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Chapter 5

Just Us Again

The lecturer dismissed my poetry class and we all stood up after a groan.
My lecturer for this class said that we'd be receiving assignments after our third lecture. At least she wasn't shoving essays down our throats already.

I had an hour to spare before I have to endure another hour and a half of my History lecture with Mr. Reeves.

I mentally scowled at myself as I started toward the cafeteria. All I could think about last night was how stupid I was as to of had such thoughts about him. Unfortunately, my stupidity hadn't stopped the thoughts from smashing to the front of my mind. His face was still there. His beautiful face...

I shook my head. Damn him for making me think about his gorgeousness.

I stood in line to the café and waited. This morning I'd come to realize that this hour I had before my History class was going to be spent alone. Laura had another History class, Damien had football practice, Lucas had hockey practice, and Katherine surprisingly had Forensic Science.

Further on in the year, I'll probably have assignments due so I won't be as lonely or bored as I will be today. I ordered a donut and coffee to go and had to juggle with it along with my books. The best place to go right now is the library. It wasn't far from my History class and going back to the house would take fifteen-twenty minutes anyway.
I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going as I concentrated on my cup of coffee so I didn't spill it.

I brought my head up in time to see someone almost walk into me. I stopped abruptly and their hands landed on my forearms as I dropped my books.

"I don't think you should buy coffee anymore because it always ends up on someone."

I tilted my head up and looked into those striking green eyes. He was smirking down at me. His hands squeezed my upper arms slightly before he let go and picked up my books.
I furrowed my eyebrows a little.

"Maybe I should stick to bottled drinks," I said.

He chuckled lightly and handed me my books.

"Thanks," I said with a smile and walked around him. Wasn't it enough for me to see him during class?

I was halfway down the hall when I heard my name being called.

I turned around and raised a brow when I saw Mr. Reeves walking back toward me. "Are you just wandering around now?"

I took a sip of my coffee. "Why?"

He smiled. "You look a bit lost."

My eyes narrowed. "I could have an assignment to finish right now."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "You clearly don't, otherwise you'd be in the library and plus it's the beginning of the semester. Unless, of course, you're heading there now?"

My face started to burn a little bit. "I wasn't."

A small smirk planted on his lips. "You were weren't you?"

I scowled at him. "What do you want?"

"Seeming that you have nothing to do until your class with me, why don't you keep me company while I sort through some of the senior's old papers?"

For some reason I found myself asking, "Why?"

His eyebrow's knitted together. It was the cutest frown I'd ever seen. "What do you mean why?"

"Why would you want me there?"

His jaw clenched all of a sudden and his face clouded over. There was something in his face that made me want to take a step back but I didn't. His face was extremely threatening for someone so beautiful. His pupils had dilated slightly so I said, "Are you alright?"

He blinked and they returned back to normal. "Yes, I'm fine." He then smiled like such a look had never invaded a beautiful face like his. "I'd like you there for company. You have an hour to waste and so do I. So why not?"

I sighed. "Okay, sure."

I followed him back to his classroom and walked in. He shut the door behind him and gestured for me to sit on one of the chairs.
I sat on one of the chairs in the front row and put my books on the table.

"So what other classes are you taking, Evie?"

God, whenever he said my name I melted a little but I didn't show it. That'd be the last thing I did if I showed it.

"Intro to poetry, Greek civilization and early modern Literature."

He sat down at his desk. "Did you take a double major?"

I shook my head. "I haven't got a major yet. I just chose the classes I enjoyed so I might just have one."

"Which is what?"

I looked up at him. His eyes were so penetrating it was almost impossible to turn away. "I'm not sure yet."

He broke eye contact and I blinked. "Well, you're always welcomed into my class."

I laughed. "I'm sure."

"Are you glad to be in Canada?" He asked obviously wanting to make conversation.

I shrugged. "It's different to New York."

"And are you enjoying Welcome Week?"

"I haven't done anything for Welcome Week yet. But I'll be at the bonfire on Friday."

"Ah, yes. The Bonfire."

"Will you be there?" I asked casually even though I was asking for my benefit.

"It all depends really."

"On what?" I wondered.

His eyes flickered up briefly. "A number of things." He resumed his writing and didn't say anything else.

As he started writing I took out my toffee glazed donut and ate it. I took the last bite of it and chewed savoring the taste. 
I finished off my coffee and opened my book with a sigh. 

"How old are you?"

I looked up from my desk at my curious teacher. His face truly looked like he wanted to know. But I had no idea why. "I'm eighteen. I turn nineteen in January."

He nodded for a moment.
"How old are you?" I blurted out.

He chuckled. "I'd say I just turned twenty-three." There was a glint in his eye.

I raised a brow. "You'd say? What would others say?"

"How old do I look?"

I shrugged. "About twenty." 

"Maybe that's why you'd mistaken me for a student here. So others would say twenty." He glanced at me and back at his desk.

This man still remained a mystery to me. I was curious about a number of things and I had a line of questions to ask him.

"Can I ask you something?" I said.

He put his pen down and looked up at me. 

"When I said if we were meant to see each other again then we will did you really believe we would?"

He shut his book and stood up. He walked over and sat on the table next to mine. His arms crossed over his broad chest and he sighed. "Honestly?"

I nodded.

"I hadn't a clue. I'd never seen you before and... Well..." He ran his hand through his gorgeous thick hair. "You're a very interesting girl, Evangeline."

The words poured over me like hot water.

"And I think I would have run into you some time in the future. When I saw you in my class yesterday I didn't actually think it was you until you blushed and sunk into your seat." He chuckled.

I turned my head and looked down at my book. How embarrassing. 

What surprised me next was his cool hand under my chin to turn my face back. His hands were amazingly soft and sent a shiver through me. He removed his hand almost immediately and sighed. "I shouldn't have done that." 

I wasn't sure whether he was saying it to himself or to me.

The sound of loud laughter outside of his room made us both jolt. He stood up abruptly to go to his desk.
Did that happen? His touch still made my chin tingle so yes, I think it did happen. I moved my hair behind my ear and stood up. 

I grabbed my books, empty cup and bag and moved to my seat in the middle. I placed everything on the desk and went back down the stairs to put the cup in the trash. I didn't look at Mr Reeves once as I stepped to the trash can next to his desk.

The door opened and I turned toward it to see a smirking Kate. She pulled the hood down from her Batman hoodie. "Hola, Evangeline. Have a fun hour?"

I smiled briefly. "Oh yeah. Loads of fun." I replied sarcastically.

"And hello, Mr. Reeves. Did you also have a fun hour?"

"It was fine, Katherine." He replied with a tired sigh.

She chuckled and grabbed my hand to walk to our seats.

Soon enough the class was starting to fill. Damien walked in looking slightly sweaty. He sat beside me with a grin. "Hey. What did you get up to?"

"Not much," I answered simply. 

"Next time, come down to watch practice. You wouldn't be as bored."

I smiled at him. "Sure why not." It's not like I'll be coming back in here...

"Okay," He grinned. "Practice is today and Fridays."

"Hell, I'll go." Laura said. "Fridays, I only have one lecture. And I've seen your coach. Talk about hot."

"If we're making this a thing, I'm there," Kate jumped in. "I've had a glimpse of the coach." There was a devilish smirk on her face. 

Damien rolled his eyes and wiped his forehead.

"You're all sweaty." I said with a smile trying to forget about what happened between Mr. Reeves and me.

He smirked. "Am I? I didn't notice." He opened his arms. "Can I have a hug?"

I scoffed playfully. "No!"

His arms wrapped around me and he rested his sweaty head next to mine. "Ew!"

He squeezed and pressed his cheek against me. 

"Damien that's gross." Laura said with a giggle.

He pulled away with a chuckled.
I wiped my face on my shirt and scowled at him. "That was disgusting."

He shrugged. "Live in the moment, Eve." 

I rolled my eyes and Kate started laughing.

"Settle down everyone,"

Everyone brought their attention to Mr. Reeves, except for me. I couldn't help but let my mind wander to his electric touch. Even though it was a brief skim of contact between us, it made me curious.

But a part of me suddenly said curiosity killed the cat. 

Damn, I need to stop thinking about him. When have I ever been like this with...? Well, anyone? I needed to stay concentrated. I couldn't let him distract me from my work. It was only the beginning of the semester and already I was getting distracted. On the outside I was a strong but inside I was melting. Something in the way he looked earlier told me to stay away from him.
But...

The site of everyone standing up startled me and I groaned in frustration. I just said not to get distracted and what do I do? I miss a whole hour and a half of my lecture because I was thinking about NOT getting distracted.

I stood up slowly and followed Kate out of the room and this time I wasn't last out like yesterday. I'd practically run out of the classroom.

Lucas met us outside the classroom and slung his arm over mine and Katherine's shoulders. "Hello! How was class?"

"Fun!" Kate said with fake enthusiasm.

I smiled at her and everyone else. I guess I lucked out on the friend bit of University. I was glad I didn't have fakes for friends; not that that's what I'd usually lower myself to anyway. They all seemed genuinely real. And I mentally patted myself for it.

We all went out into the courtyard and sat in the same place as yesterday. Everyone was having their own conversations as I went off into my own world. I started to chew on my bottom lip. Maybe I should just preoccupy myself with other things. I mean, I managed to not think about him when I didn't know he was my lecturer... Maybe it was because now I knew I'd see him every week...?

"I can't wait for this bonfire on Friday," Laura said. "But I'm not going to be drinking as much. Not after what happened last time." She glanced at Damien.

He only chucked and ruffled the blonde hair on her head. She slapped his hand away and stuck her tongue out at him. Lucas and I exchanged a look that meant it was only a matter of time between them.

Katherine started playing with the yellow ball attached to her eyebrow piercing. "The bonfire should be fun."

I smiled at her. "You're coming?"

She nodded and bumped her shoulder on mine. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Will teachers be there?" Luke asked.

Once again, that one man I'd just managed to block out for that one minute conversation popped back into my mind.

"Mr. Reeves might be there." I mumbled.

"And my football coach too." Damien added.

"Some teachers go to make sure the situation doesn't get too out of hand." Laura said. "But I'm sure they won't be supervising too much anyway. At least I hope not."

Kate giggled briefly. "Should be a blast."

I chuckled. The girl was slightly weird, but I liked it. There always seemed to be something behind what she says but it's like what she says is unsolvable.

I shook the thought off and sighed.

I hope Friday wasn't too bad. I knew there will be a lot of people there and having a party out in the forest sounded like a recipe for some sort of disaster...

But hey, never know until you get there I suppose. You live once, might as well live it to the fullest. And plus its college.

Try everything once.

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