Page 31 of Alive and Kicking
A surprised laugh leaves me. “God, no. There’s definitely not a hundred of them.”
She giggles. “I didn’t think so. You seem to be walking just fine, so I figured there weren’t that many.” It takes me a moment to realize what she means and I can feel my whole face flush. “You are just the cutest thing when you blush!” she gushes.
My hands slap over my cheeks. “I do not blush.”
Her grin widens. “Okay, okay. Whatever you say.”
I can’t keep the amused smile off my face as the professor steps up to address the class. Red and I go quiet as we listen carefully to what he’s saying about the syllabus. Then he passes out a handout on lab safety and emergency plans. There’s going to be a test on it Thursday that we have to get at least a B on to participate in the labs.
Red and I don’t start up another conversation as we focus on our papers, and when the class ends she says bye to me and hurries out of the room. I don’t blame her, because my next class starts pretty close to the end time of this one too. I head off in the direction of the history department, passing Carol as I go.
“Whore,” she fake coughs.
Is this middle school? I didn’t even attend physical school and even I know a move like that is too juvenile for college students.
I force my eyes to soften and my brows to lower ever so slightly. “Great to see you’re out and about, Chlamydia. If I had a name like that I don’t think I would have your courage.”
A few laughs sound out around us and her face reddens. “It’s Carol!” she shouts.
My pitying expression doesn’t leave my face as I give her a gentle nod. “Yes, it’s very smart to use another name. People would just never take you serious otherwise.”
Before she has a chance to respond, I’m already walking away. I pull my phone out and shoot a text to Nox.
Viv
If you change Carol’s name to Chlamydia on all of her school transcripts I will love you even more than I already do.
There’s a long pause, and I’m already at the door of my next class when my phone vibrates with a new message. I read it as I walk through the door.
Nox
Consider it done. We’re going to talk about that message in person though.
I frown, reading over my message, and don’t understand why we need to talk about it. Those concerns flee from my body though the moment that I look up and meet the eyes of my guest lecturer for History of Ancient Warfare. A set of very familiar eyes stare back at me. My own eye begins to twitch as I glare at the ‘professor.’ I’m going to need a damn good explanation after class, and the excuse will determine whether or not my knives get bloody.
Sloane
Iget to Viv’s ancient warfare class to take her home with a few minutes to spare before it lets. The wall next to the door makes as good of a place as any to wait for her, but when the door pushes open and students file out, there’s no Viv. The trickle of students thins and I’m starting to get worried. Peeking around the door frame, I see Viv still sitting glaring toward the front of the classroom. When the last of the other students squeezes out past me, she explodes.
“What the actual fuck are you doing here?” she demands.
Pinpricks run up my spine at the possibility of a threat in a room with her. My feet carry me into the room before I can even consider coming up with some kind of plan for defense. If I have to throw myself into harms way just to give her a chance to run, I’m prepared to do just that.
My steps stop abruptly as I get a look at the man behind the professor’s desk. Enzo is leaned back in the seat with his feet propped up on the desktop like he doesn’t have a care in the world, and I’m wondering why he’s so nonchalant when he taught Viv a variety of torture techniques.
I’m in agreement with Viv about the absurdity of his appearance in her classroom too. “Relax Vivy. I’m here for yourprotection, remember? It doesn’t hurt that I’ve always wondered what it would be like to help mold impressionable minds.”
I can practically see the twitch in Viv’s eye as she continues to glare at him. “I will start stabbing if you don’t give me a better explanation.”
Slowly, I close the door to the classroom behind me. If she’s going to start maiming, the last thing we need are witnesses. Enzo sighs and lets his feet drop to the floor, his face suddenly becoming serious. “It might surprise you, but I actually have the education for this. I’ve never gotten the chance to put it to use but I am qualified. This also gives me a reason to be on campus every weekday. People would notice an old man lurking around campus for no reason.”
The anger seems to leak out of Viv and she goes boneless in her seat, groaning out a sigh. In a rough motion, she rubs her hand over her face like she can erase this entire interaction from her mind. When her arm falls to the desk she doesn’t even look at Enzo as she collects her bag. “Just don’t interfere with my normal college experience.”
She gets up and walks toward me, grabbing my hand on her way by and shouldering the door open. After we’ve walked down a few hallways, she finally looks up at me. “Why isn’t Zane here? He usually comes to get me after class.”
I smile at her. “He’s got an assignment due in art and stayed late to finish up. So I get the honor of accompanying you home.”
Viv’s nose wrinkles. “You know you guys wouldn’t have to chauffeur me around if you just let me drive my own car to school.”
