Wild

Chapter 3

There was a commotion in the hall as Claire left her law class. All the other students riled around something that looked like a bleeding, big guy. Which she thought was weird. The sun was shining in her eyes as she walk outside. She flinched and walked on a few steps before getting pulled down by a mistaken step. She fell like a sack of potatoes and all her books flung around.

"Great.", she said before taking a quick scan to see if anybody saw her. She scattered across the concrete floor trying to herd all her books and journals together until she saw a hand extended to snatch up some of her books.

"Think you dropped this." It was a man's voice.

"Yeah sorry. There was a step."

"Last time a checked, stepping meant walking, not falling.", the dark haired guy said.

"Haha well sometimes I'm just ditsy."

"And the other times?"

"The other times I'm just me."

The guy smiled. "Are you new around here?"

"Yeah, moved here with my family a few weeks ago. Which is why I mistook that step."

"Don't worry, you'll get him next time." Another brief smile. "My name's Chase."

"Claire. Pleased to meet you."

"Claire, huh, it suits you."

"Thanks, my mom picked it.", Claire said with a smile.

"Well bravo, mom.", Chase said, thinking, "Did you just bravo?"

"Yeah, well, I never looked like a Jennifer anyway."

"Too ditsy?"

"No, my nose is too big.", Claire said, thinking, "Why the fuck would you tell him that you think your nose is big?"

"Well, seeing as I did rescue your books from mortal dread by dirt, you now owe me.", Chase said while handing Claire's textbooks over to her.

"Oh and who said I needed your help?"

"Yeah, but see that's the thing about us heroes. We never ask about rushing to save a damsel in distress. We just show up."

Claire smiled. "Well thank you for saving my books, but I'm not the type of person to owe people stuff."

"Good, me neither.", Chase said. He looked over her shoulder to see campus security coming his way. "I've got to go. Was kinda just in a fight and if security catches me, I'm banned from campus."

Claire laughed, which was returned in a serious stare.

"Oh, you're serious?", she asked.

"Yeah, I'm not too loved here.", Chase said as he pulled a joking face. "See you around, Claire."

"Yeah, maybe I can call you whenever I fall over again."

"I can only hope.", Chase said with a smirk as he turned away toward his car.

"So that's Chase Williamson.", Claire thought as she watched him climb into his '67 Fastback. On the drive home with Cousin Meg she started investigating.

"So, what's Chase like?"

"Chase? That's a random question to ask?"

"I talked to him today."

Meg almost rolled the car after she heard that. "What?! Are you fucking serious right now? You've only been here 3 weeks. I was here most my life and not even a second glance from him."