Hendrix ✓

11 ★ Freckled girl

     I'm still not used to the facial muscles moving that way. After going years without using them, I'm surprised they still work. My cheeks are a bit tight and stiff even after all the smiling I've been doing. It's as if Hendrix unfroze my face and she's the only one who makes it work the way it's supposed to.

     Maybe that's the reason she's not afraid of me, she's the only one who gets to see me smile. Or maybe it's the mate bond. It clearly works on her as much as it works on me, but not nearly as much.

     She probably has no idea why she's so drawn to me. It's got to be confusing for a human to have a mate and not even know what a mate is in the first place. It's hard to fathom not knowing the eternal existence of soul mates, but I suppose all humans are completely oblivious to the phenomenons of the supernatural world.

     Not to mention, humans aren't supposed to have mates. This whole situation is a fluke... but I can't say I'm mad about it.

     When the class finishes, the students gather their things to leave and I stand by silently. I watch in restrained fury as a human boy makes his way down the aisle towards my mate with leering eyes. The blood in my veins boils watching him smile down at her, speak to her.

     He asks her if he can carry her books, and I hold my breath. Thankfully, she declines. I try hard to resist smiling.

     It's funny, all this time it's been impossible for me to smile, and now it's hard to stop at times like these.

     The boy leaves right along with everyone else. Hendrix slowly makes her way down the stairs while I pretend to be busy at my desk with papers, except that I'm really just waiting for her to come to me.

     She shyly walks towards my desk, a sweet expression on her perfect face as she gets closer and closer. She wears a light lilac colored dress that flows around her calves. Her sense of style is another thing that I've come to appreciate about her.

     I can hear her heart thumping, her lungs expanding, her eyelashes fluttering. The smell of her is alluring and intense, I take a deep breath and savor it. The sensation is close to being intoxicated.

     "Hey, Professor Ri... I mean... uh.. Cedric." She fumbles over her words nervously, a pretty blush tinting her cheeks.

     I smile at her. Again.

     "Hello, Hendrix." I say, trying to sound normal. I don't want to sound as eager as I truly am. "Who was that you were talking to?" I add in nonchalantly, gesturing with my chin to the door where the boy left only moments ago.

     She fiddles with her backpack strap before opening her mouth.

     "Oh, that's just Dylan. He's in my band, he's one of the guitarists. We don't know each other very well, we're more acquaintances than anything else ." Hendrix explains, and I can't help but feel a little triumphant at the way she plays it off, assuring me that he means nothing.

     So there isn't anything between them after all. I'm relieved, I wouldn't want to scare any boyfriends away from what's mine. Not that it would be hard to do.

     "So, a paper on our favorite historical book that has impacted literature today?" She asks about the assignment dubiously, a lilt of teasing to her darling southern voice. Damn, she's adorable.