Page 10 of Into The Darkness

Then there was his demeanor. The way he carried himself held a certain charm, something that made you forget about his age and see him as . . . well, cute. He seemed to know it, too. I couldn’t shake the feeling that his gaze lingered on me a tad longer than on anyone else. It was flattering but also slightly unsettling. I mean, I couldn’t be sure, maybe I was just overthinking it. Either way, I found myself torn between feeling uncomfortable and intrigued by his attention.

“Everyone, please take your seats and pull out your notebooks,” Dr. Connolly said as the bell indicated the start of the hour. I dug around my bag to find a fresh book when someone shot their hand up.

“Can we use our laptops instead,” a petite girl with long, blonde hair behind me asked as she pulled her computer from her backpack.

“Absolutely not. This entire class will remain technology free, which includes your cell phones, so while you’re at it, please silence those.” I had already done so.

“Thank you, Ms. Ember Solis, for coming prepared,” Dr. Connolly called, and the blush crept through, heating my cheeks. I could feel the eyes of the students in the classroom burning at the back of my head.

“Oh, uh, sure,” I responded, hating everything about this interaction. He was just being nice though, and there was something to be said about it being the first day and him already knowing me by name.

“Should we all strive to emulate our esteemed star student? The illustrious ‘Ms. Goody Two-shoes’ and her meticulous array of notebooks, cunningly positioning herself in the center of the second row—near enough to hint at eagerness, yet far enough to avoid the stench of desperation?” A resounding gravelly voice coated the otherwise quiet room, and if I thought I was embarrassed mere moments ago, I could have crawled out of my skin when an array of whispers erupted from the class.

“Ah, Mr. Ash Ortiz, you have graced us with yet another year of your presence. In case failing last year wasn’t bad enough, you decided to make a very tardy impression on all of us.” Dr. Connolly’s smooth voice echoed in the classroom.

“Couldn’t get rid of me that easily,” Ash’s voice boomed. I buried my face in my hands, hoping to hide my embarrassment. However, curiosity got the better of me as the conversation seemed to drift elsewhere, so I stole a glimpse at the mysterious man.

To my astonishment, the person mocking me was heading in my direction. The room, though spacious, seemed to constrict as he drew nearer, defying any notions of personal space.

Professor Connolly began to initiate the lesson, trying to redirect my attention, and the audacity of the man reached new heights as he took the seat right next to mine. “Hey, neighbor,” he greeted, a faint scent of pine forest wafting around him.

I turned toward him, our proximity palpable. My elbow brushed his black hoodie, sending a jolt through me. Our eyes locked, and in that instant, the realization hit me like a lightning bolt.

“You,” I practically yelped, the mixture of shame and surprise causing my voice to crack. It was the same man from the elevator embarrassing me yet again, but this time he’d leveled up and was doing it in a public setting.

For the third time that day, an awkward silence enveloped the room, and it felt as though the entire room had turned toward me, coating me in a mix of amusement and sympathy. I wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole, sparing me from this avalanche of embarrassment.

Professor Connolly, sensing the need to restore order, cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on Ash, the source of the disruption. “Mr. Ortiz, while your enthusiasm is noted, let’s maintain a respectful atmosphere for our fellow students. Why don’t you retrieve your notebook and pens from your bag and join us in this endeavor?”

Ash’s response was casual, accompanied by a lopsided grin. “Sure thing, Professor. Wouldn’t want to ruin the party.” He leaned back in his seat, pulling out a pair of earbuds. With a nonchalant flick, he inserted them and closed his eyes, as if attempting to take a nap. Before his eyes sealed shut, he winked at me, a gesture that simultaneously baffled and intrigued me.

Despite Ash’s apparent disinterest, I was determined to make the most of the class. I directed my focus to Professor Connolly, whose every word seemed to be a gem of wisdom. Throughout the remainder of the lesson, I scribbled furiously in my notebook, capturing every insight and every nuance as if my future depended on it. Ash may have been playing the role of the nonchalant observer, but my determination to excel prevailed over any distractions.

It didn’t help that as Ash got cozier in his seat, our elbows kept bumping against each other. I wanted to push him away but also wanted to avoid drawing more attention to myself, so I just let him lean in closer as each minute of the class went by. Plus, it didn’t help that I was becoming addicted to the way he smelled.

The bell went off to signal the end of the class, waking Ash from his stupor, then he pulled out his earbuds as if he hadn’t spent the entire hour passed out.

“Alright, everybody. The reading assignment is written out clearly in the syllabus. We will be reading one full book a week, and this week we will be starting on a classic.Wuthering Heightsby Emily Brontë, and a full synopsis will be due next week.” A trickle of groans broke through the room as most students packed their belongings up.

“Don’t forget it,” he said, glaring at Ash.

Stuffing my notebook into my bag, I made a hasty exit from the classroom, trying to put as much distance between Ash and me as possible. About halfway to the door, however, that velvety voice once again sliced through the air, tugging at my resolve. I hadn’t noticed it earlier, but there was a subtle accent coloring his words.

“Ember,” he called, his voice lingering in the air like an echo. I glanced back over my shoulder, our eyes meeting briefly before I quickened my pace, my determination to evade him intensified. My singular focus was to reach the bus that would ferry me back to my apartment, far away from this bewildering encounter.

Just as I stepped outside, a hand latched onto my elbow, halting my escape. I pivoted to face him, those captivating green eyes locking onto mine. The irritation in his voice, dripping with cool indifference, sent a surge of anger coursing through me.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you are ignoring me?”

“Well, I’ll give you credit for using your brain, because you’re damn right—I am most definitely ignoring you,” I retorted, my attempt to wrench my arm free proving futile as his grip only tightened, keeping me in place. The air between us crackled, an unspoken challenge hanging over us.

“Just like when you didn’t tell me it was your car parked next to mine as I was shit talking it?” He let go of my elbow but the connection between us kept me locked in place. “If you paid as much attention in driver’s ed as you did today, then it is obvious why you park like a dick,” I hissed.

He deeply chuckled. “You are a fiery one, aren’t you, Ember . . .?”

I stared at him as he stalked toward me, then finally broke out into a fit of giggles.

“Is that your attempt at asking what my last name is?”

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