| LEXI MICHAELSON |

The sun was out and the moment I stepped out of University, I squinted because it became rather hot. I swear the weather is playing games. Putting my lecture notebook in my bag, I smiled at one of the girls at college who helped me in the bathroom today.

My day at university was over at exactly two-thirty in the afternoon and I was going to my extravagantly shining car, completely forgetting about my talk with Blake in regarding to this morning.

But before I knew it, I felt heavy footsteps behind me so I stopped. "Blake- Vince?" I frowned once I saw Vince standing before me.

Is it bad that I hoped it was Blake?

"Hey." He smiled shyly. "You know, welcome party is coming near."

"Welcome party? But there was no such thing when we were in first year?" I scowled.

"Oh well, it's for first year and we are also invited. Also the third year." He smiled at me. "And we'd have to bring a date."

My eyebrows went up and I chuckled. "Like prom?"

"Yeah, like prom." Vince looked at me as his eyes sparked. He cleared his throat. "So, uhm, do you have any date to go with?"

"When is it by the way? And no. I don't." I said.

"It's on Saturday." Vince spoke. "Would you like to be my date for the party?"

"Me?" I looked behind me if he was talking to somebody else.

"Of course you. Who else." He chuckled lowly.

Dear god, I was hoping to be a date for the party but I was hoping Blake would ask me.

In that very magical moment, Blake walked to us. "Hey, guys." He was little bit out of breath. "I've been searching for you, Rosie."

"Well I've been standing here the whole time." I said and looked at Vince again, who was giving me hopeful looks.

What should I do?? Turn Vince down or no?

"Lexi," Vince started again. "Would you please to go with me to the welcome party as my date?"

There you go. Blake was stunned and cleared his throat. "Well, Aria asked me the same thing. I'm glad we're developing a friendship."

I looked from Blake to Vincent. "Uh, yes. Vincent. I will." I smiled at him as Vince grinned.

"Fabulous! I'll pick you up at six." He gushed and hugged me, then while letting me go, he kissed my cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I spoke when we pulled away. Blake just stood there and looked at me in horror.

What? He's already said yes to Aria.

Right?

After passing me another grin, Vince walked away and left me with an annoyed looking Blake.

"You know you just agreed to go as a date with Vincent, right?" Blake snapped.

"Yeah. What's so wrong in that?" I said.

He huffed. "Fine. Go with him."

"Will do." I grinned at his annoyed face.

I stood there for a moment and stared at Blake, but then I had to leave for home so I got in my car. "Wait!" Blake appeared at my window.

I didn't bother to reply so I looked at his face which was inches close to mine. I could feel his minty breath. He continued. "You were supposed to tell me what happened today."

"I just got grounded for two weeks that's why I have to head home quickly. Nothing major." I shrugged and got surprised by how immediately I came up with a lie.

"Oh, be safe then. Bye." He stepped away from the window and stood straighter.

I muttered a bye and much to my dismay, I had to drive away to my awaiting father and mother with a bit of my cousins.

When I entered my home, I immediately felt a soothing fragrance of vanilla and cinnamon hit my senses. I took a long breath and exhaled.

"You're ten minutes late, young lady." Dad appeared from the storage room beside the entrance. "Where were you?"

I jumped slightly at his tone of voice. "D- Dad." I gulped. "I-... Principal had us in a hall to tell that there will be a dance welcome party and we have to bring a date."

"No date." Dad disagreed immediately. My face fell. "You're grounded. You're not supposed to go out for a dance with a male. End of story."

He walked further away to the hallway and into the living room, on his chair. I gulped heavily again and went up to my room. I rolled my eyes to see Amy (my cousin) going through my stuff in my bedside drawer.

"Found any jewels?" I said loudly, showing clear annoyance.

"Who's Blake?" She retorted.

My breath got stuck.

"I don't know. There's no Blake." I gulped and looked away, entering my room. "Now leave. I have to change."

"Uh-oh. You don't get to lie. What is it then?" She had a paper in her hand and she wave it slightly. "Lexi, I'm sorry. I know I said this many times but I really feel bad about making you cry-"

"Stop it. It's just some guy from soccer team I rejected." I lied again.

"Yeah?" She read again. "I'm here for you whenever. Please don't push me, I'll be sad. Oh it even has a sad face drawn. Meet me by your car after uni today. Blake."

"That's..." I stopped. I couldn't speak.

"You know this can easily ruin your career, don't you? Oh, poor Alexandria." She fake pitied.

"Amy, stop." I started to panic. "Give it to me."

"No." She giggled. "You're going to regret ever meeting this Blake."

"Amy! Please!" I ran after her as she ran away down the stairs and to the kitchen where mom was baking along with my aunt.

"Aunt Lillian! I have something to show you." Amy smirked evilly at me and gave the paper to my mother.

My dad is going to kill me.

She ran her eyes through the paper, her expression hardening. She then lowered the paper and crumbled it into her hand. "What is this, Alexandria?"

"Mom, I- I can explain." I waved my hands in front of me in a scared manner.

"Then please do!" Mom's voice boomed and my aunt's eyebrows furrowed.

I'm so going to kill Amy for this.

"Mom it's just some guy who scared me - I ... I entered the University and he startled me with his loud voice." I stopped and met my mom's eyes. She was furious. "I don't know what came over me; I cried. So that's why he wrote this, he was sorry about startling me."

"Did you meet him after University? Is this why you came late today?" Her voice was hard.

"No! No... I was ten minutes late because principal had us and told us about an event- a dance welcome party." I explained.

"Then why do you still have this paper saved?!" Mom exclaimed. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

I gasped. "No! No, God no! I don't!" My eyes widened. "This paper was in one of my books, mom I swear!"

"Don't shout at your mother, young lady." Dad's authoritative voice said.

"Dad, please believe me I do not have a boyfriend!" I cried. "You can't just ruin my career!" Tears flowed down my face.

"Alexandria, give me your phone and go up to your room." When dad saw my face, somehow, his face softened a little bit and he said. "Now."

So, I did. I ran upstairs after handing my phone, to my room and locked the door. Tears were pouring out of my eyes and I cupped my mouth to prevent myself from crying.

I sat down by the door and didn't know when sleep came over me.

***