The Forgotten Prophecy: The BraveHeart Series

Chapter 2 - Jehlani

I DID IT!! I managed to make it to my senior year of college with no problems. The school day was officially over, so my best friend, Amina, and I walked out of the library and headed back to our apartment.

"Thanks for helping me study, best friend. I am not taking summer classes again. Two years of Mrs. Randolph is enough," Amina said loudly as if I weren't right next to her, but I was used to the girl and her loudmouth.

"Now, Mina, you know I got your back!! With only five months left, it's time to get the hell outta here!!" We gave each other a high five and hurriedly crossed the street as the cool December air whipped around us. With finals beginning next week, the two of us have had our heads constantly glued to the pages of a book, and today was no different.

Winter break and my birthday were soon approaching, and we intended to reward ourselves by sipping on some sexy alcoholic beverages on a beach in Mexico. I was more eager than Amina to get on that plane because I desperately needed some sun. Since the age of three, I've been burdened with severe headaches, and they've always been manageable, but today was different. From the time I opened my eyes this morning to now, I've had a headache from hell, and since finals are literally around the corner, I thought it was stress related. Well, that's what I thought....

"I saw this cute little bathing suit in the mall......"

Amina's voice trailed off as a handsomely dressed brotha with shiny dark chocolate skin appeared from the student rec; he immediately stopped when he saw me. Common sense deserted me as my heart and head shared a mutual ache that was numbed by the stranger's presence. My strength abandoned me, and my breath was trapped in my throat with nowhere to go while my heart nearly burst through my chest. The longing that burned in his eyes electrocuted me and caused my body to dangerously respond to his silent seduction. He slowly approached me, and I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, hoping to calm the euphoric currents sweetly attacking my spine. As he got closer, his bewitching stride slowed down to a halt, and his eyes seemed to burn through me.

I overheard Amina say, "Damn, who is that?" but I was caught in the stranger's penetrating gaze. His gilded eyes quickly evolved into a sweltering crimson, like the flames of a fire.

"I have no clue, but he looks delicious," I replied in a voice I barely knew.

I soon felt like I was in a trance and became lightheaded. I gripped the straps of my bookbag tight as if they would help me find my breath and steady the buckle in my knees. My head pounded ferociously like something was trying to break free from my brain. Amina's phone went off, and she began to talk louder, which made my head throb even worse. I was thrilled when she decided to walk in the opposite direction, but not before telling me she would see me at home later; I simply nodded and waved. The stare down between me and the stranger grew more intense as his giant frame grew closer and closer. My body was on fire. What is wrong with me?

Once he was close enough for me to see how thick his lips were, a loud whisper saying, "Mate," erupted in my head. Soon after, everything around me went dark. The last thing I heard was a deep voice crooning that everything would be okay.

When my eyes fluttered open and adjusted to the lighting, I noticed that I was in the student rec. Remembering what happened before I fainted, I shot up and glanced around the room. Even though it was empty, I knew I wasn't alone. Instantly, the smell of sandalwood and cinnamon permeated the air. I turned toward the doorway and saw him standing there with two cups in his hands; the darkness illuminated his presence. His thick, jet-black curls rested a little past his broad shoulders and showcased his mysterious eyes. The sleeves of his blue cashmere sweater were pushed up, allowing me to see the definition of his forearms and the tattoos that covered them.