Darker Than Grey

Prologue

Unlike what most people believe, Creative Writing class isn't all fun and games. Instead, it resulted in I, Mallie Winters, having to sit in a very uncomfortable wooden chair with my computer barely supported by the five inch desk that attached to the seat. The professor, Dr. Anders, was a man that was as old as time itself, and almost as quiet as a mouse scurrying through the cabinets.

Currently, he was droning on about mythical creatures in history, and how they all are bent and shaped by modern culture needs. But, at this point, I was ready to just book it from this class and head home. Or at least, to the dorm room I shared with a senior who had no idea where she was going with life.

Figures, she was studying the default engineering.

"Ok, so the assignment now is to pair up with a partner and work on a presentation. This presentation has to be built around one mythical creature and shoe either it's decline of use or incline, whether or not it has been warped or exaggerated, and the origins. Everything else will be the default that we've been including all year." His voice was monotone, no excitement at all. In fact, it was hard to tell where his words ended and others started.

Anyways, this was the part where I groaned. Every time this year, I ended up with a snobby stuck up who made me do everything out of disappointment they weren't paired up with their friends. It was like grade school all over again.

"Mallie!" A voice called, and up scurried an awkward looking boy. He was all limbs, standing over six foot and looking down with a nervous expression.

Of course, I knew this guy.

His name was Jakob, and he was something else. Not exactly A+ smart, but smart enough that I wouldn't have to do all the work.

Suddenly, Jakob looked up. Boy, did he look scared out of his wits right then. Curiously, I turned around to see Andre actually standing up. It was odd, considering the fact I've only ever seen him reclined back in his seat, at the top of the auditorium.

"Oh, she's y-your partner. T-t-that's t-t-totally cool, m-man!" With that, Jakob scurried off, nearly tripping and tumbling down the steps.

Turning back around, I looked up at Andre. He was definitely over 6"3, maybe 6"5 or 6"6. It didn't help that he was decked out in black, looming over me like a shadow of a skyscraper. He had soft black hair as well, styled up in a slight wave, the end curling. His nose was straight, thin, and his skin was slightly tan. At least, tan for a northern Hoosier. But I couldn't get over his towering height. He was a freaking giant! Then again, I was 5"6, and that was stretching it a bit.

"I was thinking dragons, considering they have been confused for centuries." His voice was quiet, almost wary as he was talking to me. Grey eyes stared down, enhancing me to a certain extent. But luckily enough, I wasn't someone so easily charmed by looks.

"That sounds easy enough. It is towards the end of the semester, and all my other classes will have much harder things to complete." I replied nonchalantly, deciding to head up to where his seat was after sliding my laptop into my bag.

He followed, maybe even stunned by my... Personality? Or maybe he was just a quiet lad anyways....

"Okay, so do you want to decide on a schedule to work on this, or compare the schedules we have to work around?" It was so strange, hearing him talk like an actual college student. In all of my thoughts directed towards him, he was just a stony figure that never did anything.

"Trust me, I do a lot of things." His voice was stifled by his chuckle, and I wondered if I had said that aloud. As far as I was concerned, I never spoke my thoughts out loud.