What Life Holds

Chapter 29

Notes:

Additional Cast:

John Slattery as Mr. Emerton

Heather Locklear as Ms. Russell

Joseph's POV

I arrive exactly at 11.30 in front of the building at Elm Street, at Anthropological Sciences Campus. Alice is already there waiting for me. She is standing near the entrance, with her hands crossed and supporting her weight on her left leg. She is wearing jeans with a light white sweater and white converses. She's carrying a blue bag and her light brown hair is in loose curls falling across her face.

The jeans point out her curved body perfectly and I can't help myself imagining my hands exploring it. Why this girl is so attractive and a pain in the ass in the same time? This is so fucking annoying! What's even most annoying is that I find her attractive! I try to choke these thoughts as I approach her.

"Hello partner in crime." I greet her with a smile.She gives me an examining look and then smiles back.

"Hello James Bond wannabe! I am impressed you didn't show up in a tuxedo."

"I was considering it, but I am not sure if you could handle the sight." It's so amusing teasing her and waiting for her reactions. I could do that all day, as her quips never disappoint me. Although sometimes they drive me up the wall, but still, I can't stop it.

"I have seen worse things, so I think I would be fine!"

"Keep saying that to yourself... Maybe you'll believe it in the end." I lean a bit to be inches away from her face.

She stares back into my eyes, but I can't read her face. I can't understand if I make her feel uncomfortable or nervous or intimidated by my presence. I can never foresee her reactions, like with all the other women and that drives me crazy and even more intrigued. Normally any other girl would be aroused, if I was that close to her, but not Alice.

"Keep trying persuading yourself that I am falling under your spell. It's hard to know there is a woman resisting to your ridiculous charms, isn't it?" she shoots back, without avoiding eye contact.

"I haven't even put the least of my charms in functioning. I've already told you. You're not on my interest list, but if you were, you wouldn't know what hit you." I am still inches from her face and all she does is letting go an exasperated huff and giving me an irritating glare.

"As much as I want to answer you back right now, this is not the time and place. We have work to do." she says in a commanding voice.

"I am aware of that! You're the chatty person here, who's getting distracted." I give her a playful look, which meets her glare.

"Me??? You're the one, who-" I look askance at her and she stops annoyed. "Ok I stop! I will rave to you later and you'll listen to me without interrupting." she orders pointing at me with an angry look and all I do is chuckle, because I find her face adorable like that; even though I try really hard not to.

"Fine, but where's the fun if I don't answer you back?" I move my index finger in front of her. "Anyway do you have your precious paper?"I ask, since if her easily distracted brain forgot it, this meeting will be for nothing.

"Yeah it's right here!" She flashes her stick in front of me. "These two days I did all the adjustments, that I spent doing that freaking day in the library." she frowns instantly and I can't help but feeling somehow sorry for her.

Even if I don't know her very well as a person, because all we do is yell to each other and exchange quips, I believe that she's determined and doesn't slack off. Plus she must have worked really hard for it.