Author's Note: Hello! Thanks for the reviews! Keep reading and enjoy this new chapter!

Chapter 10 – The Morning Afterwards

"He kissed me," Melanie brought her finger tips to her lips in disbelief of what had just occurred; "Atticus kissed me."

Melanie felt the heat rising into her cheeks. She had never been kissed by a man before in her life. A sudden rush of hysteria rushed over her making her giggle unintentionally. She could not control the laughter coming from her recently kissed mouth. Her body tingled to dance and her heart to sing. She rose from the couch to look at herself in a mirror that hung on a wall. She looked at her lips. They appeared to be the same but she knew they were not. Her giggling continued uncontrollably.

"I must write to Ellie!" She whispered when she finally stopped giggling. She sped up the stair to her room in the dark. She sat to a desk and lit a lamp so that she could see. She grabbed some paper and a pen so that she could write Ellie.

Ellie's letter was long but focused on one thing, Atticus. Melanie could not help but describe Atticus, his kindness and his kiss. Her hand began to cramp as she wrote but she did not mind as she practically confessed some feelings towards the older man. She signed her name affectionately then put herself to bed so that she could dream of him.

Atticus sat his desk with his hair in disarray as well as his clothes. His eyes had large dark bags underneath them. He appeared he did not shave or make any effort to make himself his usual standard of dressing. His hand was in his hair as he laid face against his desk. Guilt consumed him.

I defiled her lips. I am a terrible man. These thoughts kept racing around in his mind. However, the images of her sleeping form and the feel of her soft lips against his brought some happiness to him but then more guilt came.

She is only a child. She is just a child and I have secretly ruined her. I am a worthless man. He beat his head against his desk as more images of her rosy face flashed in his mind.

A soft knock came to his office door. Atticus's head shot up. He quickly smoothed his hair and attempted to fix his clothes as he approached the door.

"Yes?" He opened the door expecting a random citizen of Maycomb but was very shocked to see who had come to his workplace.

"Good morning, Mr. Atticus," Came the bright, cheery greeting from none other than the woman Atticus had been worrying over since the past night. Melanie had a secretive grin on her face making Atticus's stomach twist in fear that perhaps she knew of his defiling.

"Good morning, Miss Melanie," He cleared his throat and welcomed her into his office.

"I am so sorry to have fallen asleep last night on you. Something suddenly came over me. I assume it was you who transported me to the living room. Thank you," She touched his arm making his heart palpitate.

"It was no problem, Miss Melanie. I hope you slept well on the couch."

"Oh, I did but I soon awoke and was able to get myself off to bed for the rest of the night. But anyway I came to see you today in case you needed a secretary," Melanie offered her services. His intestines quivered.

"Actually, today I'm going to see Dr. Reynolds about my burn," Atticus lied.

"Oh, you're going to see Chris? Lovely, may I join you? I actually need to return something to him that he left at the supper last night," Melanie also lied.

"Sure," Atticus caved in and the two left for Dr. Reynolds's workplace. There was an awkward silence between the two as they stole glances at each other. The people on the streets also stole glances at the couple.

"Is that the Graham girl? I heard she and Dr. Reynolds are engaged."

"I heard that she goes to some sort of African voo-doo near the Negro church on Sundays and practices witchcraft on weekdays with that trashy Mrs. Ewell."

"I heard that she was a loose woman in Montgomery and that is why she has come to live with Mrs. Brooke."

Rumors filled the air in Maycomb but it seemed that only Melanie and Atticus were unaware of them and also unaware that they were now creating new ones by walking together. When the oblivious couple did arrive at Dr. Reynolds they were disappointed to find Dr. Reynolds gone to deliver a baby.

"Well, I guess I will just see him tomorrow," Atticus stated. Melanie stated something similar. There was silence between the two again as they stood in front of the door. Atticus's eyes kept being drawn to Melanie's lips as her eyes were drawn to his lips.

"Mr. Atticus," Melanie finally broke the silence.

"Yes, Miss Melanie," He replied his eyes still trained in her lips.

"Is there something on my lips?"

"What?" Atticus snapped his eyes away from her lips.

"Well, you keep staring at them so I thought I might have had something on them," She said.

"No! I'm sorry, Miss Melanie. Oh, look at the time, I better get back to work. I will see you later, Miss Melanie. Good day," The flustered and caught Atticus quickly fled the scene leaving a smirking Melanie behind doing her best not to laugh.

"Mr. Atticus," She giggled to herself and turned to go tell Violet-Jean of the incidents of the past few days.

Author's Note: I know it was a bit short but please keep reading and review!