Guardian Demon

Feelings?

I didn't let go of King's hand but I glanced at him and his appearance was back to how it usually was.

"Are you alright, Felix?"

I sniffled, "I will be... now that I got to say goodbye."

I started crying again and then wrapped my arms around King's torso in a hug. "Thank you for letting me see him one last time. Thank you so much."

He rested a hand on my back and used his other to stroke my hair. He didn't say anything, he just let me cling to him.

"King?" I mumbled into his chest.

"Yeah?"

"My mom is gone overnight for a business trip tonight... could you please stay with me?"

He was silent.

I pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes, "I know you've already done so much for me but... please."

He looked at me for a few seconds and then nodded, "Alright"

**

They were laughing evilly while holding Mattie. He looked so scared.

"No! Don't hurt him! Please!" I cried as another evil man grabbed me.

"Felix, wake up."

I opened my eyes and tried to calm down my breathing.

"M-Mattie is alright. He is... he's okay. He told me."

"Sh, Felix. Calm down. It was just a nightmare, he's okay."

I felt King pull me close to him and his arms wrap around me.

I was still breathing heavily, "He's okay..?"

I felt a kiss on my head, "He's okay. No one is going to hurt him, I promise."

I hugged King closer to me and nodded, "Okay... okay..."

He kissed my head again and I began to calm down.

I shoved my head in the crook of King's neck and was engulfed by his scent. It helped calm me down and soon after I felt sleep take me again. This time, without any nightmares.

**

When I woke up King was gone, but he left a post-it note on my phone.

I had to leave early to take care of some business. Take it easy today, I'll see you at school -King

I took the note off of my phone and checked the time, I woke up an hour before my alarm went off. That was annoying.

I laid in my bed, trying to fall back asleep, but my mind was filled with thoughts of King.

I was so thankful for him. He saved me when I was feeling the lowest I had ever felt, he let me say goodbye to Mattie, and he stayed with me last night to comfort me afterward. I felt so safe in his arms. When he hugged me it felt like nothing in the world could touch me.

My eyes shot open when I remembered waking up from my nightmare. He hugged me and... he kissed me... to calm me down. My cheeks turned red at the memory.

The next thing I knew, my alarm was going off and I realized I spent an hour thinking just about King's kiss... wow. I hopped out of bed and got dressed in my favorite outfit-- what can I say... I was in a good mood. After I got dressed, I looked at the post-it note that was on my nightstand table and I couldn't help the smile that made its way onto my face. 

**

"Leave me alone, guys," I said, slowly backing away from them.

"Why should we?" Jack asked.

"Don't think I'm miserable enough? My best friend is dead. Why do you need to make it worse?"

Henry laughed, "Because we can. You're so lame, Mattie was your only friend. And now that he's dead you don't have anyone. You're so pathetic you're trying to make friends with King!"

Jack and Laney laughed with him.

I looked down at the floor.

I mean what they were saying was right but they didn't know how nice and caring King could be. And how nice and caring he was towards me.

"Aw, he's not saying anything because he knows it's true."

I looked up at them again as Laney spoke and they laughed.

"I don't think I'm the pathetic one. You guys are the ones bullying a kid whose best friend just died too young."

Henry took a threatening step toward me, "What'd you just say, punk?"

He lifted his arm and was about to punch me but then someone caught his fist.

"If you so much as lay one finger on him, I will snap all three of you in half like twigs."

They all stared at King, fear evident in their eyes. Especially in Henry's, whose fist was still being held tightly. I could tell from his face and the muscles in King's hand that he wasn't holding his fist gently.

Jack and Laney ran away, and Henry tried to but KIng kept ahold of his fist.

"Do you understand, dirtbag?"

King was staring at him angrily, his eyes turning from brown to red. He looked very intimidating.

He nodded, "Y-yeah, I get it."

"Good," King said seriously before letting go of Henry's hand and watching him run away after his friends.

Then he looked at me, "Are you alright?"

I smiled up at him, seeing his eyes turn back to brown, "Yeah, thank you, King."

He nodded, "Don't listen to anything they said. They're just assholes."

I nodded, "I know."

"C'mon, I'll walk you to your class."

I smiled up at him again, "Ok!"

We started walking and I purposefully walked really close to him, like how I did when he took me to see Mattie. Except I didn't hold his hand-- though I wanted to. I swear I saw a small smile on his lips when I glanced up at him, even though he was acting tough.

**

The class that I was in was a makeup day for missing work because the day before we had a test, but I didn't have anything to do so I was just daydreaming.

My mind kept wandering to King. Remembering how he stayed with me to make sure I was okay after I saw Mattie, how he hugged and kissed me to comfort me after I had a nightmare... just remembering made my face turn pink and my stomach felt queasy-- but in a good way. I wasn't sure but I was thinking that I might have caught feelings for King... which was strange. He was super handsome and surprisingly kind, but he was also mysterious and confusing... but he cared for me and helped me. I wasn't sure if what I was feeling was because I was thankful, or because I actually had feelings for him.

I wasn't sure.