A Dark Night in July (I've fallen for the guardian of the undead)

Where was he?

He'd said that he'd meet me in the common room in an hour. It was now exactly 1 hour and 3 minutes later. Okay, maybe I was being a bit precious, but only because I'm super nervous.

I'm sitting on a brown couch, watching TV. Well, pretending to anyway. I'm watching the doorway out of the corner of my eye likea hawk. My ears are constantly straining to hear footsteps.

C'mon, c'mon.

I glance at my watch. 1 hour and 5 minutes.

I sigh and tune into the TV more fully. He's not coming. Face it. Why would he? Not like you're anything special.

'I would neverbetray Howard!' A beautiful actress cries as the typical bad guy leans over her.

I smirk. Day time TV...

A pair of large pale hands cover my eyes and a familiar voice purrs. 'Guess who?'

I grin and reach up my hands to peel his off my face. I tug, but he refuses to move them.

'Hey!' I protest.

'Tut, tut. That's not playing by the rules. That's cheating.'

'Then I'm a cheat,' I growl.

'Feisty, aren't we?' He murmurs close to my ear.

I freeze. My heart races. 'Get off me Jack.'

'As madame wishes.'

My vision is restored. I turn and glare up at him. He grins and waves.
'Hi,'

I turn back around and pretend to sulk.

'C'mon Ily. Places to go, things to see... get up,'

With that he turns and walks back out the door. I gape after him. That's not how they usually respond.

Afraid of being left behind, I get up and bolt out the door, colliding with a decidely solid object. Jack's chest.

He lets out an 'oouph' noise and staggers backwards, holding on to my shoulders to keep his balance.

'Sorry!' I cry, afraid I've hurt him.

'No problem,' He gasps, flashing my a pained smile. 'But now we're even for the fry pan thing.'

I nod.

Jack straightens, takes a shaky breathand continues to walk. We head towards the main entrance, and I have to trot to keep up with his long strides.

As we walk he tells me about the Academy, the teachers, students past and present. 'Over there is where Francis Head split his skull open...around that corner is the old staffroom. Apparently it's haunted...this class room is never used because apparently somebody died in there...'

He takes me past the boys dorms (thankfully, with no boys inside as of yet) shows me around the second and third floor (where all the classrooms are), past the library I found yesterday, upand downstairs, ducking through disused room and abandoned corridors, until we stand before aset ofstairs.

They're metal and spiral up and up seemingly forever until they disappear int theceiling.

Jacksmirks and bows. 'After you my good lady,'
Idon't move.'I'm nobody's good lady, least of all yours.'

Jack's smile grows wider. 'Yes, you are,' He declares as he grabs my shoulders and pushes me forward. 'You just don't know it yet.'

Iglare at him and continue to climb.

Up...

Up...

Up...

The stairs go on seem like they'll never end, and I'm sorely out of breath when we reach the top.

We're in an attic for sorts. The sloping roof means the rooms shaped a bit like a triangle. Empty, dusty spacestretches in every direction. It's pitch black, except for the light coming through the floor.

'This,'Jack announces,'Is the attic. Itgoes above every room of the top floor.'

I gape. TheAcademy is huge and stays the same size and 'T' shape all the way to the top. The attic must be positively enormous.

Jack pulls out a tinypen torch. 'Let's go exploring, shall we?'

Without waiting for my answer he begins to walk away.

'Ja-Jack?' I call, my voice betraying my fear.

'Aww...' He turns and looks at me with wide, gleaming eyes. 'Poor widdle Ilykins is all scawred.'

Iglare at him, though I doubt he can see. 'I am not! I just don't like being in huge dusty places where it's easy to get lost.'

Jackwalks back and puts and arm around my shoulders, steering me into the darkness. 'It's okay,' He tells me, hisvoice and eyes soft. 'I know my way around.'

He keeps me close and he shines his torch around and guides mebetween walls and through doorways.

'Why are there walls in the attic?' I whisper.

His grip on my tightens. 'They were going to use it as storage space, but it was too much work lugging things up here.'
I nod and move closer. I'm not even bothering to hide my fright now. Dark, unkown, large places scare me. That's why I've never been fond of caves.
After what seems like hours of wandering, Jack says, 'Aha!'
He guides the beam of the torch, illuminating a small trap door in the side of the roof.

At that moment, a small, furry thing runs over my foot.

I don't hold back. I jump almost two feet in the air and scream. 'A rat!' I shout, trying to pull away from Jack.

Suddenly his arms are around me and his lips are on my mine.
I go completely still and silent as his mouth moves hungrily against my lips.

Oh my God.

'Ily...' He murmurs. I lift a hand to his face and resume kissing him. His tongue slips into my mouth. I make a quiet sound and lean into him. He groans and deepens the kiss.

Oh... my... God...

It's all I can think for the longest time.