Main Characters in the Story:

*Kim So Hyun as "Athena" Myung-hee Park

*Tom Hiddleston as Himself

*Jake T. Austin as Himself

Chapter XXVI: Take Me Home.

~o~

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~o~

"Jeez." I groan. We pulled up to a house halfway up the street from mine half an hour ago. I was supposed to go home then, but my parents are already there. I really don't want to have to deal with that yet. "I don't want to go home yet."

Tom shrugs. "I would love to keep you, but I should be getting to bed." He glanced at the time; it was already eight-forty-seven p.m. Neither of us had realized were out for that long. "I pan on taking you out tomorrow. I'd rather do so well-rested."

"I have school tomorrow. And I can't skip anymore. I am so close to graduating. I can't mess it up."

He smiles. "I know. I meant after school. I'll pick you up, and we'll have the afternoon to ourselves." He takes my hand and just holds it. I never knew such a simple feeling could make me feel so elated. "I'm even going to leave my phone at the hotel. Which is a big deal because I have a horrible addiction to Flappy Bird." He keeps a straight face, but I know he's lying… I mean, he has to be… is he? Nevermind. Not the point.

"Is it the original?" I tease. "If it isn't the original, I don't want to hear about it." I turn my head away from him in a "Tsundere" fashion.

"Only the best for my love." He raises my hand to his lips and presses a long kiss to the back of it. After a second, he begins a trail of them up towards my arm, causing my cheeks to feel red and sending tingles down my back.

I work to keep my breaths even. Not yet, I reminded myself. In time. The goosebumps that raise on my skin, of course, give me away in a heartbeat. He quickly moves up to my neck and places open-mouth kisses to it. Now I am positive he will feel the NASCAR motor that is currently my heart.

Just as I feel a small innocent moan on the verge of escaping, I calmly push him away enough for him to get the hint.

He stops, as per request, but that does not mean he isn't confused. "What is it? Did I do something?"

"Ani-yo! {No!} I mean, nothing bad." I laugh nervously. How do I tell you are making me horny in a mature manner?

"Temptation is getting a little strong. That's all." 'Temptation'. Naneun geugeos-eul joh-ahanda. Naega jib-e dol-agal ttae naneun bolam-eul neukkinda. {'Temptation'. I like that. I am rewarding myself when I get home.}

He raises an eyebrow, and a teasing smirk stretches across his lips. "I'm that good?"

I roll my eyes and scoff softly at the time. I can't believe he is playing cocky now. "Don't flatter yourself. I am still dealing with my growing hormones. Simply poking lights me up."

"Mhm." He replies, clearly not believing me. But he puts his hands up in surrender regardless. "Alright. I'll respect your choices." He leans back into the driver's seat and gives me space.

I nod my head. "Thank you." I look ahead of us, at the traffic lights as they switch from yellow to red. I take a side glance at Tom and find that he is doing the same thing. I take this opportunity to look over him; he has changed so much. And definitely for the better. The regret of stopping our activities slowly starts sneaking up on me. Such a long, perfect body and I have forbidden myself from touching any of it. Damn my values.

I realize we have been sitting in silence longer than I am comfortable with and decided it's time for me to go. As much as I hate to leave, I really am starting to miss my bed. I kiss him goodbye and leave the car.

He rolls down the window as soon as I am out. "So I'll see you tomorrow, then?" He asks me.

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow then. Babe." I started to walk away when I realized he hasn't told me where we're going. Naega mueos-eul ib-eoyahaneunji geuege mul-eoyahabnikka? {Should I ask him what I should wear?}

"Nothing too casual, love!" He calls out before pulling away from the sidewalk.

Well, that answer that question. I started heading for my house, thinking about what we could be doing tomorrow. Ama nal chillelo delyeo gaya haljido molla. {Maybe he should take me to Chili's again.}

~o~

I scan through the "Fiction" bookcase of the school library, hoping to find a book that interests me enough to take it out. I have already read through everything I've got, online and physical. I need another made-up world to occupy my time. I come across a titleless black book at the end of the shelf and remove it out of sheer curiosity.

My curiosity, unfortunately dies out immediately as soon as I see a familiar face on the other side of the bookcase. I can't tell if my heart swells or drops, but I know neither of them are because of anything good.

"I was just about to grab that book." Michael said. I have never seen him look so shy and timid.

I shrug and put the book back in place. "You can take it." I tell him. I can only hope my tone sounds emotionless as it feels. "I don't even know what it is."

He removes it from the shelf and comes around to my side. "It's called the Bane Chronicles. It's about warlocks and Shadowhunters. I think it belongs to the Mortal Instruments, actually."

I stay quiet. A big part of me just wants him to leave at the moment, and I hope he catches on quickly.

He quickly flips through the pages then tips the book towards me. "Here". He says in defeat. "You might like it more than I will."

I nod my head no. "It's fine. Take it." I gently push the book away.

He scoffs as though I have just insulted him. He drops the book in the return bin as we pass the librarians' counter. "Okay." He begins, "first, you don't talk to me in, what, a week? And when I finally get to talk to you, you give me the cold shoulder."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I started digging through my book bag, pretending to be doing something important. Anything to avoid looking at him. "Look. I have to go to class. I can't afford another tardiness this time."

I am not two steps out of the door before he steps in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

I look at him as though he's lost his mind. The seriousness in his eyes is the most intense I have ever seen in him. I don't know why he is acting this way.

"Talk about what? There's nothing to talk about." I try to step around him, but he blocks my way yet again. I let out a heavy, annoyed sigh. "Michael, seriously. There is nothing to talk about."

"You kissed me back, Athena." He raises an eyebrow. "But you act like I'm the one who is wrong here. What the hell?"

"Eom-ma-ya. {Oh my god.}" I tuck my hair behind my ear and slightly bit my lower lip, two signs of the oncoming stress I really don't want to deal with right now. "You are not the one who is wrong here. Look, don't worry about it. Mistakes have been made. Let them stay in the past." Right as the words leave my lips, I realize how much worse I just made the situation.

I can see the word hit his head like a bullet. The hurt that reforms his face did nothing to help my sudden guilt. "So kissing me was a mistake." He says.

I fidget in my spot, figuring out a way to save this from taking a downward spiral. "No, not a mistake. Mistake was a terrible word. I…" I let out a heavy sigh. I was bound to have this moment sooner or later. "I didn't mean… to kiss you. Okay? I… you are too much of a friend for me to see you that way."

He stares down at the floor as if thinking something through, a sure sign that this won't be the ending anytime soon. "A friend." He repeats.

"Yes." I confirm. "A friend."

He nods his head disapprovingly. He is not taking this. "I can change that, you know. I-I can show you that I'm worth more than a friend."

I close my eyes and sigh deeply then look straight at him. This boy's not following. "I do not doubt that you are. I am just… not interested. I am sorry."

He chews on his lower lip. The nerves are now hitting him as hard as they are hitting me. But, even though all of this, he is still wearing the thinking look. Finally, seeming to come to a conclusion, he shakes his head. "No, no, there's something more. Something you're holding back."

You mean the fact that I have a secret boyfriend I love very, very much? How I wish I could just say that and end this now. But that would be a foolish thing to do, not to mention he will think I am lying. "You know what? I am not feeling this right now. I am not interested in anything more than a friendship. You are a great guy, and some girl will appreciate that and want a piece of it. That girl is not me… I am so sorry." I walk around him, grateful that he does not step in my way, and make me walk towards class.

Why today? Why? No, correction: why ever?

I made it to class five minutes after the bell, but that doesn't even matter. There is a sub today. And Thank God, it is the laziest sub in the school. Technically, English has just become a free period.

I am in the middle of a great Naruto fan fiction when I feel my phone buzzing up a storm. I try my hardest to ignore it—continuously reading one of my ultimate favorite couples in the anime world "SasuSaku" (meaning "Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno"), and it is good. But it is way too distracting, so I lean back from my laptop and get ready to scold someone. Nine messages, both from Tom and from Michael. Great. I decided to read Tom's first message:

- I found a place you might like, and it's fairly casual. A nice shirt and jeans will do, maybe a skirt will do too ;).

- And a jacket. Definitely a jacket.

- Would you hate it if I said I was Gryffindor?

- Robert might call you about tagging along. If you love me, you'll say no.

- Quick question: you don't have anything against dogs, right? Specifically Golden Labs?

I raise an eyebrow at my phone, wondering what the hell Tom is smoking. I decided to only pay attention to the first question since it's the one that pissed me off the most. My attire today consists of a plain checkered skirt (this is the first time I wore a damn skirt in this school, due to a few of my pants are still in the laundry), a "ridiculous" white thin knitted turtle neck sweater (my eomeoni made this for me out of "love". Ugh.) And a leather beige jacket with a knitted light brown beanie on my head. The only fashion I like today, are these boots I am wearing that Tom gave me. I honestly look like a middle school girl in this outfit, but to my eomeoni and Marilyn, they think I look so "adorably cute" in this silly outfit. Not to mention, my hairstyle is twin braids in front of my shoulders. God, my eomeoni was the one who took care of my hairstyle, for the reason why I let her do it is just so she could rather spend a mother-daughter time with me. What am I, a customized doll or something? He better be ready to make a stop at my house. I quickly send my reply.

You tell me this NOW?

Once the message say "Delivered", the reluctance kicks in. I don't want to deal with Michael anymore. His persistence is turning him into an annoying jerk. I don't like when my friends turn into annoying jerks… save for Marilyn. She came into my life that way. Eventually, I decided to avoid it, this will only make it worse and open the messages.

- U kissed me back, dude. U can't honestly think I'd let this go. If u didn't mean to do it, then why did u? U know there's something more, and u won't accept it. At least tell me what was going on through ur head when we kissed, please.

- Not even a reply? Srsly? Ok I see how it is. That's real nice of you. Real nice.

- Ok fine, I realize I'm coming on really strong. I'm just confused, and… look. I have strong feelings for u. Ur cute… adorable… More beautiful even. Is that weird? And ur funny, and ur a bookworm, and ur talented af. I'm fucking bad at this lol. Just talk to me? plz? I won't be so forceful about it.

- Plz answer me. We need to talk. It's driving me insane, you can't tell me u didn't feel anything. Answer plz.

His messages do nothing more than aggravate me. I want him to just forget about all of it and act like it never happened. But, seeing as he just confessed his feelings to me in an unnecessarily long text, chances of that happening are looking slimmer. Finding it difficult to think of a reply, I close out the app and push my phone away. I would never wanted a school day to go by so fast.

It takes two agonizing long hours, but I finally make it to the last bell. Last bell means freedom, and freedom means seeing Tom's face as he waits for me in the back of the school. Not the front, definitely not the front. We learned our lesson the first time.

I move with the rushed flow of the entire school as the building drains out in a matter of minutes. I hold my bag close to me, as usual. My paranoia is too high with these convicts-in-the-making. I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket, but I am afraid to answer it. It could either be Tom or Michael. I find that a fifty-fifty chance I don't want to take. I hurry down the stairs all the way to the bottom floor and burst through the double doors barely anyone uses.

I am not even outside for ten seconds before I hear my name shouted by my favorite British voice. I look in its direction, and I see Tom waving at me. He's wearing a thin black hoodie with the hood up, a bleached-white t-shirt, a pair of faded blue jeans, and a pair of pitch aviators. If no one stares at him because they recognize him, they will stare at him because he is the most beautiful creature even in a low-key outfit. I smile at him and head for the car, looking forward to my day with him.

That is, I was until someone steps directly in front of me.

The appearance is such a surprise that I stumble backward, hitting my butt on the cemented ground, it's a good thing I have recyclable shorts under my skirt. I don't want anyone to see what's really underneath, that would be too uncomfortable. I look up at the face in confusion, squinting as the sun glares right behind his head. Finally, I make out the face: Michael, of course. I look down at the ground blush heating my cheek out of… God, I don't even know right now. There are so many emotions rushing through me, and none of them are enjoyable. I stood up from the ground and pat at the back of my skirt to remove the dirt. "Excuse me." I say calmly, though my impatience can't be missed.

"Talk to me. Let's straighten this out." He crosses his arms over his chest, probably waiting for me.

I look up at him again, this time shielding my eyes from the light with my hand. "Straighten what out? Everything I had to say was said earlier. Let it go."

"You're holding back something, and you know it!" I can feel his impatience too. His aura is dripping with it.

I see Tom's face over his shoulder. The pleasure of seeing me has clearly disappeared, but I can't tell what he is feeling at the moment; the damn glasses are covering his eyes. He's used to those blue orbs to emote for so long in acting that it becomes the only way to really identify his emotions. From what it seems, he is just in a patient state while he waits for me to settle this. I return my attention to Michael, and I gave him a glare even Death would fear. You must be hard of hearing, because you are not this stupid. "I am sorry. I guess you're right. I forgot to mention how much of a friend I see you as one. Oh wait, I really did. Excuse me." I push him out of the way and continue making my way to the car.

Michael grabs my arm and pulls me back, the force of it turning me to face him.

I glare at his hand, then at his face. I can feel the urge to flip him over hard on the ground. "Can you seriously not?" I twist his hand off in a fluid movement and practically throw it back to him.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!-"

"Is there a problem here?" Tom shows suddenly on my left, seemingly to look in Michael's direction.

I look at him with wide eyes. Tom, stop.

"No, man. I disrespected, which I take a total responsibility for." He gives me an apologetic look. He holds his hands up, proving that means no harm. "It's all good, man."

"Yes, everything's fine." I subtly nod my head towards the car. I've got this. Unfortunately, it does not even look like he can pick it up; he hasn't even looked in my direction since he approached us.

Tom raises an eyebrow. Curiosity. Finally, I can read something. "I don't know, man. Things don't seem to be 'all good'."

Tom, I mouthed out. Still no reaction. I do not like where this is going.

Michael smiles, but it's more amusement than the friendliness, if there is any friendliness at all. "Look, I'm not touching her. No one's getting hurt. You can back off now."

"If you expect me to back off, you're one interesting guy. She's been telling you the same thing. Why should anyone listen to you when you can't even listen to her?" He steps closer and there's no mistaking his intentions. He's angry, very angry, and he is ready to get hostile. The muscles in his face tense up immediately, and his jaw visibly flexes.

Michael is never one to step down in fear. He squares up to Tom, becoming just as angry. Well, maybe not as angry.

I notice too many heads turning in our direction, interested to know what is going on here. My anxiety tightens my chest with the thought of these two causing a scene. My brain finally gets my body to react. "Stop it!" I snapped. I quickly step in and pull them apart with all my strength. "That's enough! Break it up now!"

Their testosterone-raging bodies may part, but their fiery glares don't break for a second. I keep a hand on each of their heaving chests until I feel it's safe to let go. "Take me home." I almost begged him with a soft tone, looking at Tom.

His jaw flexes again as he takes the fact that he won't be fighting Michael today.

"Now." I pushed him back a little, speeding up the collecting-himself process. Finally, becoming the bigger man I need him to be at the moment, he backs away and heads for the car. He shoves his hands into his pockets and keep his eyes glued to the ground.

I turn back to Michael. I looked at him with a furious glare. "Let it go. You let it go, or I swear to everything in God's name I will hate you until the end of time. And I really don't want to hate you."

The rage in his eyes was slowly dissolved by the realization of what he's done. He opens his mouth to say something, but not a single sound comes out from him.

"You are better than this, Michael." I let those words to be last on the subject, and I storm towards the car, more eyes on me than I want to be aware of. It wasn't a huge audience, but it was enough to want to shrink into nothing and never be seen again. I get into the passenger's side and slam the door shut. I cross my arms and stare straight ahead. I am so overheated right now, I can feel the bead of sweat form on the back of my neck.

Without a question, a word or anything. Tom drives out of the school parking lot and takes the turn to my house.

Tears ball up uncomfortably in my throat and sting the back of my eyes. The need to scream is too strong and I know exactly who I am directing it at.

We drive in silence for five minutes before Tom pulls over into a parking spot and shuts the car off.

My teeth are so unbelievably clenched, I am surprised none of them have shattered under pressure. I have dug crescents into my palms with my dull nails, but I suppose that's better than burying them in somebody's skin. "Park." I nod towards the park across the street, a small patch of green land with a few trees, but big and shielded enough to, you know possibly kill someone.

"Talk to me, he-"

"Park! Now!" I shot up out of the car and threw the door shut, the sound of the impact sure does hurt his ears. I storm off to the park, letting the fresh air cool me down. I hear him follow behind me, throwing the door shut a lot more softly than I did. I jaywalk across the intersection and walk directly onto the freshly-cut grass. I run my hands through the covered hair in my beanie and inhale deeply. The expansion of my lungs is so relaxing, and the seething rage rushing around my mind dies down with the sensation of a cold breeze entering my nose. I stop in front of an old green bench, the paint chipped away by the various types of weather over the years.

He sits down on the bench and leans forward, his elbows planted on his knees for support.

"Take the glasses. Your flaming locks will protect you."

He reluctantly removes his glasses and pushes his hood off his head. He drops the aviators to the ground carelessly.

I struggle to find the words calm enough to start with.

"You… it's … Where in the world did that come from?" Yep. That'll do. "Did it even occur to you the charges you would be facing if you were to lay one on him? Were you thinking of where you were? How you were acting? Because, let me tell you, it did not look like you were even you anymore."

He exhales loudly through his nose. He digs his fingers into his hair. "I got angry. I got… He was disrespecting you! I couldn't stand by. And when he grabbed you, I lost it. It's… I don't like when people touch my property."

I raise an eyebrow at his choice of words.

As soon as he realizes what he said, which is not very long after he said it, he raises his hands in defense. "No! Not property! Never property! I mean, you're mine. My woman. Not like… ah, fuck…" He rubs his face free of the stress and fear.

I wave it away slightly. I didn't plan on taking it personally in the first place. "I know what you meant, I really do." I reassure him. I sit down next to him and watch as he reverts back to his dorky, flustered self. "Not to mention… you lied to me. To my face."

"I know."

"You said you were not jealous. 'The kiss is void'. I think you said. Why would you lie to me when you knew you were taking it badly?"

"Because it was stupid kiss you clearly give no extra thought to, and it's childish of me to be treating it like anything more. It's the cruelest feeling I've ever felt, and I don't know what to do with myself. It's bizarre. It's painful. It's-"

"—because you love me." I finish his words for him.

He looks at me then, and his eyes are slightly red around the rims. "More than anything."

I scoot over to him and press my forehead against his. I watch as he closes his eyes and takes in the feel of me and my comfort. He takes deep breaths.

After giving him a moment to calm down. I lean forward a little and give him a light peck on the lips. I chew on my cheek awkwardly. Ije mwo? … Eojjeomyeon nanuen gibun-eul gabyeobgehaeyahanda. {Now what? … Maybe I should lighten the mood.} "Do you love me more than baked potatoes?" I ask him.

He pulls back and looks at me as though I have gone insane. "Piss off. Nothing comes between me and my baked potatoes."

I roll my eyes and scoff in a mock offense at the same time. "Fine! I hope you and your potatoes are happy together!" I shoot up from the bench and start making my way towards my house. But he takes my hand and guides me back to him. I turn to him, hesitant, but I don't exactly resist him. I step in front of him, straddle in his hips and rest my hands on his chest.

I slightly widen my eyes and blush madly when he holds me by the hips, massaging them deeply with his thumbs. I suddenly realized that I am wearing a skirt and my upper thighs are bare. If he touches there, I would go crazily hot, not just my cheeks but my whole body. He stares up at me, studying my face.

My blushing expression immediately changes as I raise an eyebrow. "This doesn't mean you are forgiven." I pointed out. Though I doubt that will be true for long.

He smiles sadly, seeming to accept that fact. "Understandable. I acted like an idiot."

I nod my head. "Yes, you did. An even bigger idiot than usual."

He shrugs. "Yeah. I always become one when I'm around with beautiful women." He winks at me.

I pretend to look around us. "Ehhh… But I don't see one around."

"Very funny." He cups the back of my neck with his hand and pulls me down to his lips.

I kiss him hungrily, relieved that the stress is quickly slipping away from us.

Tom was the first to let go of our intense kiss. "By the way…" He looks at me with a smirk on his face. "You look very cute today in that outfit… but also sexy too." He faces down at my skirt.

I blush rosy red when he said that as I look away from him and place my hands at the middle of my skirt. "Shut up." I can hear Tom's deep chuckle as I pouted.

What a bloody pervert…