chapter three

The clock had just struck 1AM when Tiana decided to take her studying over to the house. Walking down the now dimly lit aisle she only paused to put a book back in it's place and to bid Carol the librarian and the guard at the door a goodnight. As she made her way down the familiar hallways she suddenly started to get an off feel about the place, like the feeling of someone watching you. Stopping she peered over her shoulder and true to that there was a dark figure standing still just watching her. He was oddly still like a statue of a sort, just standing there in the middle of the hallway directly behind her.

Choosing to ignore it she continued walking, mentally passing it off as someone studying late like she. But that didn't get rid of the eerie feeling of fear creeping up her spine and poisoning her heart.

"It's just probably someone from class, nothing serious. Your not in any danger not at all", Tiana muttered trying to calm her nerves. If that's true then look again to see if you're not being followed, she thought stopping in her tracks at it. " No I'm just being paranoid. I mean who can stalk me and for what? It's not like I'm carrying precious jewels or anything right?" Silence. "Right?"

Her question was once again met by silence as if the thought and voice in her mind actually belonged to someone else. She started to walk again this time faster choosing to look behind once she got at least ten steps ahead and when she did the figure was there still keeping the same distance as before, but this time it followed her movements closely. Slowly realization started to creep in making her break into a sprint. She looked over her shoulder to see the shadowy figure doing the same confirming her suspicion.

The brief distraction sent her straight into a person walking opposite to her as she made a left turn towards the schools back door.

"Ahhhhhhhh", she let out a loud shrike her heart was surely about to explode at that moment. It also didn't when the person put a hand over her mouth and another around her waist. Out of instincts she bit into his hand.

"Ahhh, oh my god Tiana!" The man said wincing in pain. She immediately turned her gaze to look up at his face.

"Christoph!?" She exclaimed.

"Yes it's me and I think you damage my favorite finger," he said.

" I'm so sorry I thought... I thought your the bad guy", Tiana said pulling a strand of hair out of her mouth while trying to catch her breath.

" What bad guy?" Christoph asked still cradling his hurt right hand.

" I don't know but someone was following me and they looked pretty scary"

"Why's that?"

"Because they didn't have a face.... I mean maybe they did but I ... I couldn't see it from afar"

Silence enveloped them for a few seconds.

"Ah... Are you sure you're feeling fine? Because that totally didn't make sense", Christoph said raising an eyebrow at her.

"You know what it doesn't matter I have to get home", Tiana replied not willing to justify herself.

"No, I didn't..... I didn't mean to upset you. It's just hard to work around what you've just explained", Christoph said trying to apologize.

"Yeah okay... Ah. Sorry about your hand I'll help pay your medical bill as for now I need to get back home", she took a step forward and exited the building into the cool night air. The feeling of impeding danger enveloped her once more when she was almost to the ground. Fear was all she was about to feel once more when Christoph came to her rescue once more. Even though she didn't want to say it the minute he called out to her she felt relieved.

"Hey! Wait up", he said. When he was next to her he asked her if he could walk her home, she gave him a slight nod and let him lead the way.

They had to go through the garden to get there and at this hour the garden looked so magical. It was Tiana's favorite place when heading home at night. She loved how the lanterns complimented the trees and the flowers, the yellow glow just made everything look calming.

"Night queen", muttered Christoph finally breaking the silence.

"Huh?"

"The flowers, their a variety but are all called night queen or queen of the night", he clarified.

"Well I love how they smell. I find their sent pleasant and calming", she said.

" This one is the Epiphyllum oxypetalum, princess of the night or queen of the night. It's a species of cactus that rarely blooms and only at night, and its flowers wilt before dawn. I like to think of it like a story of life and death in a way", Christoph spoke in a lite tone suiting the mood around them, calm and quiet.

" You seem to know so much about flowers huh?" Tiana asked.

" Not as much. I only took interest in them because of my mother", he answered his voice now laced with sadness.

" Oh, where is she now?" Tiana quired.

" She's..... She passed away when I turned seventeen". Tiana stopped to peer at him, the look on his face didn't hide anything and now she truly saw him. They where now closer to the house but she didn't feel like parting ways definitely not after he just said that.

" My grandma also loved flowers, I guess that's why walking down this path calms me, because it makes me feel like she's still here with me", she chose to say rather than apologize because she new sorry wasn't something he needed to hear; just like she didn't.

" Yeah, exactly. You get me you know", he smiled down at her and right there Tiana saw him. Not the nerdy guy that always hangout with her best friend but him, the smart, charming and caring Christoph that took time to walk her home because she was scared. Slowly they started inching closer until for a kiss when she remembered something and pulled away just in time. The mood definitely changed quicker than she expected, bit kissing him wasn't right because she still owed him an apology, an explanation and lastly a thank you.

"I'm sorry", he said looking embarrassed.

"No, it's okay...I mean I kinda went for it first", she assured him.

"Yeah, it's a good thing you pulled away. I definitely don't want to get in trouble with Douglas he'd---"

" What? Why would Mr Douglas care?" Tiana asked defensively.

" Because you guys are dating", Christoph said unsure.

" Hell no! Eeeew!" She shriked disguted.

" Then why did you--"

" Listen it's complicated. At that time I was planning to ask out a guy I liked but then you asked me, Jess denied for me because she knew who I was planning to ask someone out. I felt bad I truly did but seriously up to now I seriously don't understand why and how I ended up on a date with Douglas I assure you that there's absolu--" Christoph cut her off with a kiss. That's when she realized she did like him, because what else could she call the butterflies in her belly.

When they broke apart she still had her eyes closed hoping that the feeling did not go away. Christoph chuckled and that was enough to break her out of her reverie.

"That's definitely a way I'd like to always shut you up. Though I seriously don't care about the details of that day, I'm just glad you're single. I guess will be having our first date soon, I'll be seeing you," Christoph winked while stepping away from her and when he said good night it's when she broke out of her stupor and realized she was on her door step.

"Goodnight", she whispered entering the house with a huge smile on her face.