Flashback
"Mathematicians please! Hurry in!" Mr Pemble, our seminar tutor, announced taking a quick glance down at his watch s he ruffled his wild, strange grey hair.
"From next week, if you turn up late after five minutes I'm turning you away which will add to an unauthorised absence. Call it unfair, I don't care. Latecomers, you're disrupting valuable teaching time. Be here on time."
Just as Mr Pemble finished talking, the doors opened then slammed shut ungraciously. The latecomer wore a long parka dark grey Nike jacket, the material drawing attention to himself and he hung his head low like he was ashamed. He moved his headphones behind his ears and held his hand up Mr Pemble's way in apology before he strolled into the left side of my aisle.
He took his seat leaving one seat between us as he discarded his jacket and headphones. Only his black Champion woolly hat and his bright pink hoodie that draped over his head remained.
I love when guys wear pink.
I lean over making sure to keep my voice down. "Hey you probably missed what Pemble was talking about." I began.
Mr Pemble carried on with the seminar but the silence remained between us as pink-hoodie-guy remained focused on his own task.
"Excuse me? Hi."
He continued to ignore me and unabashedly, I continued.
"Do you do maths? It's just I haven't seen you in any of the other lectures or workshops."
"You talking to me?" He looked up at me briefly but I knew he wasn't paying attention when he set his eyes back down to his workbook.
I wasn't one to toot my own horn, but when guys looked at me they'd keep looking. So I was quite surprised when I wasn't afforded that compliment.
"You're the only one sat next to me. Who else would I be talking to?" I continued.
"Dunno, you girls are tapped like that." I gawk at his bluntness and compose myself.
It's only 10am. Don't let a guy dictate your day I told myself.
"So are you a maths student or not?"
"Nah. Architectural engineer student."
"What're you doing here then? Shouldn't you be drawing something?" I scoffed, crossing my legs.
"This was the only space I could take for my optional module out of my discipline." He deadpanned.
"Yeah not the wisest decision, you couldn't have tried harder elsewhere? This is the hardest maths module."
"Why you taking it then?"
"Because I'm academically capable." I clapped back, his attitude pissing me off. But I did quite like the challenge.
"Sure." He murmured.
"Try getting here on time, we get less done when there are interruptions." I remarked dryly, unable to resist the urge to challenge him.
He still hadn't looked at me since, but he shot me a sidelong glance, his lips quirking up in a half-smile and I couldn't help but wonder if it was who I thought it was.
"Sorry I didn't realise I was on your schedule." He retorted, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.
"Well, you are now. Fathead." I mumbled the last part to myself.
"The fuck is your problem?"
"You're rude."
From my angle I saw his thick brows furrow. "I simply just like to mind my business." He argued, bouncing his leg up and down.
"Hmm your parents did an awful job raising you, fucking hell." I cringe at his attitude as I continued to make notes from the seminar slide.
"Could say the same about yours. Tell me, at what point did they realise they made a mistake with you? You don't respect, your mouth is filthy."
"Not what your dad said."
He chuckled lowly. "Low blow. Do better."
"If I did you might cry."
"I highly doubt that." He countered.
I hum, a flicker of intrigue danced around the air. I knew who he was and I couldn't pretend any longer that I didn't. I take my phone out pulling up my messages.
Zack Zephaniah: president and captain of men's 1s football, won Stratonstow's Leading Student Innovator award for designing and constructing tiny homes for disadvantaged students on campus. Aka, one of the most popular guys on campus and definitely easy on any girl's eye.
I guess it wouldn't hurt to have him around. As miserable as he is most of the time. We probably wouldn't work out anyway. I held my hand out between us.
"I'm Ariah, by the way."
He flicks his head harshly in my direction looking at me before his eyes dropped to my hand and back up. Setting his gaze upon mine.
"I know."
To say I was mesmerised was an understatement. The man really was fine up close. His facial bone structure was perfect, his skin was smooth and clear like he'd never suffered a spot in his life.
His eyelashes were probably my favourite part about his eyes. Like they shielded the deeper parts of him. His lips were full and plump I had to make sure I wasn't making it obvious I wasn't looking.
But I also didn't give a damn. The guy probably gets this all the time.
A flush crept up his face as he swore under his breath before he spoke again, this time more coherently.
He accepted my hand in his, the strength of his hand encapsulating mine. I don't know what it was but a wave of protection hit me. It was stupid I barely even knew him.
"You know?" I replied, slyly wanting to tease him.
"I-I mean I've seen you around. Of course." He stuttered. "You're president of MathSoc and treasurer of FashionSoc."
"Now you're stuttering? You were literally cussing me out a minute ago."
"I didn't know who you were. But I'm glad I do now."
His squeeze was gentle yet reassuring and his grip refused to let down until someone excused their way past us to reach the exit of the lecture theatre.
"I'm–"
"Okay!" Mr Pemble interrupted, "Before we get into the next hour of this seminar we're going to start off with an announcement from our Students' Union..."
The announcement was swift, informing us that our spring term elections were commencing next week and the seminar began. Minutes went by and I was struggling to maintain my focus.
I took a quick glance to my right, seeing him scribble something down on a purple post-it. Folding it carefully, then tucking it away into the front pocket in his bag.
"Alright, discuss in pairs or threes how you'd tackle this question."
"So... any ideas?" I prodded, hoping to get a normal conversation out of him.
"Uhm- just a heads up, this module really isn't my strong suit." He shrugged.
My brows snapped together in confusion. "Then why did you choose it?"
"I really don't fucking know." He laughed, scratching his beard and his smile was something I'd hoped I'd never forget.
"I mean you were really giving it the biggun early. Wanna retract? Or apologise?"
"Only if you do."
"Not in my nature."
"I get that vibe from you."
The second half of the seminar went by as he shared snide comments here and there throughout, helping the time pass by. Mr Pemble and the rest scattered as quickly as they could, running on a tight schedule. Thankfully I was free for the rest of the day.
He tried fitting his water bottle into his bag, but looking at the state of it and how full and unorganised it was, he was never gonna pull it off. He sighed and looked up at me rubbing off his nerves but I pretended to not care to make him feel better.
He pulled his laptop out of his bag when most of its contents emptied itself out, more notably, a book.
With a bunch of purple post-its?
"Fuck sake." He cursed under his breath reaching down to get it but I was quick and saved him the trouble when my intrigued piqued when I read the front cover.
"Hm. Romeo and Juliet, huh?" I studied, noticing a bunch of post-its sticking out of the book. "You read?"
"Nah it's nothing, just something on the side." He mumbled shyly fumbling with the post-its. He hung his head a little low as if it was embarrassing.
"Why purple post-its in particular?"
"I like the colour."
"Any reason?"
He hesitated before he spoke. Like he was figuring out whether he wanted to tell me the truth or not.
"In a sunset, you have so many colours. Right? Golden yellows, shy pink, soft orange. Or red? I mean those two are a bit indecisive. I won't get into that so much,"
He jokes and I snorted uncharacteristically and was shocked at myself.
It wasn't even that funny Ari, what?
"Yet they're all different characters, with their own agenda trying to take each other's sunset. Sometimes even sunrise. Fucking attention seekers." He swore and I couldn't help the smile that grew on my face. "It's rare though to see purple. Like, really see purple. I dunno. Purple's quiet. You know? Purple minds its business. But still has its own fun behind the sunset, with some of its favourite colours. Probably dancing with shy pink, or gossiping with the forest green trees down below because it needs a friend..." he continued going off on a tangent, lost in the imagery he'd created.
"Bottom line, it doesn't care for the admiration. The phones that are pointing its way, just gets in the way. But when its favourite colours, like the shy pinks or forest greens, are threatened by the others. That's when it's out. So when it comes out, you see it's not doing that for any odd reason. For attention, nah. Purple just wants to preserve the beauty of the sunset."
"Is that how you see yourself?"
"What?"
"Listening to what you've just said, you were literally speaking in metaphors but I got the gist of it and it's not hard to relate to. I'll be honest, from the outside you don't go amiss around campus. You're one of the most popular guys here. Always topic of discussion with the girls at society events and they fall at your feet. You're captain, let alone president, of men's football, and now I find out you're a book rat. It's no surprise people like you. But I know no one really knows you. Listen," I scoff, taking a pause, "I don't know you! And we're what– midway our second year? You filter yourself from people who you don't want to see you. You're always with those same two people, probably your best friend. And in passing, I've seen you smile way more with them than you do anywhere else without them."
"How'd you do that?"
"What?"
"Read me. No one's ever done that."
"It's called being a woman. We have great intuitive understanding."
He rolled his eyes sarcastically, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the way he bit his bottom lip between his teeth. "Right."
"Also, it's because..." I paused, wondering whether I really wanted to leave myself vulnerable, "I guess... it's how I feel."
"Really?" He looked up at me with concern in behind his eyes.
I scoff. "You're not there only one who wants to protect the sunset. I was no one before I came to Stow. Which was nice. Like you, I prefer to mind my business. Until I modelled at my best friend's fashion show here, and it blew up."
"It was a great show." He interjected.
"Yeah well, the guys here only talk about it when they think about my body. They'll gossip in their rich boy clubs about how long they think they're able to last with me in bed. I'm worth a lot more than that."
I look down turning the rings on my fingers. Sensing the tears coming through I quickly sniffed them away.
"What's yours?" His voiced soft with sincerity.
"Sorry?"
"Your favourite colour?" He asks and I couldn't help but stare as his brown eyes glowed, a smile creeping back onto my lips. How does he manage to do that?
"Forest green. Makes me feel safe and secure."
There was a comfortable silence that settled between us. The first comfortable silence since being in each others presence and it felt unnatural. I hadn't been in this space with a guy in so long it felt like a breath of fresh air.
"You said you've never seen me smile when I'm not with my friends. But I smiled with you." He said before we were interrupted.
"Hi!" Both our heads turned to the interrupting sound of a high-pitched woman. She was stood at the top of the lecture theatre, her hair was grey and she adorned a beige oversized blazer with a white tee and jeans.
"I have advanced physics right now. Are you here for this?"
"No, sorry. We'll make our way now." I say picking my bag up.
We made our way up the stairs towards the exit. We stood outside the door and he shifted on his feet like he didn't know what to do with himself.
"You should've said hi... when you saw me around." I suggested going back to our conversation a while ago. "I wouldn't have bit your neck off."
His mouth opened then closed again like a goldfish, and I so wanted to make a joke about it but I was unsure how he'd take it.
"I'm-uh Zack by the way." He replied,
"I know." I smiled at his response, uncharacteristically blushing.
"Wait," he turned his bag around opening the front pocket, "Here," he said handing me one of his post-its, "don't open it until I walk away. Okay?"
I nod. "In a bit, Ari." He brushed past me and the sound of my nickname escaping his lips felt like music to my soul.
"Wait! Zack." He turned back around with his hands in his pockets and he walked back towards me, his height towering over me.
"I can tutor you," I blurt out, "you know, if this module really isn't your strong suit. I got you." I smile.
He snickered crossing his arms. "You really are a nerd, huh?"
I cross my arms, raising my brows. "Oh, if I'm a nerd then what are you?"
"Academically capable." He smirked, mimicking a point I'd made earlier. "Bye."
He tapped my arm before he brushed past me pulling his headphones over his head. I probably looked like a mug as I failed to wipe the stupid smirk that played on my lips. As I readjusted my bag over my shoulder when realisation dawned on me.
"Shit. I don't have your number!" I called out but he was already too far gone.
You damn idiot, Ari. I shake my head in annoyance as I opened the note and I was relieved to see his number written in the corner in small. Too small that I had to squint closely enough to see it and when I did, I swiftly added him to my contacts before my mind began to play tricks on me and make up the numbers.
There was a bunch of scribbling and the handwriting was messy but I saw my name written bold capitals next to an extracted quote from the book. It was like he'd gone over it multiple times during class, three exclamation points next to it.
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars.
My heart skipped a beat at his gesture. "So you're a flirt as well as a fathead?" I say reading the note again.
"See you around, Romeo."
END OF CHAPTER
What did you think about his chapter?
Recognise anything familiar being said from previous chapters ?? 😏
Hope you enjoyed it mates 😉 Please like and comment!
Next upload may be soon fingers crossed.
Have a great week ;)
~ RK