Unexpectedly Yours

Chapter One

The Orbit of Familiar Faces

Driving down this road again, I feel both sadness and excitement fill over me. Another year of college. Another year of pretending that I have my life figured out. I'm currently working on my bachelor's degree, now on my third year of majoring in Creative Writing. I start an internship this year with Todd's Publishing, which my professor helped set up for me in a couple of weeks. He gave me the information going into summer break, and I took it and set myself up for this year.

I pull into the parking lot of the main building for my degree. I'm so glad that I have a decent paying job so I can afford a place of my own with my friend Amy. I was so over living in the dorms, listening to music blasting through the halls every weekend and the irritable roommates I've had in the past.

As I get out of my car, I look over and notice a certain vehicle pull in. The car comes to an abrupt stop, and I can hear the music seeping through the car doors. I still can't believe that the two of us are in the same major, given the fact that we are both very different people.

The door swings open and I see bright white shoes and black jogger sweatpants step out. He grabs the top of his door to assist him getting out, and I finally I see him. Sunglasses cover his eyes and his gray sweatshirt clings to his body.

Blake.

From the first time we met, I have disliked this man. He was incredibly rude and despicable. Ever since that day, his cocky presence and rude demeanor has helped aid in my loathing for him.

I grab my bag and start to head inside, waiting a good significant amount of time so we don't walk into the lecture hall at the same time. I get a text from Amy saying she wants to do dinner after our first day back at college.

As I'm replying to her message, I turn the corner to the hallway of my lecture hall and run into someone, knocking over my phone.

"Oh shit, my bad." I say as I bend down to pick up my phone. When I stand back up, I notice that the someone I ran into wasn't just anyone.

It was Theodore.

"Nah, you're alright. I should have seen you coming around the corner." His bright smile and piercing green eyes make my knees weak. I've had a crush on him since day one of college, and he barely even knows me. He has dark brown hair, almost black, and he is about 6'3. All the women in this hall are obsessed with him, myself included.

"Oh, Th-Theodore." I stutter, "I didn't think you would be in this hall anymore, let alone do these early classes."

"Please. It's Theo." His smirk could melt steel. "I was just helping some freshmen find their way around. Generous of me, I know." He smirks. My cheeks burn. I force my eyes anywhere but on him, only to catch Blake heading into the lecture hall. Ugh.

"Well, that's...very kind of you." I manage a smile, even though my brain has gone completely offline.

Theo shifts, like he's about to let me go, then his hand catches my arm gently. My breath stalls.

"By the way," he says casually, "I'm throwing a party this weekend. You should come. Bring Amy too, I'm sure she'd love it."

"Yeah, yes. That sounds fun." Inside, I'm screaming. Outside, I'm trying very, very hard to look like a normal human being.

"Perfect." His grin widens. "See you there, Athena." And just like that, he's gone, leaving me clutching my phone like it's the Holy Grail.

I pull myself together and walk into the room, noticing only a couple of seats have filled up. Class starts in about twenty minutes so there's still plenty of time for students to roll on in.