No Ordinary Fate

Chapter 5

Emory sat on her bed, the smell of her body wash wafting around her and her wet hair still wound up on the towel on her head. Showers usually relaxed her to the point of sleepiness but instead as she worked her shampoo and conditioner through her hair, she let her mind run through each terrible possibility awaiting her tomorrow night. And the calm she had felt walking with Brittany had quickly left. She pulled her hair from the towel and braided it while debating if her comfy jogger pants and baggy sweatshirt was decent enough to wear outside of room. But already she had seen several students venture to the coffee shop in what were clearly pajamas and she realized she was being silly. Of courseher grey cotton joggers were fine. Tanya was loudly playing her games again, although she had offered Emory a smile when she entered, which was progress.

She wondered if Brittany would want some hot chocolate. She had bought a lot and that also helped her sleep. She heated up her water in a mug and poured the powdery chocolate in, stirring it fast to avoid clumping. She decided she would walk past her room and offer some if the door was open, but if not let it be. While Brittany clearly wanted to be a friend, she wasn't comfortable initiating a text just yet. Would it seem to clingy? They had spent the majority of the evening together.

Carrying her cup, Emory walked around the hall to Brittany's door was closed. She didn't want to just head back to her room so soon after leaving it, but there were people she didn't know in the lounge too and she couldn't join them. Impulsively she headed for the door, double checking that her keys were around her neck and pushed out into the nighttime. There were a lot of chairs and tables outside, most of them empty. It was only nine and people were still visibly scattered about, but this early in the year and the freshman-only dorm was impacted by these facts. It was too soon to hang out recklessly on a school night. Emory imagined that within a week that would change.

She sat a table with her mug and sipped it while checking Instagram on her phone. Her brother, Peter, had posted a first day of school photo, him at a crowded lunch table with friends. He had absorbed the social skills in their family, not shy or unsure in any way. He didn't even seem to miss her, though she couldn't blame him. She was hardly great company.

A friend from debate class was also sharing a photo of him having scotch with some preppy looking guys from his school. It seemed forced, but also still evidence that he was where he wanted to be. A few other acquaintances had similar first week of college posts, of their dorm rooms or new best friends or going to parties and events on campus. Everyone had moved on so quickly, but, while she was too nervous to sleep, she bet no had had as much happiness in this first week since she had. For the first time, she felt like she was exactly where she needed to be.

Her hot chocolate was nearly empty but Emory didn't want to go back to her room just yet. It was nice outside. There were the sounds of bugs in the trees and conversations drifting around her and even music pouring out of the open windows from nearby rooms and somehow altogether it made her feel less alone. The hairs on her arms raised in goosebumps just before a male voice sounded next to her.

"I know that if I don't want to come across as a stalker I have got to stop doing this, but I really was just walking back to my dorm when I saw you here and wanted to say hi," Theo said.

Emory jumped slightly at his voice but at the same time knew who it was before his first word had left his mouth. It was like her body knew he was there before her mind caught up.

"I guess I'll try not to hold your creepiness against you," she said and gestured for him to sit down.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" he asked.

"I wasn't tired enough to sleep yet and my room isn't exactly the most comfy place to relax, and out here surprisingly is."

"What's wrong with your room?"

"Nothing, exactly, it's just my roommate really likes video games, and it's hard to unwind and read with her playing loudly. Plus, she gets frustrated a lot and there's a lot of tension from that. It's nothing too bad, but not—"

"Relaxing?"

"Exactly. How was dinner with your family?"

Theo's face almost flinched with her question; not like he was shocked she asked but like he was trying to hide the face his emotions wanted him to make.

"It was fine," he said.

Emory paused; sure he was lying.

"I hope I didn't cause too much trouble with family by making them change the normal dinner day," she said, worried she had somehow upset them without even meeting them.

"No, no it's nothing to do with that," he said quickly. He reached across the table and placed his hand over hers, gently squeezing it while maintaining eye contact. Emory found it hard to breath with the warmth of his large hand over hers. "My Uncle just has different ideas on what choices I make for myself than I do, so sometimes those meals can get pretty tense."

"Oh, that would be hard," her voice came out breathy and quiet but she didn't look away from his eyes. "I can't even handle telling my parents I want to study different subjects, so I don't think I can offer any substantial advice."

"It's okay, I'll figure it out. He'll learn to see my way, or he won't, but there are some things I won't change for him."

Emory had the feeling that one of those things had to do with her, by the intensity of his eye contact but also felt incredibly silly for this thought. How could he mean her, a girl he had known for less than a week?

Theo's hand was still on hers and his thumb had begun to sweep across the top of her fingers at a slow pace that was making her heart beat faster.

"It's getting late," he eventually said. Emory nodded and slowly stood with him, moving her hand from his to grab her mug.

He walked with her up to her door. "Could you do me a favor?" he asked.

Emory nodded.

"Next time it's late and you want to sit outside, could you call me? I won't ever mind hanging out with you to unwind at night, but it's not always safe. Even on a college campus a lot of bad things can happen to a beautiful girl alone at a table past dark," he said seriously.

"Well, I would..." Emory drew out, dramatically, until his face fell in a mixture of hurt and fear at her hesitation. "But I don't have your phone number," she finished quickly, and watched his eyes close quickly and a small laugh escape his parted lips.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to come off controlling either, it's just, well, I've met a lot of bad people over the years. I guess you could say I have trust issues with society." Theo reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek iPhone without a case.

"That's an interesting standpoint for a sociology major to have," Emory pointed out, as he scrolled through his contacts, settling on her name. "Now, will you do me a favor?"

"Anything," he said. Somehow, during their brief conversation, they had shifted closer together, and now she could feel his breath with the word sweep across her face. She struggled not to close her eyes at the sensation it created. Who knew someone's breathing could be so sensual?

"Will you get a phone case for your phone? Seeing that perfect, shiny phone so close to falling on concrete is making my anxiety spike tremendously."

Theo laughed hard at her words, clearly surprised by the request. Once he stopped, he said, "I think something like that could be arranged." He was even closer now, his head tilting just a bit near hers, but he maneuvered it to her cheek at the last minute, placing a soft kiss there before whispering 'goodnight' in her ear. Slightly stunned, Emory took a minute to open the door behind her and slip inside. She looked back, but because of the bright lights of the hall she couldn't see him outside, but somehow she was still certain he was standing there.

Suddenly, her phone began ringing and she jumped at the vibration from her pocket. She yanked it out and paused at the unfamiliar number.

"Hello?"

"And now, you have my number," Theo's deep voice rang in her ear. "Goodnight, Emory."

"Goodnight, Theo," she replied, unable to fight the smile on her face at those few words. She went through the motions of getting ready for bed on autopilot and fell asleep quickly, thinking the blonde angry girl had to be wrong, there was no way Theo was anything more than a truly good person.