uncomplicated
"You're being unusually quiet this morning."
How sad was she that she was checking the hallways for him?
The question was, is it so she could run the other way or so she could catch a glimpse of him?
"I liked it better when he just stood there and expected me to fall all over him."
"You're just upset you couldn't tell him to go wank himself because you love Mel too much."
Jess smiled. Julian only talked like that when he wanted a smile out of her. "Why don't you go wank yourself?"
She lost her smile when she thought she'd caught sight of him, but it was another. "I hate that he's given me a reason to like him. Did you see how wonderful Mel looked this morning? Even Aunt Sarah cheered a little at seeing it."
"He's not so bad, Jess. None of them are."
Her already slow walk came to a stop. "Do you believe in this whole mate nonsense?"
"I don't know, babe. A part of me says it's not possible but come on, Jess. None of this seems possible."
"How can we not be a match? That screams major flaw."
He smiled that smile she loved so much and caught a lock of her hair. "We never have fit in a box. Don't read so much into it that even aliens can't understand us."
Jess shrugged. "It's not so complicated. I love you. You love me."
"We've been romantically involved but we aren't romantically involved. We don't see ourselves getting married, but we probably will. You think I'm hot but you're able to keep your hands off. Even I have a hard time understanding that one."
She gave him a cheeky smile. "You are hot. I'll give you that. So, what about you and your matches? You don't talk about them much."
"Not much to talk about. None of them seem to wank my chain." He returned her smile. "At least none of the aliens. That cheerleader looking one isn't so bad."
"You make me sick. What is it with you and cheerleaders?"
"All about the pompoms, baby. You could get some and put me a show on."
He got an elbow to the gut. "Sicko."
Julian gave her a push to get them moving again. She might not mind being late for classes, but he did. She couldn't recall a single class he's ever been late for. Unless it was her fault, of course.
He sobered knowing he was coming up on his class and he was running out of time to make her feel better. "Like I said, he's not so bad. Maybe you should give him a chance."
She could do that but what she couldn't do is be a smitten fool. A smart girl didn't let a few friendly gestures and a pair of amazing eyes let her head get turned.
"See you, babe." She waved then turned in time to catch Kellum walking her way.
Color her smitten and call her a fool. What was she thinking putting him in a pair of jeans? His t shirt was grey and tight.
Ho lee cow and pink chickens. Did he just say something to her?
Who cared. No wonder these people wore their uniforms. Who could think straight with them walking around like this?
"Dezrick?"
"Heart is racing. Doing scan now."
That got her attention. "No need. All good. So, what do you think? I even put my hair up in braids." She did a little turn and tried to keep her eyes on anything but him.
"Very appropriate."
And that's exactly how she felt too. Covered from head to toe. In navy blue, no less. At least Julian was wearing royal blue.
Tomorrow it was back to normal clothes and thank God. She didn't think she could handle Kell in jeans every day.
"Got to go. You know how much you hate for me to be late. Good luck with the ray of sunshine."
She rushed away before he could say anything else. She really hoped that him and Hayden hit it off. Really. Really. Really. Hoped they did. And there was no reason why they shouldn't. Hayden was a ray of sunshine. Not an empty air head like she had imagined. She was hard not to like.
Maybe she'd get really lucky and he'd come away real and truly mated.
Just not with her.
Her classes passed quickly; she couldn't even recall committee because she stayed in her own little world for most of it. A few times she'd felt his eyes on her, but she played it safe and kept her eyes to herself.
The only thing she could think about is this evening. Training and workout were being shorten an hour so that the aliens could dissect her.
Yay, fun. Not. Certainly, not today of all days. She swore if an image of him popped out of her head she was going to die on the spot. By her own hands if need be.
Since she had no meet and greet, she snuck into Julian's class with him. It was only right that she checked out some of these chicks interested in her guy.
Julian was wearing his smile, ready for the show to start.
Then twice in one day, she made a fool of herself.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my ever-loving God. Do you know who you are?"
The guy that had just walked in the room, turned his killer grin her way. "Just so happens, I do. Don't know who you are though."
"Oh, dear lord. You're Brady Shaw. What in the hell are you doing here, Brady Shaw?"
"Same as you. Getting back to living." He winked and continued to his table.
"Oh, dear God. That's Brady Shaw."
Seeing Julian's look, she hit him. "Why didn't you tell me that Brady Shaw was in your class?"
"Who is Brady Shaw?"
Jess hit him again. "Don't tell me you don't know who Brady Shaw is. First four songs went platinum. Writes all his own songs. There's No Home? I listened to that song every day for a month. Oh, my God."
"Babe, you're staring. And acting more like a girl than I've ever seen you."
Brady Shaw smiled at her and crook his finger to call her to him.
Like an empty headed, eye batting, gum chewing floozy, she hurried right over. "You're Brady Shaw."
"I've heard. Like the music, huh?"
"Love it."
"Pull up a seat. We'll talk shop."
Brady Shaw just asked her to sit down and she was standing here staring at him like a grade A dork.
His hair was brown, not dirty mud brown like hers, but streaked with some blonds and even some shades of red. It was kind of long and pulled back into one of those half pony tails. He had a tattoo of a cross down the length of his arm and two names beneath it. May and Beau. His parents. Both died in a plane crash a few years back. He was being raised by an older brother who told him to let go of his pain by putting it into his music.
And he did. She heard it in every note. Every word of his songs.
"Brady Shaw. Your brother..." She felt stupid for bringing him up. Everyone has lost someone.
He must have read her face. "No, he's okay. He was sick. We were. Didn't have much longer when we saw the broadcast. So, you really are a fan? It's a new world we live in."
"We still have Brady Shaw."
Seeing an alien girl headed their way, Jess looked her over. "Do you know who this is? didn't think so. Move on." Seeing the next girl, she asked her the same question.
"Brady Shaw. Off My Head, is my favorite song."
Jess smiled. "You can stay."
Brady nodded at the girl who wore glasses. "This is Laney. You never mention you knew me."
The girl ducked her head. "Who wouldn't know who you are?"
"There you have it." He turned his eyes back on her. "And you are?"
"Jess."
"The one you chased off is Kannitha."
"Matches?"
"So, I'm told. I haven't decided what I think about all of this yet."
"Tell me about it."
Her stare shock finally wore off and she sat. Then she pulled Laney in the seat next to her. The girl was a nervous mess and kept stealing glances at him.
Talk about being a lucky son of a bitch. A match with Brady Shaw. Every day she could sit here and just stare at him.
"I'm glad about your brother. You wrote Last Two Standing for him, right?"
"I did. I wouldn't be where I am without him."
"You must be missing the glam life like crazy."
"Not really. It's always been about the music for me. I've been coming up with some killer stuff. Time to think, you know? A lot to think about. Johnny says writers find inspiration where others find despair."
"I'd love to meet him."
"We'll make it a date. In fact, what are you two doing tomorrow after school?"
"Whatever you want me to do." Jess grinned and gave the girl next to her a nudge.
In return, she got a soft. "Nothing."
"Good. Meet me out front. We'll hang at my place."
Brady Freaking Shaw. Alive and kicking and grinning at her. Hot damn.