Reflections

Chapter 2

A cool, gentle draught of wind tickles my face. Golden brown, almond shaped eyes. Curly hair, dark and messy. Tattoos, dark and dangerous against smooth, tan skin. I wake with a start, hands flying to my head. What? WHY was I just dreaming about You-Know-Who? He's not even THAT attractive; I mean, what respectable person has THAT many tattoos? Head tilting to the side, I observe my surroundings. Okay, so maybe he's a tiny bit good-looking. So, what? His attitude is GROSS; Who does he think he is, talking to me like that?

I mean, there's so many cute guys out there. My eyes search around the library; jumping from bookshelf to bookshelf, looking for someone, anyone, that could help dissuade my mind from thoughts of him. Imploringly, desperately, I search. I must look like a madwoman to the outside world; my eyes narrowed like a cat's, neck bending at speeds that shouldn't be humanly possible. Searching, searching. Someone, anyone. Until finally, bingo. Some guy who sits 2 seats across from me in The Witch's lectures. Blue eyes. Red hair. Freckles I can see even from here. What's his name again? Jack? No. Roger? John? Jake? Yes! It's Jake, for sure! I should totally sit next to him in The Witch's next class. Serves that idiot right. I'm not his admirer; I'm Joh—JAKE'S.

Wait. What did I just think of?

Class.

Oh God.

Class.

Frantic, I pull out my phone from my pocket to check the time. 9:20 am...class started at...?

SHOOT!

Without a word or a backwards glance to Jack/John/Jake, I grab my bag, my books, my phone, anything, and RUN.

The corridors are full to the brim; people and chatter and laughter surround me. I can't see, I can't hear, I can't breathe. A single thought resounds in my mind, bouncing against my skull; prodding, poking at every nerve. Blood pumps. I sweat. I sweat. The Witch is going to KILL ME.

Swerving, nearly colliding into every person I pass, a storm brews in my head; an inner turmoil inside my mind as I realise what this means. The Witch. The Witch. I'm going to be kicked out of her class, and then I won't have enough credits to finish the semester and then I'll fail this year and then I'll fail college and then I won't be able to get a job and then I'll be homeless and then I'll proba—

SLAM. The side of my body collides straight into a firm chest. Books and papers tear through the air, while I fall; collapse, on the hard, dirty floor. My mind goes blank, the storm slowly subsiding as my shaking fingers search the ground for my missing papers.

Registering what just happened, I look up to see a broad, muscular figure with golden brown eyes and curly hair and toned arms and a jawline so sharp it could cut paper.

"Watch where you're going," he states, and makes a move to step around me, rolling his eyes, as if already bored.

"You're not even going to help me?" I call back, dumbfounded.

Turning around, the figure raises his eyebrows at me. A blank gaze adorns his once so handsome features. Those same features I stared at, dreamt of. He is unresponsive. A roll of the eyes. Slow, calculated movements back towards me. A slight bend of the torso.

He grips the last book from the ground, the rest in my hands. I freeze in place, enamoured by the gorgeous bronze eyes I find myself gazing into.

NO. Pull yourself together, Val. You will NOT be another one of his stupid 'admirers'.

I force myself to look away, inspecting my book in his hands. Long, lean fingers, slightly calloused. A scar on the left thumb. No. Stop, you idiot. KNOCK IT OFF! I pull my gaze away, looking into his eyes, expecting him to give me my book back. A smirk plays on his lips.

"Don't think I did this because I like you or something. I would feel bad if I left without giving you a good look of this face."

I sneer, snatching my book from him and standing up. Who does he think he is? He's NOT better than me, or anyone else! How dare he go around, treating people like this; like he's doing them a favour by simply existing? Ha! You wish!

Feigning boredom at his remark, I pull my phone from my pocket to see just how late I am now.

"Great! It's 9:26! Class was supposed to start at 10 past! Thanks a lot!" I shout, looking around manically.

I can't deal with this. Turning the opposite direction to my class, I make the rash decision to skip altogether. I'm so not in the mood to deal with The Witch. I hear him snicker as I notice that he too, is skipping class.