The Library at Midnight

Chapter 7: Calculus and A Lie

I followed Miles inside, matching his footsteps and glancing around the room to get a feel for the class. When I entered a majority of the class went quiet, sending secretive whispers every now and then; some being about me and some were just girls fawning over Miles. I rolled my eyes as Miles started towards what I assumed was his seat, that was in the middle row of three tables each seating two. I followed while looking around the room for an empty seat. Noticing the seat next to him was open, I mentally cursed the odds. I closed my eyes, building up my courage, before speaking.

"Miles," I whispered. Nothing. "Miles," I said with a little more force. He looked up from unpacking his bag, eyebrow raised.

"May I..?" I asked quietly, pointing towards the seat next to him. My cheeks flushed pink when I felt  the stares of a dozen pair of eyes burning holes into my back. He rolled his eyes and nodded towards the seat next to him. I nodded and walked past him to the vacant seat. After plopping in the chair, I pulled my textbook from my bag and a pencil from one of its many pockets.

I brought my attention to the room one more time to observe the students. They all seemed to be fairly normal as I looked, but after listening in on some conversations, the difference between me and them became very clear. Soft murmurs of hugely successful family corporations and recent familial meet and greets with big names wafted around the room as I suddenly began feeling self-conscious despite the fact that my father and I were similarly of well known status.

I turned my attention to Miles and just as I was going to ask what part of the book they were working on, a girl popped up at the side of his desk. She was a brunette with shoulder length hair that was lightly curled. Her makeup was simple and clean and her tie was loose around her neck matching the laidback feeling of her yellow sweater that was tied loosely on her hips and the first few buttons that were unclasped at the collar of her shirt exposing a gold chain which dangled a small heart.

"Hey Miles," she popped. He gave a slight wave as he turned the page of his encyclopedia.

"Here we go," I sighed, only allowing Miles to hear. I knew her type and unless I lived under a rock, I knew what was coming next.

"A few of us are going to grab lunch at Boiler's around noon, would you like to join us?" she asked cheerfully.

"Called it," I finished, rolling my eyes for emphasis. She shot me a deadly look and I raised an amused eyebrow in response. She scoffed and with a flip of her hair and turned back to Miles, eagerly awaiting his response. Without giving it a second thought, he shot her down.

"I told Rowan I'd show her around campus," he stated simply, flipping the page of his book. Her smile faltered slightly as she looked in my direction. I looked in his direction astonished that one: he was able to turn her down so effortlessly and two: I was somehow involved in his rejection. Last I checked, I was his last choice when it came to spending time with someone. I don't know what possessed me to speak next, but let's just say it was to screw with Miles who obviously wanted nothing to do with this girl.

"Actually, Brinley already-"

"Told me to take care of you today," he interrupted simply, shooting me a warning smile. "Don't worry, I know a place that you'd really like for lunch," he finished, returning back to his book, taking a sticky note and placing it on the page before skipping to the next one. I smiled, amused with the idea of him being so desperate to prevent such a meeting.

I looked at her with sympathy and gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I'm Rowan," I half waved.

Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration  before she fixed herself and looked back at him, the same perky smile taking over her features.