[𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐍]

"𝐈 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐎𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐓."

"No, you didn't, it hit your shoulder."

"Paris, now you're seeing things. I definitely dodged it."

Paris and I were having a snowball, the rules were that if one of us gets hit, the hitter gets a point. I had five point and she had six. I tried not to aim for her face because I noticed she got upset when I did it the first time.

We made a snow man and named him Pasty. Paris took the opportunity to climb on top of me as we made snow angels, I locked my arms around her, and kissed her fervently.

When we went inside, the two of us laid together in front of the fire place, her head was on my chest, while my arms were cradling her. She was in one of my navy blue Nike crewnecks.

"Today was fun," she murmured.

"I'm glad I got to spend it with you."

"Same here."

I kissed her forehead and enjoyed the silence.

I didn't know how to feel when the two of us had to go back to school. We'd gotten comfortable touching each other in the house that I wasn't sure if she'd be the same way with me outside of the house.

She came and met me in the kitchen when she was ready. Paris just took some leftover food from fridge for breakfast before we left, that's when I mentally planned to just make breakfast for her everyday.

"What're these things on the car?" Paris asked when we were in the car.

"What 'things'?"

"The BDSM chains on the tires, what's up with that?"

"First of all, they're snow chains," I told her. "They're there so we don't slide on the ice."

"Oh," she acknowledged.

On the way to school, Paris decided to serenade me by singing SWV Use Your Heart, Paramore Still Into You (which I hadn't heard in long time), and Flashing Lights.

Once I parked in the school's lot and turned off the car, I looked over to Paris who appeared to be tense.

"What is it?" I inquired.

Her head practically jumped up to look at me. "Hmm?"

"What is it?"

"Oh, um, I'm just a little nervous about walking back in there."

"Why, did something happen?"

"The other night, when I went to the party, I got into a physical altercation with Darion."

"Show me where he hurt you."

"Oh no, he didn't hurt me anywhere. He was drunk when I attacked him so I had an advantage."

I was relieved, but not wholly.

"I'm just a little on edge because I don't want him coming up to me or Priscilla—"

"Why the hell would Priscilla go up to you?"

"She got hit in the mix, so I don't need her getting her friends and jumping me. But if I have to handle her one on one, I'll do that."

"No, you won't."

"Why not?"

"Because I won't let you."

"But—"

"Look, you have nothing to be nervous about. I'm not going to let anyone touch you," I promised.

Her face softened, and a smile made its way onto her lips. I leaned in when she did and pressed my lips against hers, we kissed for a while before getting out.

Paris stayed close to me on the way inside the building. Our finger automatically intertwined while going in, I couldn't help but smile when that happened.

It was such a beautiful thing—to simply have a person that belonged with you. Although our relationship was just starting, I just knew I belonged with Paris. Yes, we've had our differences and we were two completely different people, but that was the beauty of it. Two completely different people belonging with each other.

"You're smiling," Paris acknowledged, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, I am."

"Do it more, I like it."

I held her hand—that was still in mine—up, and kissed the back of it. Paris and I attracted attention as we walked into the building. Just because she was beautiful—didn't mean that it wasn't rude of people to stare.

"London," she muttered, looking up at me. "Look." I looked in direction Paris was looking in.

There was Priscilla down the hall by her locker, two other girls with her, glaring at Paris and I.

I glared back and squeezed Paris's hand in reassurance that I damn sure wasn't about to let anyone touch her.

"You see her with her little troops," Paris whispered, making me snicker at her choice of words. "They're going to jump me, London, I'm telling you. I'm going to get my ass beat."

"I'm really starting to think you don't trust me."

"Why?"

"Because I told you I won't let anyone touch you, and now you're saying you're going to get your ass beat."

"I was joking, London."

We stopped by Paris's locker. While she opened it, I stood like a bodyguard to make sure no one would try to sneak her from behind.

Sadly, the classes Paris and I didn't have together, she was nervous for.

"As soon as that bell rings and you come out, I'm going to be right outside this classroom," I told her. "Okay?"

She nodded, gulping. "Okay."