Even with the mild headache from her night of drinking and not sleeping enough, Angie couldn't get what she'd done out of her head.

She'd kissed Tom. His skin had been so warm and somehow soft and rough at the same time. And when she'd gone to bed, all she could think about was how she wished he were there next to her, holding her until she fell asleep.

"What does this mean?" she asked her coffee cup.

"It means that maybe, just maybe, you have at least a crush on him," Kay said from the stove, flipping pancakes. Her mother was out with some friend for breakfast so that meant Angie actually got to eat stuff from their fridge, curtesy of Kay.

"I don't know." She sunk her head in her hands, fighting the impulse to pull her hair out. "Crush seems like such an inappropriate word."

Every word felt inappropriate. Because what she and Tom had was beyond words. And she was afraid it was just a feeling brought on by the alcohol and it wasn't real.

That this warmth in her chest that made her feel more alive than ever was just inside her head and that it would fade together with her hangover. But if it wasn't... It was somehow even scarier, because it meant she'd given him power over her.

Kay put the plate in front of her, a worried look on her face. "I know it wasn't in the plan. But if you're falling in love, is it such a bad thing?"

Falling in love. Was that what love felt like? No wonder everyone wanted it. But it couldn't be love. Not so soon, not when she and Tom just danced around important issues and never told each other anything relevant. Sure, he was funny, smart and handsome and extremely talented, but was that enough to make her fall for him? Shouldn't he do more?

Like what? Give you his food? Help you with your homework? Take you home in the middle of the night? Offer you the chance to win five hundred dollars?

"I'm afraid of falling in love," she whispered. "What if it breaks me? What if it ruins everything?" Angie looked up to her friend and was shocked by the bitter expression on her face.

"Love does break you. And it ruins everything," Kay said. After a moment's pause, she sighed. "But that doesn't mean I wouldn't give anything in the world to see Kyle again." She looked away and rubbed her arms absently.

And that's when Angie saw the bruises on her upper arms. Long and thin, in the shape of fingers, as if someone had squeezed her way too hard.

"Kay, what happened to your arms?"

"Huh?" She looked at Angie frowning and then at her arms. "Oh, this. My parents were out last night and left me with Danny. We had a complete falling out."

"You can't leave things like this! You have to go to the police."

"No, there's no need..."

"Kay, he's abusing you. This needs to stop! You can ask for a restraining order."

Kay shook her head, and to Angie's utter shock, looked guilty.

"Do you honestly think I let him get away with this?" she muttered. "I'm a little afraid he'll actually press charges against me."

In a flash, Angie remembered Kay beating up those men at Tiana's place. Her blood froze. "What did you do to him?"

"I twisted his arm behind his back, kicked the legs from under him and..." Kay bit her lip.

"And?"

"I kicked him in the nuts. Really hard. I think I might've done some real damage. He's actually in the hospital now."

Angie's mouth fell open. She was grabbed by a sudden mad desire to laugh. She shouldn't. Danny was really hurt, it wasn't funny. Except a giggle actually escaped her lips. Kay's chin trembled too in an obvious effort to stay somber.

"I hope that finally drove the message home," Angie said, trying to sound serious and dignified.

Kay's amused air vanished. "I wouldn't put my money on it. I thought he got the message when Kyle broke his nose six months ago, but Danny can be very hardheaded." She heaved a deep sigh. "My parents are probably going to kill me."

She looked so dejected, it broke Angie's heart. Kay needed to go out more, get away from Danny. Get away from Kyle's ghost, because he wasn't coming for her. Her depression, her moping, it had to stop.

"You need to start going out with people," she said.

Kay looked at her skeptically. "No, it's you who needs to start going out with Tom. Properly."

She would if he'd ask. It was pathetic how much she missed him already. "I mean it. You need to come out of this hole."

"I like my hole," Kay mumbled.

"Look, let's make it a girl's weekend. We'll both stay in and watch sappy movies and paint our nails and forget about guys."

Kay watched her through narrowed eyes, as if trying to figure out the catch, but through the suspicion, Angie could see that she liked the idea, that she needed the company. So she sighed in relief when her best friend nodded, and it was a date.

💅🏻👄💄

But that didn't mean that Angie didn't still miss Tom. All day at school she'd tried to catch a glimpse of him, but no luck. She could hardly pay attention to Ross and Lily. Thank God they didn't mind that she kept zoning out like an idiot.

But, come the weekend, she didn't get to see him, yet talk to him. She knew he was at the club, but she had promised to spend the evening with Kay and it was... well, what ever the opposite of bros before hoes was.

Her weekend with Kay was a lot more depressing than Angie thought possible. Her parents insisted on joining them while they watched movies so they could hardly speak, and their alone time only convinced Angie that Kay needed to go out and date already. Screw Kyle! He couldn't be that unforgettable. Angie would hook her up herself if she knew anyone half decent.

The only good thing was that Danny didn't come around anymore and Kay didn't seem to get in trouble for kicking him where it hurt.

Monday found Angie back in school, craning her neck to see Tom. And, finally, before her final period, she ran into him on the hallway.

"Hey," she said, surprised, when they almost bumped into each other.

"Hey."

God, had his smile always been that beautiful or had it morphed somehow?

"I missed you around," he added and Angie's heart did a weird flipping thing.

She was so glad he said it first. "Me too. I was sorta hoping we could see each other before Thursday."

Tom bit his lip, looking worried and her stomach sank.

"You don't want to."

"What? Of course I want to. I just can't today and tomorrow... it's going to have to be after six." He rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Okay, sure, no problem." Any time, any place. As pathetic as it sounded. Fortunately, he seemed just as eager to see her. She saw no other reason why he'd just stare at her, his head tilted slightly, a small smile on his lips. God, she wished she could see his eyes.

The bell rang above them, announcing the start of class. They both jerked to attention.

"I gotta go," he said, slightly panicked, and before she could move a muscle, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. And then he was gone.

Angie stood rooted to the spot, touching the spot his lips had been, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. A part of her screamed that it was no big deal. Another that she'd be late for class. But the most powerful part of her replayed that second in her mind over and over again and she was shocked by all the subtle details she could pick up. Like how his hand had rested on the back of her head as if to keep her from pulling away, how soft the touch was, how warm his lips...

Ugh, pull yourself together! It's just a stupid kiss on the cheek.

Furious with herself, she hurried towards the biology lab and slipped inside. The moment she closed the door, her teacher cleared his throat.

"Well, well, Miss Jones, coming in late, are we?"

Seriously? She was like a minute late. Most teachers didn't even show up this fast.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled submissively, hating every word coming out of her mouth. "It won't happen again."

The teacher shook his head. "You don't seem to be taking this class seriously. I was willing to help you out with that grade, but you don't seem to want to be helped. Not with that attitude."

You evil prick. You perverted, pedophile creep. But she could only seethe on the inside and bow her head to the outside world. Because he could ruin her future and she had no choice.

"I'm taking this class very seriously, professor Collins. I promise. I'm so sorry for being late."

"I hope it won't happen again," Collins said with a severe shake of the head. "Now get to your seat."

Which was right in front of him because he was one of those assholes who made his own seating chart. And of course he'd want her there, right under his nose, to deny her any possibility of hiding. She never thought she'd hated anyone more in her life.

She could hardly pay attention to class as her brain churned out more and more creative ways of murdering her teacher. Good thing she had Tom and he'd explain it to her. Tom.

Her stomach fluttered at the thought of him, of how he watched her, how he'd kissed her... He was totally ruining her concentration. But she couldn't wait to see him, and tomorrow was way better than Thursday. Technically, she knew he was at the club tonight, but if he said he couldn't meet her, she'd respect that. He probably had homework to catch up on.

Finally, the bell rang, announcing the end of class. Angie couldn't gather her stuff fast enough.

"Miss Jones," Collins said, freezing her blood in her veins. "A word?"

Her shoulders sagged and she ached with all her being to get out of there, but she sank her nails into her palms and stayed behind. Collins waited for the classroom to clear before turning his attention to her.

"Sit down, please."

She complied. He moved around the desk and sat in the seat next to hers.

"I know you're having trouble with this class. That's why you can't afford to be late," he started on a fatherly tone.

Having trouble? He was the only reason she was having trouble. "I thought you were pleased with my latest work."

"I am." He paused and looked at the ceiling with his dull brown eyes. "But it's pretty obvious that you're getting outside help."

Her jaw dropped. It wasn't fair! Even if Tom helped her with the notions, the projects had been her work one hundred percent. "I've worked very hard on those projects."

"Yes, they're a start, but if you want that B to go away..." His hand slipped on her knee. "You're going to have to work even harder."

Angie froze. Her first impulse was to slap his face. Her second to cry. But she couldn't do either and it pissed her off. Bad. She pulled her knee away from him. "Fine. I will work even harder to fix a B that shouldn't have been."

"We all make mistakes," Collins said with a wise shake of his head, and his hand was back on her knee, moving higher up her thigh. "It's what we're willing to do to fix them that matters."

"Really?" Angie got to her feet, her skin crawling. "So how are you going to fix your mistake? Because I shouldn't have gotten that B. My answer was correct."

He stood too, towering over her. "Watch yourself, Miss Jones. I've always been overly lenient with you. Given your circumstances, I thought you deserved..."

"Lenient?" She stomped her foot, all her self-restraint flying out the window. "I'm the top of my class! I take the same tests as everyone else!"

"Watch your tone, girl!"

She shut her mouth and stepped back. All she wanted was to get out of that god awful classroom and never have to see that man again. But he only came closer, stopping inches from her, much too close, much too personal.

"Things could get a lot worse for you," he whispered in her ear. His hands grabbed her elbows then ran up to her shoulders. "Or much easier."

Please let there be cameras in this room, she begged, fighting the impulse to vomit. She looked to the corner of the ceiling and saw the camera. The little red light was off. Of course it was. Collins wasn't stupid.

"It's your choice, really," he whispered, his nose touching her neck.

"No!" She jumped back and toppled over her seat. It didn't matter, she couldn't even feel the pain. She scrambled back, as far away from the man as possible. "Keep your hands off me, you pervert!"

His eyes darkened. Of course they did, of course he looked angry as if she was the one to blame for this shitty situation. Because he wanted to make her a victim. Well, she wouldn't fall for that. So she got to her feet, pushed her chest out and raised her chin in defiance.

"Good day, professor Collins." Rot in hell.

"You just threw away your opportunity. Good day, Miss Jones."

Angie turned her back on him and stalked out of the classroom and just kept walking. She didn't know what else to do. If she told someone, it would be her word against his. He had a spotless reputation. She'd checked. And she was a student with a grudge for a B. There was no one to back her up. No one had the power to change anything.

Three corridors away, she crumpled on the floor, sunk her face in her hands and cried.

🎄🎄🎄

I'm updating a little early because I'm going away for a few days, so rejoice!

Aw, weren't things cute between Tom and Angie before I decided to hit you with the dark bat? You're welcome.

What do you think will happen next? What do you think about Angie's reaction?

Thanks so much for reading! Leave a ton of votes and comments because ''tis the season to be jolly!

Happy holidays, everyone. See you after Christmas 🎄!