one

The end of summer is nearing with the breezes growing colder and more biting. The leaves on trees are beginning to change colours, from vibrant greens to the warm tones of yellow, orange and red. They shiver and shake on the branches, not yet ready to be discarded.

I breathe out a puff of air but it's not yet cold enough for fog to form. Thank god it's not that cold yet, I think as I tug on my sleeves, my winter wardrobe isn't ready yet! I subconsciously chew my bottom lip as I list off the clothes that I'll need to buy, and decide that maybe I'll go on the weekend with my friends. A second opinion is always good. 

Just as I turn the corner on my way to my job, I bump into someone and feel the slight static zap from the friction usually caused by woollen clothing. It stings but I quickly bow my head and apologise, "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I stepped," I say. When I look up again, I see the chiselled, handsome features of a young man and the light pink strain I had left on his shirt from my lipstick. "Ah!" But damn, he's a hottie.

He looks down at his shirt, drawn by my eyes, and holds it up for inspection. "Hmm, it's not too noticeable. A nice colour, by the way," he adds. Is he... complimenting me in a really indirect way? Nah, don't get your hopes up silly. 

Slightly unsure of what to do, I say the first thing that comes to mind, "You should take off your shirt." When I realise, I quickly add, "Um, I mean I'll pay for the cleaning and lend you a shirt!" Embarrassed, I look down and check through my bag for something to wipe the stain. I remember the facial wipes I often use and pull it out, handing one to him. "This should at least remove some of the stain," I murmur.

He takes it saying a small thanks, and wipes the stain, the vibrant colour decreasing a little the more he passes the cloth over it. Now, his shirt has both a wet patch and a faded pink lipstick stain. Mentally, I'm berating myself but the man speaks up again, holding out his free hand, "I'm...Kai. Thanks for the tissue." The way he smiles causes my heart to nearly stop, but the way he had paused before introducing his name didn't seem right.

I recover a little slowly from the dazzle of his face and grasp his hand, shaking it lightly and introducing myself. He nods and lets go. "Well, I best be on my way," he says, and walks away with a wave. I wave back and watch his back as it disappears among the rest of the crowd on the street.

***

That evening, I'm left daydreaming about Kai. His handsome features keep reappearing in my head, and soon, I've deluded myself with all sorts of stupid fantasies. Ever since I had arrived home, I breezed through everything I was doing; eating dinner, washing dishes, beginning on my assignments. My own mother looked at me and asked if something was wrong but nothing was. Except maybe my head. 

A knock on my door shakes me from another daydream. It's my younger sister. "Hey, do you have any spare pens? Mine are all out," she asks. I grab a few from my desk and hand them to her. "Thanks," she says, before leaving me to my thoughts once again.

I continue doing my work, briefly forgetting about Kai, until something smacks the window and causes me to jump in my seat. Frowning, I continue working on my homework until it happens again. Several times consecutively. I stand and push aside the curtains to peer outside into the dark. I don't see anything out of place until a hand presses against the glass, and it's not mine. I nearly scream but my voice feels unnaturally stuck in my throat, and I choke, trying to get air back into my lungs. 

The window slides open on its own and I look up to be met by a familiar looking face. I finally manage to say something, "You!"

It's the same face I've been thinking about for the past several hours, and embarrassingly so. Kai climbs through the window, just as I remember that there's a fly screen on the window - he shouldn't be able to come inside! I stare with a gaping mouth as he does it all gracefully, eventually sitting on top of my desk, and on top of my homework. Oh god they're going to be wrinkled... and I'll have to rewrite them.

"Good evening, Milady," he greets me, as if there is absolutely nothing wrong with having an almost total stranger sitting on top of your desk in your bedroom. Although, I must admit that there's something kind of exciting about having a handsome man in your room. My heart is beating way too fast right now. Calm down self!

As if drawn by a magnet, I step closer and closer to him until my hips are almost touching his knees from how he's sitting on my desk. He takes hold of my left hand, and while keeping his gaze on mine, brings my knuckles to his lips and kisses them. The gesture feels almost intimate in the way he gazes at me, and I begin to lose my train of thought. 

The way his soft plump lips press against my fingers make my mind go blank and I realise that he is speaking just as the words, "...are you listening?" register in my head. I look at him dumbly for a few seconds before replying with a rather intelligent "What?"

He laughs, the corners of his eyes crinkling a little, then says, "Let's go."

"Huh? Go where?"

Kai only gives me a mysterious smile as he hops off my desk and clasps my hand more tightly in his before proceeding to pull me into his chest, my nose pressing against his firm body. I can smell a hint of his cologne but can't quite put a finger on it. His breath on my ear startles me, "Close your eyes," he whispers. 

"What? Why do I have to? This isn't some sort of kidnapping, right?" I ask, a dreadful feeling beginning to settle at the pit of my stomach. This feeling only grows when he doesn't reply. I get ready to scream bloody murder when the sound of wind rushes around us and our surroundings darken to the deepest black. I dare not close my eyes in case I miss something. 

A multitude of sensations continue to surround us until it all comes to a standstill. We're standing somewhere solid, the acrid smell of sulphur hanging in the air. Where on