BLACK COFFEE (PART I)
PROLOGUE
He is the handsomest boy I have ever seen.
Yet I hate him.
There is something so inhuman about him, so inherently heartless behind those casual eyes.
I am afraid of him. And I fear no one. I try to hide my terror, knowing that if he senses it, it will only speed his closing in for the kill.
I see myself lying lifeless in his arms, his strong hands around my throat, a demonic glow in his eyes.
Underneath that nonchalant exterior, he is a monster.
And he will pursue me.
It is inevitable as I watch him saunter across the room, never directly meeting my eyes, but aware of me all the same.
All I want at that moment is someone to keep me safe, to shield me from his evil.
But there is no one equal to him in power and cunning, least of all me.
I feel lucky to have sensed the danger, but I know I will need much more than luck on my side if I am to escape him.
CHAPTER ONE
Mr. Bingham strides purposefully into the room. He carries no books.
Upon reaching the front, he spins around to face the class; on cue, the female portion of the class heaves a collective sigh.
Wow. Sheila was right. He is a god. Tall, with black eyes, longish dark hair, and endlessly broad, dreamy shoulders under that soft sweater. I close my mouth.
He launches right into the lecture. His face is unreadable as he expounds on the psychological implications of F. Scott Fitzgerald's most famous work. Having read the Great Gatsby multiple times just for the fun of it, I can easily answer the questions he presents to the class, but I don't want to draw attention to myself, considering my Monday ditching.
Eventually, his eye catches mine, and he frowns slightly, not pausing in his lecture.
"'I hope she'll be a fool. That's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.' What Daisy is saying here is that, as a woman, she must make her way in a man's world by beauty rather than brains. Does anyone have anything to add before we move on?"
What the heck. He's seen me already.
I raise my hand. I'm the only one. He motions for me to speak.
"I don't think she means anything by it. I think she's just trying to be profound, because that's fashionable."
"Your opinion is relevant, Miss Romney."
Only I can hear the sarcasm. He knows who I am, all right, and is acting skeptical just to punish me. He probably thinks I ditched just to show him who's boss in our relationship. That wasn't exactly my reason.
"Why do you believe this." It's a command, not a question.
"A person who will burst into tears over a stack of shirts is not likely to be given to philosophizing."
This garners a hint of a smile, at least, but he chooses not to answer me directly.
"You will all state your opinions on the first chapter in a minimum of three pages, due tomorrow."
Tough. I smile secretly as I shoulder my bag.
******
"So, his first name is Gabriel, he went to Dartmouth and he's like a total genius."
