Wherever the waves would take her

Exuberance at the prospect of a sister-less existence

"Are you okay?". The owner of the hand asked.

He was pale but cute in a geeky kind of way, his hair long enough to start curling. He slowly pulled Evie to his feet and she found herself tilting her head slightly upwards to meet his gaze.

Goddess did this boy need a tan. She could only imagine his bare behind against the sun, sand and sea-

"-Y-yes, I think so. I was planning to give whoever knocked me down a piece of my mind but." She indicated with her chin at the books surrounding him. "I guess you were punished enough already."

Evie held up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun as a smile crept up her lips, teasing him. "Your skin could probably replace a lighthouse beacon. When was the last time you got a tan?"

A twitch on the male's lips made her grin even wider. She liked this human already.

Which reminded her.

Her hand flew to the pommel of her sais, ensuing that they were still strapped to her before taking the opportunity to grab his chin. Turning his face from side to side to try to see if his eyes were just a trick of the light, Evie pretended to view the bruise slowly forming on one of his cheekbones before realising what she had just done to a complete stranger.

Snatching her hand away from his face with another wince at her mistake, she bent down to collect the rest of his books to hide her red face.

"Ahem. Nope, not a vampire." She tried to brush off the secondhand embarassment that she was already feeling. It was like she was watching herself in an out of body experience.

"I'm sorry what?" The male chuckled as the laugh lines around his eyes crinkled with amusement.

Straightening up, she realised that he had just stepped out of a university library.

Guess it was just my imagination with the eyes, I've been out of action for too long. She thought.

"Think I'll hold up fine, not the first time I've not learned the hard way from balancing that many books." The charming stranger was still smiling, clearly attempting to initiate a conversation as he rubbed his cheek.

Her reply was immediately interrupted by footsteps pounding on the pavement heading towards them. Evie busied herself by handing him a couple more books.

"Evie, I think our Grandmother would have been able to outrun you in her mobility scooter at this rate and I have half a mind to steal your keys and drive Mor and myse- oh hello T.E."

Evie looked up at Rowena standing in front of them, taking in the view of her and the stranger attempting to balance the mountain of books in his arms.

"Hey Rowena, Evie was it? I'm T.E Fraser. I work with Rowena at the university." The stranger breaks out into a grin as he moved closer to her. He smelled like smoky resin and violets.

Evie forced herself not to let her eyes roam down his body. Especially the look that he had given her made her cheeks warmslightly. "T.E?"

"Nickname that stuck with me through the years. I think that saved me the trouble of asking for your name. How does coffee sound at Pasticceria Da Bonifacio at eight tomorrow morning? It's not far from St Mark's."

Evie blinked. "I'm sorry what-".

"-just take it as your way of apologising for this". He points at his bruised cheek. "And I hope it doesn't hurt to say that I am keen to make new friends."

"You don't even have my number."

"T.E does now." Rowena shoved her phone into her back pocket as she stared at Evie and T.E, her face impassive. "I will not be denied pie any longer-"