The next day, an alarm rang. Wake up call..."Oh God! What time is it?" It was 8:00. Oh shoot! "Pauline! Get up! We have an hour! We can't miss class on our first day!" I said. She got up. I went in to brush. I take less time to get ready. By the time I got ready, she's packed our bags - the ones we took to class. She got ready & left for the bus. We were right on time. The bus arrived & we got in. We reached class on time. "Good grief! That was close!" I said. "Ya.. Thought we'd have to walk all the way! Phew!" Pauline said. We got into class & sat down. There was this other guy. Broody, brown eyes, dark hair, fair complexion, Thin, tall, torn jeans & a T-shirt. "Who's he? He looks new." I said. We knew because we'd met a few of our seniors & knew all our classmates. "Ya.. He's new. Torturous past. Switched 4 foster homes. Name's Daniel Salvatore. He tends to be alone." Pauline said. I raised my eyebrow & gave a how-the-hell-do- you-know? look. "What?! I talk to people. They said there was a new guy. I like to be updated on the new things that happen here." She said. "Okay. But why didn't you tell me? I mean, the guy is hot!" I said. And that's when the teacher entered. He was stern faced & in a suit. The strict teacher. God! I despised strict teachers. I mean, we couldn't do anything without their permission. I took out my book - Maths class. The new guy, Daniel, was looking at us. I gave him a look-up-front look.
There was this other guy. Broody, brown eyes, dark hair, fair complexion, Thin, tall, torn jeans & a T-shirt. "Who's he? He looks new." I said. We knew because we'd met a few of our seniors & knew all our classmates. "Ya.. He's new. Torturous past. Switched 4 foster homes. Name's Daniel Salvatore. He tends to be alone." Pauline said. I raised my eyebrow & gave a how-the-hell-do- you-know? look. "What?! I talk to people. They said there was a new guy. I like to be updated on the new things that happen here." She said. "Okay. But why didn't you tell me? I mean, the guy is hot!" I said. And that's when the teacher entered. He was stern faced & in a suit. The strict teacher. God! I despised strict teachers. I mean, we couldn't do anything without their permission. I took out my book - Maths class. The new guy, Daniel, was looking at us. I gave him a look-up-front gesture. I didn't want to get caught doing something wrong. He didn't look ahead. Gazing contest. Finally, he looked away and smiled a crooked smile. And turned back. I raised my eyebrow & gave him the yeah-I-won look... He smiled & turned ahead. I could see each girl was looking at him like he was gold or treasure. Like he was an angel sent down from heaven & stuff. The teacher had started writing stuff on the board. I copied it as fast as I could. It was bad. My handwriting. I scribbled. Literally. I finished copying it in time. Had to talk to Faye after college on Skype. It would be fun. It had been four days since we last talked. I'm sure she'd pass Daniel as a normal guy. She never found the guys we find cute, cute. I have no idea why! She's so.. Faye. The bell rang & I packed my bags & left class. I was out of class looking for Pauline. I gestured her to get out soon. We would be late for the next class. This Daniel guy came & stood next to me. He said "Hi! Daniel Salvatore. The currently & most likely always to be awesome & hot guy." Okay.. Yeah. This guy was awesome. One of a kind. I would normally say "Yeah.. Nice to meet you. I'm Emily Keene. Freshman." But I instead said "So..?" & Pauline got out & we left to our humanities class. Latin & Greek. "So, honey, you're supposed to love me.. I'm the new guy. Show some love." He said in my ear. Seriously, I almost dropped my books because I thought he'd leave us alone.
"Sorry. Short on love. Maybe you'll find it in the medical shop or grocery. Get somebody your own type. I'd usually say nice meeting you. But it isn't so nice. You see, unlike you, we happen to be busy people with actual work. Do us a favor & leave us alone!" I said. Pauline said "Yeah.. What she said." What? When did she start taking sides? Ok... Plus she wasn't talking much today. "Ouch, ladies! You hurt my feelings! I'm going to cry!" He said in a fake sad voice as we entered the class & found our seats. "Please! Get over yourself! Do yourself a favor & stay away from us." I said. God! I didn't want him to stay away. I swear the other girls were swooning each time he breathed. And so was I. Not each time he breathed. But sometimes. I didn't want to get hurt. Again. Tony had done enough damage already. Thanks to him, I found it difficult to trust people.
"I'd rather get over you, babe!" He said & sat behind me. "Please! Your pick up lines are getting old, dude!"
I said. Pauline was rather silent. I was going to ask why but that's when the teacher entered. He started off with Greek philosophy. Most of which I knew. Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Hermes, etc. I poked Pauline & passed her a chit saying 'What's wrong?'. She just shook her head & said later. She usually wasn't so sad. Then, she was paying attention to the lesson. I did, too. I at least tried. His presence was intimidating me. I didn't like it. He kept patting me on the shoulders repeatedly & wanting to say something. I ignored him. I was getting angry. Not a good sign.
At last, I turned & said " What?" & he said "May I borrow a pen, please?"
"So, now you happen to say please too! But I'm sorry, you can't borrow a pen!" I said & turned front. I searched for a pen for me to write. Couldn't find it. "Looking for this?" He said holding my gel pen in his hand. "Thank you!" I said & tried to grab the pen bug he held my hand.
"Any problem, Mr. Salvatore, Ms. Keene ???" The professor asked. "No ma'am, nothing." Both of us said together. He let go of my hand & returned my pen. Aargh! This guy is a... miracle & an annoying one. He's also hot, badass, loner, Casanova, troublemaker, etc,etc. We got out of class & went to the cafeteria for lunch. We grabbed a tray & took anything we could talking about how hot & a troublemaker Daniel was. "But that doesn't give him the right to disturb our lives!!!" I said. "Oh! Please! He can basically get any girl & he chose you. There has to be something he found in you that he didn't find in others. Take it in a positive way. You should be happy! And you are. Admit it already. You like the way he annoys the hell out if you. And is behind you & not the others." Pauline said.
"Ya... Whatever. I still hate him." I said. "Did I just hear someone talking about how good a person I am?" Daniel said. He came & sat next to us. Me basically. Sat next to me. "Talk of the devil & he appears." I said. "What the hell are you doing here? You were told to leave us alone!" Pauline said. I nodded. "Well, ladies. The thing is I like doing the opposite of what I'm told. It's way cooler that way." He said. "Whatever. You're not allowed to sit with us." I said in a not-so-rude way. He smelled good - like chocolate. He sure knew how to impress 'the ladies'. But I wasn't even close. No way. He's not my type. Nah...uh.
"I'm not going anywhere. This is where I'll be & you two ladies, are going to my best of friends." He said. "Why would we want to do that? Like I said, we are busy people. We don't have time for crap." I said. "Double ouch! That's two times in a row today, Ems!" Okay, so the guy knew my name.
"First - How the hell do you know my name? Second - you're not allowed to call me Ems. That's only my friends. Third - You're new here and so not yet my friend. So be in your limits." I said. "Okay. Sorry." He said & looked at his tray, had a few things & got up & left. "Was that too much?" I asked Pauline. "Maybe a little." She said. "Oh no! Now I've to apologise!" I said & ran to catch up with him. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm a little harsh sometimes. Please forgive me." I said. He smiled. "Why are you smiling? I don't like the way you're smiling." I asked. "It's ok. I forgive you. No one has ever apologised to me before. That's all." He said. "So.. Friends..?" I put my hand up front as a hand shake gesture. He put his hand in mine & pulled me into a hug & said "Ya...Friends." in my ear.
"Great. Now let me go. I can't breathe." I said between the intervals. He had a tight grip. Pauline was with us now. He pulled her into the hug too. Group hug. "Okay. We get it. You're our friend. Now let us go. We can't breathe." I said. His scent was intoxicating. Chocolate - I liked chocolate.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to hurt you....Or maybe I did..." He went laughing. "Idiot." I said. "Hey Daniel, Wait up!" I said & we caught up with him. "Now that we're friends - you need to follow a few rules.
Rule no 1. - Always say the truth.
Rule no 2. - No secrets. You can trust us & have to - it's not an option.
Rule no 3. - Always tell us if you're going somewhere. Take us with you, if possible. Any violation will result in serious punishment. Got it??" I asked him. "Wow! Now there are rules in friendship. As if the college rules weren't enough." He whispered. I heard it but said "What was that?" "Umm.. Nothing. I can lie to get you out of tough situations, right? I mean, that's what friends are for plus I'm a very convincing liar." He said. "Ya.. Sure. Just let us know when you're going to put us in a tough situation." I said & gave him my book. He frowned. "Rule no 4. Never not do something we ask you to. There are a few exceptions. This is not one of them. Carry our books to class." I said & told Pauline to give him her books & walked ahead. "Hey! That's rude." He said but did it anyway. "Sorry. But it's part of the deal." I said & walked ahead with Pauline. I loved being coy. Always have. The feeling that your presence is intimidating someone is awesome.
We entered the class & found our seats. It was understood that Daniel would sit with us. He was our new-found friend & friends don't leave friends alone. As I said, he handed us our books & sat behind us. "I don't have to do this always, right? Because if I have to, I'd rather not be friends with you..." He said. I could hear the smile in his voice. "Well, it depends." I said slyly... "Depends on what?" He asked. "On how well you behave around us & how much of a gentleman you can be.." I said. The teacher hadn't come yet. So the three of us were talking nonsense. Favourite books, music, hangout, etc. Talking about books, I'd prefer a guy who would give me his favourite book & write that I'm as perfect as the girl in the book & then ask me out on a date. That'll be nice. We wanted to know more about Dan - that's what we called him now, Dan - but then the teacher came in & started trigonometry. Sin theta, Cos theta & stuff. Math wasn't exactly my favourite subject. English was.