...Alyssa glided through the forest unafraid as she looked for him. She caught a faint movement to her left and turned to find him in front of her. His face was sculpted perfection, his eyes coal black pools that chilled her even as it excited her.
" Looking for me?"
She could feel his gaze as it traveled impertinently down her body. She couldn't speak, could only hold on as he pulled her to him, uttering only one word.
" Mine."....
" Alyssa! First day get up now!"
Her mother's exasperated yell brought her fully awake. She groaned inwardly, shaking the cobwebs out of her head as she ran to shower. Ten minutes later she was dressed in her usual armor, skinny Jeans and tshirt, her glasses the final accessory.
" Lyss, we could try the contacts again..."
Alyssa grinned at her beautiful, former Pulitzer prize winning mother.
" If that's what you want, Mom."
" I want you to make some friends, you're a senior now, live a little," her mother teased.
Alyssa jumped into her Jetta without the enthusiasm she faked for her mother's sake. She was a realist afterall and a scientist to boot. The odds of the perfect bestie and a hot guy falling into her lap on the first day of senior year were slim to none. Little did she know that she'd be recalculating those numbers by the end of the day.
She parked in her usual spot, sighed, grabbed her backpack and began her gauntlet like trek to her first class. She was about to enter enemy territory aka school when someone called her name.
" Alyssa! Alyssa Wilson!"
She turned to see the principal waving at her in her usual frantic manner.
" Good morning Mrs Harrison, happy new semester,"she said pleasantly. She blushed as the two deities standing on either side of the principal grinned first at each other and then at her.
" Alyssa please escort the Matsudas to homeroom, thanks a million. "
She was gone before Alyssa could politely refuse. The girl was a tall, svelte Hallie Berry look alike with cleavage like Tyra Banks but it was the guy that took her breath away. His eyes never left her face and she found she was staring at him too.
"Hi, I'm Keiko and this is my brother Kai, we're the Matsudas, first question is free," she teased grinning. Alyssa liked her immediately.
" Twins?"
Kai exchanged a surprised glance with his sister before grinning wickedly.
" That's a first," Keiko teased genuinely puzzled. Alyssa shrugged, she was used to being odd and different.
" I have an artist's discerning eye with a geneticist's genes so I can see you're related. "
Keiko linked their arms together as they walked to homeroom, ignoring the stares and whispers as they went.
" Normally, all people see is that I'm black and he's Asian," Keiko explained slyly.
"So what if you are? You're both beautiful...um I mean..."
Kai beamed at her as she all but ran inside the classroom. Alyssa was mortified. Her cheeks were as red as her crimson locks and practically on fire. To her secret joy, the Matsuda's passed every empty chair they saw to sit on either side of her.
" Don't be embarrassed, Alyssa, Kai has that effect on girls."
Alyssa felt annoyance war with an emotion she refused to name.
" Is that right?"she demanded hotly.
" Ignore my sister, she doesn't know what she's saying, "he whispered. Alyssa felt hot and cold all at once. What is wrong with me?
She didn't have time to answer as the 'mean girls' walked in.
" Where are the Japanese transfers? I hear the brother's hot," Giselle Rochester regaled her mounting audience. Alyssa could tell when Giselle spotted Kai, bristling as she was in response.
" Hi you must be Kai, I'm Giselle and someone should've told you that the cool kids don't sit with nerds or weirdos or in this case, both." Alyssa held her tongue for as long as she could.
"Bite me."
Giselle was shocked along with the rest of the class,usually Alyssa endured Giselle in silence .
"Ooh look who found a backbone at nerd camp."
" Wow, look who learnt a new word at Dr Miami camp, backbone...good job."
Giselle ignored Alyssa's burst of spirit to focus once more on Kai.
" So where's your sister? Twins aren't you?"
" We are twins and she sits right there."
Giselle's eyes bulged as Keiko waved, grinning.
" Her? Oh ok, well we'll talk again, Kai," she purred, pointedly ignoring Keiko.
Mr Truman walked in just then and began his usual start of semester spiel.
" We have transfer students this semester. Kai and Keiko Matsuda, born in Japan but they've traveled the world with their diplomat parents."
Kai nodded at the teacher. He grinned when Alyssa smiled at him.
"Why don't you tell us the most exotic place you've lived?"
Kai nodded to a beaming Keiko.
" That's a toss up between The Seychelles and New Zealand. We spent a lot of time in New Zealand so we spent a lot of time with the Maori tribe."
" Which tribe are you from, Tyra?"
Mr Truman glared at one of Giselle's minions, Alyssa bristled.
" Her name is Keiko dufus and if you're gonna act like an ass shouldn't you be on all fours?"
Even Mr Truman couldn't hide a smile at Alyssa's new found confidence.
She shared a high five with a grinning Keiko as Giselle's fan boy glared at her.
The bell rang and Alyssa wondered briefly when she'd see them again.
" Hey Alyssa put your number in my phone,"Keiko said as she prepared to go to Advanced Calculus. Alyssa nodded blushing as Kai handed his phone to his sister.
He stood beside her, so close she swore she heard his heart beating.
" Have lunch with me, Lyss."
He wasn't asking and she loved it. Smiling, she nodded before heading to class.
" So?"
" It's her Keiko, I've found my mate," he growled in his sister's ear.
" I'm happy for you, my brother but must you be first in everything?"
He pulled her ppnytail playfully as they left homeroom grinning.
Alyssa didn't see them for the rest of the morning but they had her number so...
Her phone beeped, odd she thought
Where are you? Kai
I'm heading to the caf for a burger, I'm hungry. Alyssa
I'll meet you there Kai
Ok. Alyssa
Alyssa sat at the empty table and sighed as she munched on an apple.
"Got stood up, Einstein?"
Before she could answer, she sensed Kai.
" I'd move if I were you,"she sang sweetly.
" Why would..."
" You're in my seat,",Kai growled menacingly.
" What are you saying? Teague's your girl or what?"
" Yes she is so stay away or you and I we gonna have issues. "
Alyssa could feel the rage building inside of Kai.
" Hey handsome, thought you were buying me lunch,"she teased, taking her glasses off.
" I am yours to command, my lady."
Alyssa giggled as he bowed solemnly before going to get lunch. She was so busy watching Kai that she didn't hear Keiko sit down.
" Girl, you got it bad."
Alyssa blushed hotly, grinning at a mischievous Keiko.
" How come your English is so good, I can't pinpoint a specific accent..."
" Our mom was an English professor who minored in foreign languages but English was our base, she made sure of it. That's how she met our dad."
Alyssa smiled sadly, thinking of her own brilliant mother.
" What happened to her?"
" Cancer."
" I'm sorry.."
" Don't be. How about you?"
" My parents ..my mom was a scientist, not sure about her husband, all I know is he stole her research and left, never met the man."
" Sorry hun, "
" Don't be, it's cool. "
Keiko grinned mischievously, winking at her brother.
" So you like my brother."
" Well, I'm not gonna deny it. There's something about him that's familiar and exciting at the same..."
" Do continue, anyone I know?"
" Shut up and eat your lunch, Matsuda"
Alyssa was on cloud 9, for the first time in her life she had people! A bestfriend and an actual, honest to goodness, real life stud who looked at her with desire. Damn but she was having one hell of a first day. She couldn't wait to tell her mom, her rock, her sole confidant that she'd done it.
" Look at you, Wilson, coming out of your shell and making new friends..."
" I don't have time for your pouting tirade, save it for a mammal who cares."
Giselle's face hardened as she backed her into the parking lot wall.
" I thought you were smart but you really aren't. Don't you know I have ways of getting what I want?"
" And what do you want, huh, Kai?"
" Yes! They're my kinda people not minimum wage earners like your mom and you!"
" I'm warning you Wilson, stay away from what's mine."
" Funny, Kai didn't mention you at lunch and I didn't see your name on him so back the hell off. You want Kai, try to take him."
Alyssa pushed past a bemused Giselle, feeling like a million bucks.
She'd just gotten into the car, when her phone chirped.
Where are you? Kai
In my car about to head home. Do you need something? Alyssa
Yes, you...🥰 Kai
Where are you? Alyssa
I'm home, Keiko was jetlagged so I brought her home. Kai
I'm about to leave school, had gymnastics Alyssa
Meet me at Starbucks...plz. Kai
Ok Alyssa
Awesome!Text me when you get there Kai
Alyssa was grinning when she texted her mother.
Hey mom gonna meet my new bestie's brother at Starbucks. I won't be too late Alyssa
Holyshit!Say that again or text me again! Mom
Later crazy person Alyssa
Ok honey be good Mom
Alyssa parked in front of Starbucks and waited.
I'm here Alyssa
Be right there Kai
She didn't have to wait long and just like before, she sensed his presence before the growl of his motorcycle confirmed his arrival. He raked a hand through his hair after removing the helmet. His nostril flared once before he was moving towards her. He startled her when he knocked the windshield
" Hey."
" Hey."
" You want some coffee or a brownie or..."
" No thanks, I'm good."
" I just hope I wasn't too high handed in the caf today, you know."
Alyssa felt faint, was he sorry he said it? Did evil Giselle get to him?
" Look you don't need to worry about me, I promise not to stalk you,"she snapped dryly.
Kai's black eyes flashed as he registered her pain.
" Problem is I can't promise the same."
He took her cold hands in his and looked into her pretty green eyes.
" I have to stop myself from staring Lyss, I like everything about you. Everything. "
" I uh I like you too."
" You're not with anybody right?"
" No,no boyfriend. "
" Be my girl, Lyss. I'm not a patient man but I'll wait if this is too fast for you..."
" Its perfect. "
He cupped her cheek, loving the feel of her soft spun silk skin.
Their lips met and sparks flew as Kai ground his lips against hers.
" Mine."
Alyssa gasped as the voice from her dream echoed in her ear.