“Come on, I’ll drive you home. It’s late already, so the buses won’t run, right?” Vince said, sounding so friendly, and so normal. When I didn’t react, he stepped out of the car and rushed to approach me, a whisper to follow: “Can’t I drive you home?” 

“Um … I’m fine …” 

Vince let out a sigh, and I flinched when his fingers touched my upper arm, slithering across my skin, only to wrap around it, ready to pull me away by force. “Come on. I’m really sorry, okay?” 

Are you really? That was what I began to wonder. Whether he meant it, truly, whether he’d realized he liked me, after all, after he’d lost me. But how uncomfortable he made me, I couldn’t shake off that uneasy feeling inside of me.

“Let’s just talk at your place,” Vince whispered, trying himself at an unconvincing smile, and already, he pulled me closer towards his car, and because he was stronger than me, my feet stumbled in that very direction. His fingers dug into my upper arm, and my heart raced in the worst kind. 

“N-No, really,” I stuttered. 

“I won’t do anything, really,” Vince promised, and his shoulders slouched. “Let’s just spend some time together … I’ve totally missed you these days, you know? I started feeling really bad about what happened. I’m sorry for getting a girlfriend, okay? It really opened my eyes. Come on, give me another chance.” 

I gulped, tears reigning within my eyes. “Let’s talk at school next time,” I whispered with the hopes he truly meant those words he spouted. “I’m tired today…” 

“Why not now? I came all this way for you. I couldn’t find you at your other job these days, so I thought you were totally avoiding me.”

“I got fired…” 

Vince stared. “Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you, okay? I totally get what I did wrong, and I feel really bad, okay? I totally like you, so—“

My heart raced, and I felt myself wavering when he said those words. I totally fell for the sweetness in his tone, and for his lies, and for everything all at once.

But just before I could fall into his trap, I was saved. 

By a giant, veiny hand that wrapped around Vince’s wrist, a silver watch decorating it. The grip turned tight around Vince’s skin, and he let go of me immediately, forced to do so by Thomas’ dominating touch. 

Thomas was gigantic, even next to Vince whom I had always admired for being so tall. Seeing them beside each other, even Vince appeared so much smaller than ever before.

“Dude, what the hell—?!” Vince hissed, trying to free himself, but his arm only twisted, and Thomas, who’d waited for my shift to end to protect me, didn’t let go.

“He said no multiple times already. Will you let it go?” 

“Stay out of it, weirdo!” Vince growled, and only then did Thomas let go. Vince’s skin had turned bright red around his wrist, and he shook it to rid himself of the pain. “Seriously, waiting for Felix to finish his shift to spy on him? Fucking creep.”

My stare turned blank. Weren’t you doing the same thing? 

Vince didn’t get it at all, and he wanted to reach my hand and pull me to his car all the quicker. “Come on, let’s go. I’ll just drop you off, alright?” 

Thomas’ interference had reminded me of how little I wanted to go with him, and I was quick to stutter away and practically hide myself behind Thomas’ larger frame, which Vince commented with an aghast stare. “I don’t want to. Sorry…” 

I didn’t even know why I apologized, and I was glad for Thomas standing between Vince and I, keeping Vince from reaching for me once more. My fingers clung to his suit’s jacket in desperation, and as he protected me, I realized how good he smelled, and how safe I felt. 

“I suggest you take your leave,” Thomas grumbled, protecting me behind himself.

“Dude, stay out of it! Who even are you, huh?!” 

“Just a concerned customer,” Thomas sighed. “You were suspicious from the start, I suppose.” 

“Are you kidding me? Felix—“ Now, his voice sounded like what I was used to. That annoyed undertone, that grumble when he spoke my name, spitting it out as if he hated it. It honestly surprised me how quickly he fell into that horrible personality of his. “Do you even know this guy? What the hell are you doing, shimmying up to someone like that?”

“Do I need to call the police? Harassing someone at their workplace, and there’s cameras all around, and a witness right here … Not looking good.” 

“What? Harass—“ When Vince was confronted with his actions, he stumbled backwards and grumbled. Even he realized Thomas was dead serious about it, and that suddenly scared him. Given he wanted to be a prosecutor, he realized he couldn't afford to have the police called on him for things like this.

Vince really was an idiot, and now, he rushed around his car, slammed the door shut after entering, and his tires squeaked as he pushed the gas pedal all the way down to disappear as fast as possible. 

After we watched him disappear around the corner in a loud rumble, Thomas turned towards my shivering self, and nudged me at my chin in a slight tickle of his index finger, getting me to look up at him. Our eyes met, and he smiled ever so softly. “Look at you, huh. What would you have done if I wasn’t here to save your day?”

“I … don’t know,” I pouted truthfully, and Thomas continued tickling the sensitive skin beneath my chin, caressing me in a way no one had ever done. 

“Learn to be bolder when you say no,” he advised me, and I nodded, my gaze stuck to his own, his dark eyes sucking me right in. 

“I’m sorry…”

Thomas chuckled, and now, he poked the tip of my nose, completely confusing me head to toe. “What for, hm?”

“I ruined your evening…”

“Not at all, darling.” 

Those words ruined me, made me grow weak at the knees, swooned me in a way I’d never felt before. Lowering my gaze and my head, I stumbled forward, right into Thomas, who didn’t even budge when my forehead fell into his chest. 

My feet between his, his shoulders so much broader than mine, his whole stance could have swallowed me whole in a hug. My hair tickled his chin as I hid my expression at his chest, his tie squashing against my forehead. Goosebumps crept up on my skin when I felt his fingers at my nape, playing with my hair, twirling right through it, or combing it. 

He didn’t fully reciprocate my hug. Well, it wasn’t a hug at all, because I had simply tumbled into him, and my arms weakly dangled beside me. Only my head touched his chest and suit, only his fingers touched me. 

And yet, it felt so intimate. Because he didn’t complain, and simply let it happen; he didn’t make me feel embarrassed, nor did he make fun of me for this. With his fingers in my hair, he gave me sweet comfort, and with my nose pressed into his chest, I got to enjoy that woody scent he wore, mixed with the scent of his fine clothes, and the softness of that expensive fabric.

I held my tears back, simply because I didn’t want to ruin his suit, but I totally did feel like crying. 

Why did it feel so good, having him caress my hair that way? He barely touched me, but it was so, so intense. 

“Are you … into younger people? Is that your thing?” My voice was muffled by his three-piece suit and tie, and honestly, I didn’t even know why I asked. I regretted it right after I did, having ruined the gentle silence between us.

But his touch within my hair didn’t change at all, remained so adorably nice, and his chuckle stuttered his chest, and his deep voice vibrated all across my face. 

“Not necessarily,” he answered. “I’ve dated all kinds of people.” 

“I bet you’ve dated lots … I bet you were super popular in college, too.” 

“Is that your impression of me?” Thomas scoffed. 

“I don’t know,” I admitted, pushing my face deeper into his suit. “I’m confused.” 

We stood there, frozen, for what felt like forever, and I wondered why he even bothered with me like this, comforting me after such conflicts with Vince. Didn’t it look totally childish to Thomas, the way Vince chased me, the way I didn’t know what to say?

And yet, he remained quiet, twirled my hair and tousled through it until I felt good enough to step away from him. After a little sniffle, I tried myself at a smile, and he chuckled as soon as he saw it.

“How adorable you are,” he whispered, petting me below my chin. My face burned up completely in sudden shame, and when I arrived home that late night, I couldn’t help but hide my face inside my pillow and totally kick my feet out of giddy embarrassment.