"So Alex West actually kissed you in front of everyone and declared his claim over you and then pulled you away with him in an empty classroom and told you that you are his?" asked Jess from her leaning position on the bathroom's wall while pointing to the important points that she had gathered from Alison's ramble. It was after their first class and they all had a free period.

Alison groaned in response as she splashed another handful of cold water to her face. 

"Girl, you are really fucked." said Jess and shook her head.

"Jess! That was not polite." yelled Ayda as she rubbed Alison's back which earned her Jess's scoff. "It's alright, Alison. You just have to ignore him for a while. I'm sure he will go away."

Alison turned off the tap and turned to Ayda. Drops of water were dripping from her desperate face. "You don't understand." she said frustrated and threw her arms in the air. "I can't control myself around him. My body was responding to him on its own accord."

Jess ditched herself from the wall and offered Alison a few tissues which she took gratefully. "Well, that was at least new."

"What do you mean?" asked Alison confused. 

Ayda giggled a bit. "You must really catch his eyes." she said and looked at Alison playfully who was looking back with her head tilted aside. Ayda giggled again and put a strand of wet hair behind Alison's ear. "We all had begun to think that he is gay. Especially after what he did to one of the girls from Susan's group who dared to touch him." 

"What Ayda is desperately trying to say is that West had never had a girlfriend, at least in school." explained Jess and Alison looked at her wide-eyed. "He never had looked at any girls in the school more than a second, although they are throwing themselves at him all the time. You are actually the first one he has shown any interest in. So that is why I think it's going to be hard for you to avoid him."

"So what should I do?" whined Alison and followed others out of the bathroom and towards the library.

"You have only two options, missy." said Jess, and Alison listened carefully. "First, avoid and ignore him the best you can. Hopefully, he will get the message, and when after three months the school ended you won't see him again for he is a senior."

"And option two?" asked Alison.

"Option two is to give in." shrugged Jess nonchalantly. "He is dangerous, but he is hot as well and it looks he is so possessive over you. Maybe he can take good care of you and really love you and turn out a great lover."

"Oh!" said Alison weighing her options while staring at her shoes. Deep in her heart she really liked option two. Her body and her soul yearned to be around him, in his safe arms, to be the one he was looking at with love. The fact that she was the first one in school that he had shown any interest was slightly made her proud.

"But if you chose option two, don't get near King brothers at all." warned Ayda.

Alison's head shot up and looked alert. "They are sworn enemies. They can't see eye to eye." said Ayda and Alison gulped.

"Jesus Christ!" said Jess when she saw Alison's fearful face. "Please don't tell me that one of the Kings has also kissed you."

Alison quickly shook her head. "No, of course not." she said. "Actually they are ..."

Her confession was suddenly cut off by a loud and strong voice that echoed in the empty corridor. "Alison!" The three of them turned and were graced with the sight of Rich standing there, looking handsome as ever in his black suit and tie.

"Rich!" said Alison shocked as he passed the distance between them with a few long strides and stood in front of them. 

"Good to see you, Al." said Rich with his signature warm smile. "I have asked the principal to send someone after you, but they didn't find you anywhere."

"I have a free period, we were heading to the library. " said Alison and then pointed to her friends who were looking between them shocked. "Rich, meet my new friends, Jess and Ayda. Guys this is Rich."

"Richard King. Good to see you, ladies." said Rich as he shook their hands politely. "Now if you excuse us, can I talk to my sister alone for a moment?"

"SISTER!!!??" shouted Ayda and Jess together and Alison winced. Rich frowned. "You didn't know as well?" he asked confused.

"No, I think Alison has forgotten to mention this small detail." said Jess sternly with folded arms.

"In my defense, I was going to tell you just a moment ago." whispered Alison embarrassed.

"We are waiting in the library for you." said Jess and gave Alison a look telling her that this conversation was not over. She then grabbed Ayda's hand and dragged her away. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. King."

"Care to explain why no one in school knows that you are our sister, Al?" asked Rich sternly with a bit of hurt in his tone. "Even the principal didn't know this fact. He was shocked to hear it. Didn't any of the boys came with you to take your schedule?"

"Uhhhhh." said Alison as she looked everywhere other than Rich's eyes. 

Rich grabbed her chin gently and forced her to look at him. His face was stern and resembled Mason a lot. "You better don't lie to me, Alison. I want the truth."

Alison sighed. "Me and Xander might have had a little fight yesterday before school." she said not telling the whole truth, hoping that Rich accepts her answer and doesn't force her to tell everything that could put Xander in a lot of trouble for sure. She might have hated him so much but she was the one who felt like an intruder and didn't want to put him in trouble with his family.

A Flash of anger shone in Rich's eyes. "I'm gonna talk with Xander." he said sternly and turned to leave certainly to take Xander out of the class and talk to him.

Alison quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him. "No Rich please." she pleaded. "Please don't tell anyone that you know this. We will solve this between us. I promise."

Rich sighed and said something about Xander and his arrogance under his breath. "That is why you left with Ben this morning?" he asked as he put a hand on her shoulder. 

Alison nodded. "Part of it." she said. "I wasn't a great fan of driving with the boys today."

"Alie you should tell us things like this." said Rich. "What if Ben wasn't there? You would walk to school."

Alison didn't answer. She dropped her head and fidget with the hem of her blouse. "I will assign a driver to you." said Rich and raised a hand to stop Alison from protesting. "I insist, Alison. He will drop and pick you from school and anywhere you want to go. I also give you a week to sort things between yourselves. But only one week and then, if I see no progress, the three of us will have a talk."

Alison hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Rich." she said and pulled away. "By the way, why were you here?"

"Just to complete a few papers works about you." he said kindly and kissed her forehead. "anyway, I noticed you have not taken the phone we had put for you in your room."

"I'm not used to using things that I have not paid for myself." she said in a low voice while not making eye contact with Rich, still angry about the decision that had been made about her working.

Rich sighed again and massaged his forehead. "Give me your phone, please." he said and Alison put her phone in his waiting hand. "I'm sorry for what happened last night. I know how much you love working. I'm working on it to gain father's consent for you to work. Please be patient a bit." he said while adding a few numbers in her phone with the speed of lightning.

Alison smiled at him. "Thank you, Rich." she said happily. "You are a great big brother."

Rich smiled and ruffled her head and gave her phone back. "Here, I entered all of our numbers in case you need them." he said. "But I should go now. Mason needs my help. Bye, sweety."

Alison waved for him as he walked away. She then turned on her heels and walked toward the library to explain things to her friends. She explained everything to them, not leaving out a detail. Jess was so angry with Xander that she wanted to kick him hard, but for the sake of Alison and her fear of facing them with the rumors of her and West spreading in school like wildfire, they decided to avoid any public areas and had their lunch in the garden behind the school building and Alison successfully avoided both group of boys.

Once the school ended Alison's phone beeped and she took it out. It was a message from Rich. The driver is there. His name is Oliver Green. Ask him his name first or let him introduce himself first.

She said goodbye to her friends and walked to the front doors. A tall man in black suits and sunglasses had stood next to a black mercedes. She walked to him. "Hello!" she greeted.

"Hello, ma'am, My name is Oliver Green." he said in his deep voice. "I'm your personal bodyguard and driver." He had short black hair and chocolate skin, and he was muscular just like the other guards of the King's property. He looked to be in his early twenties. He was a handsome guard for sure.

"Glad to meet you." said Alison shyly as he opened the door for her. "And please call me Alison."

Oliver nodded. "As you wish, Alison." he said and smiled a bit before closing the door for her. Alison smiled. She thanked Rich for his wise decision. Surely he was more friendly than the other guards. She already liked him.

Alison talked with Ashley on the way back home. She promised that she will do her best to meet them tomorrow after school.

When she walked into the house, she saw Rich talking on the phone. He was still in his suit. She waved for him before heading towards the stairs but turned to him when he called her. "Alison!" he called and she looked at him. "Please be at the gym around five o'clock."

Alison nodded and walked up the stairs, remembering Albert's rule about practicing self-defense with the boys. 

She heard a knock on her door as she walked out of her bathroom in a new set of comfortable clothes. "Come in." she said. The door opened and her mother walked in with a tray in her hand. "Hi, Dear." she said kindly as she walked toward Alison.

"Mum!" said Alison happily. She had missed some time alone with her mother. Her mother put the tray on her desk and hugged her after kissing her face a few times. 

"How was school?" asked Eva as she sat on the bed. "I brought you milk and cookies."

"Thank you, mum." said Alison as she eagerly bite a cookie. "And school was fine. Have you taken today off?"

"No, I'm working less now." answered Eva as she patted the place beside her. 

Alison nodded. "It's great to hear. You deserve it." she said and then sat next to Eva and hugged her and leaned her head on her chest, enjoying the comfort it offered. "God I have missed this." she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Alie." said Eva sadly while caressing Alison's hair. "I should have paid more attention to you. Your life has suddenly changed. I'm sorry if you should suffer because of me."

"It's okay, mum." said Alison as she pulled away and stared at Eva's sad eyes. "I'm fine. James and Jordan need you more. I can take care of myself and before you say, don't be worried about me working. Rich said he is trying to help me go back to work and meanwhile I will enjoy a long-needed holiday." 

They both chuckled. Eva caressed Alison's cheek. "You are a great daughter." she said with love. "I'm proud of you."

They sat there and talk for a while and had a good time. "I and Albert are going on a trip." said Eva. "We will be away for a week."

"So a honeymoon?" asked Alison playfully and wiggled her eyebrows.

Eva hit Alison's arm lightly and blushed. "God, Alison, grow up." she said and Alison laughed. Eva's face then turned worried. "Are you going to be alright? I can cancel it if you want." she asked with concern.

"Of course I will be." said Alison reassuringly. "Just enjoy your time and for once don't be worried for me."

"A mother is always worried for her children and now I have nine to worry for." said Eva and tucked a strand of hair behind Alison's ear. "Ben told us that he has explained to you what has happened for the twins." she said softly and Alison nodded. "They don't see nightmares every night but it might strike again and I'm worried. Mason and Rich will take care of them, but they are going to need a motherly comfort, like someone sleeping with them after that. Can I count on you to take care of them while I'm gone?"

Alison took Eva's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Of course." she said with a warm smile. "I will do my best."

Eva hugged her and kissed her head. "Thank you, Alie." she said. "For everything."