Scarlett Blood

Chapter 5

For the hundredth time, I cursed at myself for not getting more sleep. It didn't help that I'd had the strangest dreams, either. I knew I'd been running, and I'd been afraid, but running where? In a forest? A city? A field? Everytime I tried to recall the details, they evaded me. It shouldn't matter, but it irritated me.

Natalie and Blake had walked with me to campus; Blake stuck with me on the way to my first class, since we were going in the same direction. He chatted animatedly while I nodded along.

"Didn't get a lot of sleep, huh?" he finally said.

"Is it that obvious?"

"A little. It's just first day nerves. It gets better."

I smiled, but he was wrong. It wasn't first day of school nerves that had had me lying awake in bed last night, but thoughts of Nicholas Stone. As if I was going to admit that.

"Here you are," he waved his hands at the door to my class like a gameshow host. "I'm across campus next class, but we're meeting for lunch, right?"

"Yup. You, me and Natalie." I put extra emphasis on Nat's name. Something flickered in Blake's eyes, but his smile never faltered.

"See you then."

"Bye," I said, and headed into class.

Although I was majoring in art, I needed basic classes to graduate. I dreaded math of any sort, but this class, English, was more my speed. It was the typical university design of seats set in a loose semi-circle. Three sets of steps led up to the back seats; I choose the chair closest to me, on the bottom row. Students started filing in, chatting with one another; I kept my eyes down, arranging my notebook and pencil, my textbook. It wasn't until I got the feeling that I was being watched that I glanced up. Instantly, I froze- Nicholas Stone sat directly across the room from me, staring. Unlike yesterday, his expression was not a glare that produced fear inside me, yet it was just as piercing. It took me a few seconds to remember how to breathe, and even longer to locate the correct muscles to lower my eyes back to my desk. My face was much too hot, my hands trembling the way they had last night.

What is his problem? I thought. I could have convinced myself that yesterday was a fluke. That it wasn't me he was glaring at so coldly. I might have been able to do that, had he not been in my class today. What was so damn interesting about me that he couldn't keep his eyes off me?

He never did. Throughout the entire class, I felt his eyes on me. I even confirmed it by daring to peek at him three times throughout the hour. By the time class was over, I thought my face might permanently turn red. It was a relief to feel the cool September air on my skin on the way to my next class, History. I can deal with this, I told myself. So we have a class together. Big deal. I can deal with it. And yet, just as I was settling into my seat, there he was again. I was so shocked that the heavy textbook slipped from my numb fingers onto the floor with an echoeing thud. Nicholas, like everyone else, turned to look at me. I scooped up the book quickly, my face flaming.

The teacher walked in then, an old man with a receding hairline. He started talking before he'd even reached his desk. "Welcome to History. I'm Mr. Gowe. The first thing you need to do is pick your seat; it will be yours for the rest of the semester. I suggest choosing a place where you won't be distracted." He eyed a group of giggling girls meaningfully.

I watched one of them, a pretty girl with fire engine red hair, take the seat on my right. She looked at me and smiled, but before I could return the gesture, her expression shifted. Her eyes went wide as she stared behind me. I couldn't help myself, but of course I knew who took the seat to my right. I hadn't noticed before, but Nicholas looked hot as Hell in his black tee and ripped jeans. His leather jacket was hung over the back of his seat. I was careful not to look at his face, knowing I would more than likely embarrass myself further if I did.

As close as we were to each other, I could smell a faint hint of whatever he had on. Or maybe it was something he used when he showered. Maybe it was just him. Whatever the case, he smelled incredible.

"In this class, we will cover various topics from the ancient civilizations to more recent history," Mr. Gowe began. "I will attempt to remind each of you that history, regardless of when, who or where, has impacted the world you know today. Technology, science, medicine. We are going to start the year off by discussing and researching one of my favourite's - ancient egypt."

I kept my head over my textbook or on the teacher, but at the end of the hour, I had no idea what I'd just learned. My muscles only unlocked after Nicholas had gathered his things and left. Annoyed, I packed my bag and headed outside to meet Nat and Blake. It was ridiculous. I was being ridiculous. Why should one guy effect me so much? If this continued, I'd never make it through my classes! I needed to get ahold of myself.

"Scarlett!"

Nat and Blake were walking toward me, waving.

"How was it?" Nat asked, as we headed to a place they liked to eat.

"It was alright," I said with forced nonchalance.

"You have Mr. Gowe for History, right? He's really cool," Blake said.

I just smiled and nodded, letting them take over the conversation. Lunch went by too fast. Before I knew it, I was standing outside my art class, nervous to the point of nausea. This was why I was here - art. The thing I loved more than anything else. I couldn't make my feet move to go in, though. If he was in there. . .

No. Even if he is, this is my passion. This is what I love to do.

Straightening my shoulders, I walked determendly through the door. Mr. Lawse, or Pic, looked up from his desk and smiled. I returned it, looking around. No sign of a leather jacket anywhere. The breath I'd been holding came out on a sigh of relief. Pic gestured to one of the stools before walking to the center of the room.

"Welcome everyone. I am so excited to start a new year with fresh faces, and I'm excited to see what we can create this year. You can call me Pic, as everyone else does. I'm sure I'll learn all of your names by the end of the week. Now, I want to begin the year with a show of good faith; I want you to draw or paint something that makes you feel inspired. Let go of the stress you've been feeling to get to this point. Create something that makes you happy."

He signalled for us to begin. For the first time today, I felt all the tension drain away. It was all very familiar, the smells of the paints, the sounds of brushes moving. This was a place I didn't have to worry. The place I could relax. The hour melted away, and it wasn't long before the picture in front of me came to life - a stunning lake surrounded by forestry and mountains.

Pic stopped behind me. "Incredible," he said.

"Thanks."

"Where is this?"

I paused. "To be honest. . . I'm not really sure."

"What inspired you to paint it?"

"Peace," I answered automatically.

He nodded slowly. "I can't think of any place that would be more peaceful. This makes you happy?"

I looked at my painting, shrugging. "I think a little peace and quiet, every now and then, makes everyone happy."

"Isn't that the truth," a girl behind me said. The other students murmured in agreement.

"It's exceptional," Pic smiled. "Excellent job, Scarlett."

The feeling of happiness only lasted as long as I was in the art building. The nerves came back full force before my last class of the day, but Nicholas wasn't there either. I didn't fully relax until the teacher was ten minutes into the lesson, just in case, but he never showed. I wondered at myself for the unwelcome surge of disappointment.