“Thanks. I know you were a bit distracted.”
I look away from his stare, embarrassed. Obviously he saw me with Logan and more than likely he saw me leave with him.
“Um. Sorry.” I say as I sit down on the top step.
He sits down beside me and playfully squeezes my knee.
“I shouldn’t have said that. I’m the one who is sorry.”
I shake my head. “No. It’s okay.” I turn to face him.
“Why do I have the funny feeling you’re about to give me the let’s-be-friends speech?”
I chew on my lower lip, anxiously. “It’s not like that but…” I start to say but he interrupts.
“That doesn’t sound too promising.” He turns so we are face to face.
I sigh.
“You don’t have to tell me. I already know…it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that you still have feelings for him. Am I right?”
I blink a couple times, deep in thought, searching for the right answer. “He hurt me, really hurt me. I finally feel like I’m moving on, but I just need time. I need to figure things out.”
“So, are you dating him again?” He asks, confused.
“No.”
“But you don’t want to jump back into another relationship, with me?” Now, it’s his turn to look anxious.
“Don’t say it like that.” I give him a reassuring smile. “Tyler, I like you. I like you a lot, but right now I don’t want to jump back into a relationship with anyone. Does that make sense?”
“Sure. I know it’s none of my business and I’ll probably regret telling you this, but…” He pauses, looking lost in thought.
“Go on.” I say, curiously.
“I think Logan is a dick for what he did to you. But I also know he’s miserable without you.”
I look at him, perplexed by his words and even more so by his motive for telling me this. But before I can reply, he answers what I’m thinking.
“I know because I overheard him in the water, talking to Sam.”
I gaze at him puzzled. “Why would you tell me this?”
“You know I’m crazy about you. I wish you felt as strongly about me as you do for him. If I could change that…I would, but unfortunately I have no control over it.” He pauses and smiles, slightly. “The bottom line, Emilia, is that I want you to be happy.”
“Um. I don’t know what to say.” I murmur.
“Just know I’m here for you. If you ever want to talk or whatever.” His lips curl up, slyly.
“Whatever?” I smile, knowingly at him.
“Wishful thinking on my part.” He smiles and stands.
“Tyler…” I reach my hand up towards him.
“Yes?” He takes my hand and pulls me up so I stand facing him.
“Thanks.” I say, as I reach up and kiss him on the cheek before I turn to run, leaving him behind.
AFTER BRIEFING BRYN on my surprisingly eventful run, I plop down on my bed with my new iPad. While I refused to look at my emails for the past month, I now find I have accumulated over a thousand. Ugh.
Glancing through them, I find the majority is junk, mostly stores promoting holiday sales. After I delete most of those, except for some that I forward on to Bryn…the perpetual shopper with or without a sale, I move on to the rest of my mail.
I quickly notice that I have a reply from my earlier email to Professor Milton. His first name catches my eye, for some reason I would never have pegged him for a “Seth.”
From: Seth Milton
Subject: Shakespeare
Date: Sunday, January 6, 2013 10:15 am
To: Emilia King
Miss King,
Thank you for offering to assist this quarter.
If you could stay after class tomorrow, I have some work for you to get started on.
– Dr. Milton
______________________________________
Immediately, I feel a wave of regret sweep over me immediately followed by a wave of guilt for feeling that way. Although I love Shakespeare and I adore Professor Meyer, who asked me to help, I’m not sure I can handle helping in the class with my already ridiculously heavy workload. I sigh as I reread the email again. Well, maybe it won’t be too bad. Hopefully he only wants my input on future lectures or essay topics. I can handle that.
Turning my attention to the rest of my emails, I see they are all from Logan, dating back from the ninth of December, just after that awful night, until the thirtieth of December, before my surprise visit. The subject heading for all the emails is, “LOVE.”
One by one, I open and read them. There are easily over fifty quotes from various literary works, mostly by Shakespeare, about love:
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind
–A Midsummers Night’s Dream
My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee the more I have, for both are infinite
–Romeo and Juliet
Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly to your service
–The Tempest
She is beautiful, and therefore to be wooed; She is woman and therefore to be won
–Henry VI
Eternity was in our lips and eyes, Bliss in our brows’ bent; none our parts so poor But was a race of heaven
–Anthony and Cleopatra
Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love
–Hamlet
Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?
–As You Like It/Hero and Leander
Love is a smoke made with fumes of sighs; Being purged, a fire sparkling in lover’s eyes; Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers’ tears; What is it else? A madness most discreet, A choking gall, and a presenting sweet
–Romeo and Juliet
The course of true love never did run smooth
–A Midsummers Night’s Dream
When I finally finish reading them all, it’s after ten o’clock at night. I roll on my back and stare up at the ceiling when my phone buzzes a text message.
LOGAN: Hi
ME: Hi. I was just thinking about you.
LOGAN: I’m always thinking about you :)
ME: I read your emails.
LOGAN: And?
ME: I loved them.
LOGAN: I’m glad. See you tomorrow.
ME: See you soon. Good night, Logan.
LOGAN: Good night, beautiful.
CHAPTER EIGHT
SLIPPING THROUGH THE BACK DOOR to Studio One thirty minutes early on Monday morning, I have the sole intention of avoiding Luke Stanton, my co-anchor, who is a bit too persistent in asking me out. But no such luck. I quickly find my plan goes awry when opening the door, I find Luke, leaning just inches from where I enter.
Desperately trying to avoid eye contact, I pretend to not see him as I say a silent prayer of invisibility and quickly scurry to the front of the room. But just as I make my escape, another student bumps into me and knocks the stack of papers from my hands and all over the floor.
“Hi, Emilia.” Luke says as he bends down next to me and helps me gather my scattered pages of notes for upcoming news stories.
“Oh, hi.” I try and sound surprised to see him.
“Is everything okay with you?” And the way he says it leaves no doubt in my mind he knows Logan and I aren’t together.
“Yes, good.” I say as I grab the papers from his arms and stand.
Hurriedly, I scan the room hoping to spot Professor Hastings, our producer, or someone…anyone who can help me avoid talking to Luke.
“We’re early.” His eyes shine.
“No one is here?” I ask, nervously.
“I’m here.” He pauses, his eyes dropping down to my breasts for a quick second. “And, the guy who bumped into you but he ran out to get coffee for Hastings. Why? Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Luke
.” I try to laugh my uneasiness off. “Just hoping to get started, I have a busy day and the sooner we’re finished here, the better.”
I turn and take a seat at the desk where we do our broadcast. Reaching into my backpack, I pull out a pen and then organize my stack of papers, while taking notes in the margins. I try my best to look focused and busy, but I can feel his eyes watching me.
“Did you have a good break?” He asks. Here we go.
“Yes and you?” I ask without looking up from my work at hand.
“I did. So, I heard you and Logan are no longer an item.”
I feel my face warm.
“News travels fast.” I say between gritted teeth, still refusing to meet his gaze.
“Are you free tonight?”
“No.”
“Tomorrow?”
“No.”
“You can’t possibly turn me down for the weekend. What’s better for you Friday or Saturday night? Or both?”
My head snaps up, meeting his eyes.
“Give it a rest, Luke.” I hiss.
Thankfully at that moment, Professor Hastings, a female police officer, and several classmates enter the studio. I glance in Luke’s direction and scowl at him.
“I see you two are getting along swimmingly.” Dr. Hastings says dripping with sarcasm. He moves towards us, assessing the situation. “Luke, please do both Emilia and I a favor, and stop bugging her.”
I glance at Dr. Hastings and smile.
“I’m not bugging her.” Luke says, feigning innocence.
“Okay, then stop talking to her.”
Luke’s face reddens when I glance in his direction and then towards the police officer as I bite my lip to keep from laughing.
“Okay, troops. Let’s get to work.” Dr. Hastings says loudly and then turns his attention to the police officer.
She’s short and a bit heavy-set with long brown hair that’s pulled up into a loose bun. Her large brown eyes, behind stylish tortoise shell eyeglasses, appear to look right into my soul. I quickly look away as a shiver runs down my spine.
“Emilia, I’d like you to meet Detective Alicia Fernandez. She’s the campus’ new security chief and police captain that I know you’ve been preparing a story on.”
“Hi. Nice to meet you.” The detective says with a slight accent as she firmly shakes my hand. She has a big broad smile that could light up a room, making her eyes a little less intimidating…at least when she’s smiling. I remember my research on her, not only is she the security chief and police captain, she also has completed FBI training…impressive and intimidating.
“Hi.” I return her smile. “Nice to meet you too.”
“There were quite a few burglaries in and around campus over break so I was told you’d like to do a quick segment on it…for awareness.” She says, direct and to the point. She immediately warms on me.
“Oh, sure.” I refrain from saying ‘of course’ because I don’t want to give her the false impression that I was aware we were doing this piece this morning. It’s never a good idea to lie to the police. Besides, with those penetrating eyes, I’m pretty certain nothing gets by her.
I PRACTICALLY SPRINT from the studio, not wanting to give Luke, despite his promise to Professor Hastings to stop badgering me, another opportunity to ask me out. Its takes ten minutes to get across campus to my Shakespeare class. The classroom is a large lecture hall. Arriving early, I scan the almost empty seats. There’s only one desk occupied by a striking girl with lovely features and straight, dark hair set in a bob. She immediately looks up and her bob swings as she flashes a toothy grin. When I move away from the entrance and towards the seats, she pats the seat next to her, signaling me to sit beside her.
“Hi.” She says, her voice squeaks in a friendly way as it echoes in the large, empty hall.
“Hi.” I smile and slide into the seat beside her.
“You don’t remember me?” She says, dramatically as if she’s on the verge of tears.
“Sorry.” I shake my head and rack my brain, hoping my memory might trigger something.
“I kid.” She snorts. “We were in a poetry class together last year, but I’m sure you don’t remember me. I missed a lot.”
I smile and she continues.
“I should never have signed up for that class. I don’t know what I was thinking. Actually, I’m sure I wasn’t thinking.” She laughs at her joke and continues. “I don’t usually sign up for classes that start before noon. I don’t get home until three or four in the morning.”
I like her honesty. “So, I guess I’ll see you more.” I say since this class starts at one o’clock.
“Possibly. By the way, I’m Chloe.” Her expressive dark eyes and warm smile make it easy to like her.
“I’m Emilia.”
“I know.” She grins like the cat that ate the canary. She leans towards me so she’s inches from my face. “You’re the one who finally tamed Logan Prescott.” She whispers except I don’t know why since we are the only ones in the room.
I laugh out loud. “Tamed? I don’t think so.”
“Oh, sure. He had a minor setback.”
“That’s an understatement.”
She reaches in her purse and grabs a container of Altoids. She opens the tin, popping one in her mouth. “Hey, I’m not defending him. It was a dick move, but with friends like those, who needs enemies. Am I right or am I right? One’s a shithead and the other a total cunt. God, I hate that word, but that’s what she is. Mint?”
“No, thanks.” I pause a second and continue. “I see your point, but he’s far from innocent. Do you know him?”
“Everyone knows him. He’s Logan-Fucking-Hot-Prescott. But no, I don’t know him, know him. I do know your roomie, Bryn…love that girl! We’ve been in a couple classes together.”
As she says this students begin to file into the classroom.
“Bryn is awesome.” I agree.
“So, I know we hardly know each other, but can I ask you something without sounding like a prying talk show hostess?”
“Sure.” I smile, watching the steady stream of students.
“Are you two back together or what?”
I turn towards her. “Or what.”
“That sucks.” She says, disappointed.
“And you’re sure you don’t know him?” I smile.
She shakes her head. “Uh-uh. Why?”
“You could possibly be his biggest cheerleader and you don’t even know him.” I laugh.
“Why is that funny?” She asks with a bewildered look.
“Just is.” I smile at her and then pull out a notebook and pen from my backpack.
“Well, actually I’m pretty sure I will get to know him.”
I lift my head up from my notebook and look at her. “Oh?”
“Yes. Pretty sure I will get to know him…soon…very soon.” Her eyes widening as she glances over my shoulder. When I follow her eyes towards to the direction of the door, I’m sure my mouth drops to the floor as I spot the guy, in Chloe’s words who I tamed.
“This class just got way more interesting.” Chloe giggles as she elbows me lightly.
Logan scans the room and when his eyes catch mine, they focus, like he’s just scored a bull’s eye. In the next moment, Dr. Milton, wearing the same ill-fitted grey suit as the first time I met him, enters the room behind him, walking briskly with his head down, he moves towards the podium.
My eyes blink back to Logan as he saunters towards me. His mouth turns up into that irresistible smile as he holds my stare, shifting his backpack on his shoulder.
“Is this seat taken?” He says with a ghost of a smile as he motions to the desk next to me.
“Really?” I hold his gaze.
He slides in the seat beside me without waiting for any further reply.
“Oh, God. Did it just go up ten degrees in here or what?” Chloe whispers beside me while she fans herself with her hand.
“A pleasure to see you…as always.” L
ogan says, quietly as he turns his attention to the front of the classroom.
“Now, if everyone could please take a seat and pull out their textbooks, we’ll get started.” Dr. Milton’s voice snaps me back to the here and now.
Trying to focus on Dr. Milton’s lecture on Hamlet and Hamlet’s seven soliloquies, I feel Logan’s eyes, glancing over at me every now and then, but I resist the urge to look back at him. Fortunately, my newfound friend, Chloe, keeps me distracted by her caricature-like doodles of Dr. Milton and several of our classmates that surround us.
When she taps her pen to her notebook to get my attention, showing me her latest creation, I slap my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. It’s a caricature of Logan and I. He’s in his boxer briefs with bulging muscles and what looks to be a twelve-pack, ogling over me with his tongue hanging out like a wolf, while I am dressed like Little Red Riding Hood.
When class ends, I gather my things, stuffing them into my backpack. Despite not having a backpack, Chloe leans down beside me and pretends to look like she’s doing the same.
“Good luck, Emilia. I expect an intro next time.” She says, quietly.
I look up at her. “So you plan on making it to this class?” I tease.
“Hey, I wouldn’t miss it now.” She lifts her textbook and one notebook in her arms as she quickly glances at Logan, winks at me, and then darts out of the room.
Throwing my backpack on my shoulder, I stand and glance in Logan’s direction before heading to the front of the room to meet with the professor.
Logan steps closer towards me. “I told you I’d see you tomorrow.” I know he’s referring to his text message.
“Did you switch your major?” I tease.
“Not exactly…unless my major is you.” He smiles, his blue eyes shining.
I bite my lip and feel my face redden. “Okay.” I think for a quick moment. “How did you get into this class when you didn’t take Advanced Shakespeare 101? It’s a prerequisite for this class.”
He breaks into a barely there grin at my bewilderment. “How about I take you to lunch? I can tell you and we can discuss Hamlet.”
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