Under the Tree

Tuesday - February 18

Jaylen's phone buzzed against her hip. She was going to ignore it so that she could continue to study for her anatomy quiz, except for the fact that her phone continued to vibrate. Wondering who could be blowing her phone up like that, she picked it up. Jaylen nearly dropped the phone seeing Kyonze's name. It shouldn't have shocked her, he texted her over the weekend to check on how the team was doing, and he'd texted her before and after her flight. But each time that his name came up on her display she still felt that twinge in her stomach.

Jaylen hesitated before opening the messages, she didn't want to seem too eager by reading them right after he'd sent them. Her eyes popped open, Kyonze was really dangerous for her health. Devon was asleep in the next room, but her nap could wait. This was too good to not share immediately. Jaylen jumped out of her bed, knocking on Devon's door. There was a pause, and Jaylen was going to knock again, when she heard stirring inside the room.

Devon opened the door, her eyes squinting to block out the light. She hummed, having no power to speak immediately after waking up. Jaylen handed her the phone, Devon's eyes still squinted. Jaylen watched Devon's face eagerly, waiting to see her reaction.

"Oh he wants you to come over?!" she finally spoke. Her face broke into a grin, Jaylen immediately regretting it as she began to smile too.

"Ewwww." she snatched her phone back, from the giggling girl.

"Please say you're going J, please." Devon said, as she moved around her room. Since she was awake, she began to gather her things for her next class. Jaylen sighed, she really wanted to. But she had no idea how she'd handle being alone with him.

"I don't know, I mean I have class..."

"At five o'clock. It's not even three yet. You have time." Devon stated. There was no way that she'd let Jaylen even think about passing up the chance to hang out with Kyonze. The girls had had their eyes on the Alpha Rho Kappa boys for far too long to come this close and miss out.

Jaylen sighed. She knew Devon was right, but Kyonze was no ordinary guy. Even with the ordinary guys she was still apprehensive, like Oliver who she'd met last year. She'd asked Devon to come with her to The Pen and "supervise" their hangout. And when he invited her over, Jaylen wanted Devon to be there, just so she wasn't alone.

So many thoughts were floating around in her mind, it was hard for her to process them. But he's a Greek. He's a senior. He's part of the Ark. He's a sweetheart. Why me?

"Jaylen get out of your head. Pack up your backpack and take your 'marked by the Ark' ass downstairs to room 227." Devon ordered. Jaylen let out a small laugh, and turned back to her room. As she packed up her stuff, her hands shook and her heart was pounding. They still trembled as she typed her reply to Kyonze, asking for his room number but also explaining that she had class at five.

Deciding not to suffer alone, she went and sat in Devon's room. Devon's grin never left her face as she hopped back into her bed. I can't stand her. Kyonze responded, Jaylen tempted to throw her phone across the room. He gave her his room number - as if she didn't know - and told her that he'd walk to her to class. She really had no reason not to go now. Her limbs became heavy with reluctance. Devon hopped out of her bed, and gently nudged Jaylen out into the hallway.

"Go. You're going to regret it if you don't. Besides, it's your turn, since I hung out with Dominic yesterday." she urged. Jaylen knew she was right, but still she wanted to be dramatic. Her legs felt like bricks as she walked outside to take the freight elevator. Even though she knew that nothing crazy was going to happen to her, she felt apprehensive. Her stomach was churning like it always was when she felt like something was going to happen.