I awake later to find I slept through my first lecture and force myself to be ready for the next. I change into a new top and jumper because after passing out in bed the ones I had been wearing are now creased. I'm a slob, but I'm not that much of a slob.

When I arrive at the Stefansson lecture hall at ten to twelve there are a couple people who linger around as they wait. I'm looking down at my converse when someone taps me on the shoulder tentatively. I look up and meet crystal blue eyes which are tucked behind a set of glasses perched on his nose. It's Man Bun Mason. I almost don't recognise him with the glasses.

"Hey, I didn't realise you were in this class too," I comment in surprise.

"Yeah, a lot of people are surprised, but I like the idea of being a sports reporter. Sounds like a good back up plan." He smiles as he talks about it. The doors to the lecture hall open and people stream out in waves before Mason and I enter together. I choose a seat in the second row from the back and as I begin pulling out my laptop from my handbag, Mason takes a sit behind me. He glances at me and asks, "this is okay, yeah?"

I nod immediately. Ten minutes later the lecturer begins talking and explains the course outline for the semester and upcoming assignments. Three out of the five will be individual work whilst the other two will be in pairs. Mason and I just look at each other in silent agreement.

Surprisingly, the lecture continues smoothly and two hours later we're packing up and leaving for the campus cafeteria. As I walk down the line of food, I observe all the questionable menu items. A lumpy casserole, a green curry, and chicken schnitzel. I settle for a simple turkey sandwich on rye bread and head over to a table where Luce waves at me from.

As I take a seat on the right side of Luce, Mason settles in beside me. He's not there for very long before I feel a presence behind me and a deep, cold voice comments, "Beat it, Andrews."

"Seth?" Mason asks and blinks in confusion, but as if possessed scoots over a seat, dragging his tray behind him.

I glance behind my shoulder and notice that I can finally place a name to the crush who I've made a fool of myself in front of twice in as many days. He catches my eyes and smirks cheekily, offering a casual, "Hey, Doe," as he takes the now available seat beside me.

I screw my eyes together, a crease forming on my forehead. Clearly, Luce is just as confused about the name as she questions, "Doe?"

Seth spares her a second's glass before returning his eyes to me as he explains. "Yeah, don't you think she looks a little lost? Just like a Doe."

As if my eyebrows weren't furrowed enough, it increases forming a glare. "That's funny, if I made a deduction on the way you looked I'd say that you're intellectually inept. Not to recycle an old saying, but didn't your mother tell you not to judge a book by the cover?" I surprise myself with how smart I come off sounding and how completely unlike myself I become. I have never been snarky, but something about the fact that this gorgeous guy has already seen me in one of my worst states rubs me the wrong way.

The cheekiness in his voice disappears as his tone becomes more serious, "I'm sure she would have if she hadn't died giving birth to me..."

Luce sucks in a sharp breath and my eyes widen in shock at his words. He watches me as I let that statement settle in, struggling with how I respond. Not a couple seconds later he bursts out laughing, "Kidding! My mother is alive and well." He slaps his knee, "That was hilarious, you really believed it."

Tears begin to blur my vision at his obvious oblivion to my own feelings and mental battle at this moment. Even though the tears clouding my vision I can see Luce's eyes turn fiery. She glares at Seth and as if in slow motion, picks up the bottle of coke from her tray, stands and poor's it all over Seth's head.

I wish I could laugh. Regardless of the fact that I find what she did funny, my lips are glued into a grimace. Seth jumps out of the seat in anger and exclaims, "What the hell, Luce! This is my favourite shirt!"

She ignores his cries, pulls me from my own seat by the arm and as we leave comments in disgust, "Her parents did die, you ignorant fuck."

#

Luce and I end up outside under one of the gazebos. We take a seat and I place my hands on the white timber ledge, resting my chin on them. Luce follows suit.

"I'm sorry he was a dickhead. I mean he is usually with a lot of people, but he crossed the line making a joke about shit like that." She sighs. "He has his good qualities deep, deep, deep, deep down. Hopefully, he gives you the opportunity to see that."

I continue looking off into space, at the large oak tree that sits a couple feet away and overhangs the gazebo. From here, I can still make out every crease, every marking and the slight variations in colour. "You shouldn't apologise for him."

"I—" Luce starts but is cut off.

"She's right, Luce," I can hear Seth tell her, his tone kind. "Do you mind..." He directs the question towards the both of us.

I nod my head slightly, still staring at the tree, and Luce places a hand on my shoulder. She leans down and whispers into my ear, "Try to give him a chance. If he's still an asshole, I'll help you beat him up," she quips as she walks away. I watch her as she leaves and see her similarly graze her hand over his shoulder as she passes.

After Luce has left, neither of us speak for several moments. I turn to face Seth, placing my hands on my lap and fiddle my fingers.

"Look, I'll just say it straight. I'm an asshole. Sometimes—all the time—I speak without thinking and I went too far." He speaks so sincerely that I'm taken aback. His amber eyes stare at me with a sweet intensity and I feel the goosebumps form on my arms and legs.

"I guess I can pride myself in knowing my deduction was correct, you are intellectually challenged." He laughs and, despite myself, I find myself chuckling too.

He comes to his knees in front of me, takes my hand in his and places it over his heart; the steady thump under my palm is calming in a way. "So," he pauses, "can you find it in your devastatingly generous heart to forgive this intellectually challenged piece of shit?"

My mind floats back to how he helped me this morning, how his words of reassurance and comfort had drawn me out of my own mental imprisonment. I heave a sigh, jokingly, "I suppose so."

His hands let go of my own and cup my cheeks as he squeezes, pushing my lips into a pout. "Seriously, thank you," he places a quick, chaste kiss on my cheek.

"You helped me this morning, it's the least I can do. I'm sorry you saw me like that, I wish I could tell you it's not a regular occurrence, but that would be a lie so. In all reality, I should probably be thanking you, but I..." I stop, not knowing what how to continue, but as if he can read my mind, Seth finishes for me.

"... had to get out of there, I understand. Things can be overwhelming sometimes and whatever you were going through, it must have been tough." It doesn't sound like he speaks from experience, but the way he talks, with such complete understanding and knowledge, maybe I was wrong about him being stupid. "I know I was a dick, and I would absolutely understand if you refuse, but how did they die?" His off his knees by now, and has instead taken a seat beside me, where Luce had been several minutes before.

I debate whether to open up to him. Unlike Luce, I haven't known him as long, but he's already seen me hyperventilate in the middle of a pharmacy aisle, which is still utterly embarrassing. "When I was twelve, my childhood home went up in flames. They said it started because someone left a tea towel next to the stove while the gas was still on, that someone was me. It was my fault and after everything I'm the one who survived and not them, I literally killed my own parents." The truth pours out like the tears streaming down my cheeks at this moment. "My parents would hate me if they were still here."

"I really doubt they think that. I don't know them and I won't pretend like I do, but if they're anything like my own, I'm 100% sure that they would be proud of who you are. We all have our demons and go through challenging things, but not all of us manage to come out on top. You're still here, you're not living just yet, but you're surviving. It's time to live and know what it's like to be and feel alive. Something tells me you've been holding back because you don't think you deserve a happy ending and that doesn't sit well with me." Wow. I have no words. Seth really is something and I hate to talk too soon but it seems like I have completely misjudged him.

"You... you really are something, you know that?" My mouth is wide open and for once I don't care that I do indeed reflect a deer in the headlights.

His lips tug into that signature smirk that I already know so well and he nudges my shoulder, "That's what they tell me." Once again, his hand finds mine as he clasps it in his own and pulls me gently to my feet. "I believe we've been gone long enough. Care to join me back in the cafeteria, milady?"

I nod, my lips turning up at their own corners to form a smile. He returns it and tucks my hand into the crook of his arm as we walk back towards the others, talking casually as we do and all the while the only thing on my mind is how I really hope he continues to prove me wrong.