Fortune Favours the Bold {Roses & Vega}

He felt someone take in his arm and he spin around right away. Jack was shocked to see that it was the girl from yesterday.
"Yes miss?" He asked polite. "May I help you with something?"

"You are hurt." She stated simply, eyeing his burst lip and the blood dripping from it. Her fingers clenched around his arm, her grip firm and stubborn, as she digged around in the pocket of her blazer. When she met the soft cotton of her napkin in there, she took it out and gently started dabbing on his wound, the blood staining the virgin white.

The proximity between her fingers and his lips was also not missed by her. She found her cheeks colouring involuntarily as she looked up at him. Again her emerald orbs moved away shyly.

Jack blushed red as she began to dry away the blood from his face. "Oh you don't need to do this miss... I could have take care of it myself." He realise how hard that sounded. "Thank you... You are very nice." He smiled at her. "But you should hurry up so you won't miss your lesson."

"Damn the lesson...I hate History anyway." She mumbled as she finished up with his face. That wasn't the first time she had bunked History. And she knew that Mr. Hoggs wouldn't mind anyways.

She held up the blood stained napkin, thinking what she could do with it. She couldn't possibly use it anymore. It had been stained with blood, and God grace her, she hated the nauseating red liquid.

He just nodded. "You should be thankful for the lessons you have..." Jack mumble and watch her held up to bloody napkin. "I can take care of that one. I will make sure you get a new one." He smiled at her. Jack didn't want to be impolite and just run away from her. "Miss. I like your company, but I really need to go unless I want to lose the job today, hehe."

A small frown marred Angelique's features when she came to know about the lack of education in his life. She ignored his pleas to let him go and further tightened her grip. "No. I need to talk to you; and anyways Mr. Franklins won't mind if I kidnap you for sometime." She nodded her head to acknowledge the head janitor. After all, Mr. Franklins had been in debt with her father for a while.

She then looked up at him with big eyes and a quivering lip: overdramatics was her speciality. "Please," her voice was just a broken whisper, "won't you do this for me?"

Jack looked at the beautiful girl. There was no way he could see her cry.
"I... Fine..." He sigh to the end. "But I will blame you if I lose this job..." Jack smiled at her. "Shall we go somewhere we can sit?"

"Perfect! I know this secret room where we can sit and chat." She almost squealed as she began dragging him to the back of school building.

Angelique's stomach flipped as her heart and her head battled with one another. In her mind, she knew meeting Jack was the most foolish and reckless thing she'd ever done, and if she were caught by any of her classmates and they were to tell it to her mother, the consequences would be the most severe she'd ever endured. But her heart, it stutter-stepped at the very mention of his name, and stilled at the thought of not meeting him.

And that was enough, because for the first time in her life, Angelique was going to be selfish.

What were the chances she'd ever have the opportunity to feel this alive again? The answer made her eyes burn with unshed tears.

She dragged him round the massive victorian style building till they reached the deserted corner of the school. There was a single door with 'Wood Shop' scribbled across it in permanent marker. She pushed open the door and the smell of a deserted room hit them.

She wasn't worried about getting caught, no one had used this classroom since Mr. Brown, the woodshop teacher, passed away last year. Angelique pulled a canvas cover from one of the machines and spread it on the floor, hoping that the added cover of being hidden from the windows would make her more comfortable, and calm her nerves down. She dropped her bag to the floor and tugged him over to the canvas and eased them both onto the floor. They sat indian style across from one another, their knees touching.

He followed her and was sitting down the same style as she. Jack couldn't help but addmire her. She was so beautiful, strong and she was holding in so much power. He did just look at her with wide eyes.
"Tell my beautiful miss... What do you want me?"
Yes he was wonderful, but he was also curious.

Angelique grinned ear-to-ear. "Listen, I know you must be thinking that I'm being forceful with you," she internally rolled her eyes. She was being forceful, no doubt, "but, I really want to help you. You see years and years I have seen people rot in poverty while I enjoy so many luxuries. I-I feel bad about it. I don't know why...You'll probably think I'm stupid but I feel guilty when I can't help others. So I thought helping you will help me to...unwind....God, that sounds so pathetic." She chuckled and dropped her face to her hands.

She didn't tell him the actual reason. No, that would have sounded even more pathetic. But the exuses she told him were part-truth. She did feel bad for people who weren't as privileged as her.

He was a it taken back by her reason. Jack had thought was completely something else.
"No, no. It does not sound pathatic. Not at all... I am just a bit chickadee that someone like yourself would want to talk with me. It is just not really in my reach, hehe..." He smiled at her. "Oh I almost forgot... If I would meet you again so did I promise that I would thank you for the food. Malcom loved it. Thank you so much again..."

"It was my pleasure," Angelique smile genuinely as she interlaced her fingers with his. A blush crept up her cheeks as she felt his hand's warmth. "So...I was thinking that...would you like to pursue your education or something like that?" She said as she brushed her thumb across his hand. She knew she was being pushy, and it also made her wonder how on earth did this boy put up with someone like her. The thought that he felt forced, horrified her to no ends. She had to clench her jaw to supress the shudder that threatened to slip through.

"What?!" He was shocked. Okay that she was kind and all, but pay for his education? No... She couldn't mean that for real right?
"But I can't pay you back... I mean... I want to do something in return, please." Jack felt his cheeks becoming red. "I promise I will do anything. I can be anything... I swear."

"You don't need to pay me Jack," she said emotionally,"I just want to help you." She squeezed his hand to punctuate her point. "But if you are insisting so much....I guess I can think of something later," A playful smile crossed her features. "Now listen carefully, there's a scholarship program in our school that supports those who are not privileged enough, but are more talented than the students actually studying here. I think I can talk to the principal about you...so what are you good at Jack?"

He nodded, felt her hands hug his. "Um... I don't know... I am good at running? If that means something?"

"Of course," she grinned "we can easily apply for a sports scholarship." The more she thought about it, the less anxious she became. It was just a help. Nothing related to her feelings that kept swirling in her head. Nothing that reasoned her behaviour around him. A sigh escaped her lips as she smiled, contented with her musings, "Thanks for letting me help you..." As she spoke, she realized how close they actually were. She could even smell him from there. He smelled of fresh earth...and man. Her emerald orbs fell down to their conjoined hands and she gulped. Just helping...

Jack smiled like a sun itself. He was starting to get someone and it felt wonderful.
"I promise, with my whole soul that I won't let you done." He answer and looked at her. That she seemed to be a bit nervous did he not notice. Jack was so glad for this moment that he couldn't stop smiling.
"I will return this favour, in some way. You have a good heart."