The Trench

Chapter 2 - No Filter

I'm relieved once the day is over; all of my classes besides Physics made us go around the room introducing ourselves like we're in first grade. I came here to further my education, not braid hair and watercolor.

I start walking down the sidewalk towards my truck and my mother's voice snakes its way into my subconscious. Making me remember small, snide remarks about my inability to make friends, my "overly sensitive temper", and my dislike of people in general.

It irritates me every time I think about it.

It's not like I can't make friends, I just don't like many people. I have a short temper and no filter, making things I say sound sharp and ruthless when in reality I didn't mean it quite like that. I hate large crowds and I'm socially awkward. I have one best friend who is back home who understands me to a tee, Taylor, and I miss her like crazy.

I unlock the door to my truck and throw my books in the passenger seat, making dust and a few strands of hay fly into the air. I really need to clean in here. Being my only source of transportation for the past few years, this cab has hauled horse tack, feed, hay, dogs, and I even had an orphaned calf in the backseat last winter when we found him in the back field.

I wiggle my way out of my parking spot, cursing the lot for being too small. I love my truck, but maybe I need a car after all. As I ease into traffic, I try and make a mental list of everything I need from the store. I had it all wrote down and forgot it at home, I'm so forgetful sometimes.

-

An hour and a half later, I'm hauling my groceries up the stairs to my apartment. I'm on the second floor of the building, regretfully. Never again in my life will I have an upstairs anything and I dream of a life with a stairless home. The plastic handles dig into my forearms as I waddle my way up. I could have made a few extra trips; I'm just too damn stubborn and I try to make as few trips as possible.

I'm staring down at the red carpeting, trying to focus on each footstep to make sure I actually make it up the stairs without incident. As I get to the last step my mind is sidetracked, thinking how tacky it is to have red carpeting in an apartment hallway. Not focusing on my feet, the toe of my boot catches on the lip of the hall and I jerk forwards, arms fly out in front of me and I release a noise that sounds somewhere between a scared cat and a squeaky door hinge.

I hit the floor with a loud thud and bounce my chin off the floor, cracking my teeth together. I grimace at the sound and at the pain shooting through my jaw.

Fuck me.

I roll over on my back and stare at the ceiling, unmoving, too humiliated to look up and see if anyone saw. To my horror, a low chuckle comes from somewhere further down the hall.

"Do you need help, ma'am?" The voice sounds familiar.

Oh goody, a witness. I think as I tilt my head back and glance behind me at the upside down man. He was staring at me curiously, hands in his pant pockets standing a few feet down the ugly red carpet. I tilt my head forwards and take a quick glance at the ceiling again, I sigh and lean up, bouncing to my feet and face the man.

I look at him and instantly recognize his face, his tanned skin and strong, sloping jawline was covered in short, dark hair. Which usually looks messy to me but it adds to his features nicely. I glance down to his arms, where his white dress shirt's sleeves were pushed up to his elbows exposing finely toned arms. Tattoos started right above each wrist and seeped underneath the bunched, white fabric on his shirt. My eyes scan over his arms, across his chest, and up to his face again. His raven black hair is slightly longer on top than on the sides and his eyes are a cool blue color.

"Uhm, good evening professor?" I realize I stated that as a question, although I'm not sure why. Maybe it was because he was the last person I expected to see in my building.

He stares down at me with a smirk.

"Good evening to you too. This is the second time I've seen you on the floor today, are you naturally clumsy?"

What the actual fuck?

"Actually, yes I am not that it's your business." I retort sarcastically, fiddling with the hem of my blue t-shirt uneasily. I could tell he's internally sharing some sort of joke with himself in my expense by the way he's looking at me, and I don't like it.

"Are you always this rude to your students?" I arch an eyebrow and wait for his response. Any shred of uneasiness I had is gone, and all that's left is irritation. Who gave him the right to be an ass?

"What is it Robert Jarvik says? Neurologic function is related to intelligence?"

My mouth literally falls open. Is he serious? Insulting me with science-y jargon, the nerve!

"Oh come on, take a joke." He shrugs and flashes me a bright smile as he bends down, collecting boxes of mac and cheese and protein bars that spilled out of my bags on my way down. "I've said that line before and no one's gotten it yet, so kudos for you." His shoulders shake and I know he's laughing even though I can't see his face.

"Why are you even here?" I blurt out and then cringe. It's none of my business why he's here, but I've already mentioned my lack of filter.

He chuckles before he answers, "I live here nosey rosy."

I keep my mouth shut while he helps me gather my scattered groceries. He carries the bags for me down the hall, which was a nice but equally unexpected gesture.

"Well this is me; you can put those down now."

Why am I being so awkward? Why am I like this?

"What a small world." I see a hint of humor behind his eyes and I catch myself wondering what he's thinking. He's staring at my door like it just told a funny joke, I wait for him to elaborate but he doesn't.

"Are you going to tell me why you think the world is so small, or are you going to make me guess? I'm not into guessing games." I unlock my door and turn back to look at him, my arms crossed as he sets my bags on the hallway floor. I kind of feel bad; I know I'm being a jerk for no reason all because I'm embarrassed he saw me fall.

Pride is a devilish thing sometimes.

Once again, a low chuckle escapes his lips. I think that's the sexiest sound I've ever heard in my li...

NO. DAMMIT NO. This is your professor Riley, get a fucking grip.

"It's a small world because I just moved in a few weeks ago and it just so happens to be on this floor." His smirk turns into a wide smile that's oddly contagious, dimples forming on both of his cheeks. "I'm surprised we haven't ran into each other before today."

"If you need anything just knock on your wall, neighbor." And with that he took a few steps further down the hall and walked inside his apartment...right next to mine.

I can't tell if that was cute or creepy. I think to myself as I haul my groceries inside to the kitchen.

As I'm putting everything away I can't help but to stare at my wall after knowing what's behind it.