From Me to Us

Chapter Eleven

OLIVIA

As the professor dismisses us, I can't get out of there fast enough. I rush down to the short man with too square eye glasses that aren't flattering for his face type, staring at his wardrobe that consists of what my late grandfather used to wear.

He notices me as I chamber towards him and gives me a warm smile. "Hello...?"

"Olivia Clarke." I offer my hand.

"Miss Clarke, how may I help you?" He says, accepting my handshake then turning back to his table to rearrange some of his paperwork.

"I'd like to see if I could switch seats? I know you said no changing but I really need to change. I saw one empty seat near the front. I was hoping I could take that that one?" I plead with my eyes but it does nothing seeing the look on his face.

"Why do you need to change so early? Today is the first day of semester, what possibly could have you so desperate to change your seat?"

"Look, its nothing drastic, I just don't like all the chatting going around with the people that are seated near me, that's all." And the fact that whenever Daniel speaks, he makes me want to throat punch him. I can't stand when people tell me what to do.

"Oh, you mean from Mr. Easton?"

"What?" How the hell could he possibly know that? He wasn't in hearing distance of our seats because we are all the way up the back and his back was turned when Daniel spoke to me.

"The Quarterback? He's a junior. I assumed you would've known who he is considering the way he only gawked at you and not my lecture the entire class," he chuckles and rolls his eyes.

What? This professor must be one of the weird ones. There is always that one weird lecturer at every University.

Yes, I felt his stare at the back of my head every now and then but I just thought that it was his way of getting to me, pissing me off to the point of no return.

I believe you can always, always tell what a person is thinking if you look into their eyes and maybe that's why I can't read Daniel. I haven't looked him in the eye. I haven't delved into the possibility that maybe if I place myself in his shoes and see things from his point of view maybe I could understand what it was exactly that made him start to treat me the way that he does or maybe I should look him square in the eyes and just ask?

The latter certainly seems like the easier option of the two but the former would definitely be more beneficial in understanding what it is that makes up Daniel.

"And yes, it's because he... attracts a lot of attention and it just got a bit much," I add.

He chuckles but shakes his head. "I'm sorry Miss Clarke but if I let you swap your seats, people will notice and expect me to do the same with them. So, I can't." He fiddles with the paperwork on his desk even more then moves it into his briefcase. "This is a popular class and all the spots for it are full and that spot right up front is for my TA only so just try your hardest to ignore it. I'm sorry again but my hands are tied." He turns and leaves before I can even protest.

I huff as I make my way through the building, dodging rushing students and groups of people that choose to be in the middle of the hall to have their conversations.

The air is fresh but hot today considering we just got off summer and headed for autumn I expected this kind of weather so my clothing choice of a summer dress makes me grateful.

There are people out in the quad. Guys are throwing footballs and kicking soccer balls around while others choose to remain less energetic by laying around either studying or relaxing.