This was in my fortune cookie I ate today: "The one waiting for you when you get home will be your friend for life." It made me think of fanfiction. Please enjoy this chapter of Shining Brightly!

Chapter Four: Courting Days

"Peter I told you, I can walk by myself!" Alice gritted through her teeth. She swatted her walking stick at Peter's ankles, causing him to yelp in pain.

"But, but…" Alice shushed him and once again, hit him with her walking stick. It took her about five minutes to get Peter out of the way in order to get to the stairway.

"Alice, let me take you out today!" said Peter. He tried making puppy eyes, but Alice couldn't see him.

"I don't care Peter. I don't see you. I don't care about you," deadpanned Alice.

Peter's mouth was hanging open and his shoulders sagged in sadness.

Alice walked down the stairway quickly and as soon as she opened the front door, she ran into someone's chest. Actually, to be more specific, Blood Dupre's chest.

"Please get out of my way," said Alice. She tried to hit his ankles with her walking stick, but he grabbed it and pulled her towards him.

"I wouldn't be so violent Miss Alice," said Blood. He gave her a handsome smile, but of course, Alice couldn't see anything. Not that it bothered Alice one bit, but how did she know if any of these guys were good looking or not? Alice used whatever force she had in her and pushed him away.

"I still have your walking stick," said Blood, waving it in front of her face.

"I sense you doing that Blood," deadpanned Alice. Surprisingly, she had quick reflexes and grabbed the walking stick. She pulled it away. "Good day to you!" she said sarcastically before walking out the door.

"Who cares about them anyways? They keep following me and they probably don't even like me. They just want my parents' money… I could never be like Lorina.." muttered Alice. She boarded the bus. College summer classes started and Alice was determined to be independent. She didn't need a man in her life. She could live on her own and make her own living without her parents worrying about her handicap.

"Not again," groaned Alice. She did a face palm as she heard Ace's voice from outside the bus. And from the noise, it seemed like he was riding a motorcycle (and that he was).

"ALICE~!" Ace shouted and managed to give a tap on the bus window. Alice turned to his voice.

"GO AWAY!" she shouted back. Alice was going crazy. It was too noisy; no it wasn't that it was noisy, but she felt irritated and annoyed by these guys. Alice could feel a migraine coming about. She rubbed her temples, remembering how it all started about two weeks ago…

Two weeks ago…

The five gentlemen stood in front of Alice and introduced themselves.

"I'm Gray Ringmarc, but we've already met." Gray gave a warm smile.

"Julius Monrey." Julius said nothing else.

"I'm Peter White, pleasure to meet you." He smiled sweetly and Alice could feel Peter's eyes staring at her face. She felt conscious.

"Ace. Ace Knight and I work with Mr. White here!" Peter showed a face of disgust when Ace introduced himself.

"Blood Dupre, it's also a pleasure to meet you Alice." Blood took up Alice's hand and gave it a kiss, creating an awkward atmosphere between the five guys. On the other hand, Mr. Liddell was ecstatic because someone wanted his daughter.

"N-nice to meet you all," stuttered Alice. She was stunned. Alice didn't know how to react, especially since it was the first time someone had some kind of interest in her.

"Please be with me Alice!" Peter was ready to hug her, but Alice felt it and she moved to the right, causing Peter to smash into the pillow.

"Well, you should be with me Alice," Ace took her arm and cuddled her.

Gray glared at Ace. "Well, it's up to Alice who she wants to be with, isn't that right Alice?" Gray turned towards the young girl.

Alice still blushing could only blurt out one thing. "What?!"

Mr. Liddell reprimanded Alice. "Alice! These gentlemen all have a special interest in you and would like to court you. Now behave and choose."

The five young men eagerly awaited Alice's answer. Alice blushed and stammered. "I-I… I can't choose now!"

Peter's face seemed let down while Ace showed an annoyed look. Gray and Julius tried to pull off a cool façade, but failed to do so, while Blood stayed calm.

"What do you mean you can't choose?" asked Mr. Liddell. "These men are very and I mean VERY capable of taking care of you and giving you a good life."

This pissed off Alice. She was tired of being taken care of and treated as a doll. She wasn't as weak as she seemed to be. It was her blindness that handicapped her. It made her feel helpless and although (most of) these guys gave off good vibes; she didn't want to be dependent on a husband who would lavish her with gifts.

Before her father could get angry, Alice tried to reason with him.

"I know that they're capable men… but I want to focus on my future as a writer," she began. "I rather not…umm… choose now."

Mr. Liddell thought deeply and made an "o" shape with his mouth. "So what you're saying is that you would like to have more time with them?"

Alice waved her hands and shook her head. "No, no, no! I mean—"

"I will give you six months to decide and by then, you should have candidate in mind," said Mr. Liddell. Mrs. Liddell was peeking through the door. Alice's hearing was sharp and she heard her mother whispering to Lorina. If this made her mother happy…

Alice sighed. "Fine, I'll decide by December then."

Mr. Liddell hugged his daughter for the first time in years. Maybe this would be so bad. If Alice could find love with one of these guys, just maybe her parents would accept her and not worry so much about her.

She. Was. Wrong.

"Ace! I told you to leave me alone!" Alice, using her walking stick as a weapon, wacked Ace's ankles as she walked towards the university.

"But Alice, I love you," Ace said. He pushed Alice to the side, away from people, and cornered her.

"H-hey! What are you—" Alice inhaled sharply as she felt Ace's lips on her neck.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. He placed kisses all over her neck, making her feel uncomfortable.

I'm beautiful?! As if… before any of you guys came into my life, no guy has ever told me that…

Alice felt her heartbeat quicken as Ace's kisses pressed hard against her collarbone. "I want you Alice…"

Alice suddenly gained her bearings and pushed Ace away. She wasn't going to be one of those easy girls.

"Get away!" She pushed him and her teal eyes glimmered under the sunlight. "You're a liar and a pervert!" She hit him with her stick before walking off.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are Alice," said Ace. He watched her storm away. "Well, I'll get my chance soon."

Alice couldn't believe it! Only two weeks have passed and already one of the guys have tried to make an intimate move on her. Geez. Was she that easy to get? Alice stopped walking midway and touched the windows of a small store shop. She turned to the window, trying to imagine what she would look like. Her hair, her eyes, her mouth, her nose, her cheeks, and her hands. What did she truly look like?

"Alice, are you alright?" A low voice asked from behind. Alice recognized the voice's owner. It was Gray.

"I'm… I'm alright. I'm just… tired," sighed Alice. She felt Gray walk towards her. "Well, if you're alright, may I ask where you are headed towards?"

Alice's brows furrowed. She wasn't sure if she could trust Gray. But out of the five guys, he seemed to be the safest. "Well… I'm heading to the university to pick up a few books and then to class," she answered.

"Are you talking about Heart University?" he asked. Alice nodded her head.

"Oh, then do you mind if I walk with you then?" Alice felt this weird and warm sensation in her chest. Was she getting sick?

"Um well, I don't mind. We're headed in the same direction anyways," she said. So Gray really is the only "normal" one out of the five guys… but Gray doesn't seem too bad… I think?

Before Alice could confirm Gray's normalcy, she felt Gray walk closer to her. And closer. And closer until their hands were almost touching.

Gray tried taking her hand and Alice was about to accept it before Gray took her waist and pulled her against him.

"Gray?!" Alice pushed him away. Never mind about normalcy. Maybe all of the guys were perverts.

"Oh… sorry," Gray blushed. He thought that Alice would feel comfortable around him since they met first at the party.

"Actually Gray, I need to pick something up, so you can walk ahead if you want," suggested Alice. She didn't want to be so close to any of the guys yet.

"Oh okay then… guess I'll see you there?"

"Yeah, if I can feel you," said Alice. I can't see you!

The two took their separate ways as Alice entered a small, yet cozy café. "Maybe I can get a breather here," she said to herself. As she made her way into the café, someone grabbed her arm and started dragging her to a seat.

"Hey! Who do you think you are?" Alice pulled away once again and wacked the guy who grabbed her arm.

"Ouch!"

Alice gasped. "Oh! Julius, is that you?"

"Yes it's me," he grunted. He rubbed his ankles. "Such a forceful woman," he muttered. Alice tried glaring in his direction.

Julius looked away and cleared his throat. "Well, I was just um trying to help you okay?"

Alice sighed. "I'm not weak, I can walk the streets by myself." Just as she said that she slipped because she couldn't see the "caution, wet" sign.

"Ah!"

"Watch out!"

And that's just the beginning for Alice :) The guys seem a but OOC, but it should get a little bit better as the story unfolds. This kind of introduces the situation and Alice's reactions haha... and because I really wanted a scene with Ace and Gray :)

Thanks for reading and please REVIEW :) I like reviews ~

~Seo Hyunee