Cue heavy mental sigh. Of course it was his house. Of course. I don't even know why I bother being surprised anymore. I mean, it's only natural, that out of the nearly 1500 people that live within a 6-mile radius of the school, he has to be the one that was related to my mission in some way -

I stiffened, a thought suddenly popping into my head.

The man just now might not have been Storeroom Stalker, but -

His son?

Young.

Tall.

Studies at Pambrooke.

One could almost hear Roxy's voice speaking in my head. I think you just found out the reason why he approached you, hon.

His voice grew even more impatient behind me. "Hey. I need to enter my house."

I couldn't let him see my face. I nodded once, and began to walk away. Unfortunately, a breeze chose that moment to pick up, and the form that 46 had just filled flew out of my grasp and drifted to a light stop on the pavement.

Behind, I heard him pick it up. Dagnabit.

"You're from Pambrooke." It was a statement. "What's this for?"

I cleared my throat, and put on a higher-pitched voice. "Just a school survey sir."

"A school survey?" He scoffed. "Common career choices. What kind of survey is this? And you don't even have the headmistress' signature on the bottom of the page. This isn't legit."

Huh. I had a feeling I was missing something.

"What are you really doing? Trying to steal people's personal details? Part of an identity theft syndicate?"

Asking so many questions, is it because you have a secret to hide? "Can I have the form back please?" I said instead.

His tone hardened. "Not until you tell me what it's for." I heard his footsteps neared and knew what he was going to do before he did it. "And turn around when I talk to you - "

He placed a hand on my shoulder and I reacted by instinct. Grabbing his hand I twisted it outwards and upwards, so his body had to face away from me to minimize the hurt. He let out a grunt of surprise and pain. With my free hand I snatched the form out of his hand and let him go, immediately turning my face back to the front again.

Whereupon I immediately took off running.

"What the hell - come back here!"

I ran as fast as I could. I dodged into alleys and sprinted down the streets. Behind I fancied I heard the sound of a motorbike starting up. Perfect. I neared the guard house and forced myself to slow down. Putting on my best smile I walked past the security guard and wished him a cheerful good day. The second I was out of the neighborhood and out of sight I took off like a shot.

I ran out to the main streets, my eyes searching wildly for a passing cab or a taxi stand. I couldn't risk being seen. When I came to 46 I had been prepared for the risk of Storeroom Stalker knowing that now, I know who he was. But since the risk was now avoided, I wished to continue avoiding it.

Where is the Weasleys' flying car when you need one -

There was a loud long honk and a sudden glare of headlights at the corner of my vision. I turned and managed to catch a glimpse of a big truck speeding my way, closing, six feet, no time to avoid it, four feet, I'm going to get hit, three feet -

A sudden rush of a wind as I was knocked off my feet, but not by the truck, not by a sideways collision, but from behind. Something slammed to my back and I felt a strong grip curled itself around my waist, pulling me close. My face buried itself into a warm, leather-clad shoulder, while my palms came to a rest on my rescuer's chest. I felt a small item of raised metal underneath my fingers and traced it.

An apple with a jewel leaf.

All the while I was being pulled forward, across the street and away from the passing vehicles, until finally the bike couldn't support the imbalanced extra weight anymore. It skidded and we slanted severely to the left, losing control. I heard a voice - the voice - swear, elevating the dirty word to a level of gorgeous, spine-tingling classiness. He let go of the bike and it careened off into the distance, metal screeching against the rough surface of tar. He wrapped both arms around me, crushing me into his warm embrace, pulling me in tight as we rolled over and over the ground, before finally coming to a halt.

The whole thing must have lasted less than five seconds.

He was right on top of me, his head turned away and resting beside mine, his heavy breathing echoing in my ears. "Jesus, that was close," I heard his breathless voice speak.

He still hadn't seen me yet - I think. Violently I kneed him somewhere near his stomach and pushed him off. In one fluid motion I was up on my feet. Sharp pain was lancing in one of my elbows but I ignored it for the moment, my eyes searching the ground frantically. I hadn't let go of the papers when I was - okay, fine, swept off my feet - but I had let go of them when we hit the ground. I finally saw it a distance away and picked it up, along with the varsity jacket.

"Who are you?" I had a feeling he was up on his feet too, his voice angry. "I just saved your ass back there. And you're not even going to thank me - or tell me what the hell were you doing with my father's personal details?"

Father.

I looked down at the form.

Name : Keegan Hood.

We were in an alley, with shops extending out on both sides of us. In front of me was a dead end. Behind was him, and behind him were the streets, the vehicles. Freedom.

I heard him take a step near, and his voice was suddenly low and quiet.

"I know you, don't I?" I could imagine his eyes raking my back, those blue irises narrowing.

Silence rang out loud in the space between us. Me looking toward the dead end, him looking at my back.

My answer was short and curt. "No. No you don't."

With that I turned around and launched a roundhouse kick, forcing him to jerk backwards. I followed up with yet another kick, never stopping, never slowing. My plan was to move fast so he couldn't see me properly, take him down and run. The varsity jacket became a weapon in my hands as I whipped and flicked it at him, distracting him while my foot swept low to trip him over. One of my punches landed on his left shoulder and he winced, the pain flitting across his face. The hurt he evidently felt was too severe to be caused by a punch alone. The bike crash just now probably messed up his shoulder in some way. I focused on that weakness and kept hammering that side. Kick punch kick punch kick kick kick.

But bad boy - Storeroom Stalker - didn't get a reputation by looks alone. He fought back, almost as skilled. He must have learned martial arts, or street fighting at least. For half a minute we just sparred, with him dodging my attacks easily and I his.

Then suddenly, without warning, his hand jabbed out at my face. I thought he was going for a strike and evaded it. By the time I realized it was a feint he had ripped the jacket from my hands. With a sharp flick he got it around my waist, holding both the jacket sleeves in his left hand. I tried to twist away but he pulled, hard, and I was dragged toward him, even as his right hand reached out for my neck.

My chest slammed into his and I was looking up, seeing his face clearly for once since I started my escape. But his eyes weren't trained on me, they were trained on the opened palm of his right hand, where the pendant of my necklace laid, a bronze heart.

"I do know you," he said, his voice ragged and harsh. I felt the rumble in his chest as he spoke. He looked at me then, our eyes locking, his face only inches away, those blue orbs glowing in the dimness of the alley. I could see the way his lips parted slightly to breathe faster, could feel the way his chest rose and fall erratically from the exertion.

For a second I was gripped with an irrational desire to smash my lips onto his. Hey cut me some slack, even criminals have hormones, alright. And I was a teenager here. Which made them raging hormones.

Dammit.

I pushed him away and he let go. My face was heated up, and I was quite sure only 80% of it was from the fight.

Okay, fine. 70%.

"Care to explain yourself?" His voice was cool and flat.

I didn't look at him for several heartbeats. The sound of the vehicles passing by on the streets was the only noise echoing around the alley. Finally I let out a defeated exhale.

"Fine. I'll tell you," I said grudgingly. "I'll tell you the truth." I took a deep breath.

"It was a dare alright? We were playing "Truth or Dare", and I chose "Dare", so Roxy gave me this. At first I was dared to get your phone number, but then she decided it was too easy so she upped it to your father's instead. I was supposed to get it directly from him, and also not get caught." I waved the crumpled paper. "Hence the survey excuse."

Ha. I felt pretty proud of myself to be honest. Still in the game!

Kaylan frowned, looking irritated. "Why on Earth would my phone number be easy to get?"

Time to deal a blow to the ego. I shrugged. "Well because you've been stalking me and throwing yourself at me for the past week, so she figured if I were to ask for your number you would give it with no hesitation."

Yeap, I figured out what it meant.

His eyebrows twitched in slight anger - and there it was, the clenching of the jaw. His words were drawn-out syllables through gritted teeth. "I would never, be attracted to you and your broken nose" - a souvenir of the storeroom incident - "so quit your delusional fantasies."

Oof. You wound me, hot demigod. "Really? So I suppose you just go around eating lunch with random girls every day, and tying up their hair?" I mocked.

His lips curled up in a somewhat sinister smile and a gleam came into his eyes. It was the dark glint I had seen once, in the gym, when he had faced off with Donovan. "You thought that was because I was attracted to you?" There was quiet laughter in his words. He took slow steps toward me, speaking all the while. I stood my ground.

"Why? Did your heart flutter when I gallantly rescued you in the gym? Did your breath hitched when I whispered in your ear?" He was right in front of me now, his body tilted forward a little, our noses nearly touching. "Did you melt inside when I called you apple pie?"

He shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle. "You're incredibly stupid, you know that?"

I lifted my chin. "Do enlighten me then, on the nature of your recently annoying behaviour."

He distanced himself. "If you still haven't figured it out by now I doubt you ever will." A pondering look came upon his face. "Though I suppose it's a good thing that everyone thinks the way you do. It means it's working."

I narrowed my eyes. Was that a confession? Did he just admit to me that he was Storeroom Stalker?

He spread his arms and walked backwards, away, that smug smile never leaving his face. "See you around - apple pie." This time though, the word was no longer alluring, but a taunting sneer.

*

"Lookie here, somebody's practicing how to fight!"

"You call that a punch? Even a lump of jelly can do better than you!"

Loud jeers and hackles all around.

"You think you're so tough huh? Trying to be one of the boys huh?"

The little girl stood in the center, surrounded by a moving circle of about five boys. She was quite terrified, but determined not to show it. "What I do in my free time is none of your business!" she yelled.

"Does your dada know you been watching our lessons? Does he know you sneak out of the manor every morning? Does he know you been breaking the rules? Should we tell him?"

The little girl's eyes dart from boy to boy, and each one seemed to look a little bigger than the last. "Let me out of here!"

"Why don't you fight your way out then? Pick any of us - one on one. Let's see how good you are. Oh but wait! You aren't, 'cause you're a girl!"

An even louder chorus of mean laughter. The little girl seemed to waver, and then with a deep breath she launched herself at the nearest boy. He wasn't expecting it, and his eyes widened a little in alarm, almost failing to avoid the attack.

She could see almost at once that she had a high possibility of winning. These boys were trained to be bulky, heavy fighters. While on the other hand, she had listened to her mama's advice. Don't try to be like the boys, Hayley. Use what you have and be proud of it. So she had used what she had, and was indeed, proud of it. She was small and lean, so she was quick and light on her feet. She dodged in and out, landing punch after punch and withdrawing almost immediately. The boy was slow and dumb, and it was like a lion swatting a fly.

I can do this! she thought triumphantly. I can! I can beat him - I can beat one of the boys!

And then suddenly, without warning, someone grabbed a fistful of her hair. She let out a screech as she was jerked back roughly. Another two caught her hands, and someone caught her legs. She was helpless, a butterfly pinned to the board.

"This isn't fair! You said one on one!" she cried.

The meanest of the boys spat on the ground. "Do I look like I care? You're a girl. Who gives a damn?"

He came close, and she could smell his stinky boy breath.

She should have known better.

The men always won.

He sneered. "You been a bad girl haven't you?" He drew his arm back and she shut her eyes tight, waiting for the hurt, the pain, the blow -

There was the sound of a hard unforgiving punch, along with small bones crunching. She heard the mean boy roared in pain and opened her eyes, seeing him stagger away, howling.

"It's you've been, not you been." She heard a new voice growled.

She looked up to see him standing there, his fist curled into a tight rock.

His jaw clenched, in what she now knew was his reaction when he became angry.

He looked at her then, and smiled. "Hey Tigress."

*.*.*.*. *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Wait - what? Bad boy is the Storeroom Stalker? Kaylan, you never told me that!

Damian : .......I'm not Kaylan.

WHOA. What are you DOING here? You should still be at the manor! ......What do you mean you're now in Pambrooke?

Damian : Why not? I'm a student here.

NOT ACCORDING TO THE STORY SCRIPT YOU'RE NOT!

Damian : Well I am, and I brought along - *connection fizzes out and crackles. Line dies*

WHY ARE MY CHARACTERS ALL REBELLING????

~~~~~~~~~~~>  

Haha. Anyway. This chapter is dedicated to TheLifeOfJo, for her marvellous work "Entorne", as well as all the votes and comments she gives that brighten up my day :) Go check her work out!

Now excuse me while I hunt down the rebel faction.