Kysenia

4

The following day however, Daniel found himself once again searching the halls looking for Kysenia. He frowned when he couldn’t find her. Some guy wearing a black leather jacket that was leaning on a locker in the hallway of the art faculty called out to him.

“She’s not here today, lover boy.”

Daniel looked across and realised the guy was the biker from the first day he met Kysenia. Daniel frowned at him and jerked his head in acknowledgement. “Oh, okay…thanks.”

“I would stay away from her if I was you.” He said harshly, Daniel couldn’t help but feel faintly threatened.

“Cool…” Daniel muttered and walked off down the hall.

He could feel the biker’s eyes on him until he finally reached the end of the corridor and turned left. He stopped and took in a deep breath. That had been intense, there was something strange in the way that guy looked at him, like a hunger.

So she isn’t at college today, is that what she meant when she said ‘might see you’ she was expecting to not be here today? Daniel wondered if she was okay.

He put his bag down on the ground and crouched down and rummaged through it until he found the piece of paper with the number on it.

Should I message her? He took out his phone and put her number into his contacts then stood up and put his phone back in his pocket.

Damn, I’m a chicken…if she had given me the number I would, but she didn’t…that guy did, so what did that mean…did she want me to message her or not?

.                                   

He went to class and sat brooding all the way through it not even hearing the digital art teacher. As he got out of class he took his phone back out and stared at it.

Someone hooked an arm around his neck and kissed his cheek. He struggled back before he realised it was Matt. Daniel rolled his eyes at Matt’s antics.

Matt looked at Daniel’s phone. “You messaging her or what?”

“I don’t know if I should?”

“Do it…go on….otherwise you’ll never lose that depressed look off your face”

“I’m not depressed…I’m confused.” Daniel twisted his mouth.

“Here give it to me, I’ll do it for you.”

“No way…” Daniel pushed Matt away and held his phone out away from him as Matt tried to grab the phone laughing. “You’ll probably send something rude.”

“Yeah…probably.” Matt laughed. “So…you do it…hurry up.”

“Alright, alright…what should I send?”

“Ask her why she isn’t here today?”

“I can’t ask that…it sounds…needy.”

“Hmm.” Matt thought about it seriously. “Yeah your right, I would hate to receive a message like that from a girl.”

Daniel looked at his phone and typed out a message.

Hey, someone said you weren’t here today, hope you’re okay.

He pushed send and Matt laughed. “Nice, it sounds like you weren’t really noticing she wasn’t here…playing it cool…I like it.” He waggled his eyebrows conspiracy like.

“Shut up…” Daniel rolled his eyes.

His phone pinged.

“That was quick!” Matt said peering over his shoulder.

What someone? Came the reply.

Matt clucked his tongue. “Ooo that was cold.”

“Hmm.” Daniel grunted and replied.

That biker dude from the other day.

Matt frowned as he read the message over Daniel’s shoulder. “Really? You didn’t tell me that he spoke to you?”

“It just happened before class…in the hall.”

He waited for a moment for a reply and when he didn’t get one he walked off to his next class and shoved his phone in his pocket. Matt seemed more disappointed than him and sulked for the whole lecture asking if she had replied yet every five minutes.

.

As his last class of the day finished and he walked out of the classroom his phone pinged.

Stay there, don’t move

“Was it her?” Matt bounced over like Tigger.

Daniel frowned. “Yeah, but it says to stay here and don’t move?”

“Ah…Danny…” Matt sounded scared and Daniel looked up to see one of Kysenia’s minders walking down the hall. He looked pissed and everyone quickly got out of his way. He glared at Daniel darkly as he approached.

“Where are you heading?” He asked in a growl.

“Ah…to practise…”

“Then where?”

“Home…” Daniel drawled in a questioning way as he frowned. “What the hell is going on?”

“You said that biker spoke to you, about Miss Skadus?”

“Yeah, he just mentioned to me that she wasn’t at college today…”

The minder gave him a deadly stare. “Anything else?”

Daniel looked at him for a moment then sighed. “He told me to stay away from her.”

“Is that all?” The minder’s vibe was intense and similar to the one Daniel had got from the biker guy.

“Yes…look what’s going on?” Daniel demanded, seeing Matt beside him looking absolutely awestruck.

“Nothing…let’s go…I’ll escort you to practise, then you can go straight home with your mate, okay?”

“No.” Daniel folded his arms and planted his feet.

The minder sighed, looking around himself warily. “Look, I am not speaking in a corridor full of people…”

“Okay…” Daniel stormed off towards the nearest exit. The minder huffed and rolled his eyes and followed with Matt trailing along behind them both.

As he got out the exit Daniel froze.

There was the biker guy, leaning on a wall, with five mates and a couple of girls, they were all vaping and looking cool. The biker guy looked up and saw him and smirked on one side of his mouth unpleasantly. He was quite good looking, Daniel had to admit, he had short spikey hair and lots of earrings, he was just wearing a t-shirt, his jacket lying beside him, and Daniel could see the tattoos on his arms. The thick gold chains around his neck made him actually look like a gangster from a music video.

As the minder stepped up behind him and saw the biker he pulled Daniel back by the shirt and placed Daniel behind himself and stood staring at the biker with a very threatening look. The biker stood up and whacked a couple of his mates and walked off, making a show of ignoring Daniel and the minder.

“Shit.” Daniel said quietly, feeling greatly intimidated.

The minder turned to him. “His name is Lucien. He’s a drug lord’s son, watch your back.”

“A what! f*****g hell…”

“I told you not to get involved that day!” Matt said sounding distressed.

The minder scoffed at him. “It should be alright, now that he knows you’re protected, but just be wary about being alone.”

“Protected?”

“Come on…” The minder said. “Let’s get you to practise so I can go home.”

“Do you have a name?” Daniel looked over the massive body guard, he was the same height as Daniel but built like a brick. He was wearing a tight black shirt, that looked about to rip over his biceps.

“It’s Brock.” He said quietly.

“Thank you, Brock.” Daniel said as he glanced to Matt who was staring with wide eyes all around himself as he walked. “Although I can look after myself…”

Brock just snorted and didn’t speak again.

.

After practise Daniel walked quickly to his dorm and locked the door. He had been on edge since the whole biker, drug lord, incident.

After he was showered and had eaten he grabbed his phone from the table and was surprised to see a message there from Kysenia.

Are you home yet?

He smiled and answered.

Yes, home. Sorry should I have said? Thank you for the lend of your man today, but was that really necessary? I can look after myself.

He walked through to his bedroom and collapsed down on his bed, chucking his phone onto the bedside table. It pinged.

Sorry, I panicked. He’s a bad sort. Glad you’re home and safe.

Daniel grinned and felt a little flutter in his stomach. She cares! He replied.

Will you be at college tomorrow?

He waited for a reply then gave up and fell asleep. He was woken a couple of hours later by the phone pinging.

He sleepily grabbed it and peered at the screen.

See you tomorrow, Daniel. Good night x

Daniel sat up and read the message again, grinning like a mad i***t. A kiss, she sent a kiss. Should he reply? Should he make out he was still asleep, it was late…why am I being such a girl? He put his phone down and went back to sleep, a peaceful contented smile on his lips.

.

Next morning he tried to make an effort with his appearance, but gave up at just shaving and throwing some product messily in his hair. He always wore track pants or shorts to college, and wasn’t going to change that and have any of his mates notice so he just dressed in cargo shorts with his trainers and a t-shirt under a plain blue short sleeved button through shirt that he left open.

He almost expected to see Kysenia waiting for him at the entrance and was a bit disappointed when she wasn’t there, but after the morning session of lectures he finally saw her, waiting at the end of the corridor for him. Well, at least that’s what he told himself, since she was standing alone, with just one of her minders, and looking straight at him.

He smiled as he walked towards her, noticing a path was cleared by others as they all stepped out of Kysenia’s line of sight. Was she that intimidating? He didn’t think so…

“Hey.” He said casually as he reached her.

“Hey.” She said back with an amused smile, her eyes sparkling. He stared at those eyes.

“You have amazing eyes.” He suddenly blurted out, then blushed and looked away.

When he didn’t get any reply he looked back. He looked straight into those eyes that were looking at him with the most delightful look on her face. She had waited purposefully for him to look back before answering.

“Thank you, Daniel.” He blushed even more, this girl was really intense. “Have you eaten?”

“Ah…not yet?”

“Do you like sushi?”

Daniel grinned. “I do…”

“Walk with me then…” Kysenia turned and wandered off down the hall, it was then that he noticed that her footsteps made no sound on the hard tiles, yet she wore those high skinny heels. He was shoved in the shoulder by her minder.

“Move!” He growled.

Daniel snapped out of his day dream and caught up to Kysenia, looking over his shoulder at the minder, who was carrying a paper shopping bag.

Kysenia walked out into the sunshine and headed for a bench seat that was in the shade of a tree on the vast quad lawn. Several people were out lying and sitting in the sun and they all stopped and stared at Daniel with Kysenia. He frowned.

“Does it not get old?” He grumbled at a few as he past them by, they startled and looked away quickly.

“Pay them no mind, Daniel.” Kysenia said as she sat down and held her hand out to her minder. He handed her the bag, which she then handed to Daniel as he sat down beside her. The minder stood behind the seat and turned his back.

“I don’t know how you do it…” Daniel said as he opened the bag and saw a tray of sushi and a sports drink.

“Is this for me?” Daniel looked up with a goofy smile.

“Of course it is…” Kysenia said as she scanned his face for his approval.

“Thank you.” He said and pulled the tray of sushi out and opened it up. He took a roll and put the whole thing in his mouth. “Hmm, good.” He mumbled around the food and stuck his thumb up.

“Excellent, I’m glad it pleases you.”

“Don’t you want any?” Daniel asked once his mouth was empty. He grabbed the drink and took a swig of it.

“No, I’m fine…thank you…you’re very considerate.” Kysenia said appraising him once more. “You are very well mannered.”

Daniel laughed. “My parents will be glad to hear it.”

“Would you like to do this more often, Daniel?”

“Do what?” He looked at her startled. She was so direct.

“This…spending time with me.” The look she gave him took away all the breath he had in his lungs and he could barely find the oxygen to answer her, the look in her eyes was suddenly so dark and intense and he felt suddenly like she was seducing him. He coughed.

“Ah…yeah…of course.”

Kysenia’s face lit up like the sun itself and Daniel couldn’t help but blush again. Damn it! He cursed himself as he saw her mouth turn into a smirk.

“Adorable.” She muttered, then stood up before he could even get any semblance of an answer formed in his head. “I have to go, I have a meeting…enjoy your lunch.”

She walked off with her minder in tow leaving Daniel feeling even more confused than before.

.

That night once he had gotten into bed he grabbed his phone and decided he was going to message Kysenia.

Hey, just wanted to say thanks again for lunch, it was really good. Hope you’re having a good evening.

He lay down with his hands behind his head, his phone on his chest and smiled at the ceiling.

It was five minutes later, he knew because he kept looking at the time, that Kysenia replied.

Daniel, it was my absolute pleasure. Good night, sweet dreams x

Daniel grinned so wide his face hurt. Oh my god! I really really like this girl.