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A cool breeze through the open bedroom window, Alton turned over in his bedsheets, prolonging his time to be ready for school. Meowing from his window, he watched Ally jump threw the opened window. "Morning Ally cat" mumbling a yawn. Scrunching his eyebrows at the window not remembering he'd left it open.

"Alt" Rose yelling from the kitchen, "Are you awake" Rolling his eyes, with her yelling he was defiantly awake now. "We only have 20min to get ready and be at school!"

Grumbling his answer as he tiredly put on his uniform, covering his horns with his hoody.

"Still horny?" Rose giggling at her joke, gesturing towards Alton's covered horns. Rose multitasking buttering her slice of toast, also opening a can of salmon for the cat.

Ignoring Rose's teasing joke, making his much-needed coffee.

"Maybe you wouldn't need that much coffee if you slept last night. I was close to barging in your room and knocking you out with your cricket bat. All that thumping around like a dinosaur."

"What are you on about Rose? I was sleeping. It was probably Ally running around on a night time high"

"Hmm sure, maybe you're a sleepwalker" dismissing Alton's reply "I'll set up a camera and see"

"Rose you are not watching me sleep, that's creepy as fuck! It's higher than a clown on the creepy scale"

"Creepy as fuck, is me sleeping in your dad's room with a pile of weapons made from claws similar to yours" Alton frowned at how bizarre and accurate her sentence was. "Come on Alt, let's just get to school"

Science, Maths followed by English. Now P.E, the day couldn't get any better, Alton thought sarcastically. P.E wearing his hoodie, hiding his horns, proved to be quite difficult.

Noticing since his 'supernatural growth spurt' Alton had gained faster reflexes and agility. The class running around the oval for warm up usually left him puffing and wheezing, now he felt like he was gliding. Effortlessly running without a hint of exertion. Having to pretend to have slow running pace to retain his regular slow pace was a struggle.

Alton keeping to the back and quietly slipping into the change rooms where he proceeded to stuff his face with marshmallows and play games on the phone, trying to beat his high score on Mario Cart. Making the most of his time.

"Skipping lessons?" Caught red handed. Swallowing his mouthful of gooey marshmallows.

"I could ask you the same, and sneaking off to the boys change room?" Quirking his eyebrow at Poppy.

Her red cheeks blushed "I'm not skipping, I saw you sneak off and followed you. If anything, I'm helping the teachers out" Folding her arms walking over towards Alton.

"I was feeling hot; it could lead to a heat stroke so taking initiative I came here to cool off." Alton making up some bullshit excuse.

"Maybe if you took that ridiculous hoodie off" Poppy argued as she flipped his hoodie off his head revealing his horns.

"I can explain" Alton trying to calm down Poppy's shock. Her widened eye's finding his waiting for his explanation. "Ahh, I have horns" Having no explanations then the truth. There was no way to sugar coat the situation.

Her fingertips softly trailing the sides of his face, upwards, through his curly hair tickling his scalp. Her fingers wrapping around his dark horns. Her eyes amazed, intrigued by the sight.
Using his horns, pulling his face closer towards her. His eyes turning black. Their faces close. Alton's eyes flickering towards her lips. Her tongue swiping her lips, wetting them. Lips slightly parted as her breath lingered with his. Standing so close their nose's touching. The atmosphere around them burning, sizzling with need.

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It would have been Alton's first kiss. If the bell hadn't sounded. Fierce longing settled in his stomach as he watched Poppy slide inconspicuously out of the male changings room. No words were spoken as she left. What was there to say.

Deep yearning as he closed his eyes, he could still feel her soft fingertips glide through his hair holding onto his horns as their breath mingled. She smelled sweet, better than marshmallows. His temperature peeking as he imagined their kiss could be. A burning heat travelled through his body, eyes alert as he scrambled into the closest shower stall, locking himself in and quickly turning the lever. The pitter of cold water doused his body.

The cold water sliding down his body cooling his temperature. Taking deep breaths to relax. Next time he saw her he would explain, hopefully he would be cooled down by then. Feeling guilty for not giving her any explanation but what was he supposed to tell her 'Heads up! I'm not completely human so if in future we kiss, instead of swapping spit it might be fire'.

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Deep thoughts keeping him occupied. Walking home from school, passing the laneways filled with hipster coffee shops and urban street art of marvelous Melbourne.

Almost colliding with a guy on a bike, he rung his bike bell cussing towards Alton catching the attention people nearby. 'Don't mind me, I'm just having an existential crisis, on my walk home from school.' Alton wanted so much to tell the strangers staring at him. 'Oh! the drama I had; it was on par with a single episode of Bold & the Beautiful. Blame that knowledge on Mrs Pickets for having her TV turned too loud.'

Closing in on his apartment building noticing Ally sitting, waiting on the front stairs.

"Ally Cat" Alton cooed picking him up cradling the cat against his chest, fingers running through his silky fur.

"As much as I'm love watching a hot stud like you coddle over a cat, I'm going to have to ask you to put down my cat!" A girl standing at the top of the stair brandishing a pocket knife, threatening.

She was the strangest girl Alton had ever seen; her quirkiness intrigued him. Skin was pale, ghostly white, ebony black hair styled into a sharp bob with a straight fringe. Her style nothing short of a goth. Black everything, boots, dress, nails, fishnets, rings, lips and heavy eye makeup, you name it.

"Your cat?" Alton asked stunned. Alton did find him, or rather he found Alton. He guessed it made sense. Ally matched the girl's black gothic persona.

"And his name isn't Ally, its Salem. Why on earth would you give my cat a female name!" Damn! Her attitude was next level. Remind himself to never again be on her bad side. Releasing Ally, or Salem, he pranced up the stairs, twirling around her legs as if he was never in the hands of another.

"I guess Salem has been two timing us! You live in this apartment block as well?" The girl questioning Alton, feeling like he was being interrogated as she was still aiming her knife at him.

"Yeah I live in on the fifth floor. Do mind placing the knife away now? I mean you no harm" speaking slow and calmly with his hands up, showing her the lack of harm. "The only thing I'm guilty of is over feeding your cat."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! No harm? No fucking harm? I know exactly what you are. Your aura is projecting its strength and power like a neon sign. All you fire breathers are the same so cocky and arrogant." Alton shaken by her rant. Fire breather!

"Hold up, back pedal. You know what I am?" His words desperate for answers.

"Wait, this is hilarious! Let me get this straight you don't know what you are?" she laughed like a manic.

"If I did why would I be asking you, a complete stranger threatening me with her pocket knife"

"Shit, your serious. Fine but not here, take me to your apartment, this is not a conversation to have out in the open." Pocketing her knife as she led the way towards the fifth floor Ally strutting behind her.

"My name's Zara by the way, Zara Wicks and my cat Salem, of apartment two."

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A/N

Sorry for the cliché cat name, Salem. I can't find a name I'm happy with, I'm open to any suggestions . . .

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