Bloodstained Love Bite

3: Cold Shoulder

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"I don't think you should be cracking your knuckles... And maybe you should stop, well, pacing..."

Amy huffed and stopped in the middle of the living room. "I'm really nervous."

Michael fixed his tie as he stood up from Matty's couch. "I can see that. That's why Evie told me to come here half an hour before I originally planned to pick you up." He grinned and held his hand out to her. "You'll be fine. Today, you'll meet your colleagues, you'll get your class schedule, you'll have lunch with me in the cafe and then I'll take you home. Okay?"

Seemed easy enough didn't it? But no, she had to go ahead and have an anxiety attack. All week she'd been waking up in the morning thinking, 'only x-amount of days left,' and last night it was like, bam! Tomorrow is the day.

She barely had any sleep last night because she was worried about what to wear and how to have her hair. She ended up deciding between a pantsuit and a knee length grey skirt. She went with the skirt in the end and she had her hair down in a mess of thick brown waves. Amy didn't have a clue what to expect. They could all be wearing surfer shorts and a tank top for all she knew.

Well, Michael sure as the high heavens wasn't, she thought. He was dressed in grey slacks a light navy dress shirt and a grey and blue stripped tie. He looked too handsome to comprehend and she couldn't help but think about how lucky her best friend was.

He'd noticed her split second evaluation of him when she opened the door and he immediately reassured her that she was dressed appropriately for a meeting.

She placed her hand in his after picking up her empty brown satchel and allowed him to lead her outside. Matty wasn't even awake to wish her luck on her first day. Then again it was almost eight o'clock. Plus he had left a tasteful note on her cereal box saying not to pop the bones in her hands too much and to have fun.

"Amy, you'll be fine. I personally know the head of the department and I know she will welcome you with open arms."

She settled into the front seat of his dark blue Mercedes. "What about everyone else?"

"Her husband Russell Langley will keep her in check if she gets out of line."

"They work together?"

"Yeah. You should see them bickering on a good day, it's almost like a bomb just waiting to explode." He chuckled. "I don't know many of the other professors in that department but we do cross paths every once in a while."

She held a hand to her erratic heart and sighed. "I'm nauseous."

He let out a chuckle and started down the road. The twenty minute drive was in a comfortable silence but the sound of the news on the radio filled the car. Michael would pay attention every few seconds with a serious and odd look on his face but he'd relax a little and carry on toward the Burnaby campus.

After a long spiralling road she started to see a sign welcoming them onto the campus and she sighed. Here we go.

They passed many buildings slowly and he explained what each were. The lecture halls, the theatre, the on campus diner or restaurants. This place wasn't bad at all. He then pointed out an occupied football field and her interest peaked.

"There's the Terry Fox field and the fitness centre behind it. John's training them early. He's getting them ready for their first match in the middle of fall."

She stared out of the window and adjusted her glasses to look at the field of boys running very strict drills. She spotted John standing by a few of them from afar but she couldn't see his face. She didn't need to though. She knew it was him just by the way he stood.