Angel Eyes
haunted me. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s all passed, and still it
was her I thought of.

Long, dark
chocolate tresses that felt so soft on my fingers and her gloriously intense
eyes were everywhere I turned. The girl I met at the bar back home reminded me
of her with her soft moans, but something about them
were…
off.
Different.
Wrong. The chick I met at the frat’s New
Year party had hair the same shade, but I couldn’t bring myself to take her
back to my room. Instead, I insisted we go to her place. My brothers thought my
actions were insane, she undoubtedly thought it was the beginning of something,
but she couldn’t have been more wrong. No one had been in my room since Angel
Eyes. She lingered, her scent on the bed, her presence in every corner. When I
woke, her face was what I saw. She was in my dreams, often joining me in the
shower for my alone time, she was
everywhere
.
She was like the sexiest undead ghost ever.

No other
girl had ever had this effect on me.
Ever.
To be honest, it really freaked me out. She wasn’t
that spectacular. I mean, yeah, she was beautiful, but so were a lot of other
girls. The way she ignored me in the store, her eyes barely flittering over me
before snubbing me. Disappearing before I could make my move. Then, to my
surprise, she came to the party with a whole new personality. It was like the
second she put the mask on, she became a different woman, a sexier, more
confident version of her earlier self. It drove me nearly insane.

My only hope
was running into her on campus. I’d long ago, about fifteen minutes after
searching for her, decided to reveal my identity if the opportunity arose, no
matter how excruciating the outcome could be. So, I dressed to impress. Fitted
jeans that made girls whisper behind my back, a royal blue buttoned shirt, and
a tie to match. Yes, a tie.
For class.
I was being
ridiculous, but I didn’t want to see her turn from me the way she had before.
My heart was hard, cold, and possibly dead, but it still warmed for her.
Rejection would kill it once and for all.

It was the
first day of spring semester classes, and I was dead set on searching every
inch of the campus to find Angel Eyes. I must know her name, sooner rather than
later, or my brain would probably explode. Grabbing the notebook with my
schedule, I hurried down the stairs, hoping to slip out before Jack saw me.

The little
bitch annoyed me more than ever before.

Of all the people to see me search for Angel
Eyes, it had to be him. He’d followed me around, mercilessly mocking me as I
pushed my way through the crowds of people. Hot, sweaty bodies rammed into me,
several women pulled me toward them, wriggling their chests in my direction
suggestively. Normally I would have given in, taken a turn with each one until
I found the one I would take to bed that night, but my thoughts were clouded
with
her.

The way she looked undeniably sexy in a long
gown, and those large eyes she possessed that watched my every move, slowly
seducing me with each blink. Jack saw my distress as I hunted for my angel and
he hadn’t let me forget it.

“All dressed
up, I see,” his voice curled through the air, insulting me in those few words.

I kept
walking, brushing past him with a hard bump to his shoulder. I needed an apple
and a frozen biscuit and I would be home free. Focusing on the task at hand, I
blocked all other thoughts, people, and barriers. Today, I would find Angel
Eyes. How I knew, I couldn’t tell you, but I did. There was a cinching grip to
my
gut,
finality about the never-ending quest for the
one woman who was immune to my charm….or was she? Memories from Halloween
replayed like a movie on repeat. I lost the remote, so there was no way to end
my suffering. She allowed me to help her, to kiss her, to touch her. Losing
herself in the moment showed me how incredibly sensual she was, but her quick
departure showed me her vulnerability.

It may very
well be the end of me, but I wanted her to trust me, to want me the way she did
that night. To feel her soft fingers wrapped around me, her luscious lips
pressed to mine with a hungry fever. To explore her body further, bury myself
deep in her, only I knew deep down she wouldn’t be like the rest. There would
be no hiding my face,
no
pretend feelings to make her
feel more confident.

It would all
be real.

And it
scared the shit out of me.

###

The air bit
at my skin, nipping my face and leaving red streaks in its wake. Shuddering, I
wrapped my jacket tighter around my chest, securing the body warmth in. The
first day of classes always brought the biggest crowds, more cars to the lot
than any other day of the year. By this time in my school career, I’d learned
it was best to just walk from the frat house to campus. It saved gas, time, and
my eminent anger at the idiots driving around the parking lot. How hard was it
to drive your car, see an open space, and pull in? I wondered how half of these
imbeciles got into college, seeing how difficult it was for them to park a damn
car.

So I walked,
hurriedly, because it was cold.
And maybe, a little, because
I was excited at the possible chance of seeing Angel Eyes.
Just the
thought of her made my heart beat faster than the drums practicing on the
football field.
What in the hell?
How
could anyone be up and playing an instrument at this unearthly hour? The cold
affected my brain, making thoughts sporadic and slightly batty. The chilly air
seeped so far into my body that I no longer felt my fingertips or my toes.
Luckily, Brandt Hall was in sight. My first class, the dreaded calculus course,
was in less than five minutes, so I picked up my step, knowing it wouldn’t last
more than fifteen minutes, but didn’t want to miss the important first day of
class information. I made it with seconds to spare, slipping into the seat
closest to the back door.

###

The day
rushed by, seeing old friends, desperately searching faces, hoping to find the
one I longed for, and classes caused time to fly, leaving me with only bio lab
left. I’d chosen the afternoon slot, hoping a TA taught it and would go easier
on us. Easy Classes=Happy Dane.

Strutting
into class early wasn’t normally my thing, but with labs, you had to. Getting
just the right partner was important. The wrong one would make you do all the
work, while the OCD one would make you sit back while they did all the work,
correct or not. The right partner, the one that would help you get the grade,
was the one that wasn’t particularly excited to be there, but wasn’t dreading
it either. They usually sat in the middle, on the edge of a table, patiently
examining each body that came through the door.

That’s where
I sat now. Middle left, outer seat. A couple came in, obviously
insta
-partners, and sat behind me. A tall dude, half awake,
half asleep, stumbled in and stopped at my table. With a quick shake of my
head, he shrugged and sat across from me. The students continued to pour in,
none fitting my mind’s description of the perfect partner. The first biology
class I’d taken had ended disastrously. The girl I ended up with as a partner
was squeamish, and apparently passed out looking at photos of body innards. She
wouldn’t touch any of the experiments in fear she would “blow her head off,”
and incessantly talked about the sorority she was rushing for. A part of me
wanted to demand her to miss lab, let me do it myself, while a smaller part of
me wished she would mess up some sort of experiment, though I knew she wouldn’t
blow anything off. It was biology, not chemistry.

I was
constantly surrounded by idiots.

The TA
rushed in, dropping the pen
laying
on top of his
papers as he addressed the class. “Welcome to bio lab 202,” he said, holding up
a piece of paper, “here is the seating chart and partner set up.”

The class
jointly groaned at this announcement. There went all of my plans.

“Please,
everyone stand and line against the wall here,” he instructed, pointing to the
right side of the classroom. “If your last name begins with A-K, come forward
and find where you’re meant to go.”

I got in
line, silently cursing him for making this important decision. My only hope was
I got the kind of partner I wished for and not another
pass-out-at-seeing-intestines chick. The people in front of me were slow,
taking their sweet time. How hard was it to find your damned name?

Finally my
turn, I found I was placed at the table across from my original place. My
partner was a girl named
Korah
Daniels, but as I
trudged to the table, I saw it was empty. Great, she was one of
those
students who didn’t bother with
coming to class because it was beneath them.

This was
going to be the longest semester in the history of semesters.

The students
continued to file in and I aimlessly scribbled in my notebook. This TA was an
ignoramus who apparently thought this was going to make him look better, get a
better grade, or something. It pissed me off. The chair beside me scraped
across the floor, startling me from my angry thoughts, and I lay my pen down.
Turning, I felt the world stop spinning. My breath hitched in my throat, calmly
killing me by strangulation. My heart sped up, thumping so loudly in my ears
that I couldn’t hear anything else.

She didn’t
look at me, her body turned and bent to reach in her backpack. Her long, almost
ebony tresses lay around her like a sea of soft curls. I hadn’t seen her face,
but I knew it was her. The faint scent of vanilla and apples wafted toward me, reminding
me to breathe. She finally situated herself, her demeanor much like in the
store.
Shy, standoffish, hesitant.

She finally
peered at me, her mile long lashes brushing her cheek as she blinked, giving me
a weak smile.

Angel Eyes
was my biology lab partner.

And her name
was
Korah
.

Chapter Two-
Korah

He was
staring at me.
Watching my every move.
Maybe I was
being paranoid, but the undeniable crushing feeling on my chest told me
otherwise. Why did I have to get a lab partner that was a creeper? Why did
every single male in my life have to have some sort of psychotic diagnosis
undetected? Once,
just once
, could I
not have a normal interaction with a
normal
male specimen?

“You need to
exchange contact information with your bio partner. There will be one
assignment near the end of the semester that will require out of classroom
work, together,” he stressed, his eyes roaming over the tables, trying hard to
look like a rough and tough teacher, but appearing more like a lost little boy.

Shifting my
eyes, I saw the mysterious, handsome boy shaking his leg and stealing glances
at me. He was tall and good looking with a thick air of confidence surrounding
him. I already dreaded this semester.

I scribbled
down my name, email, and phone number, sliding it over to him. He did the same,
turning the edge of his lips in a sexy half smile. It looked familiar, but
weren’t they all the same?
The playboys who desperately tried
to charm their way into any girl’s pants.
Who veiled their desires with
smiles and compliments, coating words so sweetly that women just couldn’t
resist a bite, or
two.
After all my run
ins
with these types of men, I could easily detect their
kind now. Whether it was from a cocky eyebrow raise, or the sexy half grin this
guy gave. They
always
gave themselves
away. It was only a matter of time. Luckily, this one exuded it from his pores.
Unfortunately, I was stuck with him for the semester.

Scanning the
paper, I saw his name was Dane.
Interesting name.
His handwriting was scratchy and small,
showing he didn’t have a care in the world. I didn’t really know if that was
true, but it was what I decided it meant, so it did.

“Hi,
Korah
,” he said, a hauntingly recognizable voice sang in my
ear. He was close enough to smell, his cologne engulfing me and drawing me in.

“Dane,” I
said with a slight nod, turning back to my notes. The TA was passing out our
schedule for the semester, and though I wasn’t that interested in it, I wanted
him to think so.

“Are you
excited for this class?” he asked, obviously not getting the hint.

Sadly, he
wasn’t as smart as he was pretty. Sighing, I lay my pen down, uneasily shifting
in my seat. “Not particularly. It’s required, though, so what can I do? It’s
either
get
it over with or do it later. I’d prefer the
former.”

He studied
me so intently I could almost see the wheels turning in that attractive head of
his.
Why are you thinking about how
attractive he is?
Inwardly kicking myself, I directed my attention back to
our syllabus, trying my best to look oh-so-busy with reading it.

“You’re
intense,” he murmured, running a hand through his silky hair.

It was
messy, but not in an “I didn’t care way,” but more in an “I know this is sexy and
do it purposely” kind of way. He seemed nervous, not as carefree as he was before
we spoke. It was impossible. I didn’t make men nervous; it was the other way
around. “Not really,” I replied lamely. I needed to say something, anything.

“Hopefully
it’ll be a fun semester,” he shrugged, facing front and promptly ignoring me.

Just like
that, all emotion he held was gone. Forgotten were his jumpy movements and shy
eyes, replaced with a brooding, frigid exterior. My heart hammered beneath my
breast as I contemplated what I did wrong. Men talked about women’s mood
swings, but I’d never encountered a woman as moody as most men I’d come in
contact with. They ran hot and cold, seemingly changing their minds in a split
second, and for no apparent reason.

Men drove me
insane.
Exactly why I was finished with them all.

###

Elle lay
tucked under my
arm,
the covers snuggled around us
both as I relaxed before bed. My wet hair sprawled around my pillow, chilling
me to the bone, but I didn’t want to bother with a blow dryer. My sleeping
habits were troubled since that fateful night in October. I’d acted without
qualm, allowing my desires to lead my behavior. It was shameful, really, and
that was why no one knew.
Only me and the masked Zorro.

Leela’d
known something was up when I’d come running to find her, begging her to leave
instantly. I may have shed a tear or two. I knew he’d follow, probably wanting
to progress our encounter to the next stage, so time was of the essence.
Leela
, being my very best friend, left with no questions
asked. She was even looking extremely cozy with a half-naked toga boy, but even
he didn’t stop her.

She truly
was like a sister.

Even now,
some three months later, she didn’t know of my indiscretion.
My
dastardly meeting with the seductive Zorro.
I should tell her, I knew,
but embarrassment consumed me. I wasn’t one to act without thinking and that
was exactly what I’d done.

Hormones
drove me to his room, allowing me to lose myself with him. I hadn’t gotten that
far since Christopher. If I hadn’t left when I did…I was scare to think of how
far I would have gone.

Squeezing
Elle tighter to me, I buried my face into the cuddly animal. She brought
comfort when I was younger, fighting off bad dreams, and now she did the same,
only she helped me fight off reality. A light rap at my door had me rushing to
hide Elle below my blankets.

Leela
peeked in,
“You awake?” she whispered.

“Yeah,” I
said, sitting up. “Come in,” I smiled, patting the bed beside me, opposite of
where Elle hid snug.

She sunk in
beside me, giving me a quizzical stare. “Are you ok,
Korah
?”

Her left hand found my arm, embracing me
slightly. “You’re acting like you did when…you know.”

Her concern
gripped my heart. I had to tell her. “I have a confession, Lee.”

Her eyes
widened, but she didn’t say anything. She nudged me, granting me a soft beam.

I opened my
mouth to speak when my phone dinged. I held up a finger, signaling one second,
and checked to see who
was texting
.

-Would
you like to meet before next week’s class to go over the assignment?

Dane

I stared at
the phone for so long I forgot
Leela
was sitting
beside me.

“Who is it?”
she inquired.

I threw the
phone down at the end of the bed, not replying to Dane’s question. Turning my
attention back to my best friend, I told her.
“My new bio lab
partner, Dane.
He’s one of those cocky guys who runs hot and cold within
seconds of meeting him.” I rolled my eyes for extra effect.

“
Ooooh
,” she smirked, “So, he’s totally hot?”

“Pretty
much,” I giggled. “Not my type, though.”

“Yeah,
yeah,” she chided with a wave of her hand. “Tell me what you have to confess.”

Exhaling, I
started with my story. “Remember my feet being hurt at the Halloween party?
And that Zorro guy coming to help me?”

She nodded,
but didn’t speak, so I continued.

“Well, he
fixed my feet up…then…we….well,” I paused, my voice not finding the words it
needed.

“Oh
my gosh
, did you
sex
him?” she
exclaimed.

“No!” I
shouted, shaking my head furiously.
“Definitely not.”
I stared at her for a long time,
then
admitted, “We
may have done other stuff, though.”

“What…
stuff
?” She was excited, her body
buzzing beside me.

I gave her a
pointed look, “You know. He touched me, I him, and we kissed some…” I could
feel the heat rising on my cheeks, the awkwardness of this conversation getting
the best of me. “Oh, I can’t talk about this,
Leela
!”
I cried, burying my face in my hands.

She chuckled
beside me, peeling my fingers from my eyes. “
Korah
,
look at me.”

I obliged,
but only because I didn’t have much of a choice.

“You did
nothing wrong. I promise. Sexual desire is normal, sweetie. And you are a
beautiful, sexy young woman and men find you attractive. I know you are scared
and from the looks of it, ashamed, but you shouldn’t be. What you did was
perfectly human and normal. What’s his name? Have you talked to him since?”

Biting my
lip, I timidly finished my story. “I left, Lee. As soon as we were finished he
wanted to take our masks off at the same time, and as soon as he turned, I
fled. That’s why I was in such a hurry. I knew he would look for me.”

“Oh,
Korah
,” she sighed. “It’s ok. So you had an interesting
night at Halloween. You could have done much worse, so I really wouldn’t worry
about it.”

“I feel
slutty,” I meekly conceded.

“Don’t.”
Leaning in, she enclosed me with her hug, and her love. She left silently
shortly after.

Alone with
my thoughts, I pulled Elle back out, snuggling up to her once more.
“Oh, Elle.
How did I get in this situation?” Immersing
myself further under the covers, I attempted to sleep, but thoughts of the dark
haired Zorro filled my head. My want, need, for him was consuming. It was new,
and terrifying. I finally drifted, filled with interchanging dreams of his face
and Dane’s.

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