The alarm woke me up and started blaring all over. I opened my eyes and the sun's rays shone inside the room. I shielded my eyes with my hand and sat upright. I moaned in pain when I felt sore between my thighs.

I leaned over Marcus' side to switch off the alarm, trying not to wake him up. We had to go to school but I didn't want to, besides both of us were very tired. I smiled to myself when the events of last night replayed in my head.

It was definitely something I hadn't expected.

I stared at Marcus, heat rising to my cheeks. I stayed in bed a bit before I decided leave. I slowly got off the bed and stumbled back a bit. I imagined a smug expression on his face if he saw that. Marcus stirred in his sleep, pushing off the blanket from his torso.

I decided to wake him up anyway, he would decide if he wanted to go to school or not. I opened my closet and took out my oversized light blue tee. I wore my clothes. I saw Marcus' arm reach out to take his phone from the nightstand. He checked the time and sighed and switched it off before covering himself with a blanket.

"Alyssa?" he called out through a muffled voice. "Baby cheeks?" he tried again and I smiled.

"I'm here," I replied and clasped my hands over my head, stretching.

"Come here," he said in a childish voice. I walked over to his side of the bed and sat beside his sleeping body. He pursed his lips and I smiled knowingly. I gently pressed my lips on his and cupped his cheek. I pulled away,"Morning Marcus."

"Morning Baby cheeks," he said with a raspy voice. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "I really don't want to go to school," he whined and I ran my fingers through his hair.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," I said and Marcus sighed.

"I wish. I have to go to school today since we have a match against one of the toughest schools," he said, his eyes closed shut.

"Well then get up." I shook his arm. "This game is important and we need our strong player."

Marcus smiled.

"Besides you need to teach the other player who's boss," I smirked and Marcus chuckled, sitting upright. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me onto him, making me lay on his chest.

"So..." his hand trailing my arm. "How was your first time?"

Feeling the heat on my cheeks, I bit my lip. The memories of last night flooding back. "It was..." I couldn't really think of anything to describe it. Marcus became really aggressive at times but since it was my first, he had slowed down for me.

Marcus chuckled deeply,"I'm also in awe, Baby cheeks."

"Really?" I looked up at him to see his beautiful brown eyes. Marcus nodded. "What made it amazing was that I did it with the person I love," he said and I smiled

"I love you too," I gave his lips a quick peck before standing up. He smacked my butt and I narrowed my eyes at him. He smiled and winked at me.

"Marcus." I shook my head and left the room. I got to the bathroom. I stared at myself at the bathroom mirror before smiling and looking down. I brushed my teeth, after taking a quick shower, I wrapped a towel around my torso. I spent time on my hair then went back to my room to see Marcus walking out.

"Marcus, where are you going?" I asked and ran my fingers through my hair.

"My house. I'll wait for you in my car," he said and kissed the top of my head. "I love you." He turned around and left. I went to my room and dressed into my navy coloured hoodie and sneakers. I combed my short hair down to my shoulders. I took my phone and backpack and left my room.

I descended the stairs and left the house, locking the front door. Marcus' car was by my driveway. I got in the passenger side of the car. Marcus drove us to his house as we listened to music, singing together. We got out the car and walked to the front door of his house.

He opened the door and lead me inside, telling me to sit on the stool behind the island. "I'll make you some food," he said.

"Thanks." I grinned and placed my backpack next to me. Marcus took off his jersey and made eggs and bacon for me. He gave me the plate filled with the food and I thanked him.

"Marcus..." a familiar voice said. I tensed, hearing footsteps go down the stairs. "Morning Marcus."

It was María. I was nervous being around her, especially when it had been long since I had seen her. She stood beside me and I smelled her sweet-smelling perfume. "Hello Alyssa," she said in her Spanish accent and I looked at her.

Her jet black hair was tied up into a high, neat ponytail. She had applied eyeliner and black lipstick. She wore a black vest and sweatpants.

"Morning Ms. Sawyer," I smiled and she looked at me for a second before looking back at Marcus. His mom was so beautiful and she looked young.

"Are you going to work today?" Marcus asked. María replied in Spanish, and I was pretty sure she said 'yes' because I remembered learning some Spanish words.

Marcus nodded,"Okay." Marcus sighed. "Do you want breakfast?"

"Sí," María sat next to me and tapped her black-painted fingernails on the counter. "Thank you," she smiled when she received her breakfast. "Are you nervous for the game today?" she asked and ate her bacon strip.

"What kind of fucking question is that? I'm never nevrous," Marcus raised his eyebrow.

"Just checking if my little baby isn't replaced by a clone," she chuckled. Marcus smiled and pecked her cheek, "I'm going to take a shower now. Maybe this is the perfect time for my favourite girls to learn about eachother."

I turned to María who was avoiding to look me in the eye. Marcus left us and went upstairs to take a shower. "So... how are you?" I asked, nevrously.

"I'm good, Alyssa. You?" she said, not looking at me at all.

I nodded,"Great."

As I ate, I tried to think of anything to say to her. She ended up finishing her breakfast first and stood up, putting her plate on the table. She walked to the fridge and took out a bottle of wine and took a wine glass from the cabinet.

I watched her as if I was fascinated and she had noticed making my cheeks heat up and I looked down at my empty plate. She poured wine into the glass and gently put beside the glass.

"Why are you with Marcus?" she finally asked and I paused, looking up at her. María had finally made eye contact with me and I felt a chill run down my spine. She had a scary look in her eyes.

"Excuse me?" I asked, wanting her to repeat the question. Like Marcus, María didn't say anything, she just looked at me as if she knew that I heard her question. "Oh, um, because... I love him."

María chuckled,"I've heard that bullshit many times. All the girls Marcus brings home say that they love him when they actually don't."

"But I'm not like the other girls, Ms. Sawyer. I really love him," I said truthfully.

"Really?" María smirked and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Then does this scare you?" She placed a gun on in front of me and quirked her eyebrow thinking I was going to get scared and ask why she had it.

After staring at the gun for 5 seconds, I looked up at María with a furrowed eyebrows,"A gun? No. Unless it's pointed at me... then yes," I replied.

María eyed me before asking,"Do you know how to use it?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

María was really taken back. Probably because a cute girl like me claimed she knew how to use a gun. And guess what? I did. "Who taught you?" she asked and took the gun.

"Marcus," I replied, the corners of my lips tugging upwards. "Don't worry, I wanted him to teach me. I begged him actually," I added.

María nodded and looked away, "Do you know why he taught you how to use a gun?"

"Because I asked him to and because I know the rival gang is after me... I know they're waiting for me and that's what's scary," I replied.

María bit her lip as if thinking. She covered her face with her hands and groaned,"I'm sorry." she sighed and drank her wine.

"Why?" I tugged a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"We never wanted this life, Marcus and I, but his father was the leader of a powerful gang. Now Marcus is targeted by a ruthless man who killed my husband and somehow... a girl I don't even know well is also targeted by James," María ranted and downed her glass in one gulp.

"It's okay, Ms. Sawyer," I said calmly though I knew it wasn't okay.

This is what you get for falling in love with a fricking gangleader!

"Alyssa, I am sorry," she said. "I never thought that Marcus would ever find someone he really loved this soon. I was hoping that it wouldn't happen soon because anyone who Marcus loves will--" María shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Jesús, Vicente." she sighed to herself.

"María-- I mean Ms. Sawyer, I really didn't know that I would be in this mess from the start but I knew what I was getting into when dating Marcus. It is also my fault for saying I was dating him from the start," I said. "But I can't stop anything now... I love him."

María nodded them slowly smiled. I hugged her automatically and then my eyes widened, realising that I had hugged her. To my surprise, I felt María's arms wrap around my torso, hugging me back.

I smiled then noticed Marcus standing by the entrance, leaning against the frame with his hair wet and his body glistening from the shower. A white towel wrapped around his waist and another white towel around his neck.

He nodded at me with a proud smile.

María and I laughed, watching a comedy series together as I waited for him. Marcus descended the stairs. He wore his soccer clothes and had his sports bag in hand. "We gotta leave, Baby cheeks," Marcus said and took his car keys from the coffee table.

"Okay." I stood up. "Let me help you with that bag."

"It's okay just get in the car," Marcus said. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Bye Ms. Sawyer."

María smiled. "Bye Alyssa and goodluck my little baby," María pouted and kissed Marcus' cheek.

"Take care." Marcus walked out the house with me and threw his sports bag in the backseat of his car. I got in the passenger seat while Marcus got in the driver's seat. "First, we are going to get coffee because I am so tired." Marcus yawned, making me yawn too.

He drove us to a café and asked me to get him an iced coffee. "Okay," I replied and got out the car and went in the café. Once I recieved my order, I returned to the car. "Thank you, Baby cheeks. Now let's get there on time before the coach is the reason of my death," Marcus joked.

"And I'm the reason of his death," I retorted and Marcus grinned.

"Would you really kill for me, Baby cheeks?" he asked.

"Depends," I replied, though I was joking. I would never kill anyone, no matter what, unless I was defending myself in a fight.

"You'd never," Marcus said with a smile and I chuckled. "But I would."

I sipped my iced coffee and with heat rising up to my cheeks.