When I woke up the next morning, I found another small box on my table. When I opened it, I let out a small chuckle. It was two blue metal teardrop shaped stud earrings. I took off the snowflake earrings and put them into the box carefully, fixing the raindrops onto my ears one by one.

"The gift comes with a message," the computer in my room told me.

My brow furrowed and I started to look around for my communication device.

"The message is in voice form." The computer clarified.

"Okay." I said, confused.

Then, Rafe's deep voice filled my room.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

I smiled, shaking my head.

Shakespeare.

I headed to the bathroom to wash up. I should've known something was up.

Should have known the stalker wouldn't have just come into my room and left only one surprise.

Should've expected it. But, didn't.

I stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, heading to my closet. When I opened it, I stared.

Then stared some more.

It was empty.

There wasn't a stitch of clothing in here. Not even my clothes from Earth. I quickly ran back into the bathroom, opening the compartment where I had put my old suit in for cleaning.

Dammit.

It had already gone for cleaning, it wasn't there in the compartment anymore. And it usually came a day later, directly into my closet. The cleaning room was connected through a shaft that opened right into the closet. I didn't figure it out until I saw it happen one day.

"Okay," I said, narrowing my eyes and quickly sending Freesia a message. Then, towel and all, I stalked straight into her room.

An hour later, I was in still Freesia's room. She whistled at me as I twirled before her once.

I was wearing a dress that hit mid thigh. It was designed to have a strap that could be knotted over one shoulder, leaving the other shoulder bare. The upper half of the dress was white and the lower half was a turquoise that matched the earrings Rafe had given me. Freesia had also given me modest white heels (because I've never worn heels and there can be no way that I can pull it off with no practice). She suggested I do my hair up, but I shook my head.

He liked it down.

Then, I asked her for the umpteenth time.

"Where did you get a dress like this?"

She'd ignored me the last ten or so times I had asked her. But this time, she met my eyes and said, "Ask your boyfriend. It's his answer to give. Not mine."

I blinked.

"You look hot. This dress has never fit me a day in my life. I don't even know why I bought it. Lusted over it too much I think."

"You...bought this?" I whispered.

She stilled, then waved her hand. "Ask your boyfriend."

"He's not really my boyfriend. At least," I frowned, "We haven't labelled it. And why won't you tell me?" I pouted.

She smiled at me a little sadly, then zipped her lips. Then, she got a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I think you'd ruin the surprise if you come to the Common Cabin now." She said, "I'll bring us both food here. Let him suffer in curiosity."

"But I need to brush my teeth." I grumbled, hating the ritual of having to share brushing time with everyone.

Freesia rolled her eyes, "I have some mouthwash. Hold on."

Mouthwash?!

She saw my expression when she handed the small very expensive looking container to me and shrugged, looking helpless.

She pressed a finger to her lips, winked at me and left the room. I sighed, heading to her bathroom to wash my mouth.

She came back ten minutes later with an evil smile on her face.

"What did you do?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her as I took the bowl she handed to me.

"Your lover boy came to me the second I stepped foot inside the Common Cabin and demanded to know where you were. I said you were too pissed and didn't want to see him and I suggested he give you some space."

"He fell for it?" I asked, surprised.

"Hook, line, and sinker." She said, with a pound smile. I rolled my eyes at her.

"When he sees you, I hope he faints." Freesia said, smiling in a very disturbing way.

"I'm glad I'm not your bad side." I muttered and she winked at me.

We planned to wait until the time we knew the very last Hover would leave. It usually had the lowest count of passengers in it.

When it was time to go, I experienced some good old fashioned jitters—I would be the only one dressed human.

Freesia slapped me (hard) on my butt to snap me out of it. Rubbing my sore butt, I stepped out of her room with Freesia's satchel hanging on my shoulder for my data pad and communication device.

I headed towards the elevators, pressing the digit that would take us to the main entrance. We saw the last Hover waiting and grinned at each other.

We'd timed it perfectly.

Sharing a high five, we rushed to the Hover, getting on. The seven people—three Humans and four C'Riel—stared at us. Specifically me.

I took a seat in the front with Freesia by my side, to help ignore their stares.

Letting out a breath, trying to ignore the very very large butterflies in my stomach, I pulled my skirt down a little, then placed the satchel on my knees. Freesia pulled the satchel away, strapping it on, giving my hands a sharp tap.

"It's fine. Would you stop fussing over it?" she hissed at me.

"I can't help it!" I hissed back, "I've never worn anything like this before."

Somehow after this, Freesia went really quiet, leaning her head against my shoulder. I couldn't really relax, and kept looking out to see if we had reached the Education Centre. When we did, I think I had almost started hyperventilating.

"Okay, since it isn't helping to tell you that you look good, imagine you look great and pretend you're not nervous." Freesia muttered at me as the both of us got up.

I chuckled despite my nerves and nodded.

When I got down from the Hover, I didn't have time to look around because one of the human guys who had been riding in the same Hover as me came to stand beside me. His dark hair and dark blue eyes giving him a kind of mysterious look that most girls would probably go for.

"It is your birthday?" he asked.

I laughed and shook my head, "It isn't," then I thought about it, "Not that I would know if it was, because Xe'Krein doesn't exactly work on a year basis."

The guy smirked in acceptance, then held out his hand for me to shake, "Kes." he said.

I took it, "Amour," I said.

Freesia poked me in the back, hissing "Amour!" under her breath, but I had to ignore her because Kes had started saying something.

"-with me?" he finished, but I had missed the first half of the question courtesy Freesia.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

Then, I felt it. An awareness skidding up my spine. The weight of a familiar gaze on my back.

Pulling a sharp breath in, I looked behind me. I don't know how I felt him, but I did. He stalked towards me, his eyes dark, his expression darker.

"-Amour?" Kes called and I blinked and turned back to him.

Kes had an uncertain expression on his face.

"I'm so sorry, did you say something?" I asked.

Kes chuckled, "You're wounding me ego. That's twice I've asked you out, and you haven't heard me."

Just as he said this, Rafe had come within hearing distance.

Oh, kill me.

"That's actually her boyfriend, so you might want to stop talking. I've heard his fist has been itching to meet faces these days." Freesia said to Kes.

Kes's eyebrows raised as he turned to watched Rafe walk up to us.

My eyes were glued to Rafe's as he smoothly came to a stop in front of me, having slid right in between me and Kes, blocking the human boy with his large shoulders.

I tipped my head back, letting Rafe peruse me with his dark, but still interested eyes.

"Surprise." I murmured, with a small smile.

His eyes flicked to me, then to Freesia who was behind me.

"So I take it her being 'mad as a fire breathing dragon' was a ruse?" Rafe asked her.

I turned to look at her, my lips twitching, "Is that how you described me?" I asked her.

She blinked, "It was the adrenaline. I don't know what happened in those few minutes." She defended.

I snickered and turned back to look lean around Rafe and look at Kes.

"We're kinda together." I told him, pointing between Rafe and me, "Sorry."

Kes smiled and when Rafe turned to look at him with so much condescension—that if it were me on the receiving end of it I would've slapped him a new one—Kes just smirked at him and said, "Lucky man." And stalked off.

Freesia poked me again in the back, "Told you, you looked good." She hissed.

Rafe turned back to me.

"Ask you out? Is that a Human term for courting?" Rafe asked.

"Oh, oh." Freesia whispered from behind me.

I ignored her commentary and nodded warily.

"You're in trouble now." Freesia said in a low singsong voice.

Rafe crossed his arms and gave Freesia an expectant look.

Freesia cleared her throat, "And I was just leaving," she said, waving at us and jogging away.

I chuckled at that and when she was gone, I clasped my hands behind my back, swaying left to right.

"So, whatcha think?" I asked, tilting my head, my hair falling to the side and smiling up at him.

His dark gaze swept down me again, before lifting to meet my eyes. He looked down again. And back up.

"You are almost naked." He commented finally.

I laughed.

"I would've been, because you stole my clothes." I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"You were supposed to call me for help." He said, his eyes narrowing to an almost-slit.

I raised my eyebrows, "And you'd what, ride your white horse, and instead of a sword, carry my suit with you?" I asked then fanned myself as if at the idea of image, mock swooning, "Why didn't I think of that? It's a much better idea!"

I rolled my eyes for good measure in case he failed to understand my sarcasm drenched words.

Of course I wasn't going to call him for help. Please.

A slow smile tipped his lips. He stepped closer, dropping his arms to his side, "Sassing me is only going to get you in more trouble."

I pretended to think about it, lifting my hands to wrap around his neck, as one of his own came to my back, pressing me closer.

Then I tilted my chin up, "Bring it on." I challenged.

His shoulders shook a little as he laughed softly, his free hand catching my chin, turning my head to the side, pressing a hot wet kiss to my cheek.

"I like you." He murmured, "You are fun to play with."

I closed my eyes and hummed, electricity and warmth zipping through my veins, igniting my blood at his touch.

I opened my eyes, "Do you feel all electrified when we touch?" I asked.

He smiled at me, leaning forward, "Will you come back to my room with me?"

My eyes widened and I leaned back, "And bunk classes?" I asked, aghast.

He smirked, "Are you scared?"

I narrowed my eyes, "And are you trying to hide me from the world? And avoid my question?"

"Yes or no?" He asked me.

I rolled my eyes, "Fine. But if anyone asks, you kidnapped me."

He stilled at that, "Do I get to tie you up?" He asked.

I slapped him on his shoulder, "Jesus. You're such a guy. A different species but still a guy!"

He kissed my cheek one more time and I let out a sigh, "It is your fault. Who asked you to dress like this?"

I pressed my forehead to his, "Who asked you to steal my clothes?"

"Maybe I wanted to see you naked." He said.

My eyes flashed open in shock, "Did you seriously just admit that to me?" I ask.

His smile, when it came, was sin. And if he smiled at me that way, I would probably walk into a burning building if it made him happy.

I smiled back at him, then sobered up.

"I have some things I need to talk to you about," I told him.

He raised an eyebrow, "Like what?" He asked.

At the same time, his hand went to my ear, his gaze focused on the earring I'd worn.

"Like.." I trailed off when he leaned forward to kiss me just under my ear.

My breath rushed out when his hand dropped to the back to my knee, his thumb rubbing against the sensitive skin there and pulled it up, against him.

Sucking in a shocked breath I looked at him.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

"What feels right." He said, his gaze dropping to my lips as he leaned forward.

A throat clearing had us jerking apart.

"Sorry! I just had to..." Freesia gestured at the satchel in her hand.

Letting out an embarrassed chuckle, I took it from her.

Sorry, she mouthed to me. And she really did look sorry.

I waved my hand, dismissing her apology. She threw another apologetic look at Rafe and practically ran away.

I strapped the satchel on my shoulder and turned around, clearing my throat.

"So?" I asked, but Rafe's eyes were on the satchel I carried.

He came towards me, running one finger down the strap. He took the bag in his hands, curiously. He unlatched the little buckles on it with a fascinated expression on his face, looking into it to see what it has inside. When he noticed that I'd put my communication device and data pad in, he removed his own and added it to the contents. Then he closed it and gave it back to me.

"Is this yours?" He asked me.

I shook my head, "Freesia's." I said.

His brows furrowed. "Why are you using hers?"

"Because I don't have one," I said, "And that's what I need to talk to you about."

He looked at me curiously, "You want to talk about why she has a bag and you do not?"

"It's called a satchel. And no, I want to talk about why she has this dress, a mouthwash, heels, bags, whole trunks of really expensive things and knowledge about your culture while I have none of those."

Rafe's jaw flexed before he turned to walk away. I followed, curious as to where he was going. He walked to a Hover, turned around and asked me to wait. He went to the front of the Hover and I couldn't see him anymore.

Frowning, I followed him. When I came to stand beside him, I saw that he was doing his computer geek business on it. Though I couldn't understand what he was doing, I've seen some of guards on Earth do something like this while running a program—something they'd tried to teach us in case there was an emergency dysfunction in the technology and someone needed to access the exits. Except, I think ours was like caveman tools compared to theirs.

Then Rafe took a step back, putting a hand out in front of me, pushing me behind him. I leaned over his shoulder and watched with wide eyes as the Hover started folding in on itself, shaping itself into more of a smaller, more sleek version of the original structure.

I stared at the completely closed vehicle with a marble-like finish.

"I would have made it into a Double Wheel Drive," he then tossed my skirt a look, "But I did not think you would be comfortable sitting astride it."

Double Wheel Drive sounded better than the Hover Motorbike name I had made up.

I smiled at the thoughtful gesture, "I could've sat sideways." I said.

"Now, that is no fun at all." He said.

I stared at Rafe in shock as he tossed me a wicked smile and headed towards the Hover.

I followed him, thinking about how no matter what species men were of, their thoughts weren't very different.

Rafe beckoned me towards the Hover...car? and I went to stand facing him. He took my shoulders and turned me to face the side of the vehicle. The side of the vehicle opened into itself for me and just as I was about to step in, Rafe's hand came to rest right on my stomach with his fingers splaying wide, his front pressed to my back. His breath tickled my temples.

"You look beautiful, Amour." He told me.

I smiled to myself as he pressed a soft kiss to my temple.

"I'm glad you think so, because I dressed up for you." I murmured to him, turned my head to the side and tilting back to look at him.

He pressed another soft kiss to my cheek, "Good answer," he said. Then his hand retreated from my stomach to stop at my hips.

"You're very tactile." I murmured when he pushed my hair aside with his free hand and pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

He hummed against my skin and I shivered. He squeezed my hip once and pushed me gently into the vehicle.

I got in and sat on the seat that contorted to my body. Rafe got into the other side and as soon as he sat a circular touch screen rotated out in front of him. The vehicle turned on and Rafe manoeuvred it by sliding his fingers on the screen in the direction he wanted yet vehicle to move.

I leaned my head back, content watching him. When we were on the Hover Motorbike, I've never had a chance to look at him while he drove. But today I did.

His eyes were trained forward, intent. But at the same time, he was relaxed, the fingers of his other hand on his muscled thigh, tapping a tune only he could hear.

He eyes flitted to me and I smiled at him. He lifted the fingers of his free hand to chuck me under the chin affectionately.

I caught his fingers, twining mine together with his, dropping them on my thigh.

He took a deep breath and looked back at the path before him.

I started to recognise that gesture.

"What did you smell on me?" I asked, knowing that he'd scented my pheromones.

He turned to look at me again, his amber eyes flicking over my features. Then he looked away, staying quiet for a long time.

"I do not know what it is, but I like it." He said softly after I'd given up on him responding.

I squeezed his fingers once and thought he didn't look at me, I saw his lips twitch.

We stayed quiet for sometime, our fingers curled into one anothers and he rubbed his thumb back and forth across the back of my hand.

Sometime later, I spoke.

"Does it bother you that I'm not like you?" Then I added to be more clear, "C'Riel, I mean."

He slanted his eyes to me, before looking back before him, "Have I ever indicated that it has?"

"No, not really...but things would be so much easier for you if I were C'Riel right?" I asked him.

He went quiet again, but I've started to realise that it didn't mean that he wouldn't answer, just that he was thinking.

Then slowly he said, "I do not want 'any easier'."

I smiled the whole way to the Resting Stations. Rafe lead us to his smaller room and we settled on the floor, with Ryx curled up beside us.

I had folded my legs beneath me, leaning into Rafe's side for support.

"A girl in Ren's district spoke to me about how I was in the Privilege District. She said everyone knew of me. I'm the 'burning flame', 'Cinderella', 'temporary object of intrigue'." I said, letting out the words that had left a deep impact in me.

Rafe's eyes flashed to mine, "Who said this?" He asked, Ryx looked up at his Master and then at me, watchful.

I shook my head, "That's not the point. I spoke to Ren and he..." I took a deep breath, "He said somethings that really...it scared me Rafe."

"Please just tell me what all this is." I whispered.

Rafe let out a breath and Ryx settled back down.

"Yes, this is the Privilege District and yes you were not supposed to be here."

"Then what am I doing here?" I whispered, looking down and wringing my fingers together.

Rafe turned, his fingers curling under my chin, lifting my face up.

"You are here because I wanted you to be here." He said, rubbing his thumb over my chin, "I saw you and I knew I needed you with me. So yes, you are here because I wanted it that way."

I let out a breath, "And about being the...temporary object of intrigue?" I asked, looking at him square in the eyes.

He snorted, "I would not cook for a temporary object of intrigue." He said, tossing the comment aside with ease.

I narrowed my eyes at him and he stared at me.

"You do not believe me?" He asked.

"I guess I just don't understand." I confessed.

I moved to the next question, "Do you have cameras in my room?" I asked.

"Mostly heat sensors. Cameras are only for...emergencies." He admitted, then hesitated.

"What?" I asked, warily.

"I did have skin response sensors and voice transmitters installed on your suits." He admitted.

My jaw dropped.

"You are removing all of that." I said, glaring.

"The suits are being changed as we speak." He said.

"And the room?" I grumbled.

He hesitated.

"Rafe."

He sighed, "Can I leave the sensors in?"

"If you want to know something you can ask me." I said, "How does that sound?"

He snorted derisively.

"What do I get in return for removing both the cameras and the sensors?"

"Are we back to trading favours?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"You are asking for a really big favour." He said them smiled at me in a way that was both wicked and innocent, "Do I not deserve to receive something in return?"

I huffed. "Fine. What do you want?" I grumbled.

He seemed to think about it.

"I'm surprised you have to think about it, I thought your evil brain would've already concocted a bajillion things to ask me for." I muttered.

He threw me a smirk, before getting back to thinking. Then he asked for the most unexpected thing.

"If you ever hear anything that causes doubt in you that may be even just the size of a granule of sand, come to me first before those doubts do this to you." He gestured at me with his hand.

I scowled at him for the last part and swatted at his hand when he brought it to tweak my nose.

"And the whole...observation that Ren made?" I asked, "He said..you consider us inferior, and why would you want to have a relationship, especially a physical one when the result would be a child that is only half C'Riel?"

Rafe's eyes flashed, his free hand fisting, "How can you doubt so easily?" He asked, "A few days with him and you come back filled with uncertainty. Did a month with me not give you any sense of—"

"I came back for you Rafe. I choose to come back to you, despite what the boy I've known from childhood told me." I said, stonily.

Rafe narrowed his eyes, "He also told you that based on your—very lacking, may I add—summary of what had happened between us that I was not behaving typical of the other C'Riel men he'd seen pursue human women."

"It is so disturbing you know all this." I told him, glaring.

"I told you, I had a voice transmitter installed in your suit," he said, his eyes sparking at me.

I got up, enraged.

"Let me make something very clear to you, I was going to come back no matter what he had said. So don't you dare undermine my feelings for you based on your twisted perception of everything!" I snapped, pointing one finger at him, then whipped around heading to the exit.

He was in front of me before I could blink.

"Define these feelings you speak of." He told me in a quiet tone.

I didn't bristle, because he wasn't challenging that I didn't have feelings, he was just asking me what they were.

I sighed, rubbing my forehead.

"How can I possibly define it?" I ask.

"Why do you feel them?" He asked immediately. .

I laughed, "If only I knew." I said.

"You do not know why you have feelings for me?" He asked me, his eyes blazing.

"I'm not saying I don't know. I'm saying it's beyond any kind of explanation!" I defended.

"How can it be beyond explanation? You are not speaking sense." He said. We were practically nose to nose now. My voice was raised but his was not.

"I am making sense! You just don't get it!"

"That it because you are not making sense." He repeated, frustration flickering across his features.

"I am! You don't get it because you've never been in love with someone!" I snapped.

Then I stilled.

I had just confessed.

Granted, he already knew about it. But...this was my confession that it was true.

Both of us stilled as we stared wide-eyed at each other.

Then Rafe's head snapped to the side the same time Ryx let out a bark and snapped his snout to the same direction that Rafe was looking at.

Rafe snapped out an order in his language and Ryx bounded towards us as Rafe pulled me to the ground, one arm wrapped around me pulling me sharply towards him and with his other hand I watched as he pulled out and activated a small round device that strapped itself around his arm, with the kind of grace that spoke of years of practice. He held his arm like a warrior would if he held a shield and the device shot out a barrier that cocooned us in a perfect ball of blue transparent light of some sort. All of this happened in less than five seconds and not even two seconds later, I heard a loud blast and slapped my hands against my ears pressing myself into both Rafe and Ryx. Just before I closed my eyes, I saw Rafe's room tear apart from the walls, splintering into a million pieces and shattering into one another, colliding right in front of us.

____________________________________

Writing shouldn't be so hard!

Good thing I have you guys.

Hope you liked that! :)

Laters darlings!