The Protection

Fourteen

I kept my head down the entire way back to my apartment, nodding at those who called my name, but I didn't stop to talk to anyone. I didn't want to risk the chance of getting into any more trouble. I was a perfectionist through and through, and any performance that was less than stellar, athletically, academically or otherwise gnawed at my insides.

I slammed shut the door to my bedroom and dropped my books on the floor, covering my face with my hands. How could I forget that assignment?! I instantly felt guilty for how Professor Slagle spoke to me with such blatant disappointment. I was supposed to be perfect: Perfect athlete, perfect student, perfect daughter. Instead, I was beginning to feel like my life was part of a sweater, falling apart, stitch by perfect stitch.

"Someone is being a little dramatic today," a deep sarcastic voice boomed behind me. I jumped and quickly spun around, his large black T-shirt I was wearing fanning out around me. Brown Eyes. Lying on my bed, his hands propped comfortably behind his beautiful head. My heart skipped a beat, drawn to his beauty, but I forced a scowl onto my face.

"What the actual hell? Are you stalking me now?!" I accused, crossing my arms, acting as though his nearness had no effect on me. He smiled crookedly, tilting his head to one side, unfazed and unanswering. The longer I stared at his perfect smile, the less I myself could remember what my question even was. He stretched his long muscular arms over his head and the bottom half of his chiseled, tanned six-pack peeked out beneath his thin black t-shirt, the light brown line of hair on his stomach leading down to areas I could only imagine were as perfect as the rest of him. I tried not to blush. He smiled knowingly, tugged the shirt down, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Had he been taking a nap in my bed?! How long had he been there?

"How'd you find me?" I huffed instead, and he smiled again. It had been a week since I saw those images, visions, whatever the hell they were, in that dark, expensive house when he had grabbed my wrist. The last thing I saw before I left University Park in my Uber back to my apartment, was Brown Eyes sitting stupefied on his big bed, and now he was lounging on my bed. As if no time had passed. I fought the blush again at the thought of such a beautiful man with such a large body gracing my Walmart sheets.

I swallowed and forced my attention from him to the rest of my room, searching for a clue as to how he had entered, but my small circular window was closed and nothing looked out of place. I knew I should be overwhelmingly concerned a good-looking stranger broke into my apartment, but oddly, I wasn't. He had an air of calmness that surrounded him. A calmness that made me feel like I had always known him. Like I knew I was safe with him in my bedroom.

"My shirt looks good on you" he grinned, distracting me. I fought against the fire that illuminated my cheeks, and traveled much further below. The way his Brown Eyes studied me made me feel like I was fifteen again - with curled bangs that covered my acne and my braces thick on my buck teeth, attempting to talk to the hottest guy in school. Still, I stripped off his soft t-shirt and threw it at him, refusing to allow him to have the upper hand. His smile faltered a bit as he caught the shirt and clutched it to his chest. I hid my own smile as I grabbed a navy blue practice shirt from my floor. COURAGE the white block lettering on the back read. At the beginning of the season we had all picked out 'focus words', Coach Lawless' brilliant idea. I had of course chosen COURAGE, Beth had chosen DISCIPLINE, and Kelly had chosen HEART, both of which were extremely ironic.

I pushed out my chest a bit as I pulled the shirt over my head, and Brown Eyes turned away and looked out the small circular window in the corner as I stripped off my shorts and pulled on my spandex. His Brown Eyes studied my reflection in the glass as I pulled the tight shorts just over my hips, admiring my bright coral lace thong. I should've made him leave as I changed. That would have been the sane thing to do, especially with a strange man who had just broken into my apartment. Ask him to leave. Or call campus security immediately. I shook my head as my fingers expertly rebraided my hair. I didn't even know this guy's name, and here I was stripping down in his presence. What had gotten into me lately?! The only other guy who had seen me this bare was Ben, but somehow it felt natural to be naked around Brown Eyes. Like my body was already his and it always had been.