Unbounded Love

By the end of the day Ali had come to her senses. What am I doing? He'll get fired! She walked back into his classroom and Neil's face lit up, until he looked at her face properly. "Whats up?"

Ali looked away from him, trying to figure out how to say it. "What happened earlier. It can't happen again."

Neil frowned, confused. "Excuse me?"

Ali looked up at him, her face saddened. "You could lose you job over this. I'm not worth it." She walked away, not waiting for a response and ran all the way home, going straight up to her room, crying over a relationship that had lasted a few hours.

Later that evening Ali decided she needed to eat something and so went downstairs, wary of what mood her parents would be in tonight. She went into the kitchen and put on some food, when they walked in.

"What are you doing?"

Ali jumped slightly, having been thinking about Neil, she had not been paying attention to her surroundings. "Making food." She winced as she heard them gasp at her tone.

"Why have you been crying?"

"I haven't. Nothing to tell, sorry." She didn't know what happened, but she ended up across the room near the door. She got up and ran out the door down the road. Not thinking, she rang the number Neil had given her.

"Hello?"

Ali smiled slightly at the sound of his voice, but her reality of what had happened knocked it all out of her, and she gasped his name.

"Ali?"

All she could manage was a simple "Yeah".

His voice changed intantly to panic. "Where are you?"

Ali smiled again at his caring for her, making her almost as breathless as from all the running. "Top of my road."

"Stay there. I'm coming. I won't be long." He hung up and Ali rested against a lamp post. Neil was true to his word and wasn't long at all. He was soon pulling up to her, and opened the door for her, she climbed in without thinking. He instantly took her face in his soft hands, searching her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Ali nodded, trying not to wince as she put her seat belt on. He sped off, taking her hand in his free one.

They were quiet for a bit until Neil cleared his throat. "I'm so relieved you called me. I didn't think you would have after earlier."

Ali winced slightly at the memory, wiping the remaining tear tracks off her cheek from before. "I didn't know who else to call. It was instinct, I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

Neil shook his head at her, laughing slightly. "Please don't apologise. I'm extremely glad you did." He kissed her hand and she smiled at him. They were quiet for the rest of the journey, Ali trying to decide if this was the best thing while Neil was trying to assess Ali's hidden injuries.

They soon arrived at his house, and he helped her in, noting she was holding her side again and that her legs didn't seem to be able to hold her up properly.

"What you said earlier isn't true." Neil helped her down onto his couch. She looked at him her eyebrows raised, causing him to continue.

"Okay, I could lose my job, but being with you is worth it."

Ali smiled at him. "Thanks."

Neil's face became hopeful. "So you'll give this a go?"

Ali sighed, thinking it over and then nodded, "Yeah why not?"

Neil nodded and smiled and then lent in and then kissed her gently over and over, tying not to hurt her but showing his feelings for her as well.