by Amber Heart
The door opened and the professor walked in, clutching an overstuffed leather briefcase that seemed ready to burst open with the slightest breath of wind. He looked like the absentminded grandpa that you always saw in movies. It made her smile. Something told her that this was going to be a wonderful class. He set up his briefcase, dug through one of the pockets, then switched on the overhead projector. It put a bright light on the whiteboard behind him, and he winced as he turned to pull down the screen. He sorted through his clear plastic sheets until he found the one he wanted and put it on the projector. Rosalie flexed her hand, getting it ready to take some extensive notes.
“Hello, class, I’m Professor Hammond. This is Organic Chemistry, and we’re going to jump right into it.” He gave out the page number and Rosalie obediently turned to the correct place in her book. Her notebook was ready with the date and the title of the chapter, and her hand was poised an inch above the paper. Since class had already started, everyone’s eyes turned to the door when it opened. Rosalie’s mouth dropped open. For a full thirty seconds, she sat there, frozen, as Eric walked in, nonchalantly, like he owned the place. Rosalie told herself that he must be lost. Yes, that was it. He would take one look at what was being written on the projector and turn around. Confident that she was right, Rosalie went back to listening to the professor. She pointedly ignored him while he stood there. Finally the professor turned around. “Can I help you?” Eric shrugged.
“Well, I’m in this class, so I guess I need you to set me up with a partner.” The professor was silent for a moment, sizing him up, then turning to look at the rest of the class. His eyes met with Rosalie’s and he smiled.
“Go ahead and sit with the young lady there in the last row.” Eric’s eyes followed the professor’s and when he saw Rosalie, his smug smile slipped. He didn’t even answer the man, just walked up to the table next to Rosalie and sat down. The professor went back to lecturing, and Rosalie was frantically writing down notes, checking in her book to make sure she had the right sections highlighted to go along with them. Eric just sat there, ankles crossed on top of the desk, hands behind his head, staring at the professor writing down his notes. After a while, the professor announced that they had a five minute break, and Rosalie began to massage her hand.
“Are you going to put any effort into this class at all?” Her tone of voice said that she was not amused at with Eric’s antics. He ignored her. “Hello! I’m talking to you!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, did you want something?” Did he purposely try to be a jerk, or did it just come naturally? Ugh, she hoped that he would just fail out or drop the class so she wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore.
“Yeah, I want to know if you’re going to do your part in this class or not?” Her voice was hard and her eyes were narrowed at him. Anyone looking at her now would have cringed at the look on her face. Eric just laughed.
“What’s it matter if I do or not?” Rosalie’s hands balled into fists, and she seriously considered smacking the crap out of him. Her grade was not going to suffer because this guy was in the wrong class, or didn’t care what grade he got. Either he was going to help do the work, or she just wasn’t going to put his name on it. It was that simple. She was about to tell him just that, when the professor walked back in, calling the class to attention. Sighing heavily, she reached into her bag, pulled out a notebook and pen, and shoved them into his hands. Then she went back to ignoring him the rest of the class.
Eric sat there, looking for all the world like he was relaxed. It was far from the truth, though. He was trying to figure out this girl sitting next to him. Usually, he was a good judge of character, but he just could not get a read on her. She read classic books, and he decided to bring back the book that she’d left at the café, but she just didn’t fit the mousy stereotype. Shopping for some more risqué clothes with Vanessa? That didn’t fit with it at all. Granted, the little haircut and makeover that she’d gotten had really made her eyes pop, and he’d taken notice. She wasn’t the type of girl that he could go have a good time with, but he was drawn to her, and he couldn’t understand why. When he’d walked into the room, he’d had his usual guise as a slacker firmly in place. It was an act, but no one ever saw that. He came from a family that had money, so tuition wasn’t a problem, but he didn’t want people to know what family he belonged to. They were prestigious, and he didn’t want to run with that crowd until he had to. At school, his parents left him alone. After classes, however, they usually had plans and parties and he had to wear a suit and be charming, acting like he cared about things they did when he didn’t.
So, he tended to make the most of it when he could. Part of his guise, was to act like he didn’t care about classes or anything else, but what others didn’t know, was that he had a semi-photographic memory. He could sit in class and remember the things he needed to without taking notes. It helped him with his nonchalant bad boy image that he worked so hard to culminate. As he sat there, his gaze went over to the girl more than he would like. There was a fire in her that he hadn’t seen in other girls before. It was more than just a drive to do well in school, and it intrigued him. He was just wondering what she’d do if he asked her to go to a party with him when she slapped a notebook and pen down in front of him. He was shocked. She actually thought that he’d come to class unprepared, and she was trying to help him. She slid her book over towards him, trying to share with him, too. It was something none of his friends would have done.
When he was at school, he hung out with what his parents dubbed “the riffraff”. When he was at home and himself, he had the money and title to do what he wanted and get what he wanted. He’d never had to work hard to get anything, and that made him a little conceited, as well giving him a feeling of entitlement.
“Come to a party with me tonight.” It wasn’t really a request, it was more of a demand. No girl had ever turned him down, in either aspect of his life, so he felt like he was doing her a favor. She was that mousy girl that was never popular, and here he was offering her the popular by association link to him. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
“I’m sorry, did you say something?” He was taken aback by her tone.
“Yes. I said come to a party with me. Tonight. I’ll come get you.” She snorted.
“I’m sorry, I’m trying to learn about acid based chemistry here. If it has nothing to do with that, please don’t talk to me.” She ignored him, going back to taking notes, and checking facts in her book to highlight. He stared at her openly. She’d just turned him down. Not only that, she wouldn’t even entertain the idea. She’d flat out refused him. He was more than a little in shock, but he was willing to forgive her serious lack of judgement and still show up to pick her up that night. Once she saw him all dressed up and looking good, there was no way that she would tell him no. He entertained himself with that idea until class was over.
Rosalie was shocked. Eric had just sort of asked her out. And she’d said no. She was proud of herself for not getting caught up in his beautiful blue eyes, and staying focused on the class. The notebook and pen she’d given him sat on the table, untouched. When the class was dismissed, he got up and left. She shoved the items back into her bag, and she checked her schedule to see where she had to go to next. She had a full class load, and that meant at least two classes a day. She didn’t have time to think about Eric, so she didn’t pay any attention to him when she breezed out of the building. He, however, was watching her, and he was still a little in awe that she had turned him down so quickly for that party.
Chapter 6
The rest of Rosalie’s classes went just fine. She loved being back in a learning environment, and she was glad that she didn’t have to see Eric’s face in any of them. It had been quite a shock when he’d showed up in her Organic Chemistry course, and she couldn’t imagine a career path that someone like him would want to take that involved that class. So how had he wound up in it? She shook her head. It didn’t matter
. He was her lab partner now, and there was no way to get rid of him until the next term. She considered making a calendar and counting down the days until she didn’t have to see him anymore. She chuckled at the thought. No, she wasn’t going to be that juvenile. When she got back from her last class, it was six in the evening. She immediately unpacked her bag, and started to lay out her books, so she could have her bag ready to go in the morning. Rosalie started working on some of the problems from her Pharmaceutical Math course, immersing herself in a world that she was unfamiliar with.
At seven, there was a knock on her door. It startled her so badly that the pencil skidded on the paper, making her one look like a seven. Rosalie was still wearing the clothes she’d had on for class, so she had no qualms about answering her door. When she did, she froze. It was Eric.
“What are you doing here?” She had more of an accusatory tone than a quizzical one, but she couldn’t help it. He had no reason to be here, so other than interrupting her studies, there was nothing good that could be accomplished from his visit.
“I told you there was a party tonight. I came to pick you up.” His voice was confident, nonchalant. Almost like he was doing her a favor. That instantly rubbed her the wrong way. She did vaguely remember him demanding that she accompany him to this party tonight.
“I told you that I wasn’t interested. Is there anything else that I can help you with?” A hand snaked its way over Eric’s shoulder, and it drew Rosalie’s attention. Blaze appeared behind his shoulder.
“Told you she wouldn’t come. But don’t worry, Eric, I’ll be your date.” Rolling her eyes, Rosalie closed the door in both of their faces and locked it, going over to her desk to finish her homework. She liked getting a head start on everything, especially on her first day. If that hellion thought that she was going to let her studies slip to go to some gang banger party with him, then he was sorely mistaken. Besides, Blaze was more than willing to go with him to the party, so what did he need her for? She shook her head, then did her best to focus on the math problems that she’d started.
She finally finished the assignment around eight thirty, and she unlocked the door to go get a glass of water from the kitchen. When she emerged from her room, she saw Vanessa sitting in the living room, reading something that looked like Shakespeare.
“Hey. Rough day so far, too?” Vanessa offered as a conversation starter.
“No, not really. I guess I just can’t shake my geekiness and I had to start homework right away.” Rosalie laughed as she came and sat down on the couch with her water. “How about you?” Vanessa closed the book and promptly chucked it across the room.
“Ugh! I hate Shakespeare with a passion! Why did it have to be the first reading assignment for the term?” Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, making Rosalie laugh again. She looked like a petulant five-year-old, throwing a temper tantrum.
“What class is it?”
“Some medieval literature course that I need. I don’t think I really need it, I think they’re just making me take it to torture me.”
“Come on, it can’t be that bad. What are you reading?” Rosalie enjoyed English, reading and poetry that others didn’t really like.
“Romeo and Juliet. I mean, ok, they’re teenagers in love and they end up killing each other because they think they can’t be together. It was a stupid plan that ended up in them both being dead. I get it. So why do I have to read it?”
“Well, if you think about it, it goes a little deeper than that. Have you ever been so in love with someone that you couldn’t imagine life without them?” It was a concept that Rosalie believed existed, but she’d never felt that way before in her life, and with her self-esteem in the toilet like it was, it was damn near impossible for her to think that anyone would be thinking that way about her.
“No. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as true love. There is lust, and there might even be affection, but if you’re with someone long enough, that can come with anyone. This whole, other half of your soul kind of love that people talk about, it’s just not real.” Privately, Rosalie agreed with her, but that notion wasn’t going to make Vanessa care more about the class.
“Well, maybe I could help you with it.” Vanessa’s eyes lit up.
“Would you? Oh, I would love you forever!” Vanessa jumped down from her chair and crawled over on her knees, grabbing at Rosalie’s shirt, and over dramatically begging. “Please! Please! Please!” Rosalie was laughing so hard, she choked on her water for a second.
“Alright! Alright! Don’t kill me, sheesh.” Vanessa jumped up and started dancing around the living room.
“What do you say about getting out of here and going to a party? You know, just to take the tension off of us both for the night?” Rosalie frowned. She hadn’t really wanted to go to the party, and she was pretty sure that this was going to be the same one that Eric had tried to take her to.
“I don’t know. Eric tried to get me to go to a party with him tonight, too, and I told him no.” Vanessa froze in place.
“What? You didn’t mention that. He asked you? Oh my god, does he like you?” Vanessa turned into a gossip girl with a twist of cupid somewhere in there, and it was almost endearing. “I can dress you up and you can borrow some of my things, it’ll be so much fun, what do you say?” Rosalie bit her lip. She really didn’t want to, but with Vanessa being her only friend, and being so excited about it all, she didn’t have the heart to say no.
“Alright. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to talk to him.” Vanessa frowned.
“Don’t you like him? I mean, he did ask you, right? Most girls would kill to have him ask them. He’s kind of a big thing on campus, you know.” That meant nothing to her. It was obvious that Blaze liked him, and that she was clamoring for his attention, and Rosalie wasn’t going to put her studies aside for a boy. No way. That was her whole life on the line, her future, and she wasn’t going to give it up and turn into a could have been over a boy.
“No! He’s so stubborn and arrogant. He didn’t even ask me to go with him, he just demanded that I go with him. I don’t know about you, but there’s no respect in that at all, and I just don’t feel like that was the right way to go about asking me, if he wanted me to go with him. I guess I do still have some romantic notions, even if I don’t think I’ll ever find love.” Vanessa stared at her for a second, then shrugged it off.
“Come on over to my room. I’ll get you ready.” Rosalie still hadn’t said that she wanted to go, but this was such a thrill to Vanessa to let her get her dressed up, so she finally relented.
“Alright. Let’s go.” Vanessa jumped up and down, clapping her hands in delight, and Rosalie looked at her, so out of place in the bad girl role. Maybe she was more like Vanessa than she’d originally thought. Rosalie went into Vanessa’s room, astonished at the mess, and found the one corner of the bed that wasn’t littered with outfits to sit down on. Vanessa disappeared into the closet, talking to herself, and Rosalie took the time to look around the room. There were pictures taped up to Vanessa’s mirror, of her and Rob, but they looked like they’d been torn in half, then put back together a few times. If love was a tumultuous ride like it was with these two, then she was happy not to feel it. A leather jacket hung from the back of her desk chair, and from one look, Rosalie could tell it was Rob’s. “Found it!” Vanessa emerged from the closet with a top that looked more like half a top. “Ok, you can wear your jeans, but I have this shirt and some boots to go with it, and I think you’re going to look drop dead sexy.” Rosalie couldn’t help but smile. This was what she’d wanted to have when she was in high school. A friendship where they could spend time together, laugh and joke, and go have a good time. Rosalie grinned at the enthusiasm on Vanessa’s face. Better late than never.
“Ok, I’ll go change and I’ll be back.” Rosalie reached out to grab the shirt but Vanessa jerked it back out of her reach.
“Why would you go back to your room t
o change? Just change here. That way, if I don’t like the way the shirt makes you look I can get you another one and we won’t waste any time.” Rosalie blushed. She’d never changed in front of anyone before, and it made her more than a little self-conscious.
“Ok, ok. Give it here.” Rosalie grabbed the shirt then turned her back to Vanessa while she took her shirt off. She happened to be facing the mirror, and when she pulled the hem down to where it belonged, she was stunned. The shirt was black, with the shoulders cut out, a lace edge across the neckline, and beading across the chest. The little beads caught the light, sending rainbows of color out from her shirt that dazzled whoever was looking. The boots that Vanessa handed her looked like Harley Davidson boots, but not necessarily like hooker boots. They had a chunk heel, and they had a couple little zippers on them, but they weren’t completely out of her range of what she would wear. She slipped them on, and Vanessa instantly attacked her hair with a brush before she could even stand up straight.
