Page 8 of Stone Crest: Rise of a Raven
“So, you’re telling me, a smoking hot stranger on a motorcycle just planted one on you in the middle of downtown? Then rocked your world before sneaking out in the early hours of the morning?” Presley asks as we maneuver through the swarm of bodies crowding the courtyard of Stone Crest University. I swear she knew almost every student we passed, engaging in random conversation that was entirely unnecessary. Where I preferred the quiet isolation of my room, Presley was a social butterfly. She was on every committee, board, or charity council in town and had an array of colors she doused herself in daily. Even wearing the signature navy plaid skirt and polo that was required by the university, she would add her own flair. She’s not someone I would have just walked up to and sparked up a friendship with, but we were living together and shared a class, and she wasn’t a bad person to have around. She’s forced me to enter the world of living again and I low key love her for it. Some days I hate her.
Some days she makes me miss Bethany. The times we’d spend sitting next to each other, watching movies and not saying a word. When it was bad at home. When my father was doing his normal routine of crossing lines, Bethany kept me sane. She grounded me. Her home life wasn’t like mine, but in its own way it made her detach as well.
I had just finished spilling the story of my encounter last night. Locke and I had made it into the apartment and into my room without interruption, but at breakfast, she clearly wasn’t letting my mysterious biker go, considering the quote “animalistic” noises she heard coming from my room. I can’t explain what transpired last night. I’m not a one night stand kind of girl on a regular basis and taking someone home that I just met wasn’t a normal occurrence either. The combination of his protective nature, my inability to shake my funk for the last three months, and the adrenaline of his kiss. Mixed together it concocted something neither of us was able to ignore. Plain sexual attraction.
My cheeks practically flame as I let flashes of last night play across my brain. The way he consumed me. kissed me. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he managed to do it to mefivetimes.
When I almost run into a girl pausing to reapply her lip gloss, I crash back to reality. He was gone when I woke up. Nothing but his scent lingered. Not his number. A full name. Even a business card would have sufficed.
“It wasn’t a nineties rom com moment.” I snort. “Don’t romanticize it. He was helping me out. Just sold the story so I didn’t end up on dateline.”
“Oh, just a good Samaritan with his tongue down your throat that gave you five orgasms," she mocks. “Don’t worry you won’t end up on Dateline. The one’s that die alwayslight up a room.”
A laugh bubbles up my throat, as she elbows me with a cackle. “You said you like honest.”
“You’re right. Beside we both know it would be you on Dateline.”
She shrugs a shoulder. “You’re probably right. I can barely make it up a flight of stairs without an asthma attack. I’d be easy prey.”
I frown at the thought of the words I’m about to spew, but quickly recover. I don’t get attached. Don’t see the point. “I’ll probably never even see the man again anyway.”
I veer off to my left. “Go ahead. I have to use the restroom.”
My next class is all the way across campus.Mythology and Cultural studies.It wasn’t something I had planned on taking, but I needed another class, and it had an opening. Not taking a full semester was not up to Arthur Cunningham’s expectations. I cinch the strap of my bag up onto my shoulder as I round the corner of the English hallway. My attention gets pulled to a girl who’s standing in front of another, loudly accusing her of sleeping with her boyfriend.Seriously? It’s day one.
One more step and my chest collides with something unexpectedly firm, sending me flying backwards, causing my book bag to go crashing to the ground. A palm catches my upper arm before I have the chance to join my books that are now scattered along the hardwood.
“Shit, sorry.”
“It’s fine.” I barely glance up to see the figure who steadies me.
“You new?” He asks. “Haven’t seen you before.”
I crouch down and slide one of my books into my bag. “Yep.”
He crouches down next to me, snatching up the book for my next class. “Mythology.”
He holds the book out, and I meet his eyes. He’s cute, in a boy next door sort of way. Clean haircut, warm brown eyes, and a small smile.Clearly not my type.I slide the last book inside of my bag as we both push to our feet.
“I took that class last year. Work load isn’t too hard. The professor can be a bit of a moody asshole, but other than that as long as you take notes and get your stuff in on time, you’re good.” He shrugs.
“Thanks.”
“Titus.” He offers a hand.
“Raven.” I take it, giving it a quick shake.
“You better get going. He hates tardiness.” He hikes his thumb over his shoulder. “Cut through the science building. It’s quicker.”
I right my bag again and step around him, and wave.
“See you around,” he calls out but, I’m already halfway down the hall.
Turns out Titus was right. The science building was quicker, but I took a wrong turn, and it cost me an extra five minutes which is why I’m yanking open the door to class,late.Surely he can cut some slack on the first day, if not, do I really care? Hard no.
The hushed room is full as I let the door shut behind me. My hopes of slipping in undetected are expunged when the loud thud causes every head to turn and the man standing at the chalkboard with his back to me to freeze mid sentence.
My breath lodges in my throat as judging eyes pry through my skin. I can feel my cheeks heat as I scan for an open seat. Not many remain, but a hand waves form the back row down to my left.
