Tempting Fate (6 page)

She picked a spot that was un-shaded and lay in the grass on her stomach; she pulled her things out of her bag and placed them in front of her. It was quiet around there, with no distractions. Abby had written three chapters of notes for History of Architecture before she even realized how long she had been outside.

Abby rolled onto her back and yawned. Though the weather was cool, the sun felt very warm on her face. She closed her eyes and just listened to the sounds around her: people talking and laughing in the distance, the sounds of a loud radio somewhere not far away. Then she heard the sound of soft footsteps in the grass getting closer to her.

"Nice day outside; guess we had the same idea."

Abby opened her eyes and turned toward the voice as he sat down beside her. It was him, smiling with wide eyes and his hair shining in the sun's light. She sat up quickly and mustered a hello and a smile, trying to stay calm. Her cheeks grew hotter and turned red. Her heart began to race so fast and she wondered if he could hear it.

"I'm sorry, did I disturb you? I came out to enjoy the weather and study for a while. When I saw you, I...well..." He looked down and seemed to lose his words for a moment, "I thought I would introduce myself. I didn't yesterday. But like I said if I'm bothering you I can go." His last words came out softer than the rest. As he looked back up at her, the smile was gone from his face.

Abby stared at him; even with no smile on his face, his eyes were bright and welcoming to her. "Um, no you're fine. I was just taking a break from making notes. It is a nice day. I'm Abby, and you are?"

The two of them sat in silence for a long moment just looking at each other, not saying a word. What else should she say? Questions came to mind, but they all seemed strange to her. She didn't want to say something that was going to sound weird.

When he gave a short laugh and looked down at the book in his lap, she realized that she was staring at him. She could feel her cheeks getting even redder. What was he thinking now? "What?"

He only laughed a little and before long it was silent again. This time the silence between them was no different but it was easier somehow.

Westly stood up slowly before saying, "Well I should let you get back to your studies. Um, I guess I'll see you tomorrow in class then?"

"Oh no you stay, I should get going. I’m expecting a call from my aunt soon, if she hasn't called me already. Um, it was really nice to meet you and um, get your name this time. I can't wait to see you in class tomorrow." Her cheeks got hot again after saying the last part. "Well I, I just meant that, um, that it would be nice to know someone in the class. You know what I mean, right?"

Abby started to stand up, and she stepped on her own pant leg. As she started to fall forward onto her face, he caught her. Pulling her back up, he rested her against him. Abby could feel his strong arms around her and was in awe.

Abby was still in his arms, and he was not letting go. His smell was manly but sweet at the same time; it was wonderful. There was something about him that was familiar to her. Almost like being home. Abby looked up at his smile and her heart started beating so fast again she thought it might just pop right out of her chest like in a cartoon. She could only hope he didn’t feel it.

"I guess I should let you go now, right? Think you will be ok to stand on your own?"

Abby could hardly get out a yes she was breathing so fast. As he let her go, she almost wanted to stop him and have him hold her closer. With his embrace gone, she was able to shake off the cloud in her brain that had developed. She thought that she must be going crazy or something. She did not even know this guy, yet she was so drawn to him.

"Well Abs, I'll see you in history."

"What? History? I, I don't understand."

"The class we have tomorrow is history." The smile on his face was wide and Abby could see that his eyes were glowing with laughter that he was holding back, "So I was referring to the class."

"Right, sorry I knew that. I, um, just got confused I guess." She looked at the ground as she spoke. How could she not realize what he had meant? All Abby could do was blame it on the haze still lingering in her brain. She started to walk away with a small smile for him, when she realized she did not pick up her things. As she turned around to get them, Westly was already on the ground placing the books she had out into her bag.

"You want to take this with you?" Westly did not look at her as he said it, and Abby was glad, her face was burning red-hot.

"That would help, wouldn't it?" As she grabbed her bag her hand lingered against his; it was so warm. Abby pulled her hand and bag away slowly and thanked him.

Heading back to her room, she wanted to scream and laugh at the same time. Westly, that was his name. Wow. In her brain she was acting like a crazy woman, but she didn't care. She was holding herself together and hoping that it would pass. If not, she was going to at least wait until she got back to her room to act like a fourteen-year-old at an N'SYNC concert. She had to see him again, and she could not wait until she did. Abby was almost at her dorm when she heard her name being called. As she turned around Westly was walking briskly toward her and calling her name. When he finally reached her it was with a broad smile.

"Um, I was going to get an early dinner off campus; did you want to maybe join me? I know you said you were expecting a call, and well I mean, if you have other plans tonight, or um, if you just don’t want to go with me, then I understand." He looked down at the ground; did he even want her to say yes?

"Where were you going to go?"

"Off campus to Abe's dinner; they have great burgers there."

Abby could not believe her ears or her eyes. Yes she was going to go, anywhere. "Sure that sounds great. I was thinking about dinner anyway. I can talk to my aunt later; it's fine." She knew she was really only thinking of him, but he didn't need to know that. "Just let me take my bag up to my room. I'll be right back."

"I have to go back to my room and drop off my book too. Um, do you want me to wait for you or just meet you outside in five?"

What did she want to do? Maybe if she had five minutes she could freshen up or change.

"Um, yeah. Lets meet in five. In front of your dorm or mine?" Did she just admit she knew where he lived? No, he would not think that, or would he?

"I'll meet you here, but if you don't see me just start walking toward Butler Hall, and I'm sure we will find each other."

"Alright see you in five or so." Thank goodness he didn't read into what she had said the way she was afraid he would.

"Ok, and um Abs, thanks for joining me for dinner."

"Oh, you're welcome; it will be ... fun I'm sure." She knew she needed to leave right then or she was going to say something stupid.

As she went inside she really wanted to scream this time. She didn't even wait for the elevator but instead ran up the stairs. The phone call from her aunt could wait. Melissa wasn’t going to like it and maybe even freak out, but she could find an excuse later. It was only dinner; it wasn't like she was going far away without telling anyone.

Inside her room Abby fell into her bed and yelled into the pillow. When she was done with that, she threw on a clean sweater, pulled her long hair out of the ponytail and ran a brush through it. She decided to leave it down as she looked in the mirror. Did she look all right? Abby thought she was so plain; the only thing that sparkled about her was her eyes. With the thought of Westly on her mind, they looked like huge emeralds that someone had put under a strong light. She grabbed Melanie's pink tinted lip-gloss off the counter and put on a layer.

When she walked out of the elevator on the ground floor, he was already inside waiting for her. He had changed into a sweater himself, and if it was even possible, he looked more handsome than before.

They walked to the restaurant, and just like dinner it was filled with him asking questions about her. Every time Abby thought of something to ask him, she didn't get a chance to before she found herself just answering another of his questions.

Leaving Abe's and walking back across campus, both of them remained in almost complete silence until they got to her dorm. She thought about asking him up to her room. But for what, she had no idea. She had missed her chance to ask him anything; maybe if she just started asking questions and walked in, he would follow. Abby was too late; they were outside her dorm, and he had stopped walking altogether. She didn't really want him to leave her, but she knew he was going to.

Westly thanked her again for joining him. This time when he leaned in to hug her, Abby put her arms around him willingly. As his arms wrapped around her, she felt safer than she had ever felt in her life. She rested her head on his chest and sighed. She knew acting impulsive was not like her, but she let herself go with no real plan at all.

"Have a good night Abs; I had a really nice time. Maybe we can get together again sometime for dinner, or, you know, a movie or something."

Abby replied, "Yes" softly to his chest; she didn't want to leave his arms. The two of them stayed like that for a long time. With his cheek resting on the top of her head, his arms held her tightly; Westly held Abby as if he were shielding her from the rest of the world. She didn't move a muscle of her body, fearing he would let her go. She could feel his heart beating, and the rise and fall of his chest as he took in each breathe. His arms slowly loosened their grip on her and she unwillingly let hers loosen as well. She let his hands slide down her arms and take her hands in his. It was time to say goodbye to him, even if she didn't want to.

His wonderful smile and bright eyes were the only things on Abby's mind when she got back in her room. She changed into her pajamas slowly and mindlessly, just thinking of him. Abby grabbed her favorite book off her shelf and went to her bed to read, but she never got to open it. The phone ringing on the small bedside table interrupted her thoughts of Westly and her plans to read. The answering machine light was blinking right beside it. In Abby's haze she had forgotten all about the fact that her aunt had probably called fifteen or more times by now.

She picked up and before she could say hello, her aunt was talking, "Abby where have you been? I have been calling you for hours now! Don't scare me like that. I was so worried about you."

"I'm fine Missa! I was out to dinner with a friend and it took awhile. I was just getting comfortable to do some reading when you called. How was your day?"

Abby only talked to her for about five minutes before Melissa had to go and get ready to go on stage. She was very thankful that she did not ask her what friend. Abby was not ready to tell her about Westly; what could she have said anyway? She played the answering machine messages and quickly deleted the ones from her Aunt Melissa. She had three other phone calls to return before she could settle in for the night.

Her father, Rachel and her grandmother had also called while she was out. Abby called her grandmother back first, then her father. She left Rachel's call for last knowing that would be the longest. Rachel always had a lot to say. Abby thought about telling her about her dinner with Westly but quickly changed her mind. She would never hear the end of it, not to mention that Rachel would want to meet him right away.

Over two hours later, she was yawning her goodbye to Rachel. As she lay back onto her pillow and opened her book, her mind drifted back to thoughts of Westly. If she closed her eyes she could still feel his arms around her and the warmth of his chest against her cheek. Maybe it was her imagination, but in her memory her whole body was tingling in his arms.

All throughout dinner she had felt like his eyes were looking right into her. His smile intrigued her even more now that she was thinking back to it - as though it were saying something that was never going to be spoken out loud. Just the thought of it in her mind was enough to make her blush again right there in her bed.

Abby realized again she did not get a chance to ask him even one question. What was his last name? What state was he from? How old was he? She made a mental list of questions she had to ask him. Next time he would have to do a little more talking about himself. Trying to read was pointless even if she knew the book by heart.

Giving up on the book, Abby remembered that Jamal wanted her to run with him again the next morning and to invite Melanie to join them. He was so into Melanie. As she grabbed a dry erase marker and went into the bathroom to leave a note for Melanie on the mirror, she heard Melanie's door open. Putting the marker down, she just yelled at her through the door. "Good evening Mel; how was work today?"

"Oh you know same job, different day. Files go into the cabinet drawer; I have a list of others to pull out. Then there is another stack to file; all the while answering the phone in between." She opened the door slowly and yawned, "How was your day?"

"Great, yeah it was great." She knew the smile on her face was giving it all away.