JACKASS
I met him by accident - literally! I was about to cross the road when he just about mowed me down on his bicycle. He swerved at the last second to avoid the gigantic pothole in front of me. The roadworks sign had fallen over, making the hole a surprise.
Granted my overzealous screech did cause him to wobble and crash, head first, into a bench but he came so close to knocking me down that it was out before I could shut my mouth. I sidestepped the hole and rushed to help him gather the plethora of paper sheets and books that had exploded from his satchel.
It happened exactly like in the movies; we reached for the same book but instead of being a moment we bumped heads. He scowled at me and ripped the book from my fingers. I had to bite my lip hard not to laugh. He was so irate that I could see a thread fine vein pulsing in his neck.
I’m a nervous giggler and I get worse the better looking the guy is. This one was gorgeous, in a threatening almost hostile way. Everything about him was big and scary, like a lion. He had the straightest nose I’ve ever seen with big hazel eyes and a mane of chocolate and honey hair. The beard was er hmm very good. He was unsettlingly handsome.
“I’m so sorry; I wasn’t paying attention to the road.” I decided to be magnanimous. “Yeah obviously, do you always wail like a banshee when a bicycle passes you?” He bit out. “Well, you didn’t seem to notice the gaping hole in front of me either. If I’d stepped out you would have landed on me in the hole instead of the bench.” I hissed back at the jerk but he was trying to get under his sleeve to his watch.
“Agh now I’m going to be late. Just stop, stop jumbling my stuff up, leave it.” “Oh whatever, you are a completely rude jackass, here!” I chucked the papers I held at him and swivelled as I stood.
“Did you just call me a jackass?” He called behind me and I heard him laugh quietly. “I did, a completely rude jackass,” I called over my shoulder and carried on marching. Thanks to the jackass I’d forgotten why I was jaywalking in the first place, I was late!
The echo of my footsteps rang around me as I double-timed it toward the hall. I stopped to ask for directions and when I slid in I was met with deafening silence and the stares of about 50 students.
“Miss Wolfe, welcome. Thank you for joining us at this early hour.” Mr Callen sang sarcastically. He had an annoying habit of tapping his pointer on the desk when he was upset and I gathered from the staccato it rapped out now that he was pissed.
“Sorry Mr Callen I got lost and almost run over,” I explained while my ears burnt from embarrassment. Sniggers rippled through the hall and I wished I could start again, this was not the impression I wanted to make.
“Was your assailant tall dark and handsome perchance?” “I...suppose?” I followed his gaze to a side table and groaned internally when my eyes landed on the jackass.
“You flatter me but I didn’t almost run you over. You yowled like a drowning cat and made me face plant a bench.” “I explained the hole and I apologised. You didn’t have to be-.” “A completely rude jackass?” He finished for me but I didn’t miss the smirk. That earned another wave of giggles. Mr Callen laughed deeply.
“I retract any earlier resentment on your tardiness Miss Wolfe. Anyone who can get away with calling Mr North a completely rude jackass and live to tell about it deserves a reprieve. Please take a seat alongside him, he’ll catch you up.”
Prof Callen instructed and I didn’t miss the way all eyes slid to the assistant’s table while he narrowed his eyes at his teacher. I didn’t trust what would come out of my mouth so I nodded and made my way over grinding my teeth with each step.
What started off as humiliating ended in fascination and awe. Callen Is possibly the most knowledgeable person I’ve ever met and his lecture totally sucked me in. I managed to ignore my partner through most of the class by making notes and asking questions. As soon as the class was over I made my way down to the professor.
“What did you think of your first lecture Miss Wolfe?” He asked me over the head of another student. “Fascinating! I was actually wondering about the Rose meridian.” I started but was cut short when the Prof was summoned by another lecturer. As he excused himself he told me to speak to Rawk about the meridian.
“Who’s Rawk?” I asked after him but he was gone. I dropped my hands on my thighs enjoying the sting when they connected. “I am,” Jackass said from beside me with a quick uneasy smile. “Oh.” “Look about earlier it’s just the Prof doesn’t tolerate lateness and I’m trying to stay on his good side this year.”
“This year? I thought he only had postgrads in lecture?” “He does usually, I’m an exception. I was one of his postgrads last year but I had an um well let’s just say I had a bit of a rough episode at the end of the year.”
“Oh okay well I’m going to get something to eat I’m starving and I need to be back for the second session so I’ll see you around?” “Yeah sure, later.” “Later.” I gave him a weak wave
“Hey, I don’t know your name.” “Ama...Lia everyone calls me Lia.” “What’s your real name?” “It’s weird.” I scrunched my nose at him and the corner of his mouth flicked up for a moment. “I doubt that.” He cocked his head to the side.
“Amarelia,” I confessed. “Amarelia’s pretty, better than Lia.” He flashed me a half-smile and disappeared into the leaving crowd, scowling at a girl who bumped into him as he walked. I stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds blinking, what just happened? Had the completely rude jackass turned into a prince charming in front of me?
All through the second session, I had to remind myself not to stare at Rawk. I wasn’t into him rather more interested in him. I wanted to know what had happened last year and why the Prof had given him a second chance, I heard he never gave second chances. I had taught myself not to seek involvement but Rawk was such an itch and I really wanted to scratch.
After the session, Callen gave us our first lot of research to complete. I looked at Rawk with eyes like saucers, there was so much! At least I could assure my mother that I wouldn’t be going to crazy parties or meeting frat boys, I would never be finished researching!!!
“I know it looks like a lot and it is but from the questions you’ve been asking I think you’ll enjoy it. Come on no-one goes to the library at this time we should be able to get through a fair amount if we work together yeah. ” He made it sound like more of an order than a request.
“If we work...oh yeah okay.” I didn’t know how to be around him yet, I found him particularly difficult to read so I chose to go with the flow. We walked to the library in silence but I noticed a few people staring and whispering.
“Don’t mind them.” He followed my eyes. “What’s that about?” “, some people feel I shouldn’t be here.” “What did you do?” “I fucked up.” He answered quite aggressively startling me. He clenched his fist and jaw when he noticed me hesitate.
“I’m sorry.” I stepped apart from him and felt my face flood with colour. “No, I’m sorry it’s just I don’t want to talk about it.” “Okay.” I sat on the other side of the desk with a million questions bumping around my head but the fierceness I had seen flash in his eyes stopped me from trying to ask.
