit my lower lip, pulling it playfully. Oh it was on.

And then my stomach growled really fucking loudly.

She pulled away smiling. "Was that me or you?"

"Ummm...If you're that hungry let's eat first." I put her down.

"Aham." She smiled suspiciously but didn't say anything. My pride was safe.

I was looking at his piles of books while Elric was cleaning up the table.

"You said you don't read." I took a pretty heavy book on computer engineering.

"I don't read fiction. Those are for studying." He said putting the last dish in the sink.

"You're really amazing, you know that." I put the heavy book back. "You put so much hard work and effort in everything you do. There's so much to you that I haven't even scratched the surface. I can't believe I'm actually dating you. Or that I can call you mine."

Suddenly I felt his arms wrap around my waist and his lips touched my neck. "I'm yours. I'm not letting go of you now."

I smiled. "And I'm not planning on leaving."

He kissed my neck again. I turned around and kissed him.

His lips in their casual way glided over mine. His mouth on mine seemed like such a familiar feeling now. So normal. So perfect.

He pulled me to walk towards the table and lifted me to sit over it. He french kissed me. He was so good at it. Like a master-chef delivering a five-star entree.

I wrapped my hands around his neck. There was no rush. Only us, kissing in the silent night.

***

After quite the make out session I could finally get enough of him to let him go. We got my stuff and he offered to drive me instead of calling me a cab in this weather.

"You don't have to. It's cold outside." I told him as he wrapped my scarf around my neck.

"No. I said I'll drive you." He tightened it up and nudged me towards the door. "Now get your cute butt in the car."

"Okay okay." I slipped in my boots and walked outside. We ran to the car as it was freezing outside.

As we drove towards my house I could see the house decorations people put up for Christmas. They glittered and sparkled in my vision so magically. We turned on the radio listening to Christmas songs. I only hoped life could stay magical because from where I was sitting it couldn't get any better.