“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I guess I should’ve introduced myself before I tried to snag your notes. I’m Quinn.” His voice was soft, velvety, and deep; it was like music to my ears, but it still paled in comparison to his appearance. There was no need for introductions. I definitely knew who Quinn was—just not by name … not until now anyway. Trying to regain my composure, I glanced over at his two friends waiting for him in the wings.
“What, Larry and Curly don’t come to class either?” I asked. I desperately wanted to run out of the lecture hall—away from Quinn and his friends—before I made an even bigger fool of myself. I zipped up my jacket, adjusted the scarf around my neck, and grabbed my mittens before motioning towards the front door of class. But Quinn just stood there, unfazed by my gesture.
“Would you trust the likes of them for class notes?” He smiled at me, and I felt more heat surge through my face. Quinn’s smile was captivating; it made him even more attractive and charming, if that were at all possible. Even if he hadn’t been blocking my escape route, I would have been afraid to move for fear that my knees would buckle under me with my first step.
This is totally ridiculous, I snapped at myself. Stop acting like a bumbling idiot; grab your stuff and walk out of here. I took a deep breath and looked directly into Quinn’s eyes.
“And you would trust me? A perfect stranger that you randomly picked out of the class?”
“You tell me. Should I not trust you? I mean, you certainly look smarter than those two heathens … and a bit more attractive I might add,” Quinn said without missing a beat.
“Great, so I’m a step above a heathen. Thanks,” I responded, taking another mental inventory of my appearance and shuddering. Totally cute guy talking to a seriously gnarly-looking girl—and he knew it. Could this morning get any worse?
“Let me ask you something,” I continued. “Do you always make a point of being so nice to someone you’re asking for help?” The flippant edge in my voice was not overlooked by Quinn’s friends. I swore I heard “Mayday” calls coming from their general direction as they tried to stifle their laughter.
“Let me ask you something.” His voice remained calm as he ignored his friends. “Do you always make a point of being so difficult when someone asks for your help? Hmm … I bet Professor Swain would have something to say about that.” He flashed me a playful little grin.
Heat surged into my face again. It wasn’t like me to be this rude. A twinge of guilt rippled through me for acting so callously towards Quinn. I just couldn’t remember the last time a guy made me feel so self-conscious, and it bothered me. In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time I even cared about what some random guy thought about me. I momentarily set aside my foul mood and forced myself to return Quinn’s smile.
“Didn’t he already say enough about me this morning?” I asked as I rolled my eyes.
Quinn laughed. The sound of his laughter drew me in further. I wanted to hear it again, but he simply handed me my backpack instead.
“Oh, thanks.” I took my bag from his outstretched hand and threw it over my shoulder. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just that good moods and early mornings don’t really go hand-in-hand with me—especially when I’m running late for my next class. Speaking of which,” I looked down at my watch, “I really have to run. Excuse me.” I gently pushed by Quinn and walked out the lecture hall.
I opened the double doors of the psychology building, keenly aware that Quinn was right behind me. A rush of cold winter air hit my face. I welcomed it. I took a deep breath, letting the frosty air fill my lungs. Exhaling slowly, I watched as a thick cloud of steam escaped my mouth and quickly dissipated before my eyes. I had to admit, there was something beautiful about the fresh-fallen snow on this sunny winter’s morning. Everything was white and pure, covered in a blanket of snow. Every limb of every tree looked like it had been frosted with a layer of vanilla buttercream at least an inch or two thick. Icicles were glistening like crystals in the sunlight, hanging from the branches like Christmas ornaments. Even the crisp air smelled fresh and inviting.
As if my feet were on autopilot, I started walking towards my next class, being careful to avoid patches of ice. Quinn walked alongside me, talking the entire way. Maybe his next class is across campus, too, I thought.
As we walked, I couldn’t help but wonder what everyone we passed was thinking when they saw what an odd pair he and I made.
Quinn mentioned he was from somewhere just outside of Chicago. He also mentioned he was a sophomore and was attending IU on a swim scholarship.
Figures, I said to myself.
“So what about you? What’s your story?” Quinn asked, just as we arrived in front of the building that housed my biology lab. I honestly couldn’t figure out why this guy was suddenly so interested in getting to know me—or why I was suddenly so interested in getting to know him.
“Ah, just in the nick of time.” I let out a quick sigh of relief followed by a little laugh. “Here’s my next stop … I guess I’ll see you in class on Friday.”
“Yeah, um, speaking of this Friday … what are you doing that night?” Quinn took a step forward, closing the distance between us. I could feel the warmth of his breath kiss my face.
“Friday night? Why?” I asked hesitantly. He couldn’t possibly be asking me out.
“Well, there’s going to be this huge party at a friend’s fraternity—invitation only. I could get you on the list if you wanted to stop by—you know, to show my appreciation for letting me borrow your notes.”
Not a date, I told myself.
“Oh thanks, but that’s not really necessary.” Did I detect a hint of disappointment in my voice? What was going on with me?
“I know, but it’ll be fun—lots of people, live music, the whole deal. You really should come. Bring some friends if you want.”
“Sounds great,” I blurted out without thinking. Why did I just say that? I lashed out at myself. “But … uh, I’m not sure I can go.” I was backtracking. “My friends and I already have plans that night.” I tried to sound nonchalant, but my words were forced and my throat was parched, making my voice sound raspy. I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks, no doubt turning them deep crimson. My body was betraying me, and I was sure that Quinn could see it. I dropped my head slightly, masking my embarrassment by paying an undue amount of attention to the task of taking off my mittens.
Quinn lifted my face up towards his and held it there for a moment until my eyes reluctantly caught up. When our eyes met, he gently brushed the tip of my nose with his finger.
“You should come.” He smiled at me. His perfect full lips parted so that I could see his pearly white teeth. His smile was so seductive; it was like a secret weapon, rendering me utterly defenseless against his charms. I felt my heart skip a beat.
“Thanks again for your notes,” he added as he turned and walked away. Unable to move, I just stood there and watched him leave.
It dawned on me that I hadn’t even agreed to give Quinn my psych notes. He just presumed I would hand them over. And he was right—I would. Nevertheless, that still didn’t excuse his arrogance. Irritated, I frowned.
Quinn suddenly turned towards me again, catching me off guard. Crap! He probably thought my expression was due to his leaving.
“That’s just great, Evie. Just great,” I mumbled under my breath. “Way to look like even more of an idiot.”
“Hey,” Quinn called out to me. “What’s your name?”
“Eve—but most people call me Evie,” I managed.
“Well, Ee-vee,” he said, drawing out each syllable of my name, “I hope to see you Friday night.” He winked at me, turned back around, and continued to walk away.
It wasn’t until Quinn was almost out of sight that my heart jumpstarted itself and began pounding in my ears. This was nothing—nothing at all, I assured myself. I wasn’t acting like myself today. My reaction to Quinn was just par for the course for the strange morning I was having. It
was just bad timing that he chose today of all days to flirt with me to get his hands on my psych notes. I’m sure he used his God-given “talents” all the time to get what he wanted. He probably suspected I was still rattled by walking into class late, and he used it to his advantage, knowing exactly how I’d react to his little performance. And I was sure I did not disappoint. I cringed, realizing what a predictable and easy target I’d been.
Out of nowhere, Ryan’s face popped into my head. He hadn’t crossed my mind once since Quinn had approached me after class. I cringed again, even more disgusted with myself. What in the world was wrong with me today? I pulled out my cell phone and called Ryan, only to get his voice mail.
“Hey there, it’s me,” I said. “I was just thinking of you.” Ugh. I prayed Ryan couldn’t hear the guilt in my voice. “I wanted to tell you that I love you and I miss you. Talk to you later.” I ended the call wishing more than ever that Ryan and I attended the same school.
I looked at my watch and realized that my lab had already begun. I was late to yet another class.
Great. Just great, I said to myself as I bolted up the steps and inside the building.
* * *
I was distracted the rest of the day Wednesday and most of Thursday. To my surprise, I found myself daydreaming of all the different ways I could devise future “serendipitous” meetings between Quinn and me after our psych lecture in hopes that we could walk to our next classes together again. Maybe I could be waiting casually outside the psych building on my cell phone. Or I could be looking for something in my bag as he happened to walk past. Maybe I could catch up with him one morning and pretend like I had to ask him a question. But I spent the majority of last two days trying to figure out how Quinn managed to get under my skin—and I was totally annoyed at myself for having had let him.
Late Thursday afternoon, I was sitting at an empty table in the student union waiting for Lisa and our friend, Rachel, who lived across the hall from us. The three of us had planned to grab a quick bite to eat and then head off to the main library to study. For once I was early, so I decided to try to get a hold of Ryan. He had yet to return my call from yesterday. His phone went straight to voice mail again. I just shrugged it off, assuming he was busy studying, and left another message for him to call me. As I ended the call, I heard a strangely familiar voice over my shoulder.
“Who was that? Anyone interesting?” The voice was deep and smooth. I could smell hints of citrus and mint, overpowered by the strong smell of chlorine. Quinn. I froze. Tiny, little shocks bombarded my body. My pulse started racing. I didn’t dare turn around to look at him as I felt the heat of my blood rushing into my face. Even my ears were burning.
“Who wants to know?” My voice sounded surprisingly calm and playful. I took a deep breath. You can do this! My mind reassured me.
“Still being difficult are we, Evie?”
He remembered my name. Another battery of shock waves hit me. Breathe. Just breathe, I repeated in my head. I knew the last thing I needed to do was waste my time with Quinn, but there was something about him I couldn’t shake. What was it about this guy that made me react this way? I mean, even in the extremely unlikely event that he was interested in me, I was already in love with someone else—Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Ryan.
“What, cat got your tongue? Or is it still too early in the day for you?” Quinn teased.
He’s just flirting with me to get my psych notes, I reminded myself. Well, two can play at this game. I took another deep breath, this time with more confidence. I could feel my face cooling down, so I turned around to see him standing behind me, his deep blue eyes twinkling.
“Maybe it’s just the present company,” I replied. I tried to look serious, but a devilish smirk escaped me despite my efforts.
“Sorry, not buying it.” He matched my grin with that dangerous smile of his, but I was prepared for it. I refused to be that easily flustered by Quinn this round.
“Well, I have news for you—nothing about me is for sale.”
“What—not on the market?” he asked, looking down at the cell phone still in my hand.
Huh, I thought, he wants to know if I have a boyfriend.
“Let’s just say that I don’t make a habit of discussing my personal life with people I barely know.” Why did I just evade Quinn’s question? I could have kicked myself. Here was the perfect opportunity for me to tell him about Ryan, but for some reason I held back.
“Okay, good to know. Well, now that we’re setting the ground rules …” He pulled out one of the empty chairs next to me and sat down.
“Ground rules?”
“Yeah, well, I seemed to have offended you yesterday, and I have a sneaking suspicion I’m on the verge of doing so again right now. So before I say something I’ll regret later, is there anything else I should know about you? You know, any personal mantras, pet peeves, wild sides, tattoos, piercings, or addictions of which I should be aware?”
“Wow!” I laughed, completely taken aback. “That’s quite an interesting list you’ve compiled. I hope these aren’t the standard questions you ask all the girls. Because if so, I could give you a few pointers.” Right, Evie, like he needs a few pointers on how to pick up girls.
Now it was Quinn’s turn to laugh. That laugh. That intoxicating laugh. My head started to swim as a tingling sensation ran from my head to my toes. Addictions? Yeah, I could name one, I almost said aloud … only half-joking.
“You are pretty feisty, aren’t you?” Quinn asked.
“So I’ve been told.” I smiled at him again. Am I really flirting with this guy?
“What else do people say about you?” His voice was calm, but his eyes were flickering wildly with curiosity.
“You expect me to just open up and reveal all my secrets to you? Come on, that would be way too easy. Besides, where’s the fun in that?” I smiled again, but I felt oddly unsettled as I stared into his eyes. Maybe I felt uneasy because this was the last thing I expected. Quinn could get any girl he wanted—so why me? My mind couldn’t quite wrap itself around the idea. Or maybe I felt anxious because I was playing along with this risky little game even though I had a boyfriend. Maybe it was because I was hiding the fact that I had a boyfriend—or because I wanted to hide that fact from Quinn. I would never do anything to jeopardize my relationship with Ryan—or so I had thought. So why not just come out and tell Quinn about him?
“Full of surprises, are we?” Quinn looked at me even more intently.
“I guess that’s for me to know—”
“And for me to find out,” he said, finishing my sentence.
He leaned in towards me so his face was mere inches away from mine, our eyes still locked. “I look forward to the challenge.”
My heart skipped a beat or two and then began pounding at a deafeningly loud volume; I was sure Quinn could hear it. It was so loud I couldn’t even hear myself think. All I could do was stare into his eyes. I was mesmerized by them. They reminded me of the ocean—clear around the shallow edges, but darker and more mysterious closer to center. His eyes seemed to be hiding something of their own. I wondered what kinds of secrets Quinn had locked away.
“Well, I should get out of here while we’re still on good terms.” He smiled and stood up to leave. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, Evie.”
“Maybe,” I mumbled as I looked down at the table. The truth was that I hadn’t yet decided if I was going to the party. I knew I shouldn’t go, but part of me definitely wanted to.
Quinn stepped behind me, put his hands on my shoulders, and gave them a quick squeeze. A shiver ran down my spine, making me jump a little in my seat. He chuckled. He’d obviously gotten the response from me he wanted. As if to torture me further, Quinn leaned in so close to me I could feel his breath dance on the back of my neck. I shut my eyes, taking in his scent wafting in the air all around me.
“Well, then I hope to see you tomorrow night,” he practically whispered in my ear. My head started to spin; I felt dizzy. I
was thankful to be sitting down. Quinn squeezed my shoulders once more before letting go, and then he was gone. I opened my eyes just in time to see him walking down the corridor of the union. I would bet money that he was grinning triumphantly from ear to ear.
This was the second time my body had betrayed me in front of him. There will not be a third, I told myself. But deep down I knew better—bad things always happen in threes.
* * *
“Who was that?” Lisa exclaimed as she and Rachel sat down at the table.
“Who was who?” I asked, still dazed.
“What do you mean, ‘Who was who?’ That amazingly hot guy that was just massaging your shoulders! That’s who!” Rachel prodded. “Hey, have you been holding out on us? Is there something going on between Ryan and you—you two break up or something?”
“No … Ryan and I are … fine,” I stammered. I was totally unprepared to deal with Rachel’s twenty questions. “Quinn is just a guy from my psych class—we met yesterday. He was just … thanking me for some lecture notes.” Notes that I had yet to agree to give him, I reminded myself.
“Some thank you. I wouldn’t mind if he thanked me for something.” Lisa looked like she was already mentally undressing Quinn.
“No, you don’t understand. He wants me—us—to go to some frat party tomorrow night. That’s his way of saying thank you.”
“Us? So, is he available?” Rachel asked. Her eyes lit up with possibility. I could only imagine what she was picturing in her head.
“I don’t know,” I snapped. “Why do you care, anyway?”
“Relax, Evie,” Lisa chimed in.
“Yeah—I’m just asking. I mean, you did get a look at him, right?” Rachel said.
“Yeah, so?” The truth was I didn’t want Lisa or Rachel, or any other girl for that matter, to be interested in Quinn. If I couldn’t have him, I didn’t want anyone else to have him either—most certainly not one of my friends. I couldn’t believe it; I was actually jealous over some guy I had met yesterday. I sighed in frustration.
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