Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 TITLE: Alex and Melody - A Love Story
PART: 2 of 10 -- First date.
AUTHOR: Big Al
KEYWORDS: MF rom nosex
SUMMARY: Alex & Melody spend some alone time together for the first
time. No sex until the 8th chapter.

   **********



   "That's way cool!" Roger exploded.  "When I become a pro wrestler, I'm
gonna call myself Hercules!"

   Alex grinned at him.  "But he wasn't just strong.  He was clever. 
That's how he beat the Nemean Lion."

   "So he was thinking outside the box?" Melody piped up.  "I think that's
cooler than being super strong."

   "Nuh-uh!" Roger challenged her.  "My fists could beat yer brains!  I
could take you in a fight any day!"

   All the other teens' eyes were glued to the exchange as Melody stuck out
her tongue and retorted playfully, "Any time, anywhere." Instantly the room
was filled with hoots and hollers, good-natured laughter and jeers
supporting one or the other.

   Alex's deep voice cut through the noise.  "That would be great fun to
watch, but unfortunately, I'd be fired if I let you two do that." Awww,
came the students' replies, but he crooked his lips into a grin.  "For the
record, I'd bet on Melody." Melody beamed adorably at him, and Alex's
stomach filled with butterflies.  Roger turned red as the other kids
laughed, but then he laughed too.

   Suddenly a loud song burst into the room.  "DANCING QUEEN, YOUNG AND
SWEET, ONLY SEVENT--" Melody meeped and pulled a cell phone out of her
backpack, hurriedly opening it and throwing an apologetic look at Alex, who
just laughed.

   "Alright, class, why don't you go ahead and line up for lunch?  Hannah,
I want you to lead everyone to the cafeteria." Hannah turned a bright shade
of pink, but gamely went to the head of the line.  It'd be good for her to
take the lead once in a while.

   "Mister Croft?" Alex turned his head back to see Melody approaching him.
His heart fluttered in his chest as it always did, her scent naturally
intoxicating.  "Sorry about that.  Um...  my mama wants to talk to you."
She proferred her phone, which, Alex noted, was in a bright pink protective
case.

   Curious, he took the phone and smiled reassuringly at her as she
fidgeted with the lacy hem of her blouse, uncertain what to do while
waiting.  "Alex Croft speaking."

   A woman's thick French accent answered him.  "Monsieur Croft, I am
Jeanne Grace, Melody's mother."

   "Hello, Mrs.  Grace," he replied.  "Melody's a joy to have in class."

   The little girl turned a bright shade of pink, and whispered, "Suck up."

   Alex stuck his tongue out at her, sending her into a fit of giggles as
her mother answered him, "That's good to hear, Monsi-- Mr.  Croft.  And I
must, how is it, correct you.  Just Miss Grace.  I am a widow." Alex's
eyebrows lifted and he shot Melody a look, which she returned with a
questioning gaze; he hadn't known that.  "Em, I'm afraid I have a problem.
I am not going to be in town soon enough to pick Melody up from school."

   "Do you need me to drive her home?" Alex promptly asked, his stomach
feeling exceptionally light at the thought of being alone with the sweet,
lovely young thing.

   "No," Miss Grace returned.  "No one will be there.  Em...  my flight
should have left several hours ago, but is being delayed for several more
hours.  I know she is 18, but this is still a strange new town to us.  I...
don't know who I can leave her with.  And she trusts you."

   Alex's heart warmed at the last sentence, and the warmth spread across
his face into a glowing smile.  "I would be more than happy to watch her
for you.  Although I suspect she needs very little watching."

   Miss Grace chuckled throatily, and he could hear echoes of Melody's
giggle in it.  "You are right, Mr.  Croft, but she is still a young elle,
girl.  I would feel much better."

   "It is no problem at all," Alex assured her.  "In fact, I'm happy to do
it." Miss Grace sighed with audible relief and thanked him profusely.  She
took his phone number and address before asking that he hand the phone back
to Melody.  Melody took the phone back and answered her mother's statements
with Uh-huh and Yus'm and I know that!  and Mama!  followed by a
half-scandalized laugh.

   "Love you too, Mama," she said and closed the phone.  She looked up at
him a bit shyly.  Then she grinned.  "Mama says I'll have to watch you very
closely, you sound like you need a lot of watching."

   Alex laughed and ruffled her hair.  "You're probably right.  I'm nothing
but trouble."

   Melody's face crooked into an expression of impish mischief.  "I'm good
at spanking, so watch out!" He laughed and tweaked her nose.  She put on a
visage of mock outrage.  "No fair!  I'm not tall enough to tweak your nose,
Mister Croft!" Her words and expression were slyly teasing.  She wasn't
quite 5 feet tall, and he was well over 6 foot, after all; though of course
she could technically reach up if she wanted to

   A small glow warmed Alex's chest as it always did when she said his name
in her soft mellifluous tones.  He waggled his eyebrows at her, and reached
down, seizing her hips and lifting her up.  She squealed, flailing and
laughing all at once as he set her on his shoulders.  "Now you're tall
enough," he arched his neck back to look up at her.

   She grinned triumphantly at him and tweaked his nose as he stuck his
tongue out at her.  "Now take me to lunch.  March!" Alex laughed and
obediently set out, ducking under the doorway to keep Melody from bumping
her head, and stalked ostentatiously down the hallway.  Melody clapped her
hands, then made a face.  "Okay, so you don't have to march.  Just walk."

   "Your wish is my command, mademoiselle," Alex answered and lapsed into
his steady stride.  Melody steered him at hall corners by pulling on his
dark curls, much to his laughing delight.  "Guess I'm the troll, and you're
Lucy."

   Melody giggled and patted his head, recalling the scene from The
Dreaming Children.  "You're cuter than the troll, Mister Croft." She
paused. "But not by much."

   Alex chuckled.  "Thanks a lot." He stuck his tongue up at her as they
arrived in the cafeteria.  They drew the eyes of many there, who greeted
them with laughter and cheers.  A few of the girls had jealous looks;
riding on Mr.  Croft's strong muscular shoulders was a pasttime they all
vied for, especially on field days and other such events.

   He went to the food line, and the cafeteria lady grinned at them.  "A
princess and her noble steed!" Melody flashed her perfect white teeth at
her in a dazzling smile and peered down at the food from her perch.

   "I'll take everything!" the busty 18-year-old grinned.  The cafeteria
lady laughed and spooned the servings onto the tray, handing it to Alex.

   "And here's an apple for the good horse," the woman said, handing him
one.  Alex made a face, but Melody broke out into laughter.

   "Maybe some sugar too, if he's extra good," she teased.

   There was a sudden momentary lull in the laughter and conversation
behind them, and in the odd hush, a teenage girl's voice could be clearly
heard whispering to a friend: "I'd sure like to give him some sugar." She
turned beet red as she realized that everyone had heard her.  Alex and
Melody looked at each other, flushing.

   Melody's thoughts were awhirl.  She was half-drunken on delight from
being hoisted atop his shoulders and pressing so near to him.  He was so
much fun, and so cute, and his hair smelled great.  It was soft and curly,
she could spend half a day running her fingers through it.  And as they
looked at each other in the wake of the teen's comment, her body flushed
with heat as she imagined pressing her lips to Mister Croft's full manly
mouth.

   His eyes, staring up into hers, were pools of milk chocolate, so full
and deep, she could almost fall into them...

   "Off you go, you two," the cafeteria lady rapped the serving spoon
against the glass, breaking the spell.

   "Right," Mister Croft nodded.  He went over to where Hannah was sitting,
and the shy bookish girl looked up at them with huge eyes.  He smiled
reassuringly at her and set Melody's tray down before reaching up to take
Melody off his strong, broad shoulders.

   The girl was still in a slight daze, breathless.  "Thanks, Mister
troll," she managed, grinning.

   Mister Croft laughed and tweaked her nose again.  She favored him with a
mock-glare, but was having a hard time fighting the giggles.  But her
teacher smiled and said to the pair of girls, "Enjoy your lunch," before
walking off, taking a bite of his apple.

   The cafeteria lady watched them, and whispered conspiratorially to her
co-worker, "Those two would make a cute couple."

   Her co-worker rolled her eyes.  "You and your matchmaking.  What have we
told you about that?  Remember Terence and Astrid?"

   "Yeah, yeah, I know," the cafeteria lady said.  "But still, those
two..."

   That afternoon, as the bells released the kids to their buses and cars,
Melody stayed behind, and went back to Alex's classroom as it was emptying
of his 7th period students."Well, Mister Croft," Melody said brightly,
"it's just you and me."

   He turned to her smiling broadly - and was that a touch of shyness?  "I
reckon we are.  I have a few papers to grade, but then if you like I can
take you to my place.  Or if you have a key, I could take you home, and
stay with you there till your mom comes home."

   She swallowed.  "I'd like to see your home, Mister Croft!" She peered at
him, looking very stern.  "Are you married, Mister Croft?  I know bachelors
are supposed to be messy."

   He laughed heartily.  "I am indeed a bachelor, little song, but I like
to think I keep up the place nice." Melody's heart fluttered.  Little song?
That was sweet; he had a special name for her!  He suddenly seemed to
become aware of what he had said, and stammered, "Er..."

   "You better not be lying, chipmonk," she teased.

   Mister Croft blinked.  "Chipmonk?"

   Melody grinned at him shamelessly.  "Chipmonks are cute.  You're cute."
He shook his head and laughed.  Melody sighed happily.  She could listen to
him laugh for hours.  It was deep and hearty and soulful.

   "Well, are you going to be alright while I grade papers?" he asked,
getting back on subject.

   "Yeah!" she nodded enthusiastically.  She plucked up her favorite book
out of her bright pink backpack and bounced over to the beanbag chair by
the bookshelf.  "I'm gonna reread Dreaming Children!"

   He arched his eyebrow triumphantly at her and said, "Suck up."

   Melody's mouth dropped open.  "Oooohhhhhh, you little sneak," she stuck
her tongue out at him.  "That was good."

   "It was, wasn't it?" he grinned at her.  Melody turned up her nose and
ostentatiously buried her face in the book while Mister Croft laughed and
went to sit at his desk.  But inside she was glowing.  She and Mister Croft
were talking and laughing, not like teacher and student, but like just two
regular people!  Like friends.

   And maybe more?  The tips of her ears burned, and she peeked up over the
top of the book at Mister Croft, who was staring intently at the papers as
he graded them.

   So they sat for a while as soft classical music played from Mister
Croft's MP3 player speakers, and Melody gradually got reabsorbed in the
story of Mister Croft's novel, scarcely aware of the fact that her tongue
was tucked cutely in the corner of her mouth or of Alex's occasional looks
at her.

   Suddenly the strains of Beethoven's Fur Elise sang through the classroom
as Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini ended.  Melody and Alex's heads snapped
up to fix on each other.  For an instant - a very long instant - their eyes
locked, huge and full...

   Then they laughed together, Melody's cute giggle harmonizing with Alex's
hearty chuckles.  As their laughter subsided, they just stared at each
other, smiling with glowing faces.  After a few moments, Alex said, "So you
ready to go home?"

   "Your home, yeah," she agreed.  "Lemme get my white gloves." She grinned
devilishly at him.

   "Sure," Alex said amiably.  "And let me get my red pen, I think I need
to re-grade your worksheets."

   "Cheater!" Melody accused.

   "Winner," Alex corrected her, his grin matching the mischief in hers.

   "Mama was right," Melody said, "you do need watching." She waggled her
eyebrows adorably at him as Alex chuckled and slung up her backpack over
his shoulder gallantly, and offered his arm to her.  "Thanks, Mister
Croft," she said, favoring him with a dazzling smile that melted his heart
into a puddle of goo as she put her hot hand on his arm.

   A slight shudder ran through them both on the intimate touch, but
neither noticed the other's reaction.  Her hand was hot and cool and
wonderful all at once on his arm, he thought dreamily.  His arm was so
muscular and strong and warm, she swooned.

   It was overcast outside, but otherwise pleasant as Alex led Melody to
his car in the teachers' lot.  It was a sensible four-door sedan, a muted
yellow tone.  Melody pursed her lips, considering it with an impish aspect.
"You don't have a sports convertible?  So much for being young and hip."

   "I'm young and hip," Alex protested.  "I haven't reached my midlife
crisis yet."

   "Maybe," Melody said.  "But you know why I really don't like it?"

   "What's that?" he arched his eyebrow at her.

   "It's not pink," she said in a perfectly serious tone.  Alex's jaw
dropped, then he burst out into laughter, and the girl joined him.

   He unlocked the car and opened the front passenger side door.  "Milady,
your chariot awaits."

   She pulled on the sides of her jeans as though she were lifting up a
skirt, and stepped daintily into the car, beaming at him.  Alex closed the
door for her and, going around the car, stashed her backpack in the
backseat behind him before climbing into the driver's seat.

   They each reached for their seatbelt straps, and the simultaneous
clicking of their belts connecting startled them for a moment.  "See?"
Melody pointed out boldly.  "You're not young and hip.  Else you wouldn't
be wearing a seatbelt."

   "Okay, okay," Alex conceded, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I'm not young and hip.  I'm young and sensible.  And so are you," he
added, throwing a meaningful glance at her own fastened seatbelt.

   "My mama's hip, though," Melody piped up.  He threw a curious look at
her, and the girl snarked, "I always hafta get on her about buckling her
seatbelt."

   "Ha!" The laugh snorted from Alex's throat as he turned the ignition and
pulled out of the parking lot.  They chatted amiably, like old friends, as
he drove the car down roads winding through rolling hills.  Several trees
were just starting to show hints of autumn where green gave way to burnt
oranges and light yellows.

   "That's my neighborhood," Melody pointed out as they passed a turnoff.

   "Really?" Alex said interestedly.  "I grew up there.  My parents still
live in that house."

   Melody turned bright eyes upon him.  "No way!  That's cool!  What's your
family like?"

   "Wacky like me," Alex grinned crookedly at her.  She cuffed his
shoulder. "Well, my father and brother are both lawyers.  Mom's a doctor.
And Mack, my youngest brother, is an archivist down at Metro."

   "Wow," Melody said.  "I just got Mama."

   Alex looked at her shrewdly.  "No siblings?  Family?"

   She shook her head.  "No.  My papa died before I was born.  Mama talks
about him a little sometimes.  I think they loved each other a lot." Alex
reached across the seat divider and took her hand.  It was soft and warm
and small in his broad hand.  Melody looked at him, and their eyes met as
he squeezed her hand comfortingly.

   She favored him with a grin.  "If telling you sad stories gets you to
hold my hand, I'll have to tell you sad stuff all the time!"

   "Ha!" Alex chortled.  "I like your sense of humor."

   Melody's eyes twinkled.  "Who's joking?" Alex stuck her tongue out at
her, and she giggled.  He started to pull his hand away, but she tugged on
it, so Alex left it there.  The teen held it in her lap between her hands.
Alex's head felt light.  Schoolgirls held his hand whenever they could get
half a chance, but Melody made him feel...  fluttery.  Drunk.  Her
completely natural fragrance was filling the car, and his nostrils flared
as he drank deeply of it, intoxicated by her nearness, her touch.

   For her part, Melody was walking on air.  A silly grin was plastered on
her face as she held Mister Croft's big hand.  His car smelt just like him,
a virile musk that filled her with happiness.  So they sat together as he
drove, lapsing into a comfortable, contented silence without realizing it,
each buoyant in the other's presence.

   It was only a few minutes more when Alex pulled into the driveway of his
modest home.  Melody snapped out of her reverie and plastered her face to
the passenger window.  "Wow!" she enthused.  "Your house is pretty!"

   It was a little one-story affair, brick painted a sky blue with white
shutters, hedges lining the exterior walls, and a large flower garden
nestled into the side of the porch and extending to the corner of the
house. It was a small yard, but well tended.  Alex drove the car up the
driveway into the garage abutting the home, and Melody popped the car door
open and hopped out almost before they had stopped moving.

   "Melody!" Alex exclaimed with a slight sputtering laugh at her
eagerness.

   She turned on her heel and made wide, outrageously innocent eyes at him.
"Yes?" she said in a simperingly sweet voice, fluttering her eyelids.  Alex
snorted, and waved her on.  She giggled - what a delightful sound that was!
he didn't think he'd ever get tired of hearing it - as he switched off the
ignition and got out of the car.

   Melody grinned happily at him as he unlocked the side door into the
kitchen.  "After you, milady," he said expansively, dramatically gesturing
her inside in gentlemanly fashion.  She giggled and bounded in.

   Even as he walked in behind her, she dashed through the kitchen and into
the living room, poking her head in every nook and cranny.  Alex just
smiled, a warm glow filling his chest as he watched her eagerness.

   "Your house is pretty!" Melody finally declared.  "But there's one
thing..."

   "Not enough pink?" Alex guessed.

   She laughed.  "Right!"

   Alex lifted an eyebrow at her.  "Wait here." Her eyes followed him
curiously as he went into what was presumably his bedroom and shut the
door. His house smelt just like him, even more than his car.  It was so...
perfect, she thought.  Even if there was no pink.

   Only a couple minutes later, Alex came out of the bedroom.  Gone was his
collared polo shirt; in its place was a pink T-shirt emblazoned with the
words, Guys In Pink Get All The Chicks.  "Well?" he crooked his grin at
her.

   Almost before he had uttered the word, Melody squealed delightedly and
threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and
nuzzling into his stomach.  Alex's heart shot up into his throat, and it
took him a moment to regain the presence of mind to put his arms around her
shoulders.  Her body was so perfect and wondrous, as if made to press into
his own.

   Melody's world was filled with Mister Croft's scent as she mashed the
side of her face into his torso.  She could feel chiseled, well-defined
pecs against her cheek through the T-shirt, and sighed dreamily.  He was
wonderful, inside and out, she thought.

   Neither one wanted to let the other go, but their mutual sense of
propriety reluctantly nudged them apart eventually.  "You're cool," she
declared.  She reached up and put her finger on his chest.  "So where are
all the chicks?"

   Mister Croft laughed.  "Well, I don't need all of them.  Just one.  The
right one." He blushed furiously, and Melody's crimson cheeks mirrored his
own.

   She stepped back and took a sweeping look around the room.  "So!  What
would you be doing right now if you didn't have to put up with me?"

   "Not wearing pink," he smirked.  She cuffed his arm again, and he said,
"Well, normally on Wednesdays I meet up with some friends for game night."

   Her brows perked up.  "Really?  What kind of games?"

   "Board games, card games, that sort of thing."

   Melody twisted her lip, not realizing how much cuter that made her. 
"Sorry I'm being a bother."

   Mister Croft shook his head fervently.  "You're not a bother at all!  I
like hanging out with you." He raised his hand, and she obligingly
fist-bumped him, giggling.

   "I know!" she said brightly.  "What if you and me play some games here?"

   "Really?  I'd like that." The smile that lit up his face was huge and
glorious to the girl.  "But you don't have to if you don't want."

   "Are you kidding?" She gave him an incredulous look.  "I like games!  So
what do you play?  Sorry?  Monopoly?  Chess?"

   He laughed, seeming a tad uncertain.  "Wellllllll...  I play other
games. They're generally games most people haven't heard of.  There are
thousands of board games and card games out there that many people don't
know about."

   She cocked her head to the side.  "Show me!"

   He grinned, and led her to a shelf in the living room.  More than a
dozen games were stacked up on top of each other, and he seemed almost shy
as Melody perused his collection.  There were all sorts of names she didn't
know, but that sounded weird and interesting.  Carcassonne, Catan, Kill
Doctor Lucky, Talisman, Citadels, Nightfall, Relic, Constantinopolis, 7
Wonders, Guillotine, and several more.

   Finally she turned her dazzling smile back on him.  "Which one is your
favorite?" she asked him.

   Mister Croft chuckled, pleased, and pulled out a colorful game box with
an unusual artwork style.  Melody read the label aloud.  "Ascension,
Chronicle of the Godslayer." She looked up at him and demanded, "Show me
how to play it!"

   He laughed, and seemed very pleased indeed, which warmed her little
heart.  "Sure thing," he agreed.  "Chronicle of the Godslayer is actually
just the first set in this game; I have all five sets, and I keep them all
in this one box." Setting the box down on the kitchen table and opening it,
he displayed the glut of cards within.

   "Okay," he began, "these are the cards you start out with.  Some give
you magic, others give you attack..." Alex normally didn't enjoy teaching
new games to people who'd never played them before, but with Melody he
found himself rather enjoying the task.  She listened very attentively, her
inquisitive eyes fixed raptly upon him.

   "I think I've got it," she said, tucking her plump bottom lip between
her snow-white teeth.  "Let's play!  Ready for me to kick your butt?"

   He laughed good-naturedly.  "Bring it on!" They fell to it, bantering
while enthusiastically accusing each other of cheating, before deliberately
trying to cheat just to see if the other would notice it.  Giggles seized
them in fits as they carried on, and finally all the points were gone,
ending the game.

   "I win!" Melody declared.

   "You did not," Mister Croft protested.  "We have to count up the points,
and the cards we have are worth points too, remember?"

   "You cheated," the little vixen said triumphantly, "so your points don't
count."

   "You cheated too," he said accusingly.

   She flashed her teacher her most winning smile, not realizing how she
melted his heart, and fluttered her eyelashes, giving him a wide-eyed
adorable pout.  "Me?" Melody simpered.

   Mister Croft rolled his eyes with a chuckle.  "Fine, then, you didn't
cheat.  But let's count up points anyway." Melody tucked her bottom lip
between her teeth again and counted gamely.  Presently, Mister Croft
announced, "191 points."

   Melody waved her hand at him as she continued to count, and finally told
him, "179 points."

   "What?" he shot her a look.  "I helped you understand what your options
were, but I don't think you beat me by that much."

   "Looks like I did," she stuck her tongue out at him.  "Wanna count 'em?"
She waggled her eyebrows at him, and he shook his head in defeat, smiling.
"Told ya you didn't win, since you cheated," she said.

   "Alright then," he said, "how did you win?  What's your secret?"

   "I cheated," the 18 year old said smugly, "and didn't get caught."

   His jaw dropped open in such a hilarious manner that she couldn't help
but bust out laughing.  "You rascal!" he said, and dived over to press his
fingers into her ribs in merciless tickles.  Melody squealed loudly,
giggling and laughing with shrill helplessness, before taking her revenge
and giving as good as she got.  Digging her fingers beneath his forearm,
she produced a yelp from him, and as he pulled back for a second, she
pressed her advantage and tickled him all over his torso as he writhed in
laughter.

   "I give, I give!" he laughed, but Melody didn't let up for several
moments.  Finally she stopped as they reached a temporary truce, and she
sat up on his lap, leaning back against his chest as they panted for
breath, still laughing.

   "Wanna play again?" she asked, eyes sparkling as she traced her finger
over his arm.

   "Sure," he agreed.  "Same game, or a different one?"

   Melody twisted her lip, unsure, eyeing the shelf full of games.  "I want
to play more Ascension, I really like it, but I wanna play every game you
have too!"

   "I don't think we have time to play all of them, Melody," he said - did
he sound regretful?  She pouted cutely, and he tweaked her button nose. 
They stayed like that, silent for a moment as she just enjoyed being in her
handsome teacher's lap, before Mister Croft broke the silence.  "If you
really like playing these board games, how would you like to come with me
to play them with my friends every Wednesday night?"

   "REALLY?" Melody squealed delightedly, and his laugh was wonderful as he
confirmed her question with a nod.  She smirked at him and snarked sweetly,
"Are you asking me on a date, Mister Croft?"

   He turned beet red, and the gorgeous girl giggled.  "I would love that,
Mister Croft," she said happily.

   **********

   COMMENTS: Like many authors, I love hearing positive feedback and
suggestions!  If you like, email me: big DOT al DOT author AT gmail DOT com
   NOTE: All characters are 18+