Page 2 of Isabela

There are people laughing and talking, studying, or grabbing a bite the way I am. I’m a normal college student. There’s absolutely nothing to see here.

Unwrapping my Italian sub, I take a bite with a small moan as the flavors explode along my tastebuds. I love food so much, and with all of the walking to get to classes and my runs each morning, I don’t have to worry about gaining unnecessary weight.

An unwelcome buzz comes from my phone again in my bag, and I pick up my backpack, dropping it at my feet. I’ll answer whatever nonsense he has to say after I finish my dinner. I can’t afford to skip meals, so he can deal.

“Hey, can I sit with you? The quad is hopping tonight,” a voice chuckles. Glancing up, I realize there’s no other seats and a pretty blonde is standing in front of me. Damn, she has curves for days.

Swallowing hard, I attempt to find my voice. “Of course, yeah. Sorry, it’s been a long day,” I admit with a small smile.

The blonde sits next to me with a steak salad. She pops the carton top and drizzles ranch all over it. Damn, a girl after my own foodie heart. Nice.

“Hi, before I fall on my food like a heathen, I’m Aria. Oh my God, I’m so hungry,” she groans as she wraps her lips around her fork and pulls her food off it.

Fuck me. My pussy just cramped in need. God, this is embarrassing.

“Hi.” I grin. She’s adorable and gorgeous. “I’m Isabela.”

I’m alone a lot, constantly studying or working as a TA. My uncle gives me the smallest allowance he possibly can of my inheritance, insisting I don’t need anything else. My clothes are from the fancy thrift store in Phoenix, and I only have my car because my uncle insists I should live alone.

Being this isolated means I’m not great at talking to people, so I’m going to silently crush on Aria.

“Oh my, I feel awful that I sat here and just scarfed my food down,” Aria gasps, taking a sip of water as she puts her trash in a bag. Instead, I merely smile and shake my head, waving her apology away as I crumple up my sandwich wrapper.

“You’re totally fine,” I tell her. “I have a night class to get to so I’m just as guilty of eating and running.”

“Oh? What class?” Aria asks, leaning back on her hands as if she’s not in a rush. She must have just been really hungry.

She’s wearing a cute blue tank-top dress with a light-blue oversized sweater thrown over it as an afterthought. Her cute brown boots complete the outfit, and somehow she makes it look both feminine and stylish.

I’m wearing a black tank-top and jeans without a sweater because I simply haven’t planned that far in advance yet. Phoenix has had such nice warm days, but now that it’s mid-October the weather is starting to turn cooler in the late afternoons.

I’m glad my paycheck hits this weekend for my teacher’s aide work. I just need to make it to Friday without freezing.

Glancing at the big tower with the clock, I see I have a few minutes before I really have to walk to class.

“Psychology, Culture, and Society,” I say. “I needed the extra elective this semester, and it sounded interesting. So far, I really like it.”

“Dr. Anderson teaches that course in the Psychology department, I think?” she asks, her nose wrinkling adorably. “He’s a wonderful teacher but dull at parties. Whenever there’s some kind of university function, I have to beg my husband to make sure I don’t get cornered by him.”

Husband. Of course.

All the cute girls are straight and taken. Sigh. Glancing at her ring finger, I see the diamond ring I didn’t notice before.

“I do make it a point not to see him during his office hours,” I tease her. The students in my class have complained about how he tends to take the long way around to answer your questions, but he’s pretty succinct in his emails.

Just have to choose your battles and forms of communication.

“Smart choice,” she giggles. It really is a shame Aria is married, but I’m never dating regardless, so it shouldn’t matter.

Glancing up at the clock, I see it’s time for me to go.

“It’s been a pleasure, Aria,” I say, grabbing my backpack and standing. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late.”

“My husband is probably almost done with his office hours. Thank you for sharing your bench with me,” she says with a nod as she gets up. “Maybe I’ll see you around!”

This last bit is said as she’s already striding out of the quad in the opposite direction. Shrugging, I don’t have a chance to say that I doubt we’ll run into each other again. My long legs eat up the distance to my class, and I finally remember my uncle’s text. Dammit.

Reaching into the pocket I shoved my phone into, I pull it out as I continue to walk. I never stop watching the path, because I tend to run into people otherwise. The last thing I need to do is embarrass myself again, the way I did last week. I managed to run right into none other than Dr. Murphy.

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