Ella's POV.

We were sitting in the music class while waiting for our turn. Group B was performing their song and I must say, it was quite good. Finally, today was the day.

We had worked really hard this past week. We did the last combine practice on Friday and it came out pretty good. During the weekend, we did solo practices at home. The best thing I liked about working with my group was teamwork, we all worked together and now we were all hoping that we would win.

"Now, group C! Please step forward," Miss Ruby said and we all got ready to perform. We took our instruments, ready to start. Our song was about how to believe in your own self, never lose confidence and how to stand for our selves. We named our song Let's be alive, once again.

"1. 2. 3. Start!" Jack gave us the cue and we started to perform the little magic we had created.

We all started playing and in a matter of seconds, we all got lost in the music. A small smile on my lips with every chorus. Sweet music engulfed the classroom and soon after, we started hearing slight clapping of the students. I would hear students humming along with us during the chorus part of the song.

So let's live again.
Once again.
Be confident, be you again.
Once again.
Hold the strings of your fate.
Make it your own call.
So let's be alive again.
Yes, let's be alive again.
Let's be alive just once again.
Let's start what we thought was lost.
Be you and don't lose hope.
Never lose it.
All you are that matters. Matters the most.
So, let's be alive, once again.
Believe yourself and let's be alive.
Let's be alive.

We ended the song with our last hoot. The class clapped and we did hear some whistles too. In the end, we had a massive victory, the teacher loved our song and appreciated us. She loved the message that we had given by our song and we all felt proud of our work.

"OK, students! I'll announce the winner tomorrow. I'm proud of all of you. I must say, you all had surprised me. I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much but you all did a fantastic job. Absolutely amazing! Excellent work, everyone! Give your self a huge round of applause!" Miss Ruby smiled and we all clapped for our own selves. The class was dismissed and we all went out of the class.

"We had nailed it, guys! Yeah!!!!" Jessica screamed and we all joined her. We hooted for ourselves and Jessica and Sara hugged me harder as I hugged them back. They then hugged Jack and Xaiden giving them a pat on their back for their work. I stood still because I was not going to hug them. I appreciated their work though, but to hug them... wouldn't it be a bit strange? At least, it would be strange for me because I had never ever hugged a boy in my entire life. The only men I hugged were my dad or Uncle Johns. So, I was sure, I wouldn't be able to control my nerves when I would be that close to a boy and especially Xaiden.

I knew I won't be able to clear up my mind for weeks if I would be in his arms. The time when he helped me when I had my knees injured, and then the time when I helped him with the piano, these two times were already haunting me and no way in hell could I take on another blow. I looked at Xaiden smiling at Jack as they both talking about something. Xaiden played so beautifully that it seemed as he was a professional, a person who had quite a good grip on the instrument he plays. By seeing him, I wondered why he even asked for my help. He didn't seem a guy who needed help learning it.

"We did great. Right?" Sara asked and I smiled, "Yup! We did quite well! Now, I hope we do win. It'd be great to perform on the school's variety show."

"Hopefully, we will win. Didn't you see how much our teacher liked it? And we did receive a great response from the class. We will win! I'm sure." Jessica was so sure of our win and to which, Sara and Jack agreed.

"Hey, El!" Xaiden called and I looked at him. He was standing so close to me - just right in front of me - only a few inches space between us. I didn't know since when he started calling me by that name but I kinda liked it. The way he called Ella was still quite intimidating for me but the way he called me El had a different kind of effect on me.

"Yeah?" I asked while he was still giving me his usual smile. The same smile which would make my heart to go all crazy, my stomach to go on a roller coaster ride, and my mind to go wild.

Oh, God!

"Thanks for helping me that day," he said as his hands a bit inside his jacket's pockets. I nodded and whispered, "No problem."

We just stood there still staring at each other. None of us saying a word or moving an inch. We just stood there looking at each other. "El," he whispered my name as he took a step forward and then at once, I was in his arms. I had no idea how it happened or why it happened. I was too shocked to be in my right mind. He was engulfing me in his arms, his hands placed on my back as he hugged me tighter. My arms were dangling on my sides and my eyes not blinking even once. I believed my heart was long dead by now and I had no idea how was I breathing. Was I even breathing? Maybe I was dead.

His strong muscular arms were around my small body yet he was holding me gently and with care as if I was an expensive china-ware and he was afraid he might break me into tiny pieces.

I stood there shocked, still trying to comprehend what was going on. The last time when he slightly held my hand - when I helped him with his piano notes - I spent two whole night thinking about the feelings he shot through my body, and now, when he was hugging me, I think I wouldn't be able to sleep for a whole week.

I didn't know what was going on but I felt my arms rising up and my hands also itching to hold him. It felt like I wanted to feel him through my hands. I wanted to touch him too, to feel his presence beneath my hands.

My arms rose up and went around his body but before I could even touch him, he let me go. He looked in my eyes and then of a sudden, averted his eyes towards the ground and then raked his hand through his hair.

"I... I have to go. Thanks again!" With that, he left me all shocked, alarmed and confused. I didn't know how was I still standing or breathing.

The heat radiating from my face and I bet I was looking like a ripe red tomato by now. My heart beating so fast that I could hear it in my ears. My legs, my arms trembling and I had no idea when my legs gave up but I managed to sit down, on the floor.

"What the heck just happened?" Jess sat beside me grinning like a fool but I was too lost to respond to her.

"God! That was cute!!! Come on!" Sara shrilled and then winked at me. While for me, I wasn't in my right mind. My head spinning wildly and my mind still trying to comprehend what just happened.

Ella... You loved the feeling of his arms around you. Didn't you?

Did I? Was my conscience saying the truth? Did I really like that feeling?

I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around myself and my mind shifted to the event that happened just a few minutes ago. The warm feeling of his arms and the smell of his cologne. I think... I did love his warmth. The way he was holding me... I felt at ease, deep down, I felt safer, comforted and like I was not alone in my dark world.

It felt so strange... This was all strange.

I felt mixed emotions. On one side my heart was racing, my cheeks were warming up, my mind was swirling and on the other side, deep down, I felt peace... Why did he bring me peace?

"Ella! You OK?" Jessica shook me, bringing me back to my current situation. I heard her gasp, "Oh God! You are still thinking about him. You are. Right?"

"I think he likes you. Oh!!!! He's so cute!!!! El! I think you got your first admirer!" I heard Sara gushing but I remained silent.
Jessica and Sara kept on saying crazy stuff but this time, their crazy things and assumptions did confuse me too. Now I was in a state of extreme confusion, I was perplexed!

Did he, by any chance, like me? Or it was just me with these crazy thoughts? What was he doing to me?

I never wanted my heart to fall for anyone. I never wanted someone to like me. I never wanted to experience this because it scared me. This love scared me. I did wish for love but I never wanted it in real life.

Love might seem pretty and wonderful and although, I wished to experience it just once, but now, when it seemed like it might happen, I was scared. I didn't know how it might end but, I knew, the ending won't be a good one.

Xaiden's POV.

I was sitting in the class trying to listen to what the teacher was saying but my mind not allowing me to. It was thinking of something else. No! Not of something but someone.

Ella!

I didn't know what just came over me back then and why I hugged her. It just felt the right thing to do at that time and I couldn't help it. It felt like my body hugged her on its own accord and it wasn't in my control at that time. All I wanted was to have her in my arms, to feel her against me.

Her sweet smell still lingering in my mind and whenever I would close my eyes, her bewildered expression would come straight in front of me. The feeling of her in my arms, her small fragile body against my strong one, it was the best feeling so far. It felt like she belonged there, she belonged in my arms. I wished I could always hold her like that. I wanted to hold her and never let her go.

When I drew back and looked at her expression, I felt my breath taken away and at once I felt something strange in my heart. My heartstrings pulled and I had to keep back the urge of desire. Looking at her that way and then keeping myself from kissing her was the most difficult part for me.

Her eyes were wide open and her cheeks were in a deep red crimson colour. She was staring at me all shocked and the way her pink lips were parted apart as she was breathing rapidly. Damn! She was looking so cute yet hot at the same time.

The way her expression was, I just wanted to pull her back in my arms and capture her pink cherry lips with mine. I knew if I would have stayed there just a few seconds more, I would have pinned her on the wall and then kissed her senselessly. I would have kissed her until we both would run out of breath and then I would have kissed her again after re-gaining our breaths.

Damn! Just thinking about her aroused me.

Now, these feelings made me wonder... Did I make the right decision in making friends with hers? It had only been a week since I started spending time with her and just in a matter of these days, my feelings had intensified. I didn't know for how long I'd be able to keep them in control.

I had known the very first day she was going to be a trouble for me. But my heart kept on involving in her more and more. No matter, how many times I tried to pull away, I ended up falling for her. The more I tried to stop, the more I ran after her, and now, I was already half burned by this fire. She was a fire ready to burn me in her love.

God! What had she done to me?

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