Our Soul Connection

01| Handsome Stranger

I met Dorian in my Computer Science class in college. As one of the few females majoring in Cyber Security, I had spent my first two and half years in college as a target for the males of the class to make fun of, hit on, or blatantly ignore. Though I didn't mind the attention. I had been taking classes in this building, on this campus, for 3 years and though I had many people who thought they were my friends, I had only made one real one: Mia. But she was graduating that year. While I felt a bit sad about it, I knew I would live and I could find myself enough distractions to finish out my time there.

I was scouting the people in the auditorium for my next distraction when Dorian plopped down right next to me on the first day of the semester. He sat there in his leather jacket, band tees, and buckled boots with his dark hair tousled, obviously from running his hands through it a million times a day.

"Well, hi." I had attempted. He rolled his eyes and said nothing, and he said absolutely nothing to me for the first few weeks. Until the grade for our first big exam came back.

The professor had announced from the front of the auditorium that he had just posted our grades. All 200 people in the large auditorium heard nothing the professor said for the next couple of minutes as we were all frantically click, click, clicking our way to the grade. All at once, you heard gasps, sighs, and a whole number of reactions go off around the room.

"I guess I'll give you all a minute or two to let it sink in, and then we'll continue." Professor Bard had said from the front of the auditorium.

I clicked the link next to my assignment for the exam we had taken two weeks ago and let out a tiny squeak loaded with excitement; I aced it. Just like I knew I would. As much as I party and fuck around, I take pride in my grades. I don't know how I do it. I smirked to myself.

From beside me, I heard Dorian let out an exasperated huff. I dared a peek at his face and at the same time that he cut his eyes to me. He looked so disappointed that I couldn't help but speak first.

"That bad, huh?" I said softly. He let out a small oof as if someone had bumped him in the stomach.

"There is no way I am passing this course," he sighed as he pushed his hand through his wavy locks. I cringed and turned back to my screen.

I took detailed notes for the rest of the class. When the professor dismissed us, Dorian was out of his seat before I could turn and say goodbye.

While Monday and Thursday were busy, Friday was usually a lax day in Computer Science-a work-on-your-own day if you will. I was determined that I would not speak to Dorian unless he spoke to me. "I have people lined up for my attention. He can get in line," I had told myself.

It was 15 minutes past class start time and I had thought Dorian was going to be a no-show that day when a cup of coffee was plopped on my desk. I looked up to find Dorian staring down at me. "Do you tutor?" That was all he'd said before he flounced into his seat and ran a hand through his hair as he pulled out his laptop.

"Excuse me?" I was shocked by the forward question from someone who hadn't spoken more than a few words to me. My first thought was that he had heard about me from someone else on campus and that my reputation had scared him off.

"I asked if you-"

"No, I heard you." He cut his gaze to me without moving his head from the direction of his computer. He looked at me from a slouch through his lashes.

"Well?"

"No, not usually." It came out a bit more snarky than I'd thought it would.

"Would you?" He rolled his eyes back to his screen, trying to appear unimpressed.