The evening air was clam and crisp compared to the tepid afternoon. Exiting the Cafe I kept my eye out also but Jason was nowhere to be found. So I walked with the Lucy and Evie back toward the dorms and the court with my head full of indecision. Would this be a date? Did I want to go there? I never answered the text he sent me, either. It's just walking. What could be wrong with that? Pulling my phone out I surveyed the text message one more time and exhaled a long breath.
Lucy, Evie and I rode up in the elevator to the dorm rooms together. It seemed that as soon as the door was closed they pounced.
"Okay, what is up with you?" Evie's face was painted in a determined scowl as she tried to read over my shoulder at the screen. "Who's that? Ari!?"
"Nobody!" I shouted and jerked my phone out of her reach as she lunged for it. There was a tussle on the bed. She strained for the phone in determination, sitting on top of me with a thump so I couldn't move.
"Lucy, get her cell phone!" Evie yelled, and before I could move Lucy snatched the phone out of my hand dangling off the bed. I rolled spilling both me and Evie onto the carpeted floor.
"She's been texting Jason, your welcome, by the way." Lucy gushed with enthusiasm as she slid her thumb up the screen to read the messages further.
"You gave him her number?" Evie beamed at Lucy who nodded rising a hand, she smiled and high-fived Lucy.
"Also he's been flirting with her!" Lucy held up the phone for Evie to read, moving swiftly as I tried to grab the phone back. Evie stared dumbfounded at the screen reading the texts in quick succession. Leaping onto the bed when i tried to grab it out of her hands.
"She's been flirting back. That's why you were so quiet at dinner I knew something was up. There's no reply? Did you text him an answer?" finally jumping down off the bed Evie handed the phone back, sat and pulled Rogue into her lap to stroked his head affectionately. Lyla sensed my unease and clamored from her hiding place in the closet toward my lap. She laid her head down in a comforting gesture.
"No I didn't at least not yet." Lucy glanced at Evie and I could see they were trying to form some sort of evil plan.
"Are you two going to gang up on me the entire time were here?" I questioned, resigned, as they both looked guiltily at me then glanced toward the floor.
"No, not all the time." Evie reassured me in a sincere voice then continuing with a sly grin.
"We'll switch it up. Some days it will be me and u against Lucy or Lucy and you against me, but seriously you should go." i was contemplating this when the phone buzzed with an incoming text. Glancing down at the screen I saw that it was from Jason.
*Meet me by the greenhouse at 10*
"looks like I'm being summoned" I remarked sarcastically ignoring the little thrilled in the back of my mind. I showed the text to both of them. They squealed with delight and I cringed when the words make-up and outfits tumbled out of Evie's mouth.
"Ari is turning bad girl." Lucy gleamed, when I shot her a questioning look she bounded onto the bed next to me and pulled the list of rules out of my orientation binder that was laying on the desk.
"Curfew is at ten, Ari." She showed me the golden paper of campus rules and sure enough number three said all students must be in their assigned dorm buildings by ten pm.
"What is he playing at? Is he trying to get me in trouble?"My short temper reared hits head for just a moment as I scanned the rest of the rules on the list. Moving off the bed Lucy started collecting her bathroom stuff, when Evie spoke in an off handed manor.
"Maybe he's testing you, see how much guts u have? Can you keep up, etc. I'd call it a challenge." I fumed for a second. How dare he try something just because I'm new to this whole thing? I brushed my hair with ferocity until it was in soft waves framing my face. He was in way over his head if he thought I could just be played like that. I lined my eyes with black liner and touched up my lashes with some mascara. Glancing in the mirror behind me I saw Evie and Lucy watching in amusement.
"What?" I asked in hostility turning to take in both of their expressions.
"Don't jump to conclusions. I saw how quickly it built inside your crazy brain." Evie soothed. Her eyes were kind in understanding and i relaxed a little. Maybe it wasn't what i thought.
"So not only do I have to leave and sneak across campus after the curfew, but I also have to somehow sneak back across campus when this little rendezvous or whatever has been completed?" Evie shrugged seemingly satisfied that I wasn't going to be the boring one who fallows all the rules like I was at home. Throwing caution to the wind as one might say. I sighed and fell to the bed. When I had asked for different this isn't what i had meant.
Within a few minutes I was primped and polished. Evie had pulled my hair back so that it hung loosely in soft waves from a ponytail, since I had refused her to straighten it, a soft blue t-shirt and some jeans. I was determined to treat this as nothing more than annoying but I couldn't help but admit that I was secretly excited to take a moonlight stroll with a really dreamy guy.
Around ten I found myself walking along the shadows of the greenhouse. It had been fairly easy getting out of the dorms thanks to Lucy. Who knew of a back door that in her experience 'is never locked.' Cursing myself for not considering more seriously that this was a joke. I waited by the entrance for a few moments leaning against the main building in the partial shadows. I played with my pendant for a short while and i saw nothing until I was deciding to turn back. When the soft thud sounded it caused my heart to leap into my throat. I spun around looking for the sound. Lyla's lithe form slid out from beside a large clay pot, as if she were coming out of a hiding spot.
"I told you to stay with Lucy and Rogue." I admonished her gently, as she tilted her head in amusement. Her glowing eyes shifted to the shadow of the nearest tree when Jason's voices floated out of it.
"I had to hide in case you decided that you were going to stand me up." He joked, somewhat half serious, stepping away from the protection of the great oak. His eyes gleamed mischievously underneath hooded eyelashes looking down at me. The slight breeze rustled his hair in light wisps. He stood closely now and glanced over at Lyla.
"Well you're lucky. Another moment and I was going to leave." I replied haughtily. Jason looked back toward me, grinning. Like maybe he realized as well that what I had said wasn't entirely true. I wasn't sure myself. Sometimes I had a hard time thinking around him. Like right now for instance when I watched his eyes turn molten.
"Come on," He said taking my hand and leading me toward the deeper part of the wooded area. "There's something I want to show you." His hand a warm presence on my skin sent chilled goose bumps up my arm. Once he was sure I was fallowing he slowed his pace and released my hand walking beside me, weaving in and out of the beams of quiet moonlight that shone down through the tree branches.
"So is this the part where you take me deep into the woods and murder me?" I asked him trying to dispel the quiet that had enveloped us. Stepping over a root sticking out of the ground I heard him snicker in the near darkness that was only relieved by the gentle blink of fire flies.
"No, I haven't decided where I me going murder you yet." He said gruffly. I stopped short, stuck horror stricken. Then turned to bolt back towards the school when he grabbed my elbow, laughing heartily.
"No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding, come on were almost there." I looked at his hand on my elbow and followed it up to his face. Tingles came in waves of goosebumps, rose up on my skin and i brushed it away as nothing more then the evening chill. He looked hopefully at me and I couldn't help but feel my muscles relax a little. I reached up and patted my necklace nervously, shook off his arm and marched forward.
"OK but if I see one sign that says differently, I'll have Lyla bite your thumb off." I smirked at my joke and watched as he tried to hide his grin with serious shock as I hopped over another upturned root.
"Wait, you're serious?" The luminescence bounced off the leaves in a cascade of radiance that highlighted his eyes as they watched mine, looking for conformation. I felt my heart leap into my throat when he steered me towards a thicket of trees. When I didn't deny it he waited for an explanation.
"Yea, she did it to Sam Prescott already." I smirked wildly proud of Lyla at that moment. We continued on through the trees as he nodded in understanding.
"Ah, so that's what happened to Sam's thumb. He had a bandage on earlier. I just figured he cut himself." Pushing through some low hanging branches we broke through the tree line and I stopped short. The sight before me was lovely to say the least. The trees surrounded a small oval shaped clearing, one large oak tree ascended from the center. It's billowing branches reached up towards a sea of stars. The ground over flowed with long while and purple flowers spurting up from the dirt. Fireflies danced in the night air that brushed the glade with a silvery tint.
"Wow, it's pretty." I started through the long grass and buds. Letting my fingers feel the soft petals brush across the tips of my fingers. The sweet, fresh smell wafted up and settled in my nose as I breathed deeply. I felt Jason follow closely beside me. As we neared the tree I glanced up at him to see him watching my fingers playing with the delicate blossoms. His eyes fiery blue and hungry one moment and soft and yearning another. So much he showed through his eyes. I doubt he even realized. When he spoke his voice was something i couldn't quite place.
"Yea, most students don't venture to far into the forest around the school. I found this place when i got turned around once." He looked slightly embarrassed to and admit it out loud.
The slight embarrassment had an appeal all it's own. I had to reminded myself not to be a fool. It's an act. It's all an act that he puts on. Still if he was a hell of an actor. I couldn't even begin to describe what it might mean if that yearning could be real. He could make any girl swoon. suddenly the way Ronnie looked at him in the Cafe clicked. Play it cool, Arina, Play it cool.
"Pretty smooth move getting my number from Lucy, but wouldn't you rather be spending your time with someone else. Like, I don't know, Ronnie maybe?" I blurted the question out. I was never good with confrontation but i wasn't going to let him think i would be putty in his hands either. Especially when the moon beams bounced off the mahogany strands of his hair as he drew his hand through it. He blinked at me, surprised as we stood under the towering oak tree.
"Ronnie? Why would i?" He questioned in earnest. I shot him a glance like he was playing dumb. I fiddled with my pendant as I built up the nerve to say what needed to be said.
"What ever this is," I gestured between the two of us then around to the tree and clearing. "I'm not looking to be played. I'm cautious as it is around new people. This is ALL new to me." He nodded in understanding stepping a bit closer.
"I'm not interested in Ronnie there was a fling but that's old news. Plus, I figured i had to get creative." he shrugged completely unaffected. I picked a long stem of lilac colored booms from the nearby bunch and began to pull the blossoms off one by one.
"So, why am I here?" I leaned against the sprawling oak and watched him. He stepped closer and glanced down to where my pendant lay outside of my shirt. He reached up and picked it up running his finger over it.
"What's this?" He studied the silver in the moonlight with interest.
"Oh, well i don't really know exactly. I got it for my 16th birthday. Recently however I found out that there is more to it." I explained. More information had tumbled out then i had expected. I could smell his cologne now as it whirled around me in the breeze, the woody muskiness, like sandalwood.
"Interesting," He countered and dropped the pendant back into place and glanced up, "I figured it would be easier to get to know you better without all the staring." He laughed at my expression and I snorted skeptically at him. I wasn't sure if that whole line about not talking to girls was true or not. He was smooth. So smooth that he had to have a practiced hand.
"Is that so hard to believe?" Jason leaned closer, challengingly. I felt myself tense a little. He was so close looking at me with those clear, blue irises.
"Yes, I think so." I dared him with my eyes and waited for his response. The moon had moved behind a few stray clouds that had passed by casting the glade in darkness, with nothing but the fireflies to light around us.
"Why?" He never broke eye contact, grinning like a Cheshire cat. His smell wafted around me, musky and dark like a deliciously hidden secret. Arms flexed under his shirt as he leaned forward. His normally styled hair fell into his eyesight for a moment before he brushed it away.
"You're practiced," was the only words that came out of my mouth which had gone dry with his lips so close to mine. He looked at me surprised that that was my answer. His eyes glued me to where I stood. I knew if I didn't move from close proximity I might do or say something stupid.
"Practiced? What do you mean?" He questioned sincerely.
"You know, practiced. Like, you've done this a million times because you're good looking and girls probably just fall at your feet with your blue smolder and rippling muscles." I realized to late where my train of thought had gone and the explanation was out of my mouth before I could think otherwise. He couldn't hide his amusement as I tried to look anywhere but where he was standing the deep blush evident on my face. I felt it blaze with color and embarrassment.
"Blue smolder, huh?" I could hear the laugh that rumbled through his chest in his voice. His body heat was like a warm blanket to my skin as I refused to look at him. My hands covered my face.
"I've just embarrassed myself into the next century. I think i'll be going now." I kept my head down trying to duck around him and back towards the school.
"Whoa, whoa," he said wrapping his arm around my waist to halt my pursuit. His voice never lost that amused touch to it. As i allowed myself to be pulled back just enough to see his face, he spoke in an almost whisper.
"I'll tell you a secret but you have to promise not to tell anyone." He waited for me to look at him before he continued. Once again mere inches from his face i raised my head. He wasn't much taller then I was. I nodded agreeing that i wouldn't say anything and crossed a finger over my heart.
"I'm not practiced. I'm only coming across so strongly because you're different." He didn't have time to finish his sentence before my head jerked away quickly. Different.. there was that word again. I felt the feeling of bitterness root deep in my stomach.
"Yea that's what everyone keeps telling me." I replied begrudgingly. What is it with people at this school and differences? Jason looked dismayed at my tone.
"Oh, no! That's not what i meant!" He spouted defensively, his words falling over themselves as he turned his head away from me in contemplation.
"What did you mean then?" I demanded glaring up at him, waiting. We were still close, closer now i realized.
"I just meant you're not typical. You stand out." He turned his head now meeting my gaze. Our faces, a breath apart. His was tilted down closer to me. I found myself heating where his arm rested still across my waist. His gaze bore into my own and i watched the calm control seep into the liquid fire as they fought over which would govern him. What seemed like an eternity hung in the moment. I had never wanted to be kissed so badly. Wrapped in this world of moonlight and madness, my brain seemed to render all my senses helpless. I felt my pulse race, sensed my eyes close just as he stared to lean in, his breath a warm pressure on my lips.
A Long shrill sound broke the haze that had cocooned us as his head snapped in the direction of the school. He seemed to curse under his breath as I tried to cover my ears from the blare.
"What is that?" I nearly shouted in confusion. Pulling away i tried to make some space, but seeing as his arm was still snaked around my waist, that wasn't really possible.
"It's the alarm. We're in trouble." He expressed slightly frazzled and grabbed my hand. Pulling me behind him we raced like the wind across the clearing and back through the trees.