"Hey Bighead." He grins from ear to ear as I come in for a hug.

It's been a few weeks since I had my nightmare and since training sessions with Jerome haven't eased up, my friends have gotten used to spotting the occasional bruise on me.

I'm getting really good though. Last weekend, I actually managed to bruise Jerome for the first time ever.

Eric and I haven't talked about our little incident since that night but it also hasn't been awkward or anything.

"Your hair smells nice." Eric murmurs, holding on to me for a few more seconds before pulling away.

"Thanks." I smile. "I would love to talk but I have to run. I have a class in a few minutes."

"I know." He smirks. "I know your schedule like I know the alphabet."

"Weirdo." I mutter, offering him a small wave as I head down the hall. He waves back, smiling and staring at me for a while longer before continuing on his way.

Walking into class, I find a seat on the row closest to the lecturer and get comfy. It's not that I'm the most serious student or anything. I just love seating up front so I can focus more easily.

"Good day Everyone." Professor McPherson smiles. His light brown eyes squint to reveal laugh lines around the corners. He's has become one of my favourite lecturers since I got here. "We'll be looking at the identification of inherited diseases and our first study will be on conventional genetic tests."

He smiles even wider and pulls out a black marker from the breast pocket of his blue tweed jacket. Quickly, he scribbles some notes on the board and I hurry to take them down.

"Firstly, we have phenotypical analysis." He beams. "Does anyone have anything to say about that?"

Unconsciously, my hand shoots up before I can stop it and several pairs of eyes home in on me.

It's not my fault I studied beforehand.

"Yes. Ms. Domenico."

"Uhm." I clear my throat nervously. "Phenotypical analysis is the simplest and most common type of genetic analysis. The analysis involves proteins which are the end product of genes. These proteins determine the way an individual looks so in a typical phenotypical investigation, a certain body characteristics of the individual is examined and compared with members of a normal population."

"Splendid!" he chirps, clapping excitedly in the process.

Smiling, I breathe a sigh of relief and retake my seat.

"Very well done Ms. Domenico." He beams. "Hope you all took notes?"

There's a chorus of positive answers and groans as the professor, moves up front to his laptop.

He taps it a few times and one of those colour blindness test images pops up on the projector screen. It shows the number 57 in red and yellow dots of varying sizes.

Around the number, different shades of green dots have been strategically placed to cause a bit of confusion.

"A phenotype analysis is facilitated by conventional clinical and chemical investigation methods such as physical examination to determine the red-green blindness phenotype, ultrasound or a blood analysis to determine blood group."

After a short pause, he picks of the pointer and flashes it at the projector screen.

"Individuals with normal eye colour will see the number 57 while those with red-green deficiencies will see the number 35."

Say, what now?

"Colour blindness." He resumes talking after a brief pause, "is an inability to distinguish between red and green and sometimes between blue and yellow. It can be caused by a defect in one of the three colour sensitive cells in the retina."

My notes cover the entire length of my book so I flip the page, ready for more. Professor McPherson's deep rich voice entrances me in a way that forces me to listen. When he talks, I actually yearn for knowledge.

His voice reminds me of my granddad's voice; firm but appealing.

"The second analysis is Chromosome analysis or what we call cytogenic investigation." He writes the second word on the board in his scrawny hand writing. "Cytogenists study chromosomes microscopically and this includes microscope investigations to investigate chromosome alterations in terms of both number and structure."

"In such cases, detailed investigation of individual genes is not carried out but there is a new technique which uses a combination of methods in molecular cytogenesis in which a fluorescence-labelled DNA sequences are often used as diagnostic probes."

This is where it gets boring,

Professor McPherson picks up his marker once again and begins showing us examples of chromosome aberrations in an attempt to help us understand everything he just said more clearly.

A lot of students indicate confusion and so it takes quite a while but with the help of a chart, we finally get everyone on the same page.

Our lecturer informs us that the third investigation method is Karyotype. Again people get themselves confused so he displays a table showing human chromosomes and goes on to explain everything piece by piece.

After quite a while, the deed is finally done and majority of my classmates, myself included, have a firm grasp of the concept.

This is why I like this particular lecturer; not many of them would actually take the time to ensure that you are not lost.

However, just as he is about to dive into the next section which happens to be DNA and genome analysis, the class comes to a close.

Dejectedly, he dismisses the class and people all but jump off their chairs and zoom out of the class like they're being chased by a pack of savages.

I take my time, stretching a bit after standing up before carefully packing my materials. Then, I sling my bag over my shoulder and exit the lecture room into the overcrowded lecture room.

I crane my neck in every direction, trying to spot at least one of my friends but I come up short. I can't wait for them because I have no idea what classes they have or what the duration of said classes are.

As I stand contemplating, someone taps my shoulder and I turn abruptly.

"Done?" he asks, looking as intimidating as usual.

Jerome had skipped school today claiming he had some 'official business' to attend to. I've really warmed up to him but it was a bit of a relief not having him in class with me.

"Yeah." I nod. "Let's go."

We walk down the hall and exit the building into the chilly outdoors. A bit of breeze whips my hair in all directions and I shudder.

I should have brought a sweater.

"You think we'll get a white Christmas this year?" I ask, sidling up to Jerome.

"Maybe." He shrugs. "Would be nice to bury you in a heap of snow and run off."

I punch him playfully and he chuckles.

"I'd kick your ass if you tried."

"Really?" Jerome quirks his eyebrow at me. "You seem to be forgetting the fact that I am the one who tutors you on said ass kicking."

"The student shall become greater than the master." I smirk, pretending to reach for his throat.

Jerome grabs my arm and twists in gently behind my back.

"Well." He says. "Until then, you better stick to attacking more feeble victims."

"Not on your life." I reply offhandedly. "Yours is the only neck I wish to strangle."

"Lies" he mutters, opening the passenger door to his car for me. It's not the Lincoln but a pristine white Bentley convertible.

He has picked me up in a very beautiful looking Range Rover sport as well and to be honest, I'm starting to feel just a tad bit suspicious of Jerome Bankole. I don't know what he does but if his cars are anything to go by, the guy is loaded.

Silently, Jerome pulls out of the parking lot and heads for my dorm. It takes only a few minutes before we arrive.

Relaying my thanks, I shut the door behind me and head inside.

Piper's not back which doesn't surprise me becauseher schedule is packed tight today. Changing my clothes, I drop listlessly onto my bed before noticing that Eric has texted me to make sure I'm okay. He informs me that the others want to meet up later and I oblige.

He says to meet them outside in half an hour and I this makes me groan internally because I just changed my clothes.

A little while later, I get dressed again and head out to meet my friends. Unsurprisingly, Jerome, or Mitch as we all call him is there. Piper's distant cousin and a friend of ours, Samantha is here too.

Brittany isn't here but I know why; still no word on her dad and the police have no leads yet.

"Where's Piper?"

"Still busy." Hannah replies, coming in for a hug just as her sister does the same. "I've missed you Emma."

"Me too." I smile giving her a tight squeeze.

"My turn." Mia elbows her sister in an attempt to get to me and it works. Laughing, I hug her as well before sidling over to Samantha.

"Hey brown haired Samantha." I tug on her hair playfully.

"Hey blue eyed Emma." She coos, pulling me in for a hug.

Jerome gives me a funny look when we pull apart.

"Long story." I reply, gesturing between Sam and I. He shakes his head and walks a ways down

"I'm happy you could come." I smile at Sam. "It's been a while since we all hung out with you here."

"Yeah." She nods, matching my enthusiasm. "This will be nice."

"Uh, what exactly are we doing?"

"We're having a picnic at the park to unwind." She says excitedly.

"In this weather?"

Sam shrugs. "No one seems to mind, do you?"

"Not really." I reply. I mean, I've got my sweater and all so it should be okay.

"Great." She smiles.

When all arrangements have been made, the girls get in my car and Eric rides with Jerome as we head to the Park.

Before that though, we make a quick stop to get sandwiches, drinks including hot coco, some wine and whatnot.

"This spot looks good." Eric says, laying the picnic blanket on the grass. We're in a shaded area so it isn't too chilly.

We all sit comfortably on the larger than life checked blanket and chuckle.

"I feel like such a kid."

"Me too!" Hannah laughs, rolling onto her back.

For a while we just sit, talking about stuff and helping ourselves to the array of sandwiches we'd purchased. I had had to get different types because everyone likes different things.

For instance, I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but Mia can't have those because she's allergic to peanuts.

Sammy would kill for a sardine salad sandwich but the rest of us, especially Eric who doesn't eat fish, find them pretty unappealing.

I think the only common ground we have is club sandwiches which I purchased in bulk because the boys eat like a bunch of bears preparing for hibernation.

"Let's play I spy!" Mia squeals after her third glass of wine. Seeing as there's nothing to lose, the rest of us oblige.

"Okay, me first." She smiles lopsidedly. "I spy with my little eye something blue."

"Is that it?" I snort. "The sky!"

"She got it." Mia nods, mournful.

"I spy with my little eye..." her twin takes over. "Brewing romance."

"Is it that couple packing the PDA over at the corner?"

"Nope." She shakes her head.

"The lady with the little printed hearts on her dress?" Sam asks, hopeful.

"Nope."

"Those two dogs playing together?" Eric tries.

Hannah shakes her head again.

"Are you guys even trying?" she asks. "Look around you!"

"The pair sharing a lollipop?" Jerome asks.

"Eww that's just gross." I cringe.

"Nuh uhn." Hannah replies.

"Tell us already!" I shriek.

"If you insist." She smiles slyly.

Then, without saying a word she gestures at Eric and I.

"What?" I quirk my eyebrows, not getting it.

"Ohhhh." Mia's eyes widen and Sammy snorts. She tries to pretend that she's coughing when I shoot her a glare though.

"I should have known." Jerome laughs, pointing at the both of us. "We were looking too far when the answer is right with us."

That's when I notice that I'm lying lazily on my back and my head is on Eric's lap. To make things worse, he had unconsciously been playing with my hair the entire time.

Sitting up straight immediately, I blush and try to hide it by letting my hair fall forward.

"You didn't play fair." Eric chuckles, pointing at Hannah who has a triumphant smile on her face.

"We didn't state any rules." She smirks, taking a sip. "Who's next?"

On and on the game goes but my heart's only half in it because I keep feeling that all my friends are staring at Eric and I even though they aren't. Everyone is busy having fun and trying to come up with the hardest one.

Finally, it's time to leave the park and we all help pack up. By the time we get on the road, I'm so exhausted I promise myself to fall right onto my bed once we get home.