"Nothing feels better than this."—Khalid.

Chapter Theme Song: 'Better' by Khalid.

••

Harmony

The sun kisses my face with warmth as I open my eyes to its strong rays, spilling through the glass window of Blaze's dorm room.

I am engulfed in his arms as my back snuggles close to his chest. His breathing is calm and relaxed, and his face is pressed against the crook of my neck, causing me to feel the air as they fall off his lips.

I smile softly and bring my face around to look at him. The sight of him sleeping is visually pleasing, and I take it all in for a moment. I am happy that the sun has risen and he is still here with me.

The door to the dorm suddenly thrusts open, and I jolt up onto my elbows to be greeted with James' amazed facial expression.

Blaze is awakened by the sudden movements, blinking his eyes while he tries to look at me. "Harmony?"

His voice is huskier than normal, and it calls for great admiration, but I am unable to focus on that right now since James is standing wide-eyed at the sight in front of him.

"Oh shit, I swear, I didn't see anything!" He finally whirls his back to us, and I am now crimson with embarrassment as I quickly move to get off the bed.

Blaze rolls his eyes then slams them shut while he shifts onto his back with a groan.

"Why are you here so early James?"

"Blaze, you could have texted me and told me that you have company." His voice is streaked with strong amusement. "I would have gone straight to class instead of walking right in."

Blaze's brows knit together in a scowl. "Stop acting like you just caught us fucking or something."

He brings half-opened, sleepy eyes to see me slipping my feet into my ballet flats. He frowns and grips my arm, pulling me back onto the bed beside him. "Don't leave yet Harmony..."

"I...I have class and James is..."

"James get to class." He orders, barely lifting his upper body to ogle his roommate.

"No problem, right away." James steps out then shuts the door after him, and I hear a faint chuckle before his footsteps fade out down the hallway.

"Good morning," Blaze muses, wrapping his arms and thighs around me, pulling me closer into the heat of his body.

"Good morning." I am now completely cocooned into his embrace, his legs sheathing and trapping me in so that I won't move.

"We have English this morning. Do you want us to go together?"

I smile, lifting my head to look up at him. "Okay. But let me get to my dorm and take a shower."

He frowns at this. "Mm, no... shower with me."

I grow rigid against him as my complexion displays the uneasiness in my abdomen. "Y-you're kidding right?" I softly ask.

He laughs, and his deep morning pitch spreads around the room, pleasing my eardrums.

"Yeah. Of course, I am kidding, Harmony."

I literally blow my cheeks out, and he smiles. "Look how red you are."

"I am not." I defend, but my voice quivers and disappoints me. "I normally get really flushed in the mornings."

"Oh, you do?"

"Yes."

"Ooh."

His pupils are dilated, and I can tell he doesn't believe my sloppy attempt at falsity. The unfortunate fact that my face is getting even more crimson under his gaze is not helping my case one bit.

"I-I need to get to my dorm," I mumble as I manage to slip from under his encasement. I hear an audible frown behind me, and I look back to see him wriggling against his back like a spoilt kid. My jaws drop at the sight as a giggle passes through my opened mouth.

Christ, he looks so cute.

"Why are you laughing? It isn't funny," He props up onto his elbows to watch me slide my shoes on. "I'll wait for you at your dorm door so we can go to class together, alright?"

"Yeah okay," I smile at him, unable to get over his earlier antics. He smiles back, but I can tell he doesn't want me to leave yet.

"I won't be long," I assure him before quickly getting up to leave his room. I grab my knapsack off the floor and wave to him and he nods his head with a lopsided smirk.

••

April is putting in a pair of pearl earrings by the wardrobe mirror when I get to my room. She's already dressed and ready to head to her classes.

"Hey," I smile, closing the door behind me.

"Hey," she glances at me with a grin. "How was your weekend away from here?"

"Well, it was great. I caught up with an old friend and went to visit my dad's grave," I tell her smiling. "I even saw Blaze at the graveyard."

She turns to me with raised eyebrows as she begins to capture her brown hair in a quick bun. "You saw Blaze at the graveyard?"

"Yeah..."

She places her hands on her hips while she tilts her head in bewilderment. "So, you know what happened to his mom then?"

I nod. "Yeah. He told me everything last night."

Her lips part in alarm and she shuts her eyes, raising a palm in my direction. "Hold on. Blaze told you about his mom last night?"

"Yeah." I walk over to the suitcase in my room to fetch a pair of clean clothes to wear to class. "He told me why he can't feel certain emotions too."

She gasps. "Wow. That's strange. Blaze never tells anyone his secrets, ever."

I smile softly, feeling proud and somewhat...special.

"Could it be that he likes you?"

I look at her with a nervous chuckle. "I don't know..."

I really don't. He hasn't exactly told me that.

She smiles. "Oh, but I know. There is definitely something there. Did you two spend the night together?"

"Yeah, but we just watched a movie." I shrug my shoulders.

Her jaws slacken, and it makes me giggle.

"Now, there is definitely something there."

I laugh. "I am going to take a shower."

"Okay, should I wait for you?"

"No it's okay," I assure her, and she smiles.

"Alright. We'll catch up at lunch."

I nod. "Okay."

••

I get dressed in a jeans pants jumper and paired it with a long-sleeved light pink shirt. I let my hair stay free today because I wouldn't want to run late for class.

I grab my knapsack, and the minute I step out of the room, I see Blaze leaning against the wall in front of my dorm.

He is now wearing a pair of black jeans and a white T-shirt with the Canadian rapper Drake on the front. His black hair is combed, but I can tell that during his wait he had been habitually running his fingers through the slick coils now and then, now making it partially unkempt.

"Hey," I smile, propelling toward him. "Had no idea you were here waiting for me."

He gives a toothy smile as he leans off the wall to meet me halfway. "I did tell you that I would wait for you, didn't I?"

He's now so close that I can smell the shower gel he used along with the fresh smell of toothpaste dancing off his breath.

I nod. "Yeah, you did."

A smile dangles on the corner of his lips as he points his head to the hall in front of us. "Ready to go?"

I nod my head again and he stays close to me as we begin our journey down the hall and to class.

Most students haven't arrived at the lecture theatre yet, and I check my time and it's only 7:56 am. After we settle into our seats, I begin to retrieve my resources from my bag while Blaze grabs his.

"I heard we have a new teacher today," I start. "Because Mr. Jones is no longer here."

He has a blank expression that cannot be read while his shoulders lift in a careless shrug. "Oh, okay."

I watch him as he rummages through his bag for something and decide to certify my speculations. "Um...it was you, wasn't it?"

"Me what?" He looks over at me, now opening a wrapped snicker bar with his teeth.

"Mr. Jones..." I lean a little closer to whisper, "It was you who got him to leave, wasn't it?"

He stares at me, and a smirk rises on his lips as his eyes squint in feign ignorance. "Why'd you get the impression that it was me?"

"Because that day you came back for the..." I lower my voice. "Knife and then you spent all day—"

"All I did was politely asked him to leave. The rest was up to him...want some?" He holds the chocolate out to me.

I hesitate before leaning toward him, and as I am about to enclose my teeth around the chocolate, he pushes his lips forward and lightly pecks me on the mouth instead.

I gasp, and he titters, salivating his lips as he does. "It is tastier from my lips, isn't it?"

My mouth is agape as I look around to see if anyone saw that inappropriate action just now.

"We're in class, Blaze," I mutter, as I feel the warmth climbing to my cheeks.

"So?" He laughs. "Who cares? I will do it again, even in front of the lecturer."

I chew on my lower lip and glance away from him. I want to change the topic, or my agitation will eat me alive.

"Um, thanks anyway," I tell him, running my palms against my jeans. "For whatever you did to make him leave."

"I would do anything for you, Harmony," he answers almost immediately, forking his fingers through his hair.

I look over at him and smile.

I hope he means that.

••

"You two coming to lunch together, I like it; I like it," James grins at us while waggling his eyebrows.

I think because he caught us lying together this morning, he is getting really smutty ideas when Blaze and I did nothing but sleep next to each other.

April is softly smiling while she puts a fry in her mouth, and I grab a seat beside Tia while Blaze goes to sit at his usual spot in the corner. "Did you grab the burger for me April?"

She slides his lunch across to him, and he smiles. "You're the best cousin ever."

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever."

I recall the fact that Blaze can't feel love or care for anyone and wonder if he truly means those compliments aimed at his cousin. Probably not, and she knows this but also knows that he cannot help it.

"Are you two together?" Yuna whispers to me.

"Who?" I ask.

"You and Blaze." She smiles, and I blush terribly.

"Um, no..."

"Good morning!" The voice above my head causes me to look up to find Kite and Dustin standing there, each bearing a wide grin of their own.

"Hey, guys." Tia waves.

Blaze rolls his eyes. "Don't you people have class?"

"It's lunchtime," Kite retorts. "And I need to see my Harmony so I can get through the period I have next."

Dustin goes to sit beside Tia while Kite pulls up a chair, asking Yuna to scoot over before he slides in and sits next to me. "Hey, Harmony."

I awkwardly smile but look up to see Blaze clenching his teeth with eyes as black as coal—aimed at Kite. I swallow and slightly pull away.

"Me and some guys from Jaxton are having a pool party coming up this weekend. You're coming right?"

"Oh, it's this weekend?" April furrow her eyebrows, playing with a potato stick on her plate. "I haven't even gotten a swimsuit yet."

I am not a pool person. I hate wearing swimsuits more than anything. I just feel like it reveals way too much. It's literally wearing a bra and panties.

"Uhm. I am not a—"

"Come on, I want you to be there." He pulls me into a side hug, and my eyes widen. I look up at Blaze, and his disapproving expression makes my body shiver. He's tapping his finger against the desk, and I know that ominous action more than anyone else.

"Okay, I will come." I quickly agree so that he can resume his previous distance. But my answer leaves the entire table in awe, and it made Blaze more afflicted than Kite being close to me does.

"Yes!" Kite removes his hand to pump a fist in the air, and I subtly move my chair a few inches away from him.

"Remember to take some clothes because we are staying the night, alright?" Dustin tells me, and I force a smile.

Haylee Skye would never agree to me attending a normal party more-so a pool party—which will include me having to be half-dressed.

Suddenly Kite's arm is around me again in a flash. "I am curious to see you in a swimwear Harmony, I will—"

"Get up and sit over here." Blaze demands. "I need that seat."

Kite narrows his eyes. "Why?"

"Don't fucking question me. The A/C is too high over here and I can't take it. You don't go to this school so give a student of Homewood the seat."

The girls are exchanging glances with soft smiles and Kite is frowning disapprovingly. "Dude I sat here first."

"Doesn't fucking matter. I am paying the tuition here." Blaze walks over to my side. "Come on, get up."

Kite shakes his head and stands up then goes to sit where Blaze previously was while Blaze plops down in Kite's seat.

He smiles and looks at me. "Much warmer."

A beam spreads my lips and I lower my eyes to my lunch while my cheeks flush red.

Kite hisses. "What the hell? The A/C is not even on over here."