Kinsley
I patted the concealer under my sky-blue eyes once more before I yawned into the back of my manicured hand. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone out last night, I pouted to myself in the mirror, making a face.
Glancing at the short gray dress strewn over my desk chair through the mirror, I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Who needs sleep anyway? My smile only grew when I recalled the number of looks my best friend, Graylynn, and I received last night.
Of course, not all of the looks I got were good, but I chose to ignore those. I only needed to keep the looks of approval from the cute guys—those were the ones I wanted to remember.
It wasn’t that I was looking for approval from others, per se—but that the guys who looked me up and down were the ones who would provide a nice distraction.
Brushing off the sounds of music that still hummed through my body, I glanced at my phone for the time: 7:56.
Shit! Class starts in four fucking minutes.
I didn’t want to make a bad first impression on my professors. I wanted to show how dedicated and serious I was about my future, not the plastic Barbie doll everyone saw on the outside.
Grabbing my bag and dorm room key, I set off for my first morning class in the new year.
♥ ♥ ♥
7:59. Why did this fucking class have to start at eight in the morning! Who even gets up before eight?
I barely noticed the people who passed me as I fought to get through the crowd to my building. The buildings were all similar in size and color. The dark, cloud-colored bricks surrounded me like a cage.
I could feel the ugly darkness clawing up my throat, threatening to break loose and rip me in half. My heart hammered fast in my chest, pounding so hard in my head that I could have sworn my temples were thumping in rhythm.
By the time I arrived at a nearby building, my surroundings were foggy, and my body numb to the crisp September air.
Relax, Kinsley . . . relax. You’re safe. Breathe.
Pushing the air out of my chest, I mentally counted from one to ten until I could pull the oxygen from the air back to myself.
I just want to go back to bed—but I can’t. I have to show my professors that I’m not just a pretty face.
Lifting my head, I squared my shoulders and made my way up the large gray steps. I gripped the metal handle of the heavy door, threw it open, and walked into the slightly warmer hallway.
The tall cream walls contained colored fliers taped on, bringing a much-needed life to the simple corridor. The only light source came from the silver chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings, the windows showcasing the dark, dreary day.
The hall was scarce, save for a few individuals walking around with coffee. I itched to reach out and take it, a kick of caffeine was just what I needed.
Turning the hall, I looked at the small black plaques on the wall, searching for the numbers that would lead to my class. My heart thrummed wildly in my chest from anticipation. I fell short when the classroom I walked into was nearly dark.
Flicking on the lights, I glanced around the room. It was similar to the hallway with its tall walls, big windows, and chandelier lights. There were several dark wood-colored desks and matching wooden chairs—two to a table—a large desk area up front for the professor, and a long green chalkboard behind it.
Everything looked normal, except for the guy sitting at one of the desks in the middle of the room. He had paused scrolling through his phone to stare up at me.
I tried smiling at the boy, my throat feeling like it was closing up as I slightly whispered a “hi,” but it came out awkward and quiet.
The boy just stared at me, his dark eyes calculating, traveling up and down my body like he knew how and where to touch me before even making contact. His cheeks were chiseled, and his skin was tan—probably from lounging around some grand European country. His hair was short on the sides and longer on top, waved back as if he’d just rolled out of bed.
I breathed out a shaky breath, took a seat in the front row—right in front of the Silent Hottie—and tried to control my nerves as I pulled out my notebook and labeled the top Intro to Business.
“Business, huh?”
“Yeah, what else would I be here for?” I turned around to find him looking right at me. His eyes stared hard into mine.
Realizing I was staring too long at him, I quickly trailed my eyes down his muscled body clad in a short-sleeved black shirt to his veiny hands. I quickly shot my eyes down to the floor between them. Heat crept up my neck, making my heart pound a little faster. Images of his strong, veiny hand wrapped around my throat as he—
“What would you be here for,” he returned my question in a low, rhetorical voice. His lips curled into a half smile as he broke me out of my daydream.
It was as if he had sucked all the oxygen out of the air. His presence filled the room that it was hard to deny he was even there.
“Is this not the classroom for ‘Intro to Business?’” I gathered myself, clearing my throat and trying to clear my mind of what his strong body could do to me in bed.
“It most definitely isn’t,” his deep voice hummed in the silence between them, as if he knew what I was thinking.
“What do you mean? I thought this was Ledger Hall. For business students,” I knew what I heard. My heart thrummed loudly in my chest, this time not because Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome made me feel all tingly inside, but because I was in the wrong building.
“No, this is Labrosse Hall, Shortcake.” Amusement twinkled in his dark eyes as he studied me.
“Shit,” I muttered. I checked my phone: 8:17.
The only thing worse than not showing on the first day is showing up on the first day all discombobulated. So much for a good first impression, I thought to myself. I ran my hands through my vanilla blonde hair, ruffling the perfect waves I’d made.
Author's note:
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