The Outsider

13. The Challenge (Part One)

13. The Challenge (Part One)

One may ask how big a university's courtyard is. An idiot would respond with, 'which one?' A normal person would say, 'who cares?'

Me? At this point, walking across this one, trying to keep my eyes on everyone but the attractive, mystery guy I was heading toward, I would say that it was the longest fucking distance you could think of.

The subtle nods and the less subtle, weird finger guns I was doing at random students I had never seen before in an effort to keep my attention diverted from where I was heading, was doing nothing in making the trip shorter.

I had, honestly, thought the walk would be over by now. The smile I had plastered on my face was starting to ache, and the skip in my step was beginning to dimmish, and I was starting to think I was making a mistake.

Though, as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I found myself only a few steps from the infatuater.

I really hoped I didn't have to keep calling him that. Or anything else that wasn't his name. At the very least I could have at least tried to pick something that was an actual word.

"Great day, isn't it?" I asked without thinking, leaning up against the wall next to the infatuater.

You would think I would have thought of something to say on my way toward him.

I did not.

I really wanted to say something else. Something smart and charming, but my mouth had a way of saying anything it wanted before it went through any of my sensors. Though, truth be told, I probably wouldn't have come up with anything better, even if I took the entire time of my endless walk to think of it.

A low grunt came from the infatuater, and he shifted beside me, sending a whiff of his cologne drifting my way. It was a subtle sent of vanilla and something else I couldn't quite pick, though I couldn't deny it smelt good.

He smelt good.

My stomach seemed to agree, as it spun around inside me with excitement, though I did my best to ignore it.

I failed.

"I'm glad you agree. Nothing worse than someone who thinks you're an idiot for commenting on the weather," I continued, still not thinking before I spoke, and silently cursing myself.

It wasn't uncommon for me to do that, but in the situation I was in, trying to impress someone, it would be nice if my brain and the respected parts of my body worked together for once.

"What do you want?" The voice was the same as it had been the other day at the store.

The smooth golden tone melted over me, though there was an undertone of roughness. It was a voice I could fall asleep listening to. Which was a little creepy, but at this point in my dry spell, it didn't surprise me what I found attractive.

"Well, a name would be nice," I said, keeping my voice even, despite the excitement and nerves flooding my body.

In seconds, hopefully, I would no longer have to refer to him by a made-up word.

"Why do you care?"

God, fucking damn it.

"Is it wrong to want to get to know someone?" I asked, finally turning to look at him.

His eyes were already lingering on me. The light green radiated a warmth that the rest of him didn't. It was as though they hadn't received the message about being unwelcoming.

"Jasper," he muttered, keeping his eyes trained on me, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't loving it.

"No, I'm Matthew," I responded, before suddenly realising I was an idiot. "Jasper is your name. Which I knew you that was what you were talking about. I knew that, and didn't, for one moment, think you were calling me Jasper."