literature | d.h x r

twenty-three

you

Everyone around me was typing away, trying to complete their literature dissertations for the upcoming closure of the term. They were all so focused on their pieces and batted no eyelids elsewhere other than their laptop screens and their chosen books.
Everyone apart from me, of course.
I kept my eyes on Daniel, thinking and questioning exactly was goodness I'd done to have him waltz into my life. I didn't expect him to be such a man. My heart and mind went crazy almost every time he moved.
There was this one time, especially, when he stretched his neck and even from my back seat, I could see every muscle and every vein and every feature.
I knew my jaw had dropped, my heart was in my eyes and a I managed to keep my gasps to myself.
Dan leaned back in his chair and eventually looked up at me. A smirk hit his face as I winked at him. We shared a smile before he cleared his throat and adjusted his sitting position. He blushed a shade of deep, deep red and hesitantly looked between me and his work.
Oh god.. did I turn him on? 
I let myself return my focus to my essay. Smiling at the thought of Dan, he completely motivated me to carry on. I noticed the session only had a few minutes left. Dan must've realised this too as he stood up from his desk.
"Everyone?!" He spoke quite loudly to get the attention of those with earphones in. People turned their music off and looked to Mr Howell, then the clock. They knew what he was about to say and got one step ahead of him.
"See you all on Friday.." he sat back down as the other attendees dismissed themselves. I, instead, packed my bag slowly to be the last in the room.
Dan greeted me at the bottom of the stairs in his swivel chair. He tilted his head to the side and smiled, hinting he wanted a kiss on his cheek. Providing his wish, I cupped his chin in my hand and kissed him.
"Got much left to do?"
"Just the three thousand words of my personal response." I proudly announced my progress on my final piece.
"Let me see it after, just in case. I'm proud of you."
My heart was bouncing around in my body. It was full and exploding with butterflies and fireworks, metaphorically of course. His expression as he said the last part read genuine.
Dan was proud of me.
"Thank you.." I said quietly, smiling between him and my hands.
"So, Orange is the New Black?!" He slapped his desk and looked wide-eyed at me.
"Did you finish it like I asked you to?"
Dan and I watched the three episodes leading to the finale while eating pizza two nights ago. I asked him to finish it so we could gossip about it all the time, from now on.
"Badison, what a cunt."
"Harsh language. But on the topic of those, Frieda tops. Red deserved to see her grandchildren."
"Red deserved better generally."
"No. Nicky, Lorna, Blanca and fucking Taystee deserved better. Don't start me about Taystee or I'll cry for a month."
Dan and I started to giggle at my threat. He was resting his elbows on his desk and I sat next to his arms, propped up on the desk. We were close, seemingly too close but that was nothing for us.
The door opened and Miss Gates began to descend the stairs. We didn't notice straight away, being in our own world with each other stole our focus.
"Well, I hope it's only talking the pair of you are doing."
I looked to her and tried to deduce what she knew and saw. Her face screamed sarcasm so I played it off as her joking around. Smiling, but highly uncomfortable, I simply nodded to her.
Dan pushed himself away from the desk and stood up. He cleared his throat and I watched as he stepped into her. A smirk hit his face and his shoulders tensed.
"Anna, come on. You know me."
Complete confusion struck my mind as I looked between Dan and Anna. They were both smiling and looking at each other.
As if she was pausing to think about Dan?
She shook her head and looked away briefly. Her eyes crossed me and then back to Dan.
"Stanley wants you." She said in a low tone, probably trying to annoy me.
"I'll be right there."
Anna nodded at him, looked at me with the most smug glance I'd seen and began to leave the room.
Dan's smile throughout her whole presence was one I wasn't familiar with. I didn't like it and I was more than obviously jealous. I grabbed my backpack and phone and tried to hold myself together as I headed for the door behind Dan.
"Where are you going? I'll take you home?" He sounded genuinely confused and concerned. I knew he was chasing me, trying to stop me from leaving.
I knew I was probably overreacting; but I did feel hurt. Dan was completely blind to me being in the room. It was just Anna and him, in his point of view.
"It's fine. I've got to do some good shopping on the way."
"All the more reason for me to take you."
"Take the hint." I turned to face him, my head filled with anger but my heart filled with love and hurt battling each other.
I didn't even think Dan knew why I felt this way. It seemed fine to him, flirting around, suggesting himself.
I backed out of the door and hurled myself outside. Taking some deep breaths and closing my eyes, I started to walk away from the campus.