THE TEMPEST PLAY is my top concern and focus for now. And the practices have been doubled due to the period, ranging from two to three months from now. I started reading The Tempest, but I couldn't even proceed till scene 2 due to the skeptical schedule and Reid's pressure of the practices that he wanted to be done, "we'll be practicing five times a week, during English." He declared, and that would mean that I'd be spending twelve hours of my day in lectures and his practices, added up the tutor lessons in history.

As I said, the English were spent. Esmeralda gave me a sympathetic look, patting me on my exhausted shoulders as the bell rang. "You can manage it, Mary Jane. It's normal for the first two months of school, but after that, you can do whatever you want to do." She encouraged me, walking along as we proceeded down the hallway.

Some of the students I've seen while walking frequently glanced, giving me a look I've never seen before. Esmeralda nudged me on my shoulders and rolled her eyes. "Don't mind them; they are always like that when a certain outcast goes beyond their expectations." She explained, opening up her locker. 

Emily and Luca walked toward us before Emily slammed her locker. Both eyes were fixed in agitated frowns.

"What happened?" Esmeralda asked, looking worriedly. Emily looks at the both of us before her expression softens.

"Alexis has been acting like a bitch right now. After the party, she began hanging out with the Frelli sisters," she clenches her teeth before pursuing, "she even changed her way of communicating with me and said that she wouldn't come back to our group unless Mary Jane left."

Alda and Luca stared at me with sympathy before I shook my head and smiled warily. " It's alright; perhaps Alexis was right. I should leave your group and be better alone," I said weakly, suddenly feeling the pain and sadness from the thought of losing them.

"Don't worry, Mary Jane; I'll try to talk with Alexis," Luca said, looking at my soft blue eyes.

We entered the canteen and sat in our usual spot. Before Emily offered to take our food from the serving area—the usual routine she would always do at every meal—Luca bid his farewell before settling down with his brothers and the other popular people. Alda smiled when we were finally alone at the table. "Thank you for lending me your trust yesterday," she said, genuinely waiting patiently for her meal.

"You're welcome. And thank you, too, for letting me sleep in your room last night." I said softly, glad that Alda was kind enough to invite me into her room; after I told her the events that occurred during my hours in the bathroom, Emily returned afterward carrying a handful of trays in both hands, settling it on top of our table. 

"I'm sorry I took so long; the server was too slow," she explained with a hint of a frown. I took my tray and saw a bowl of cherries beside the lasagna. 

"I was planning to put some apples since it suits lasagna, but the server put cherries instead."

I nodded and uttered my gratitude, eating the lasagna before Alda stared at the cherries with deep thought. "Did anyone of you know how to tie a cherry knot?" Alda asked, and I suddenly became stiff, putting my utensils down before taking a glass of water.

"I wish I were because mostly the people good at tying them are the ones good at kissing," Emily thought out loud, and the realization hit me. Is that why Dominic taught me how to tie it? I said to myself, remembering the time when I asked him about the tempest.

"It's hard at first," I admitted to Alda, taking a single cherry. But it would be easier if you keep trying till you get it," I said before tying the knot and showing it to Alda and Emily.

"Have you ever been kissed before?" Emily asked, and I shook my head. "Then who taught you how to do it?" She pressed, but I bit my tongue, keeping everything I had with Dominic.

WHEN OUR LUNCHBREAK ended, Luca set off from their table and escorted me towards the infirmary; his soft blue orbs narrowed when he saw the paleness on my complexion, the same skin tone I'm having lately. I'm starting to despise the food that they serve here in Mastema. "Do you have any allergies to some type of food?" He asked, holding one of my arms. I shook my head, and my face cringed from the acid that was starting to burn up in my stomach.

Luca held my arms gently before I stared at him, remembering that I should thank him after saving me back in the storage house. "Thank you, by the way; if you haven't found me lying in the storage house, then I might be dead right now," I confessed, enduring the pain.

Nurse Judith put some compress and healing oil on my bare stomach when we entered her infirmary. Her warm hazel eyes looked at mine with worry and concern, "perhaps you should inform your mother. It's not good that this stomach pain happens too often," she offered, putting the medicine back in her plastic box.

I wet my dry lips and shook my head, "Thanks for the worries, but I couldn't. This is just a stomach ache; it happens often even though I'm still in foster care." I muttered lowly, just to soothe her.

She gave me a few minutes to rest, and that's when I lay my head comfortably on top of the pillow, waiting patiently until the pain ended. I tried to close my eyes when I heard soft breathing emitting from the other bed beside mine—the dark green curtains were the only ones that separated the beds here in the infirmary, and I drew them before I stole a glance.

Alex was there, sleeping safe and sound on top of the bed. But I decided to withdraw the curtains before I could wake him, giving him the privacy that he deserved. I stared at the ceiling, waiting for the time to pass, and when I felt that the pain was already gone, I stood up and checked the time: six-thirty p.m. I still had three hours.

I took my leave and bid my farewell to Nurse Judith, saying my words of gratitude. I walked through the hallway, and Emily was already waiting outside. "I can lend my notes later. Do you feel well now?" she asked softly, soothing my back. I nodded and organized my locker, sighing before I glanced at Emily.

"Do you think it would be better if I took my own food? I mean, everything that I eat here is too foreign," I trailed off, closing my locker before I faced Emily completely. She ran her fingers through her hair, giving me a soft, genuine smile.

"If that's what you want. And besides, I know that Mr. Gibson wouldn't mind since you already have several records of stomach aches at the infirmary." She answered, nodding her head in approval. I smiled delightedly and glanced at the windows, reminding me to take my leave. 

"I'm sorry, Emily, but I should go now," I said shyly before she nodded.

THE SILENT HALLWAY leading towards the music room makes me doubt, leaving me wondering if he's still there late in the evening. I wanted to ask him some questions that Emily and Alda had told me. It took me three minutes to walk, and I hesitantly put my hands against the wooden door, gathering my courage before pushing it open.

He's there.

The black piano illuminates softly from the moonlight, and the keys are displayed openly. But Dominic's gray eyes stare at the music sheet on top of the piano, writing a few notes before he readjusts his dark red necktie and eats a moist strawberry—my whole body starts to ten, thinking what words to say. When I can't decipher a thing, I decide to walk silently, sitting beside him before I focus my stare at the keys.

We remained silent, and Dominic didn't even spare a glance, writing calmly on his paper before he finally looked at me, "It's already late; you should go back to your dorm." He said softly, but the sentence itself hurt me. Did I do something wrong? I thought.

"I just want to see you for a while," I said. "—because something happened last morning in my room. And I'm afraid to go back in there." I muttered lowly, feeling the cold and fear against my skin.

"Where will you sleep then?" He asked.

"Maybe on Esmeralda's, but I'm not sure yet because she has a roommate, even Emily. And I'm shy to become a nuisance," I said honestly, realizing I had nowhere else to go.

Dominic tipped my chin, and his expression softened, "You can stay in my place."

His long, warm fingers traced my cheeks, and electricity ran up my spine. "Thank you, Dominic, but I think that I should go to Luca's instead. He offered his room right before we entered the infirmary." I muttered, remembering Luca's words.

Dominic stood up, and his dark raven hair fell perfectly against his forehead. " There are several things that you still didn't know yet, Mary." He said softly, taking my hands before leaning closer and kissing them.

"This is the kiss of adoration,"

His gray eyes flickered, and he put down my hands before kissing my head. " A kiss of respect," he trailed off. His lips were soft and warm, and my heart beat fast against my chest. His lips lowered down on my cheeks, making my chest rise in nervousness and strange feeling. "A kiss of affection," he pursued before his lips whispered against mine, brushing it lightly.

"This is where man kissed, either because of temptation or lies." His voice was cold, brushing his hands against my blonde hair, "It's the reason why I wanted to protect you because they take advantage of your innocence,"

"Why would you take advantage of me?" I asked curiously, looking at his searing eyes.

"Because you trusted them, you shouldn't trust anyone other than me—do you understand me, Mary?"

"Yes,"