As Michael drew closer to the school building, he felt a gradually growing sense of dread and guilt weigh heavily on his pounding chest. He hadn't been to school in a week because of how horrible he felt for almost committing an act of murder to the one he cared for most. He knew now that the principal and the teachers would be keeping a close eye on him and he also knew that all of the students would either cower at the mere sight of him or run away from him all together. But what he knew better than that was that Alex was going to be present in all of his classes that day and knowing that scared him more than anything in this world.

He wondered if she would retaliate to his beating, seeking some sort of cold-blooded revenge, maybe even plan to put an end to him on the spot. He secretly hoped that the fall to the floor made her get amnesia, making her forget about how much he and his friends had hurt her.

Strolling down the main corridor was agony. He could feel all eyes on him, watching him intently as he made his way down the long hall. It seemed to stretch longer and longer the further he walked and the more students he passed, the more they seemed to multiply. It was all a blur to him as he sat down in his seat in his first class and he flipped open his textbook to a random page about a subject he didn't care much about.

"Yeah, I'm fine," a voice from behind him said and Michael merely glanced over his shoulder to the boy he recognized as the one he had beaten up, the one that Alex had saved.

Several girls surrounded the boy, sympathetically rubbing his back and his arms as if he were in some sort of body cast. Michael scowled.

"He almost dislocated my shoulder though," he remarked sheepishly and Michael noticed him roll his shoulder as if to add more effect to his pain and misery.

"You poor thing," one of the girls amongst the feminine group said pouting her pink lips. The boy blushed bashfully.

"Yeah but really, I'm fine." He noticed Michael glaring daggers into his direction and Michael could almost taste the fear emanating from him. The boy jolted.

"I-I'm sure th-that wasn't his i-intentions," he shakily said tearing his gaze away from Michael, "I bet he's a r-r-really nice guy."

The girls stared at him with looks of perplexity at his sudden nervousness but didn't pay much mind to it and continued to comfort him with the long strokes of their french-manicured hands.

Michael then felt a sudden rush overwhelm his face once he dared to glance up from his book and he bit hard down on his bottom lip. His heart was thumping so loud, he was positive that she was able to hear it. He couldn't stop the burning sensation from spreading across his chest and the strange sensation aroused within him, no doubt coming from in between his legs. He applied pressure on his erection with the heel of his hand in hopes of quelling it but he knew the only way to calm his nerves was if she was the one pressing her hand against him.

And he felt this way all because he saw Alex walk in. The stupid girl was messing with his mind and she was completely oblivious to it. She had no knowledge of the emotional strength she had over Michael, how much she could make him cringe just with the stretch of her arms and the pout of her lips. The slight movements were just like swift punches at Michael's chest. All it did was remind him that it would never be. He couldn't allow himself to fall for her. It was a forbidden act to love your victims, let alone fall in love with them.

Even though he didn't like it, he couldn't help but feel attracted to her, those dark almond curls flowing down that satin caramel skin, looking as marveling as those kissable pink lips without the touch of another's, matching those sweet gray eyes that were the true epitome of pure innocence, so naive and yet, so full of life and clarity.

Michael watched as she stumbled down the aisle that was two rows away from his own and he noticed that she had been making that a habit ever since he had managed to trip her last week so unexpectedly that she fell flat on her pretty little face.

'Whoops, my bad,' Michael had innocently said as if it actually were an accident, 'You should really watch your step next time.'

I guess she still remembers that... He thought as he glanced over at Alex.

Once Alex sat in her assigned seat, she perked her head up to look up at the board and was slightly startled once she found that she was only able to meet Michael's scathing glare that still made her cringe as tense as the first time she had seen it. She knew the cold expression better than her own face.

Alex sighed heavily as she leaned back in her chair that creaked under her whenever she moved. She dreaded earlier this morning when her Aunt Becky had forced her to go to school. No matter how much she begged, no matter how much she cried or screamed, her aunt still forced her outside, even if she had to go out in her pajamas. Of course Alex initially refused and decided to go change and then she suddenly realized that her aunt had used a style of reverse psychology on her naive self.

She's lucky I didn't notice until I got here...

Suddenly, a folded note landed in front of her and hovered swiftly down on her desk. She held it in her hands and stared intently at the lined paper as if she were trying to make a laser pierce through it with her eyes. Her eyes shifted over to Michael who didn't seem to be paying any mind to her but actually seemed to be trying to act as if he were interested in Mr. Matthews's lesson for the day.

She figured the note was from Michael since he was acting like he couldn't see her or maybe it was just one of his friends wanting to mess with her mind about them beating her up again. She hated how immature people could be.

Cautiously, she unfolded the note and let her eyes briefly scan over the two faintly-written words.

'Thank you,' it read.

Thank you? For what?

Her eyes scanned over the swell of students focusing on today's lesson and met the eager gaze of a boy she had found vaguely familiar. As if noticing an upcoming bullet, she jolted and suddenly realized that he was the boy she had saved from Michael's fatal grip. Her face broke into a broad grin as she waved at him.

The boy seemed startled to how happy she was to see him but waved back anyway and presented her a big grin of his own. He clasped his hands together as if he were bracing himself to say a word of prayer and began to mouth the words, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" over and over again.

"No problem," she whispered.

After hearing her voice, Michael risked a glance over his shoulder to see both Alex and the boy he had beaten up mouthing words he couldn't comprehend to each other. Rage boiled within him as he shot the boy a cold glare and the boy almost instantly stopped interacting with Alex and focused his attention back on the foreign equations scrawled across the board. Michael held Alex's gaze briefly and laughed under his breath whilst Alex rolled her eyes.

Why can't he ever let me be happy? He's just like Uncle Joe, never wanting anyone's happiness but his own. He's so selfish! I hate Michael! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!

"The History project is due next week," Monica remarked during lunch. Alex jolted in shock.

"Really? Gosh. I don't even know how to do it. It's so confusing to me!" Monica giggled in spite of her panicking.

"Don't worry. I'll help you with it," she assured her and Alex sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Monica."

"Hey. I owe you one for saving my life. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't even be here." Alex's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Michael is pretty hard on you. You put up a lot with him. You're really strong too, I mean, I don't know anyone who could take so much pain from someone for such a long time without complaining." Alex's eyebrows furrowed deeper and she was oblivious to the fact that she was making Monica struggle all the more to find the right words that she wanted to say, "I mean, I sure wouldn't have been able to take that much from Michael. Come to think of it, I can't take much of anything."

Alex shrugged, "Well, I guess it's because how I was raised up. My parents taught me to always remain strong and to keep on smiling even when I'm down. They always told me to express my opinion too, let people hear my voice, you know."

Monica nodded solemnly at her, looking as if she were somewhat awed by her remark.

"I see," she paused, "Well, you can come over to my house tomorrow and I can help you out with the project."

Alex smiled, "Sounds great."

Monica bit back a whimper as one of the nameless maids tightened the corset around her waist. She felt as if this piece of clothing was slowly sucking the life(and breath) out of her. She took a moment to ponder about the woman's name to inform her that she wasn't able to breathe quite well but it was a difficult task to fulfill considering that it seemed like her parents hired a new servant everyday and that none of them seemed to have a name to match their unfamiliar faces.

After one more final yank, Monica felt like the corset was going to burst beneath her shirt. Her mother had always required her to wear corsets under her clothing and Monica hated corsets more than anything, even her mother. They restrained her from movement, snatched away her freedom(and breath) right out of her hands. She felt that they were unnecessary to wear when she didn't have a problem with her weight.

"How are you, Madame?" the maid asked snapping Monica back into reality. Monica shakily laid her hands on her tense stomach.

"It's a tad bit too tight," she murmured softly, so low, she sounded as if she were talking to herself.

"That's the point, darling," she heard the voice of her mother remark and Monica restrained herself from rolling her eyes at the sound of her voice.

"But mother," Monica practically whined, "It's so hard to breathe in this thing!"

"Oh, hush now," her mother scolded as she gathered the strings on her daughter's corset to tighten it, "Stop making every little situation into a drama."

Monica jolted once her mother tightened the corset and she inhaled sharply as her stomach tensed.

"Mother, please-?!"

"Hush," she snapped. Monica felt her stomach churn under the immense pressure of the close-fitting undergarment.

"I can't breathe-?!"

"I said hush!" she shouted as she gave the strings one more final yank and Monica felt as if she were about to faint from the lack of oxygen she barely managed to inhale.

"Now," her mother began, "who is coming over to visit us?" Monica inhaled a deep breath.

"Alex," she replied softly.

"The commoner!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, the commoner and also my best friend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe that she is waiting for me."

Before her mother was able to open her mouth to retaliate, Monica had already hurriedly started into the direction of the grand staircase.

Monica swallowed dryly as she leisurely descended the stairs, clutching tightly onto the stair rail to prevent herself from tumbling down the steps which was more than likely to occur due to the fact that she had been convinced(forced) to wear her mother's fashion-designed two inch heels she bought from Italy.

She smiled gently once she saw that Alex was waiting for her at the bottom step with a delighted smile on her lips.

"You look great," Alex complimented. Monica flushed furiously and merely flickered her startled gaze down to her flowing golden yellow dress, smiling faintly once she realized just how ridiculous and overdressed she looked compared to Alex's usual casual attire.

"What's the occasion? Are you going somewhere later? A ball? A date?"

"No. My mother always wants me to dress properly when guests come over." Alex nodded, pursing her lips together in deep thought.

"I guess that's cool." She narrowed her gaze at Monica, "You look a little pale. You feeling okay?"

Monica laid her hands on her stomach, "Yes. I'm fine."

"You sure? Why are your hands on your stomach?" Monica's eyes darted wildly around the barren room before she held Alex's gaze.

"I'm wearing a corset." Alex nodded.

"And?"

"I can barely breathe in this thing! My mother tied it way too tight!" Alex laughed under her breath and motioned Monica to turn around. Monica, though reluctant, gingerly obeyed, slowly turning her back to Alex.

She felt her hands unravel the strings and she felt as if with every lace that was undone, a piece of her freedom would returned back in her arms. Once the corset was undone, Monica heaved a sigh of relief and embraced Alex with her all.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she squealed and Alex laughed as she hugged Monica back.

"Anytime."

"Well, look at what we have here," a voice drifted from above them slowly said and they both snapped their gazes up to Miss Stephens who stood at the top of the stairwell.

Miss Stephens strolled down the stairs in a leisure, graceful manner, patient and cautious of her footing. She glared daggers at Alex with a look of demure and hatred in her gleaming eyes and Alex wanted nothing more but to slap the mess out of her. Miss Stephens scowled at Alex's attire.

"Just because you are a commoner, it does not mean you have the right to steal a corset for your flabby body." Alex fumed with steaming rage at her harsh words, "It must be a pity not being able to afford proper clothes."

Alex inhaled a soft sigh to calm her racing heart, "I can afford clothing, Miss Stephens. I just don't like to wear clothes that I would be uncomfortable in. For example, a long dress on a study date with a corset wrapped tightly around my stomach and restraining me from breathing. That's a lot of work for wanting to look anorexic. But I'm sure they will make more plus sized corsets for you, Miss Stephens. It's not a surprise whenever you order yet another corset because your flabby stomach keeps busting them open."

Miss Stephens held a hand to her chest as she recoiled in horror, "Why you insolent little brat-?!"

"Right back at ya," Alex murmured.

Miss Stephens fumed with rage at her retaliation and sharply pointed towards the doorway, looking like a pharaoh sentencing a victim to death, "Get out of my sight!" Alex rolled her eyes in response.

"Fine," she shifted her eyes on Monica, "See you tomorrow."

Once Alex left, Monica whirled around to face her mother with a look mixed with anger and sorrow.

"Why do you treat her so badly? She was only helping me with my corset."

"Ruining your corset," she corrected coldly, crossing her slender arms over her chest, "That filthy rat has no right to associate with us."

"With you, you mean."

"Don't use that tone with me, Monica. You know what I mean."

"I know what you mean. Your just jealous of the way she lives."

Miss Stephens scoffed, "Why would I be jealous by someone of the likes of her? I would rather drop dead than want to be someone like her." Monica rolled her eyes then stormed up the stairs to go to her room.

"Monica, get back down here!"

"No!" Monica shot back, "Not until you apologize to Alex!" Miss Stephens fumed harrumphed.

Apologize to that filthy street rat? Not a chance. I would rather wrap my corset around her flabby neck!