Ask For Alexis

3. A charm so infectious you need to be around it

ALEX'S POV

The alarm clock vigorously wakes me up with a ring that annoys me every time, yet I refuse to change it and I don't know why. I quickly shut it off so it doesn't disturb my parents and lay in bed for five extra minutes.

What have you got in your bag of tricks today, Felton High?

After brushing my teeth, I go over to my closet and put on a baggy, grey cashmere sweater, black pants and slip into my black Hunter boots as a black coat tops it all off. Commissions on sports car sales are quite the bonus, so my wardrobe is nicely stocked. If only the clothes looked half as good on me. I look at the mirror, my curls tumbling below my shoulders and shrug.

It's as good as it gets.

"Bye, mom!" I yell as I walk out the door at 8:45 a.m. My dad had already left to work. If I leave now, I'd reach class perfectly on time.

It's cold outside, the sun hasn't shone yet, and as I close the door it begins to rain. It's too late to go back inside and search for an umbrella.

It's weird how umbrellas are always there when you don't need them.

Shit!

I feel myself beginning to soak and think of only one solution: RUN.

Psyching myself to step down from the three steps of my house and sprinting to Felton, I notice a similar black figure emerge next door - probably going to work at this hour.

Alright, here goes nothing. I run.

"Hey!" yells a voice behind me. I turn around. The same figure runs toward me beneath a large black umbrella.

Does the copious amount of black resemble today's bad omen?

"Hey, do you need a ride?" jokes the voice, gesturing to his parasol.

Collin Ross.

Wait...Collin Ross lives next to my house? How could I have not known that.

"Collin?" is all I can say while my arm protects my forehead from tiny yet spearing drops of rain. "For a smart girl, you let a lot get by you."

You can say that again.

I chuckle and say, "For a smart guy, you'd let me drench in the rain instead of covering me with your cloak of an umbrella."

Collin grins and approaches me, "Come on, we're going to be late to class."

As we walk out the compound, I nervously fidget with my satchel's leather, "Since when have you lived here?" "About two years. I was in London before that." "Oh, how come you moved?" "Well, my mom married an American and he asked us to come out here. I like him, he's a cool guy."

That's why Ross is not on the mailbox, Langford is.

"Easy there, your mom had dibs," I joke. He laughs aloud, "Quite the morning person, you are." "Are you happy with your life here?" He looks at me like no one's asked him this question before. "At first, all I wanted was to be around what was familiar to me. Taking such a leap of faith like that was no picnic. It wasn't easy for Paul to wait for me to come around." He smirks and continues. "I've dealt with it a while ago, except for the fact that my dad lives in London."

He looks ahead, changing the subject, "so, now that we're friends maybe we'll see more of each other," with a smile that radiates charm for centuries, like he's of royal blood. I suddenly remember the picture in my room.