Rising Tides

2

He was beautiful. He had the kind of beauty that made people, even men, stop in their tracks and stare in awe. The kind of beauty that models and movie stars would envy. The kind of beauty that was almost ethereal. He was kind of androgynously pretty. He had black hair that fell to his waist in dark waves, held back in a low ponytail. His skin was as pale and smooth as a pearl. His eyes were as blue as the Mediterranean Sea and just as captivating. Full lips were curved in a soft frown, his jaw was sharp yet delicate, and his cheekbones could cut diamond.

He was tall, about six feet or more, and willow slim. Dressed in black jeans, sneakers, and a black Pink Floyd t-shirt that showed his long, pale, leanly-muscled arms. Those blue eyes were piercing as they scanned the room. The whole class was silent and captivated. Even old miss Prof. Johanson couldn't keep herself from staring at him.

"Introduce yourself to the class please, dear." Said Prof. Johanson. The young man looked at her then at the class.

"My name is Rowan." Even his voice was beautiful. Low and soothing and lilting with a foreign accent. It sounded like music. "I am twenty-two."

"And where are you from, Rowan?"

"I just moved here from Italy." He answered. Sarah froze when his gaze landed on her and seemed to peer into her soul. She shuddered. It wasn't just his looks that made him so alluring, but his aura too. He radiated confidence and magnetism.

"Well, welcome to Florida, dear. I hope you enjoy your time here. Please, take a seat anywhere you like."

Moving slowly, he zeroed in on the empty seat next to Sarah's and strode toward it. Moving as a swiftly as a cat. He took his seat next to Sarah. Professor Johanson nodded.

"Good. What are you here to learn?"

"I want to paint people." He said. "Portraits."

For the rest of the period, Sarah couldn't focus on her work at all. She tried to not stare at the guy like a weirdo, but she couldn't help her eyes from straying to him. He was just so stunning. Danni was eyeballing him like he was a meal. He pulled out a sketchbook from the gray backpack he carried and opened it and Sarah's mouth fell open. Not only was he gorgeous and captivating, but he was also a talented artist too.

As he flipped through the pages of the sketchbook, each page was filled with drawings of all kinds of people; men, women, children, families, old and young, people with different ethnicities and styles, etc. He payed attention to the smallest details from bracelets the model wore, to the wrinkles around the eyes and mouth of an elderly woman. They were all stunning.

When he noticed her staring, he looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Do you like them?" He asked in that musical voice.

She blinked rapidly and nodded. "Yes. They're beautiful."

His lips curved in a smile. "Thank you. Oh wow, yours is amazing." He stood up and moved behind her to study the painting. "It's like I'm there."

After class ended, Sarah joined Danni for breakfast off campus at a nearby Starbucks.

"Wow. You are so lucky, Sarah. That tall drink of water was totally into you." Danni said as they waited in line, the smell of coffee and sugar and caramel and warm pastries wafting around them. "Did you see the way he looked at you? God, I wouldn't mind taking a sip of that." She sighed.

Sarah couldn't help but laugh. "Whoa there, tiger. He was just being friendly, that's all. I highly doubt he's into me at all. What about Jason?"

"What about him?"

"I thought you were into him?"

Danni pouted and toyed with the end of her ponytail. "I am, but he's more interested in making out than talking or whatever. Not that I mind making out. He's an amAAAzing kisser, and good with his hands, too." She said with a cheeky eyebrow wiggle and wink. Sarah rolled her eyes. "Real talk, though. I want a man who listens to me when I talk to him, who is cute and interesting, who makes me laugh, who doesn't bore me, a good kisser, and who wants to get to know me and vice-versa. It's hard to find that nowadays."