[Alex's POV]

  I am on my way home, following the shortcut through the park, minding my own business, when a female cry suddenly disturbs the peaceful ambience around me.

  "Ah! No, Thomas! Stop it!"

  The voice is undeniably female—high, frantic, and uncomfortably... sensual. My steps falter as heat floods my cheeks. That was, by far, the most provocative sound I’ve ever heard, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t meant that way. Still, I can feel the blush creeping down my neck like a traitor.

  How embarrassing. I'm glad nobody is around to see me flush. It would be all too clear to anyone who saw me that I do not have ANY experience with girls. Or women, for that matter. None at all.

  My own mother vanished when I was just a baby and even in the small town I called home, girls were a rarity. Ok, I know what girls are like from television shows, but it's not the same as a real girl. So yeah, maybe the bar for "the most sensual cry I ever heard" isn't raised very high.

  I shake my head, muttering, “Get your mind out of the gutter,” and focus on the path ahead. Probably nothing. Still, my curiosity stirs, nudging me forward. I am strongly hoping that I imagined the whole thing, but in the small case that I didn't, I'd rather be safe than sorry. It is not because I don't have any experience with girls that I want to "gain experience" from a couple halfway through the act.

  I strain my ears, taking cautious steps. The silence stretches thin, the quiet almost convincing me I imagined it. Then I round a bend in the trail, and—there they are, in plain sight, not even trying to hide: A delicate-looking girl, with a large boy looming over her.

  I quickly duck behind a tree.

  "Crap! What now?" I think as I search for a way around them. But before I can find a solution, the couple's conversation catches my ear.

  "No. No excuses. I won't let you go until you tell me," the boy says in a confident tone.

  "There really is nothing to tell, I swear! We just met him today," the girl says. She sounds a lot less confident. I dare to say that she even sounds nervous, bordering on scared.

  What is that all about?

  I dare to glance around the tree I'm hiding behind. But sadly, I can't see either of their faces. Either way, the large boy is looming over the girl, and now that I am actually looking at them, it doesn't look like a "friendly" situation at all. The large boy is holding the girl by the wrist and has her forced with her back against a tree.

  "Why do you want to know his name anyway? If you want to know it so badly, go ask him yourself! Now, let go already! You're hurting me," the girl says as she struggles to free her wrist from his grasp, but the guy merely laughs.

  Ok, I've seen enough.

  "She told you to let go," I say firmly as I step from my hiding place.

  The boy turns, glaring at me over his shoulder. His expression says I’m an inconvenience, not a threat.

  “Move along, boy. This isn’t your business.”

  Then I see her face.

  “Otto?” I blurt, startled.

  "Alex?" she asks shakily.

  "Speak of the devil," Otto's offender says as he grins widely. I frown. I do not like where this is going.

  “Leave him alone, Thomas!” Otto protests, her voice trembling. She pulls at her wrist, but he only tightens his grip, forcing a wince from her.

  “That’s enough!” I snap, closing the distance in a few long strides. I step between them, placing my arm between Thomas and Otto, pushing him back with firm but controlled pressure.

  To my surprise, he doesn’t resist. He even steps back voluntarily, though the smirk on his face suggests he’s far from intimidated.

  "Whoa there, tiger! No need to pierce me with that glare. I wasn't looking for a fight. Just having a chat with an old friend," the boy says while holding his hands up in surrender.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Chatting?” I growl, my glare unwavering.

  Behind me, I feel a tug on my shirt—a small, trembling hand gripping the fabric. It startles me, breaking my focus. My glare falters and I look over my shoulder towards her curiously.

  “Would you look at that,” Thomas says in a defying way. “Just someone you met earlier, huh? Look at the way he’s protecting you. And you? Look at the way you're cowering behind him!"

  I see Otto duck her head even further behind me and turn my head to glare at Thomas again.

  I don't like this guy.

  "Nothing to say? I'll take it you're the strong but silent type?" Thomas jokes on, but when he is met with nothing but silence once more, he sighs.

  "Ok, I get it. I know when I've outstayed my welcome," he says and turns to leave. "See you around … Alex."

  His casual farewell leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but he’s gone. Finally.

  Thank God, he's gone! I can't remember the last time that anyone has agitated me as much as he has. I can still feel my nerves sparking. And what makes the feeling worse is that I'm not entirely sure that he's done anything to warrant my agitation. If anything, it should be Otto who feels agitated by the way he treated her. But she seems more scared than anything else.

  ….

  Wait…? Otto!

  Only now do I realise that she is still holding on to the back of my shirt with a trembling hand.

  I glance over my shoulder towards her. She seems to be out of sorts. Lost in her own thoughts and trembling from head to toe.

  "He's gone now," I say quietly over my shoulder. I sincerely hope it sounds kind, because I don't want to spook her even further.

  She looks up at me, dazed. "Huh?"

  "You can let go now," I clarify, smiling gently.

  Otto instantly flushes bright red and pulls away hastily as if touching me has burned her.

  “Sorry!” she blurts, her voice high and flustered. “I didn’t realize I was still holding on!”

  “It’s fine,” I reassure her, but she seems even more rattled now than when Thomas had her cornered. My presence seems to make her nervous.

  I take a careful step back, giving her space.

  If she noticed me doing so, she doesn't mention it, but she does heave a big sigh to push down her nerves.

  "Sorry," she repeats more calmly this time. "I didn't mean to involve you in any of that."

  “It’s alright,” I reply, studying her pale face. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  "I'm fine. He never actually hurts me."

  It might be my imagination, but I get the feeling that she sounded disappointed with herself. I'm not sure that I believe her either. Even if she was talking about physical pain, it definitely left a mental mark on her. Heck, she'd been shivering not even a minute ago.

  "He's done this before, hasn't he?" I ask and watch the colour instantly drain from her face.

  "I don't know what you're talking about. Would you look at the time? I have to go. Bye!" she says as she theatrically looks at her watch and starts to walk away, ignoring my question pointely.

  So, she's not going to say anything, huh? I must say, I hadn't expected her to start telling me her life-story, but her reaction kind of hurts. Not to mention that her reaction answers more of my questions than words possibly could.

  Well, whatever. If she doesn't want to tell me, she doesn't have to. So I shrug and resume my walk home. But it doesn't take long to notice that I've fallen into step behind her.

  "Are you following me?" she asks after the third time she spots me while glancing over her shoulder.

  "So you can speak up when something is bothering you," I say in a mocking way.

  Otto instantly halts and spins around on her heels to face me, so fast, that I react a split second too late, resulting in the two of us standing much closer than what I consider comfortable. In fact, it could be described as "nose to nose". It surprises me that she doesn't back off immediately.

  [ Continues in part 2]