"you picked a dance with the devil now you're lucked down"

chase atlantic — "swim"

"Literally so disrespectful!" I say in a loud whisper as my eyes close tightly. With the intention to locate my best friend, Ada, in the dining hall while a hundred of other students walk around with snacks or drinks on their hands, my search for her is accompanied by a long sigh out from my mouth. It doesn't take me long to find the woman that has made this living hell a less annoying experience, her giant curls are the main thing in the room. "So immature. I hate it here!" I immediately sit down next to her. My head rests on the table waiting for a word from Ada, but she doesn't say anything. Instead, a laugh comes out of her mouth.

Ada and her audacity to laugh at my own misery. I look at her, sweet smile and shining silver jewellery she always carries around her neck, making her dark skin even more prettier than it already is. Her brown almost black eyes stare at mine, beautiful that could make any man hers if she wanted to. Her curls move as she does, carefully and gently falling on each sides of her face.  Complimenting her and her sharp features. Even if I'm drowning in my own frustration, she manages to make my brain focus on her own beauty than my problems.

"What is it this time?" Ada asks, taking the spoon full of soup to her mouth after.

"I don't wanna talk about it." I play dramatic, like I usually do.

The thing is, I do want to talk about it. Before Ada can let out a word, I frustratedly wave my hands around. "They're on my cereal!"

"What?" Ada asks confused, rising her eyebrows and a chuckle escaping her.

"Those two freshman! They're making out in front of my cereal!" I point towards them making Ada turn around. With her giant curls moving alongside with her, she sees the two people kissing passionately in front of the cereal container on the table. The cause of my frustration.

"First of all, that's disgusting." She says, turning back to face me.

"That's what I'm saying! They have their disgusting little tongues mangling" I start to play with my fingers together simulating their tongues "and playing around like two slimy worms!"

"That made it even worst!" Ada complaints, shaking her head to erase the ugly memory I've created inside her head.

"Yeah! I had that mental picture in my head since I first saw them and I need you to suffer with me. That's what friends are for!"

"Lil! You're a 22 year old woman, you are more than capable to handle two horny teenagers. I've seen you wanting to fight fraternity boys when they didn't give you an extra opportunity to win again at beer pong."

I was drunk that night and I do remember being held back by two strangers at the party... yes, not one of my proudest moments.

Ada is right, but I'm not going to give her that satisfaction, so, instead, I let my head rest back as a big sigh comes out of my mouth. "I can't believe I'm a senior in college and I still have to deal with horny teenagers. Why are they making out in the dining hall at 2 am in the morning? Don't they have to unpack some stuff? Class starts in two days!"

Ada lets out a chuckle. "Since when do you care about when classes start? You sound like an old lady. Go there and kick their asses so you can get your much adored 2 am snack!" Smacking the side of my arm, she then goes back to the soup and book in front of her, leaving me alone to have my own crisis over a couple of horny teenagers.

My eyes roll unintentionally when I get up from the chair ready to head towards the table where the cereal is peacefully waiting for me. I turn to see the two teenagers now feeling every single part of the other's body with their hands. The annoyance in my face immediately turns into disgust that I can feel my dinner going up to my throat.

Ada's words run back to my mind when that expression slowly fades away from my face. I do sound like an old lady. Hate to admit it, but she's right, again.

Well! To be fair, I did spent the first semester of my senior year getting good grades and trying to not die in the process, partying and going crazy on a Tuesday night was a thing of the years prior to this one. Wanting to graduate and figure out what the hell am I gonna do with my life is the task of this year, and what better way to do that than in my last semester of college? Because once all of this is over, the most horrifying thing is waiting for me on the other side: adulthood. I'm definitely not excited for that one.

But I was trying so hard to accomplish not going into the next years of my life like a little scared cat, that I forgot to have fun. That's what I live for! Fun! Having adventures! Getting drunk! It's college, god damn it!

What happened to the old Lilith? The one that would stay up until 6 am in the morning and eat pizza before going to class? The one that would win every beer pong game without a fail? The one that didn't care about anything else except having fun and fooling around with college students every weekend?

"Can I help you with something?" A strange male voice speaks in front of me. Losing my thoughts inside of my head like an eraser just went through them, I realize I'm standing by the two strangers' side. For the looks on their faces and the fact that they stopped making out to stare at me confused, takes me to the conclusion I may be looking a little bit crazy. To be fair, I am standing by their side without saying a word with my eyes locked in them as they were making out.

Creepy?

Probably.

"Hello?" The guy asks again.

"Yeah,—" I say, slowly nodding. "Can you two move so I can get cereal?" I point to the container. They both look back and I wait impatiently for their answer, hoping to see them move without a confrontation, but then the girl turns to me.

"No—" she says rolling her eyes "Go get it somewhere else."

This little... asshole.

"Where do you want me to get it? It's 2 AM in the morning!" The girl raises an eyebrow and I lift one back at her, copying her expression. "You look at me like that but I'm not the one making out with someone in the middle of the dining hall, you literally have the 'make out' bush right outside the door. It's been there for generations for a reason!"

"I want to make out here." The girl says, rolling her eyes. "It's not my problem you can't find someone to make out and handle your annoying ass."

My ass is beautiful, for your information! Sometimes annoying, yes, but beautiful!

"Look, I'm in the middle of a life crisis right now and in two days I start the last semester of this hell. You better fucking move because in three years when you're like me you'll want the two horny freshmen to move away from the snacks." I say quickly not wanting to get into an argument with a freshman girl at 2 AM in the morning, is "cereal and crying for half hour until I play some good music time". I wave my hand in front of their faces to push them away. "Go exchange saliva somewhere else, please!"

I move towards the cereal as they both roll their eyes and walk away from the table. "You're crazy." I hear the girl say behind me, but I don't turn around.

"Thank you, freshman girl."

A little proud smile comes out of my lips when a start to pour the cereal on a bowl, loving every single second of it. My mouth is already tasting it, sweet and sugary, my tongue wants me to get a spoon and eat every single piece of cereal, it can't wait. Even the sound of each cereal hitting the bowl is music to my ears.

I turn around to head towards the table where the milk is when I notice a guy with a black hood on pouring the last bottle of it to his coffee.

I walk towards him and for my luck, he leaves the milk on the table as I'm closer enough to grab it. My hand does and for a moment a rainbow shines above my head, a clear sky with a bright sun overcomes my thoughts, everything seems better. Until it doesn't anymore. It's all dark clouds with a hint of raining. This can't be happening. "Hey! You finished the milk!" I yell, but the guy doesn't turn around. "I'm talking to you!" Again, I yell even louder. "How am I supposed to eat my cereal without milk? Asshole!"

The guy flips me off with his left hand without turning around. I open my mouth offended, life falling apart again. Dickhead. "Fuck you!" I let out annoyed even if it's too late, the guy is already out the dining hall.

"Sssssh!" A girl shushes me by my side making me turn around to face her. It seems that the anger and annoyance on my eyes causes something in her, she immediately shuts her mouth and stands still. I'm not moving, confused on her frozen body. Slowly, she grabs her books to leave my sight quickly as her short legs allowed her.

"Why are you walking away?" I ask,  but the girl doesn't turn around, she keeps up her quick steps. "I'm not that scary, c'mon!"

"Yes you are—" Ada says without moving her eyes away from her book. As a response to her words, I immediately open my mouth offended. I look around to prove her I'm not, find no one staring at me and my supposed to be scary yell, when I realise that ten set of eyes are on me from the students hanging on the dining hall. Waving awkwardly to a couple of them, I roll my eyes annoyed before going back to my best friend.

"I'm literally having a crisis because I can't have my cereal." I say frustratedly the moment I sit down next to Ada who is still enjoying her soup and book.

"Well, you really do love your cereal."

"Yes I do, you have a great point there. But I also used to party all night and only have a slice pizza until lunch! I didn't give a shit about anything. What the hell happened?"

"Lilith, you're a senior now—"

"So? That means that I have to party harder because this is my last chance to do so and don't feel guilty. I want to go out and party so hard that the next day my stomach hates me."

"Do you really want to prepare everything for the semester with a troubled stomach?" Ada asks, turning to lock eyes with me.

She's right— fuck! Why do I have such a smart friend?

"No, I don't." I admit. "But still! I'm going out tonight and kiss... I don't know, twenty people. At least."

"Twenty?" Ada chuckles. "You used to go for thirty."

"Shit." My forehead hits the table. "Growing up sucks."

Ada grabs my cheeks forcing me to face her. With a smile she lifts her pinky finger for me to wrap with. "To getting fucked up tonight but not really because we need to be sane for the morning?" She asks.

Immediately, a big and excited smile appears on my face. She always has my back.

I wrap my pinky finger with hers. "To getting fucked up tonight but not really because we need to be sane for the morning."

[...]

"I swear," I say as I'm walking to the bar with Ada by my side, the heels on our shoes and a couple of cars passing by is the noise surrounding us "if I don't get free drinks from five guys, my past self is gonna be very disappointed."

My moral is: I can buy my own drinks. But why spend my money when I can spend theirs? I end up drunk with a full wallet. It's a win win situation.

Ada lets out a tiny laugh while the music from the nightclub is getting louder and louder. The thin fabric of my red dress isn't enough to cover me from the cold wind blowing around me, but I don't care, the years of training as a teenager who wasn't afraid of getting a cold, that would go out with just a top on even in the coldest of nights made me a true professional. Not even a slight feeling of coldness is in my body.

With Ada grabbing my arm we both get ready to cross the street. I place one foot on the crosswalk when a loud motorcycle engine hits my ears like a bomb going off. Immediately, even before I can react to it, a loud and speeding motorcycle runs extremely close to my body, my skin almost felt the warm of the engine.  Taking a step backwards thanks to Ada as she pulls me back, saving me from ending on the floor or even worst, with a bad head concussion, I recover my balance right away. Turning to the side to face the motorcycle (or better phrased, the asshole that's driving it), I luckily find them stopped by a red light. "Watch where you're going, asshole!"

It's a man. His wide back and muscular arms are what helped me deduce that, not forgetting to mention the huge hands that grab each handle.

Hands. Hands. Hands. They can have all my attention.

The strange guy turns around to face me but, I can't see his face since a big black helmet covers him. "You almost ran me over! Fuck you!" I flip him off. For some reason, I know that he's smiling under the helmet, a strange electric wave runs through the back of my neck. Taking a step closer to him because my eyes want to have a better look at the guy who almost ran me over (and yell a couple of other insults), Ada, grabs my arm and pulls me back to prevent me from getting into a fight with the stranger.

She knows me well.

Soon later, I see how the guy turns his head to the green light in front of him. The sound of the motorcycle hits my ears once again when he starts his way, leaving me and Ada behind.

Dickhead.

"Just forget it." I hear Ada say beside me.

She's right. I can't let a man ruin my night, hell, I won't. If I ever let a man ruin anything, slap me across the face to wake my brain because that's not me. Remember that.

"Fuck. This is full!" Ada yells the moment we both walk into the nightclub. There are people dancing everywhere while having drinks on their hands, some people sitting at the bar and having fun conversations with their friends. And others.... well, exploring every single side of each other's mouth on a corner of the nightclub.

"What can I get for you?" The bar man says with a charming smile and a tight black shirt. He has some beautiful and shiny brown eyes, eyelashes bigger than my entire college education and some tiny curls on top of his head, but the perfect cut on the side of his head allows his face to be perfectly seen. His stare makes him the most innocent looking man I've ever seen.

"Two beers, please!" Ada says excited and I smile, enjoying the sight of my friend being excited as I am. "We haven't gone out in months!" She grabs my arm and slightly shakes it.

"Let's not do that again!" She shakes her head, agreeing with me.

Noticing that the bar man isn't coming with my beer yet, I turn around on my seat to stare at the people dancing. I take the liberty to check if any hot guys can get my attention, after all, getting back in the game is my intention for tonight.

A couple of guys are my type, contenders for getting me a free drink. Others are hotter than the sun itself. The ones that are hot (I can't deny it) and they know it, standing in their place as if they're the best thing to walk the Earth. The typical "they're too hot that I feel lucky when they look my way." But that's bullshit: men are pigs, easy, and are full of crap. They only want one thing and one thing only. They're lucky women are even interested in them.

I don't cross anyone off my list. Flirting with men always came easy for me since I started to see them as they see women: objects. If they can use us as such, why can't we? Make me have a fun night and then I'll never see you again, deal?

My eyes are still going around the room but nothing gains my attention for too long. Wanting to face Ada, not interested in anything yet, my body moves slightly to the side when I lock eyes with a strange man sitting on a couch, two guys on his sides. It's too dark for me to see him in detail, just the feeling of his eyes on me like I'm the only interesting thing in this room. A quick red light from the nightclub that is passing through shines in his face, allowing me to notice his beautiful green eyes at first. Even if he has light coloured eyes, his stare is dark. Carrying a heavy and intimidating look that could make anyone's weak on the knees.

I don't know what holds me in him, something mysterious about this man that makes me intrigued. Before I can take my time to understand it, my eyes are already admiring him without control of my own brain.

He has dark blonde hair, slightly curly that falls right above his shoulders and others messily lay on his forehead. His features are the sharpest of them all, jawline that with one smile could make your skin shiver from the firmness of it. I look down to his thick and pinkish lips to find a little smirk, little dimples on the side of his mouth. His black leather jacket goes perfectly with his combat boots, a white shirt covering his body while his pants are black with grey lines in it. Rings on his fingers, big and attention taker that I can feel the coldness of them from where I'm standing.

Hands... Those hands, veins slipping through and long fingers make my eyes beg to be on them as long as they can. But they don't. My neck slightly shivers with an electric wave hitting it again, knowing that his eyes are still on me. With this look on his face, cocky grin and stare locked on mine, eyebrow slightly raised, he wants me to know he liked my eyes on him, checking him out.

Taking the drink that's on his right hand towards his mouth, he takes a sip without letting go of me. Even though he's far away I can still notice the tattoos on his left hand, black ink that covers almost half of it. I want to see what they are, intrigued on the mysterious man looking at me with a grin when a cold hand touching my arm forces me turn around to face Ada, who is now handing me my beer with a smile.

Going back to reality, I realize the music has come back to my ears like I was in a silent trance before. Not even my body noticed the new group of people by my other side, my attention was only on that man.

"Wanna finish this beer and go dancing?" She asks, big smile and happy eyes. When the song immediately changes, her stare lights like a bulb being turned on. It's one of her favourites.

Her old plan of finishing the beer first is immediately out to the trash. I just know it.

Grabbing my hand to lead me to the dance floor, I follow her happily. Once we make our way to a comfortable place (enough in this crowded bar) we both start to enjoy the song currently playing.

Taking my beer to my mouth, I turn around when Ada does the same. Our backs touch as we both sing the lyrics like they're the national anthem, without missing a single word. My dress becomes shorter the second I touch my thighs and move my fingers against my skin, feeling the song even more. Giving a sip to my beer, my eyes wonder around the room. Locking eyes with some guys as they pass by a flirtatious smile leaves my lips, almost like a quick reflex I carry inside of me, but I don't give them much more than that liking the feeling inside of me leaving them wanting more. It's not like anyone has caught my attention to the fullest. And it's not easy to get at all.

Until I meet those green eyes once again. It's like they're calling me.

A bigger grin appears on my face as well as his, who is still enjoying his drink while staring at me.

Not trying to hide it at all, he slowly goes over my body on this red dress as I'm dancing. For some reason, I want to give him a little bit more. My fingertips slowly trace my thighs again, slightly moving my dress upwards and letting my skin show more.

He likes it. He bites his lower lip but soon covers it by taking his drink to his mouth. A proud grin grows on my face, I have him right where I want, locked on my body and desiring to have me.

Maybe he's an option to get a free drink. After all, that's the reason we're here.

I stop feeling Ada's back against mine and I do want to turn around to see where did she go, but my eyes are still glued to his. Neither of us are breaking the eye contact. My chest is getting tighter at the feeling of having his eyes penetrating mine. Noticing the grin going back to his face my eyes stay down on his thick lips, when a pair of hands wrap themselves around my waist, pulling me closer to the body behind me. "Wanna dance, baby?" A strange guy asks on my ear.

Usually, I don't like when guys touch me without me acknowledging it, my low tolerance for men takes control and my middle finger flies up like a quick reflex. I repeat, usually. This time, I just simply don't care. My mind is focused on the mysterious guy looking my way.

Feeling the stranger's hot breath against my ear, I slowly nod placing my hand on his. My body is moving with the guy behind me, but my eyes and attention are completely lost in those green fucking eyes. The strange man wants to press our bodies even further when I turn around and wrap my arms around his neck. Moving our bodies around, doing a little half circle, I manage to lock eyes with the mysterious guy once again. There is something so intriguing about them that I can't stop staring, they're intimidating and dark yet soft. I can't understand what it is. And for the looks of it, he feels the same way since every time I look at him, he is already looking my way.

Moving my body and following the music that's now slower than the song before, taking that opportunity, I rest my head back and run my hands through my body loving the music consume my ears.

Are his eyes still on me, staring and enjoying every single angle of my body? I want to know. I can't wait to know. I open my eyes and immediately go towards him, but much for my surprise the grin in his face is no longer there. It's gone. Just like his eyes on mine.

He proceeds to get up from the couch and walk towards the little patio from the nightclub as my eyes follow him, intrigued.

In a normal situation, I wouldn't care and move on to the hot guy that, clearly, wants to dance with me and is ready to open up his wallet to buy me a drink. But I don't. Instead, the moment that the guy with the green eyes leaves my sight I look around to locate Ada. Her curls immediately appear in front of my eyes, she's at the bar having a fun conversation with the bartender. She seems happy. And not the type of happy that I see every time she passes an exam, the type of happy she goes when she's talking to someone she's interested in. Leaving the guy behind because I lost the little interest I had in him (if there was any to begin with), I go to my best friend to whisper in her ear: "Having fun?"

As I finish my question, the bartender leaves Ada but not before giving her a smile and a wink. I follow him with my eyes... he is definitely Ada's type.

"You know when you said that you wanted to get guys to buy you drinks?" Ada asks. "Well, I took it to the next level by flirting with the bartender."

I nod, proudly. "Nice work, baby. He's hot."

"Very."

I turn around hoping to see the mysterious man appear again, give me the opportunity to stare at his green eyes, but nothing is found. He's nowhere to be seen, not even the guys that where by his side moments ago. 

"I'm gonna get some fresh air." I say to Ada which she quickly nods with a little smile.

The bartender coming back is the hint I need to start my way out of the bar. Letting out a smile, I turn around with one thought in mind; maybe my friend is getting all the free drinks after all. We take our missions very seriously in this friendship.

Walking away towards the tiny patio, the wind immediately blows around my skin when I step through the door. I cover myself by standing in a corner, having the perfect view of the whole outdoors and the people enjoying the night. I look down to my phone and notice that it's 1:37 AM which is when the real party starts, or that's how I remember it. The old Lilith and her crazy nights are starting to feel like distant memories now.

"Do you mind?" I hear a deep and raspy male voice ask in front of me. Quickly, I look up and, to my luck, find those green eyes that got me in such an intrigued moments ago. A sudden electric wave runs through the back of my neck, but my mind ignores it by shaking my head.

"No."

I slowly follow his movements with my eyes as a little smile is on my lips. He rests his waist by my side and grabs a cigarette from his back pocket to take it to his lips.

 When I tell you it isn't my heart talking when my mind can't help but think about his hand around the lighter. It's remarkably tiny compared to his size, almost making him look like a giant. A tiny grin grows in him while he lights the white cigarette— he knows I'm staring at him. He's proud of himself for having my attention.

The closeness that I'm now having allows me to see the tattoo on his left hand: a bird that starts on his thumb and ends right on his index finger. He soon clenches his jawline taking a smoke in from his cigarette and I unintentionally bit the inside of my cheek when his curls gently cover the side of his face. He is extremely attractive.

"Can I have one?" I ask softly. My voice makes him face me with a natural side smile.

Without saying a word, he takes out another cigarette from his back pocket and reaches closer to me. Taking the opportunity to touch his skin, grabbing the thin cigarette I take a little longer that it would normally take. His skin is as soft as my silk dress, it's cold outside, but as soon as he moves away, it's like a wave of fire rushed through my skin and it's now passing me.

The cigarette is now between my lips being lit on by him without me having to ask first. The flame quickly appears in front of my eyes. With slowly movements, he moves the lighter and leaves it right against the tip of the cigarette. As the fire is slowly turning it on, I notice that his body is leaned closer to mine for him to be comfortable with the lighter, and lucky for me, his eyes are glued to the cigarette between my lips slowly tracing every angle of them. The opportunity to stare at his face in detail appears in front of me.

His jawline is one of his main features, it's the perfect amount of sharp where it is the first thing that gets your attention but it doesn't steal it for to long. His lips are thick, enough for me to wonder what they taste like the moment that I look at them. His skin looks as soft as his hands, giving me the desire to touch it and test it. But those green eyes, mysterious and intriguing, Shining with little sparkles as he moves, consequences of the light above us. The light eye bags when he's looking down makes him look sleepy, even if his eyes don't. My chest is still remembering when he had them on me, and my heart can't wait to repeat it.

Before I can check something else, my cigarette is on. He goes back to his place while asking: "Do you smoke much?"

"No," I answer after taking the smoke out of my lungs, seeing it spread around my face "but life is recently giving me a few reasons to let some stress out. What about you?"

"Same thing." He responds dryly as he looks down. I furrow my eyebrows confused on why is he acting this distant when minutes before he was eating me with his eyes. Then, preventing me from opening my mouth, a little grin grows in him. "You look really good on that dress." 

His words surprise me, it's like a quick switch has moved inside of him and he can change his mood just like that. 

Quickly covering it, I smile with decision not wanting him to see any of my surprise. Even if I like his words and the grin now growing on his face.

I let the smoke come out of mouth. "We're starting out strong. Nice." I say with a nod gaining a little chuckle from his mouth. "And, I know. It's not like you haven't been staring at me like crazy minutes ago. You need to be more discreet."

For the first time since he arrived by my side, he locks eyes with me and lets out a tiny smile. "Why? I wanted you to know I was looking at you."

"But you don't want to creep out a girl, do you?"

He lets out a tiny laugh before getting closer to my face and ask softly: "Did I creep you out?" I don't respond immediately, instead, a little grin escapes my lips since I notice he already knows the answer. "Because as far as I saw, you couldn't stop looking at me either."

I stare at his eyes hoping to understand this feeling inside my chest, but he doesn't stay with me,  instead, he goes down to my lips as my head counts the seconds he stays there. That doesn't last long, hated by me, he turns around to face forward and keep smoking the cigarette.

I never stayed quiet when it came to talking to boys, or anyone for the matter, I always had something to say. Quick brain always having the answer ready, but for some reason, I can't let out a word after his. I feel mesmerised and intrigued in the man that I have by my side, it's like it takes me a moment to truly understand what's going on his face. And that never happens. I'm instant. Words fly out of my mouth without my brain having to calculate them, and in a second, my eyes can read you. 

Him, I simple can't.

For now.

It's decided. I want to get a drink from this guy. He's going to be what saves me from this boring night I'm currently having. 

And I always get what I want.

"What's your name?" I ask after taking a smoke in from the cigarette.

He looks down with a smile and slightly tilts his head to the side. "You won't believe it."

"Why not?"

"You just won't."

"Try me, then." He looks to my eyes and then hesitates. His mouth is slightly open while his tongue is playing around inside, then, soon enough, he opens his mouth. "Lucifer Donovan." His name takes me so off guard that I let out a tiny chuckle and can't find in me my next words. The way that he said it, deep and raspy causing me to feel some butterflies on my stomach, don't help me either.

Is his name actually Lucifer or is he playing a game with me because he knows my name? 

"I told you you weren't going to believe it."

"I didn't say a word!" I say defensively. "I totally believe you."

"You do?" I nod. "Fine, what's yours, then?"

"Oh," I say looking away, chuckle escaping me "you're not going to believe me now."

Lucifer laughs before taking another smoke from his cigarette. He looks me up and down while I just enjoy the feeling of having his eyes on me, waiting for my answer. "Lilith Avery." I say softly, turning around to face him. As soon as I notice the cheeky side smile on his face, I add: "I'm not lying."

"I don't believe you."

"C'mon! I believed you."

"You're telling me that your name is Lilith, my name is Lucifer and I haven't met you the three years we've been in the same college?"

"We study in the same college?" I ask letting the surprise show. Furrowing my eyebrows confused as I try to think of one moment I've ever seen him, even as the classmates I don't pay attention on a Monday morning, I can't even think of one time seeing someone like him. Not once. "I'm pretty sure if I noticed you and your name, I would've remembered you." 

He lifts an eyebrow as a grin appears on his face. "I'm worth remembering, huh?" He asks, teasingly. 

Shaking my head, I do a quick look to his lips. "Not with that poor flirt, you're not." I joke.

Lucifer looks right into my eyes almost staring into my soul. 

Or that's what it feels like. 

Without hesitating, he moves closer to my face knowing damn well it's gonna affect me. He perfected this before with so many girls. "Who said I was flirting with you?" 

Every single detail.

But I've done this too, practiced it even for fun. To so many people. 

Copying his action, his breath brushes against my skin. A little smile escapes my mouth once I notice his eyes uncontrollably going down to my lips, and for the way he looks up and again, goes down to them, it means that he can't control it.

"You should tell that to your eyes, Donovan." I say softly before going back and taking a smoke in, feeling my lungs getting filled with hot air.

He does the same without breaking our eye contact. 

Yeah, well played to you too. 

 "Is there an explanation why your name is Lilith?"

I nod. "Long story short, my grandparents are really religious and my mother wanted to piss them off, so, she called me Lilith. What about you?"

"My dad, uhm—" he stops, locking my brain in that tiny action for a second "he was so high when I was born," he continues "Lucifer was the only name that came to his head. My mother wasn't too happy about it." He lets out a tiny laugh.

"I like the name Lucifer."

"I'm sure you do, Lilith." He answers quickly gaining a smile from my lips. The way he says my name gets my insides going wild. "My mom liked it over time, once she learned to ignore the looks from old women when she yelled my name at the park."

"Getting disapproval looks from old people are the best part of these names."

"Yeah," he takes the cigarette closer to his lips but doesn't place it inside his mouth "and the fact that you get to meet beautiful women with the name Lilith and immediately have a topic to talk about."

I smile following his hands and the cigarette now between his lips as he's taking a smoke in. He's good. "How many girls?"

"One." He says before looking away to let the smoke out.

So I'm the only one, I'm the beautiful woman. Fuck, he's definitely good.

I let out a loud laugh gaining his eyes on me again. "First you say that you're not flirting but then you say stuff like that, make up your mind. A girl won't be waiting for you all night."

"Got places to be?"

I slightly tilt my head to the side. "Maybe."

He does the same as before, leaning his body towards mine to feel the warmth of his body against my skin, and in the process, uncontrollably making my heart speed at the feeling of having him more closer. Which weirdly confuses me, since no man has ever made me feel like this. "More interesting than smoking with a stranger and having an interesting conversation?" He asks softly.

"You're not a stranger." He lifts an eyebrow. But before he can ask, I add: "I know your name, is there something else about you that I need to know about?"

Even if he is close, he leans even more to the point where I can feel his breathing mixing with mine. "Know to do what?" He asks as a grin appears on his face.

I take the cigarette to my lips stopping right on the edge of them. "Ask you to buy me a drink." I finish, obvious tone in my voice. 

He laughs and turns around to face forward, leaving me missing his closeness. "Is that all it takes to flatter you?"

"No matter how many things you do, you can't flatter me." I add. "But buying me a drink may work, you just have to do it and see."

Lucifer shakes his head without looking at my eyes. A chuckle follows him. "No, it won't. You know what you're doing, you could probably get a drink from every guy in this bar."

He knows what's he doing too. I've seen this trick millions of time, expecting me to say 'I'm not like that, buy me a drink and I'll stay talking to you to prove you wrong.' But as much as I like to prove people wrong, I like having tricks under my sleeve more.

I slightly shrug my shoulders. "Maybe... and I'm sorry." I say, throwing the cigarette inside the trash to leave him behind. 

"For what?"

I hear his voice behind me but I don't turn around, instead, I tilt my head to the side and just say, softly: "For you. You won't be able to enjoy my company any longer."

"So that was it, huh?" He follows my joke. "You were only talking to me because you wanted me to buy you a drink?" He asks and I hear a little bit of tease in his tone.

I smile. "Lucky you."

I can still feel his burning eyes on me as I leave the patio behind and walk towards Ada who is still talking with the bartender. I don't want to interrupt, so, sitting down a couple of seats away from her enjoying the sight of my funny and beautiful friend flirting with the man, I wait for my plan to work.

Just like I was expecting, the moment that I'm about to call for another drink, a body suddenly stands by my side letting me see that sharp jawline and bird tattoo calling the bartender. "Two beers, please." Lucifer says, gaining a little smile from my lips.

Since the bar is full of people, his body is extremely close to mine as I'm still sitting down. His closeness warms my skin just like he did moments ago, fire brushing against it. Finding myself not wanting him to move, my head wonders what this feeling is once again.

Lucifer looks for my eyes as he stares down. But I don't give it to him wanting nothing more than my beer. "I guess your plan worked." He says, teasingly.

"What plan?" I ask, innocently.

"I'm here buying you a beer because I just need to know more about the mysterious girl. Isn't that it?"

"Mhm, I don't know. Right now I just have to see if I want a drink from you after all." I say, teasing him back.

"Then I'm sorry." He adds with a little smile on his face. Before I can say something else, my eyes catch him leaning against my ear: "Don't change your mind, because you won't get any from me no matter how many of your beautiful smiles you throw at me." I get goosebumps at his hot breath hitting my skin. I can't recover from his affects on me, he places a gentle kiss on my cheek and quickly takes the beer to his mouth with a smirk slipping through, while the extra is being held by his other one. Lucifer turns around and leaves me behind, rushing blood and boiling on the inside because for the first time, I didn't got what I wanted.

I follow him with my eyes to see where he's going, or if he's going to turn around to check if I'm looking his way. But he doesn't. He walks to the door taking another cigarette to his mouth without even stopping his walk, his leaves my sight and for the first time in my life I can't help but keep thinking about a man.

Why do I get the feeling this isn't the last time I'm gonna see him? Talk to him?

The mysterious man that goes to my college. Those green shining eyes and dark stare that hold me tightly, got me wondering what else there is to know about him.

Who exactly is Lucifer Donovan? And, most importantly, why can't I get him off my head?

[...]

"I'm never drinking again." I say in pain after my eyes follow Ada leaving her room as I'm sat down on the couch from our common room.

"Even though I had like three drinks I still feel my stomach having a fight with every organ inside of me." She says with a tired face, sitting down next to me and wrapping her arm around my shoulders.

"I know," I add "but I do miss saying that with the actual feeling of pain." Ada shakes her head while letting out a laugh, grabbing my head and placing a little kiss on my forehead.

As she is caressing my head, the memory of Lucifer slowly goes back to my head. It isn't like I stopped thinking about him anyway, since I last saw him the night before even if he's just in the back of my head, he's always there. With his voice and bird tattoo, smiling and flirting with me, smoking and making me feel his hot breath against my skin. But then never actually making a move. His words were all it took for me to think about him, Hell, even want him. No man has ever made me feel this way. It's like we were playing a game and we both wanted to prove a point at the end of it. 

Intrigued to know more about him and enable to stop, I turn to face Ada to firmly ask her: "Do you know someone named Lucifer Donovan?" without thinking about it.

"What?" She asks quickly, surprised at my question. "Is there someone actually called Lucifer?" I nod. "Is that the guy you were talking to yesterday?"

"Yeah, and he told me he goes here, but I've never seen him around."

"No, I don't know anyone with that name. Maybe he studies in another building. And— wow, that is crazy." I see the smiling and excited Ada slipping through. "You're Lilith and he's Lucifer, and you both study in the same college! Talk about perfect."

I slowly nod as a response even I'm already lost in my own thoughts. I don't know why I get the sudden urge of knowing more about him, yes, maybe it's because our names have some sort of relation depending on what story you decide to look upon, but still, it's just a coincidence. Right? It's not like some movie out there that this means something about us. Ada might say otherwise since she's definitely the type to think so. But me, no. Definitely not.

Trying to get my head out of it, I leave the couch after saying goodbye to Ada to spend the rest of the afternoon checking if I have everything ready for the start of the semester tomorrow morning. I've had to deal with the consequences of not even having a pencil and let me tell you, it isn't fun.

After a couple of hours, the drinks that I had the night before seem to have troubled my stomach. It's screaming for food. A couple of times I had to ask myself what did I drank last night because it sounded like I had a monster growing inside of me.

Getting up from my chair, I walk towards my door hoping to see my friend on the other side to ask her if she wants to come with me to the dining hall, when a tall body stumbles with me the moment my feet take a step outside my room.

My eyes look up to stare at the stranger. Or not so stranger. The innocent face that's it front of me causes my brain to stand there trying to come up with a reason why he's here. Since, why would the bartender from last night be in our dorm?

"Hello?" I ask, confused.

When Ada walks out of her room with a short skirt and a blazer, eyelashes painted and shiny lip gloss, my lips fight hard to eat a smile inside.

Slowing nodding, it's my way of telling her I understand.

It's my moment to feel proud of her right now. "Alriiiiight. Moving myself out of the way, don't mind me." I turn around to head out of the dorm.

"Lilith." I hear Ada call my name.

Shaking my head, the fight to not laugh is strong than me. "No, no, you guys have fun!" I arrive at the door to leave our dorm room, but I won't waste an opportunity to show Ada my proudness. Turning around, the bartender (for my luck) isn't staring at me. He's greeting Ada with a kiss on her cheek. Taking advantage of this, I give Ada a thumbs up that gains me a warning look from her.

She knows me to well, because my urge to embarrass her does grow in me. But I keep it in, knowing that my stomach will soon hate me if I don't feed it right this second.

"Cereal, cereal, cereal." I start whispering when I arrive at the dining hall ready to have my much loved snack. The whole room smells beautifully, it's almost dinner time (thankfully), I can already smell the delicious food getting cooked.

Once I walk to the table where the cereal is, I pour my favorite one into a bowl, enough for my stomach to be happy. Then, I immediately turn around to locate the milk for it like million times before.

Like a full dejavú, my eyes stare at the same guy from yesterday.

The asshole that stole the last milk.

In my book, that's enough to make me feel hatred towards you.

He has the same black hood on while his back pack hangs from his shoulder. He throws his coffee in a trash can before heading towards the door on the other side of the dining hall.

I should go and say something to him, I didn't have my cereal yesterday  just because he finished the milk. Maybe I'm being dramatic— no, fuck that, I love cereal and he took it away from me. Specially worse when I'm going through something.

Before I can take a step towards him, he turns to where I'm standing and gives me a quick look. The poor light of the room and how far he is from me doesn't allow my eyes to see his face or even recognise him from somewhere. I follow his body with my stare as he slowly goes back to the table that has the milk. With a quick move, he grabs the last bottle and turns around again to soon leave the dining hall behind.

What the fuck did I just watched?

Did he just took the milk?

And that being the last one? Again?

The audacity of this man! What an asshole!

"You!" I yell at him. Leaving the cereal on the table, my feet take off to follow him quickly. Like last time, he doesn't turn around once I call for him. "Hey, weirdo with the black hoodie on, I'm talking to you!"

"And who said you could?" He asks, making me more angry than before. 

Who the fuck does he think he is? 

A sudden wave of knowing that voice hits my chest, but the annoyance of my body makes me immediately ignore it.

"You stole my milk!"

"It isn't your milk."

"It isn't yours either!"  I'm still following him behind his back on the big patio between buildings. I try to see his face but he moves quicker to prevent it. "Why did you steal it? Are you that big of an asshole? I can't have my cereal!"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know the situation was as big as that one." He replies, clearly being sarcastic.

I roll my eyes. "Are you seriously doing this just to annoy me? Are you, what? Five years old?"

"Maybe I am, doing this to annoy you and five years old. It's fun." He says. The joke in his tone can be heard from miles. What a dickhead!

"You're such an asshole."

I hear a laugh coming from his mouth making my veins boil. Seriously, my skin is heating up. He lets out another chuckle. "My name's not asshole." He replies.

"Isn't it? Is it dickhead? Stupid head? Idiot?"

"It's fun! Isn't it fun?"

"No! Fun is me having my cereal!"

At this point, walking so much with quick steps the giant patio takes us to the parking lot. "You have to wait like fifteen minutes until they replace it, is not that big of a deal." He shrugs his shoulders.

"Why would I have to wait when you took the milk that was perfectly placed there? And you obviously took it to get me pissed!"  

Without giving me an answer, he grabs a big helmet from his backpack. Black and one that I've seen before. I definitely know that helmet. "Are you having like a crisis or something? All of this because of milk—"

"Wait— do you ride a motorcycle?" I ask him while pointing at his helmet.

"No." He replies. Even if he's trying to hide his face, my eyes are quick and able to catch a side smile in his lips. "I just carry it because I like the big space it takes on my backpack... Yes. I do. That's what the big helmet is for." He takes his hood off and my heart immediately drops down to my stomach. "Like I told you before," he says turning around to face me "my name isn't asshole, is Lucifer, love."

It can't be.

"You? You're also the asshole who almost ran me over yesterday?!"

"Oh, yeah." He says with a smile.

"Seriously?! You almost ran me over and all you have to say is 'yeah'?! You're a great at communication, aren't you?"

He nods. "What else do you want me to say... my pleasure?" I roll my eyes at his sarcasm. Hearing his laugh, I look back at him making me hate his cocky stare even more than before. "This has been lovely, but I have to leave you." He stops once he arrives by his big motorcycle and sits down on it. 

I shake my head and cross my arms in front of my chest ready to turn around and leave him, his voice is annoying me at this point, fifteen minutes probably already passed and the milk is waiting for me.

But his chuckle stops me. "I'm sorry you won't be able to enjoy my company any longer." I recognise my words immediately.

"Pick your own phrases, dickhead."

"Love, all of this because I took the last bottle of milk and drove my motorcycle close to your body?"

"Close to my body?! You almost ran me over! That's not close! I can't even believe that I wanted the guy who ran me over to buy me a drink yesterday!"

"Let's not lie to ourselves, me buying you a drink isn't the only thing you wanted me to do last night." I know what he means immediately, but as of right now, my whole body is disgusted by the idea of it.

"Well, too bad for you because after today that's only gonna happen in your dreams."

He slightly tilts his head to the right with a side smile. "Too bad for you."

"Oh," I let out a fake laugh "being an asshole immediately makes you have terrible fame and I truly believe that." He doesn't reply immediately, instead, his smile goes even bigger as he slowly nods. Giving me a last look, he leans a little bit closer to my face and looks down to my lips, making me wait impatiently for his next words.

"If you say so." He lets out softly.

Before I can let out a word, he starts his motorcycle with a loud noise following it and leaving my side. My veins are boiling from anger, hating every single word that he said while they are repeating themselves in my head. I find myself hating him even more every second. The way that he talked so arrogantly, carrying himself with so much confidence, and had something to say, always.

But what I hate the most is the fact that this whole time, since I saw his face and those green eyes, my heart hasn't stop racing, fast, like the motorcycle he just left in. And that makes me even more intrigued on him, the man with the name Lucifer Donovan, because nobody has ever made me feel that way. No one.

...