“Wasn’t that amazing?” gushes Jaimie, taking my hand.
“Sure, I guess…” I trail off, trying to keep contact with him, but she pulls me around and takes me back to the bar. Once we’re here, she orders a round of shots, and when she tries to persuade me to join them, I shake my head and find myself looking back at the mat, but no one’s there. “Why didn’t you guys tell me we were going to watch an underground fight, which is illegal, may I remind you?”
“Because it would suck out all the fun,” Jaimie says, turning back and fidgeting with her bra as she takes a sip of her alcohol.
“Don’t try and avoid the inevitable—pay up.” Julia smiles and holds out her palm toward her girlfriend. Reluctantly and with an irritated eye roll, Jaimie slaps a ten dollar bill in Julia’s hand.
“I should have known better; Grey always wins. We’re his good luck charms.” She beams.
“I like to think I make my own luck,” Grey croons, striding up next to us. “Hello, ladies. Princess.”
“It’s Olivia,” I say through gritted teeth.
“I think I like Princess better.” He frowns, obviously trying to get under my skin, but I won’t let him. Not tonight, not any night.
“Whatever. So are we going to stay here any longer?” I shift my eyes to the girls and feel my heart drop when I do.
They’re making up their faces, having just taken two shots each. Neither of them seems ready to go or capable of driving. And I do not want to be here any longer. The loud music and reckless nature of the crowd is making me more nervous with each passing second.
“I guess so…” I trail off, gulping and weighing my options.
Maybe I can call a cab. I search through my purse and feel my heart sink even further to the floor, where a boy with luminescent yellow hair abruptly stomps on it. “I left my wallet in the room. How could I be so stupid?”
To be fair, I was rushing to leave the room. They had just started making out; I felt really uncomfortable.
“I have a friend here who doesn’t mind taking them back. He rode with me. He can find his way back after dropping them off. He doesn’t live that far from campus. I’ll take you back,” Grey says, and I don’t voice my shock at his sudden empathy. Who knew under all that thick skin and leather jacket there was a heart?
“But you’d have to owe me, of course,” he says, slanting his pursing lips in a smirk.
Saw that coming.
“Deal,” I say reluctantly. “But we have to leave now—” I glance at the couple twirling each other’s hair with lust swirling in their eyes. Not again. “I am not watching another show of who can suck out the other’s tongue first.” I stand, clutching my purse to my chest.
He chuckles, a deep laugh that reveals a set of definite dimples in his cheeks. Mixed with that and the movement of his hand brushing his dark hair back, he kind of looks charming. But then he opens his mouth.
“Grab your shit and let’s go. I have places to be.” He walks around me, brushing my shoulder. He does that a lot. “Vamos,” he shouts, looking over his shoulder with a smile that makes me want to slap it off his face, but I remain calm.
“It’s just a drive back. Ten minutes. That’s all. Just ten minutes,” I tell myself.
***
“So what did you think of the fight?” Grey asks as I fidget in my seat.
The all black leather slightly squeaks under me, and he smirks, saying nothing and keeping his eyes on the road. He knows I’m nervous. How could I not be? I barely know him, and the only time we’re together he’s either calling me a prude or a princess, neither of which I appreciate.
“I thought it was…unexpected,” I tell him earnestly.
“How so? Did you not think I would win?” he teases. I can tell by the arch of his eyebrow, the little indent of those dimples, and by his brief glance.
I hide a smile and shake my head. “I didn’t know I was going to watch a fight in the first place. They were very secretive about where we were going.”
“That’s because of me. Every time they come, I specify that they can’t tell anyone where the location is. That’s what keeps it a secret underground fight. If everyone knew, then the cops would eventually be called, and you don’t want to see this face behind bars, do you?” He looks away from the road long enough to pucker his bottom lip and bat his eyelashes at me. A small laugh leaves my lips, and I shrug.
“I think you’d do fine. Have you seen yourself fight?” I didn’t make sense just now, did I? Did Jaimie put something in my drink? I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she did. She’s a little bit…out there.
“But for real, what did you think?” he asks again, glancing at me. “I so desperately need the approval from the Princess.”
And now he ruined the light tension between us. And here I was enjoying it.
I roll my eyes but sigh inwardly in relief when I see the dorm parking lot get closer. “I don’t appreciate being called that.”
“Why not?” He looks amused.
“Because I’m not one. I’m just Olivia.” I smile, but he laughs and shakes his head as he parks.
“And I’m just not giving up that nickname. It suits you so well.” He reaches out and plucks my cheek. I swat his hand away, protesting, and he does nothing but clap his hands as I fume bright red.
“Just call me Olivia, okay?”
“If I must…I’ll call you Liv.”
“No, no, that is so much worse. Let’s just stick with Princess, yeah?” I smile nervously.
I’ve never liked anyone calling me that, except Louise maybe. Someone very important to me used to call me that.
“You see, you shouldn’t have said that because now I want to call you that.”
“Just drop it, Grey.” I narrow my eyes at him in warning.
“I’ll call you whatever I want, whenever I want,” he says, and I roll my eyes in annoyance and exit the car. He beeps the horn, and I take in a deep breath and pivot on my heels. “Speaking of which, don’t be afraid to call me. My number is—”
“Don’t want it,” I cut him off.
He sports a smile. “Ah, it’s always fun messing with you, Princess. As if you’d ever get my number.”
“As if I’d ever want it,” I shoot back, and he breaks into a grin.
“I’ll see you around…Liv.”
“We can go back to Princess,” I say, but he winks and drives away. I watch as the back lights diminish into the darkness, and for the first time since meeting him, I smile because of him and take my time walking into the dorm building.
Chapter Ten
Monday morning, I wake up with a shout. My heart is in my throat, and my chest is in my stomach. I endured a nightmare like I do every single night, but this time I felt it a tad more. The pills I take before bed are supposed to lessen the pain and reaction before and after I wake up. It’s supposed to stop it all completely, or at least dull the sensation my brain needs to project the tragic event. But since I went under so much stress and trauma after it happened, it doesn’t do that. But it does help. A little. And I’d rather it help a little than not at all.
As I rub my temples to get rid of the aching throb, I make a mental note to ask my doctor to up the dose. If I could, I’d take one a thousand times stronger that would wipe out the event than have to take these little ones for the rest of my life. If I could, I’d forget it all…
“Do you get murdered in your sleep every night by Freddy Krueger or something?” Julia groans in annoyance, scrunching up her face, her eyes drilled closed.
“No, sorry. I just have…” Her snores cut through my words, and I briefly smile, since I don’t have to explain why I wake up in the middle of the night screaming most times, and quietly pad out of the room, toiletry in hand.
After taking my time in the shower, I get dressed and leave for my first class. That and the other four classes fly by with me paying attention to the professors and nearly scribbling every word that tumbles out of their mouths. Some may say i
t’s excessive, but I don’t care. You may never know what information will be useful or come up on exams.
But the moment I step through the door to Psychology class, all the pent-up anxiety fades away, and a smile makes its way onto my face. This is the one class that I look forward to most every day. I sit in my usual seat and take out my notebook and pen, ready to start today’s lesson.
“Good morning, Princess,” Grey croons as he slides into the seat beside me, leaning over so he’s a few inches away.
I’m surprised but keep my composure. He usually stumbles into the class just before it ends, sunglasses hiding his striking eyes. I can’t, for the life of me, think of why he’s here now, and early at that.
“It was until you got here,” I mutter, signing my name in the right corner of a new page in my notebook.
He chuckles, but I don’t pay any attention. “Why so rude?”
“Why sit next to me?” I look at him. “You sit in the back doing God knows what. Why are you sitting here now?”
“Because I feel like it.” He throws up his hands and leans back in the chair. “And because you intrigue me.”
I roll my eyes and watch as students begin coming in. Maybe he’ll realize he’s able to sleep in the rear and go back. But until that happens, I wonder why exactly he’s deciding to sit next to me.
“Did you not hear me?” He’s next to my face now. Feeling my heart jump in surprise, I push him back. He chuckles madly and twirls the seat on his right and sets it in front of him before placing his feet on top of the chair.
“You can’t do that,” I hiss, watching Ms. James walk briskly into the room, apologizing for being late. “Take your feet off of there. It’s disrespectful.” I lean over and try to push his feet off, but he clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth and raises the leg closer to me. He looks at me, mischief written all over his face.
“It’d be disrespectful of you if you did that, wouldn’t it?” He raises his eyebrows, and I roll my eyes for what feels like the umpteenth time.
“Do what you want, I’m not getting in trouble.” I get up to walk over to Ms. James as she writes the lesson objective on the chalkboard.
“So you’re gonna tell on me? What a classic,” Grey shouts after me, and I turn back and glare at him. Those dimples come out again as he laughs, and I turn around, hiding my own, and gently tap Ms. James shoulder.
She turns around and narrows her bright eyes slightly. “Yes, Ms. Westerfield?”
“Oh, you can call me Olivia,” I say and pause for a beat when I hear Grey mocking me but smile wider and continue. “Anyway, I was just doing casual research on how some of the opportunities students in the Psychology program are internships. I was just wondering if you thought I could, maybe, have that opportunity as well. Only if you think I’m good enough for it, of course. I’m very interested in it.” I bind my hands together and anxiously rub them, kneading my knuckles.
She says nothing for a while. I guess she’s just thinking it over, or thinking of a way to gently let me down without me freaking out, which I would never do. I don’t lose my composure in front of teachers. It shows weakness and my inability to focus on the important element of class—work.
After what feels like an eternity and a day, she says, “I don’t know you or your work ability just yet, so I won’t say yes right away. But I do know that I see great potential in you. So if you improve and show me how hard working you truly are, I’ll give you a chance.”
“Thank you so much, Ms. James. I promise, I am a good student and psychologist. Well, I think I am at least.” I laugh, and she tugs her red-painted lips in a closed lip smile. I falter with my own, but I flash her my teeth in a grin and thank her once again before returning to my seat.
I’ve been dying to ask her. I just haven’t found the right time or way to propose it. But I have been doing a lot of research on it. Every year a few top-notch hospitals and organizations select college students to intern and study psychology first hand. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get both experience and put a great thing to add on your resume. Both of which could be a major boost and grant you a job in the field. I’ve been eyeing the program for months before I even came here.
When I turn around, Grey isn’t in sight, and I smile even wider. I shuffle over to my seat, ready for today’s lesson.
Today’s beginning to look up for me.
That is until Ms. James turns around and announces the first class project. “This week, I will personally assign partners for you, and you will explore each other’s mind. Find out what makes you tick and why. Don’t be afraid to dig deep. The clearer it is for me to read the report you hand back to me, the better your grades will be. As for partners, everyone in the first row, as the order goes from left to right, the following people are your partners: Jeremy, Alice, Fitch, Gerald, Tanya, Grey, Harold—”
“Grey?” I exclaim.
Ms. James stops assigning and tips her eyeglasses a notch down her nose. Everyone snickers. I take a large gulp of air, my heart beating out of my chest. “Yes, is there a problem?”
“N-no, of course not. Don’t mind me. Please continue.” I slide down in my chair as she briefly stares at me before continuing down the row. The laughs settle around me, and I suddenly feel claustrophobic and exposed at the same time.
Can you believe my luck? Out of the sixty students in this massive auditorium, I have to get him as my partner?
As the rest of the period drones on, I can’t help but think: what did I do to deserve this?
***
“Have fun, princess?” Grey drawls as I exit the classroom.
He looks smug as I approach him. Thick eyebrows arched, lips crooked in a devil-may-care smirk, he knows he’s my partner. He knows, and he’s mocking me. Could having him as a partner get any better?
“How did you know we were gonna be partners?” I ask him, ignoring his taunting.
“Natalie and I are close. She tells me everything before you fuckers.” He shrugs, referencing to Ms. James, taking a long drag of a cigarette perched between his fingers.
I wave my hands in my face to fan away the smoke. He only takes a longer drag and blows it in my direction. I cough and use both of my hands while he laughs like this is the funniest thing in the world.
I’m tempted to push him and watch him suffer, but also to stare at those dimples. Both are lulling me, using strong forces, but I choose neither and hike my backpack up a few inches.
“That isn’t funny,” I snap, pointing a finger at him. He smiles at my finger and leans forward to nip at it, but I step back and cross my arms. He leans back against the brick column, spurting out thick rings of smoke as he laughs. Is it evil of me to wish his lungs would fall out of his mouth as he coughs? “If you’re so ‘close’ with her, then ask her to change my partner.”
He gasps, his lips parting with smoke. “Am I not good enough for you?”
“No,” I answer blankly. I fidget with my backpack straps, hiking it up again.
He narrows his eyes and stands. “What you got there?” He walks over to me and stretches his hand out toward my bag, but before his grimy hands can touch it, I turn and glare up at him. And he smiles down at me toothily, resembling the big bad wolf. I guess that makes me Little Red Riding Hood. But that doesn’t mean I’m gullible enough to fall for his deceit. “Come on, let me give you a hand with that.”
“No, thank you.” I try to turn away from him again, but he’s faster than me and grabs the bag and pulls it off me. “Grey!” I rush after him as he unzips it and laughs. He looks up at me, and I grab it from him and zip it closed. “What is wrong with you?”
He points at my bag. “You have a library on your back. You do realize that, right?”
I shrug, feeling my blood boil. “I do not. I just have a lot of classes.”
“You can only take five max,” he says, and I roll my eyes, caught in a lie.
“Fine. But it doesn’t hurt to have everything I need for each class and a fe
w personal favorites.”
His dark eyes transform into thin slits as he takes a long stride, closing the gap between us. My heart jumps in shock, and I open my mouth to scream and tell him to get away from me when he raises his hand and lightly grazes his long fingers against my cheekbone. My entire body freezes in place, and every hair stands up straight.
“But it does hurt if you’re struggling in the process. Are you struggling, Princess?” His voice is dark and makes my knees weak. His expression is covert, eyebrows drawn together, supple pink lips ajar, and jaw rocking back and forth. His thumb caresses my bottom lip, and I let out the tiniest bit of a squeal.
What is wrong with me? I try to speak, but no words leave my mouth.
Struggling to function, yes. I answer him in my mind because my mouth refuses to cooperate.
“I—I manage,” I stutter. Why did I stutter? Seriously, what is he doing to me right now?
A devilish smirk that could only mean trouble slowly appears on his face, and he leans down and whispers against my earlobe in a low and velvety voice, “Really? Because it seems to me you’re struggling to realize how much I really affect you. And to notice that I took your bag.” He stands straight as I process what he just said. Before I could even react, he holds up my bag, sends me a wink that sends ripples in my stomach, then says, “You should really pay more attention,” and hops over the low wall and takes off. With my bag!
“Grey, come back here!” I run down the hall strip then turn onto the campus and run after him. He stands out like a sore thumb wearing leather and black contrasting the bright, cheerful colors of the other students. When I finally reach him, he raises the bag high in the air, and because of our great height difference, I groan and stare up at it. “Give me my backpack.”
“Only if you say I’m the greatest partner you’ve ever had,” he says childishly.
“We only just got assigned as each other’s partners, doofus,” I shout and reach my hands up high.
Grey: The Encounter (Spectrum Series Book 1) Page 7