---Chapter 23---
Michael and the others knew Kyle had a new girl in his life. However, he didn't know who that new girl was until yesterday - when he saw Kyle and Victoria eating lunch on a blanket in the park.
Michael didn't know what was going on in Victoria's life for weeks now, if he ever had before. But he didn't expect this - Victoria and Kyle. It was unthinkable.
He heard how Kyle talked about this mystery girl - and he was probably falling for her. This had troubled Michael. He kept telling himself it was because of the potential danger Kyle could be in. But there was far more to it. He'd been brooding on it all weekend, when he rounded a corner and saw Kyle and Victoria at her locker.
+++
Victoria was still shaken, albeit invisibly, by her orders. It haunted her ever since she'd been given them over a week ago. What's more she'd been having disturbing dreams that scared her even though she couldn't remember them after she awoke, except for glimpses.
She almost jumped when she closed her locker door and saw Michael headed toward her. After all this time of ignoring her - he was finally going to acknowledge her presence again.
She uncertainly gave him a smile and was astonished to find him smiling at her. When he got to her locker, he said, "Hey, how are things?"
He bent over and started to kiss her cheek, when her eyes met his and she felt compelled to kiss his lips. As if he knew that, he leaned down, stroking her arm- he kissed her fully.
Victoria opened her eyes because it didn't feel right, not like before. When she opened them, she saw Kyle not Michael, standing before her.
==
Michael saw the exchange and before he checked himself, he'd flown over to them and pushed Kyle, sending him crashing against other lockers.
Victoria stunned, put a hand over her mouth - partly from the confusion of the kiss and partly because of Michael's sudden action.
"Why did you just do that?!" Kyle asked, his eyes angry, he straightened his jacket, righting himself.
Victoria looked at Michael. Michael avoided her eyes, but said to Kyle, "Stay away from her . . . she's trouble." After saying this he strode away.
Victoria went over to Kyle. "Are you okay?" She took his arm. "What did he mean?"
Kyle, confused and yet glaring at Michael's retreating back, took Victoria aside and explained to her what he knew about his friends' suspicions of her father, Adam Winthrop.
+++++++++ ++++++++
After school, Victoria went to Michael's apartment. He opened the door and was surprised to see her standing there.
"What is wrong with you?" -Victoria.
"You're asking me? I should be asking you all the questions." -Michael.
"I don't know what you're talking about." -Victoria.
"Oh don't you?" Michael pulled Victoria inside and closed the door.
"If you're mad because Kyle and I are friends, because he -we, kissed, it's none of your business." -Victoria.
"If you think that, you're dead wrong. I could care less who you kiss. But something's going on at your place and I don't want any of my friends involved with you." -Michael.
"I told you I don't know what you're talking about." -Victoria.
"Oh, really?" Michael backed Victoria against the wall. "Well, I'm reserving judgment for now, but if I find out you had anything to do with hurting my friends and putting everyone in danger - you'll be sorry."
"Is that a threat?" -Victoria.
"You're damn right." -Michael.
"Well, if you think I'm that horrible - that I would do such things, why even reserve judgment. Why not just condemn me right now." -Victoria.
Michael looked away for a moment. "Maybe because I saw something in you --- " He stopped and looked at her, then said, "Maybe I don't want to believe it."
"Then don't." -Victoria.
"Swear to me, then," -Michael said, looking in her eyes, pinning her against the wall.
Victoria looked at him and said, "I swear. I would never want to do anything to harm you or your friends."
Michael looked into her eyes, seeing sincerity there. He backed up a bit.
"Now you swear to me that you could care less who I kiss." -Victoria.
Michael blinked, not quite looking at her, he said, "I swear."
"Okay, Michael. Since that is the case, don't ever act like you have the right to tell me who I can and can not do whatever I want with. Have fun with Maria."
With that, Victoria walked out of the apartment and closed the door, not showing any of the hurt she was feeling..
---End of Chapter 23---
Michael and the others knew Kyle had a new girl in his life. However, he didn't know who that new girl was until yesterday - when he saw Kyle and Victoria eating lunch on a blanket in the park.
Michael didn't know what was going on in Victoria's life for weeks now, if he ever had before. But he didn't expect this - Victoria and Kyle. It was unthinkable.
He heard how Kyle talked about this mystery girl - and he was probably falling for her. This had troubled Michael. He kept telling himself it was because of the potential danger Kyle could be in. But there was far more to it. He'd been brooding on it all weekend, when he rounded a corner and saw Kyle and Victoria at her locker.
+++
Victoria was still shaken, albeit invisibly, by her orders. It haunted her ever since she'd been given them over a week ago. What's more she'd been having disturbing dreams that scared her even though she couldn't remember them after she awoke, except for glimpses.
She almost jumped when she closed her locker door and saw Michael headed toward her. After all this time of ignoring her - he was finally going to acknowledge her presence again.
She uncertainly gave him a smile and was astonished to find him smiling at her. When he got to her locker, he said, "Hey, how are things?"
He bent over and started to kiss her cheek, when her eyes met his and she felt compelled to kiss his lips. As if he knew that, he leaned down, stroking her arm- he kissed her fully.
Victoria opened her eyes because it didn't feel right, not like before. When she opened them, she saw Kyle not Michael, standing before her.
==
Michael saw the exchange and before he checked himself, he'd flown over to them and pushed Kyle, sending him crashing against other lockers.
Victoria stunned, put a hand over her mouth - partly from the confusion of the kiss and partly because of Michael's sudden action.
"Why did you just do that?!" Kyle asked, his eyes angry, he straightened his jacket, righting himself.
Victoria looked at Michael. Michael avoided her eyes, but said to Kyle, "Stay away from her . . . she's trouble." After saying this he strode away.
Victoria went over to Kyle. "Are you okay?" She took his arm. "What did he mean?"
Kyle, confused and yet glaring at Michael's retreating back, took Victoria aside and explained to her what he knew about his friends' suspicions of her father, Adam Winthrop.
+++++++++ ++++++++
After school, Victoria went to Michael's apartment. He opened the door and was surprised to see her standing there.
"What is wrong with you?" -Victoria.
"You're asking me? I should be asking you all the questions." -Michael.
"I don't know what you're talking about." -Victoria.
"Oh don't you?" Michael pulled Victoria inside and closed the door.
"If you're mad because Kyle and I are friends, because he -we, kissed, it's none of your business." -Victoria.
"If you think that, you're dead wrong. I could care less who you kiss. But something's going on at your place and I don't want any of my friends involved with you." -Michael.
"I told you I don't know what you're talking about." -Victoria.
"Oh, really?" Michael backed Victoria against the wall. "Well, I'm reserving judgment for now, but if I find out you had anything to do with hurting my friends and putting everyone in danger - you'll be sorry."
"Is that a threat?" -Victoria.
"You're damn right." -Michael.
"Well, if you think I'm that horrible - that I would do such things, why even reserve judgment. Why not just condemn me right now." -Victoria.
Michael looked away for a moment. "Maybe because I saw something in you --- " He stopped and looked at her, then said, "Maybe I don't want to believe it."
"Then don't." -Victoria.
"Swear to me, then," -Michael said, looking in her eyes, pinning her against the wall.
Victoria looked at him and said, "I swear. I would never want to do anything to harm you or your friends."
Michael looked into her eyes, seeing sincerity there. He backed up a bit.
"Now you swear to me that you could care less who I kiss." -Victoria.
Michael blinked, not quite looking at her, he said, "I swear."
"Okay, Michael. Since that is the case, don't ever act like you have the right to tell me who I can and can not do whatever I want with. Have fun with Maria."
With that, Victoria walked out of the apartment and closed the door, not showing any of the hurt she was feeling..
---End of Chapter 23---