Chapter nine

The minute I walk out of the university doors and into the windy air; my scarf goes flying.

Usually I would have tied the damn thing in front of me in some kind of knot. But, no. I was so busy trying to finish my assignment with my professor hovering over me, his eyes plainly telling me it was time to go, that I just threw it over my shoulders and walked out.

Now I was watching my tan scarf runaway from me in the wind. If I wasn’t so aggravated at the moment, I would have probably of laughed at my dose of bad luck. It seemed to follow me around a lot lately.

On normal days, it didn’t get this windy in Michigan. Wait, let me rephrase that. It did get windy, but lately it was getting a little too ridiculous.

And for someone who loves fall, that was a big stretch to take.

I stand there and watch as my scarf tumbles over grass and broken leaves, veering left and heading to the double doors on the other side of the University. It was like the damn thing was on a mission to get so far away from me that I wouldn’t be able to catch it.

Sighing, I push the hair that was blowing in my face out of my mouth, aggravated. There was no point in just standing here and watching it fly away. I quickly shoulder my book bag that was in my left hand and go chasing after my scarf.

I probably looked like a lunatic.

But really? What else is new.

Half way across the courtyard, a group of guys shot me these odd looks, but most of them were too busy in their own groups that they didn’t even notice the crazy girl running by them.

Oh, just in case you forgot along the way, that crazy girl would be me.

I stop for a minute to catch my breath and I see the scarf glide against the sudden current again and watch as it heads toward the tree in the middle of the courtyard. I just stand there and curse under my breath.

Are you freaking kidding me?

It just had to head toward the only tree in the whole place? !

I’ll admit, I’m not really an athletic person and too see my scarf make it halfway across campus with me trudging like a snail behind it kind of sucks. Unlike Kayla, who probably would have had the scarf in a matter of seconds, it would take me around an hour to even retrieve it.

I shake head and the movement just gets more hair caught in my face. If I didn’t love it so much, I would just cut it. But since I wasn’t already moving, I decide to just throw it up.  That way I didn’t have to deal with it any longer.

I look longingly at my scarf that seemed to be stuck on a tree branch and try to get my hair up fast enough before someone tried to steal it. Sure, it didn’t cost me a lot nor was it custom made, but I mean…it was my scarf.

Motivation to not let anyone steal it makes me walk while I try to put my hair up. Without looking I slide the hairband off my wrist and hold my hair with my right hand at the back of my head. I try my hardest to stretch the thin thing around the straight bits, making sure I got every strand.

Don’t ask me how, but someway, somehow, I end up stretching the hairband too far and I hear a snap next to my ear followed by the sting of the hairband snapping back and nicking my palm; stinging it.

I still hold my hair up with one hand and  look down at the broken hairband in my hand for about five seconds, groan, stop, throw it on the ground, and bring my head back and look at the sky.

“Oh come on!” I shout, one hand still on my head like an idiot.

It’s like the world is playing an April Fools joke on me in the middle of October.

I hear someone chuckle behind me and I drop my hand, making my hair fly everywhere and  turn in time to see Nick standing behind me.

My eyes go to his own blonde hair, which was wet and falling in his eyes as if he just got out of the shower. At-least someone was having an easy time.

“Not having too good of a day I assume?” He smiles this broad smile at me and I let out my breath. More hair is getting in my face from the wind and I’m  now cursing God mentally for breaking my hair band.

Add on the fact that a perfectly put together English guy is standing in front me, and you have my life in a whole.

“Yeah -” I push my wild hair behind my ear and start talking again. “You see-” My hair gets caught in my mouth again and I wonder why everything seemed to be happening to me today?

First I couldn’t find the formula in class today, which made me have to rush out of class, which made me lose my scarf, thus making me choke on my hair from a broken hair band.

I just had bad luck sometimes.

Nick laughs and I see him move from in between the strands of my hair. I raise an eyebrow questioningly as he slides his bag off his shoulder, zips open his bag, picks something out of the bottom, and hands it to me.

I look down and see a tan rubber band in-between his fingers. Thank you Jesus! I give him the most grateful look I can muster as I grab it.

Rubber band or not, it would do the job.

I wrap my hair up into a messy bun and when I feel my hair hit my neck, instead of my face, I want to just shout my happiness to the world.

Seriously, who knew putting my hair up could ever make me so happy?

Nick slides his bag back on his shoulder and looks at my hair wistfully. “It is kind of windy today, isn’t it?” He looks up at the sky as if he can see the wind itself and laughs this sad laugh. It turned his usual happy face a little less Nick like.

“My mother would say it was the kind of weather to get you sick.”

“Yeah, but you are from England. Doesn’t it rain there a lot?”

I didn’t know a lot about England, but I did know it rained. It’s like the first thing any American learns. That, and the Queen, Those two were a given.

He looks over at me and cracks one of his rare amused smiles, blue eyes shining a little. Ah, there’s the Nick I knew so well.

The wind suddenly blows a piece of his long hair into his eyes and I want to reach out and push it away. Which, might I add, is a very stupid thing to want to do.

“Ah, you are right. But the last time I have been there was two summers ago. So I am not really one to judge the way the weather works there. But, I will say that I take windy Michigan any day.” I pull down my sleeves to my long t-shirt over my hands and smile.

I might hat Michigan’s weather at times, but I wouldn’t trade my state for the world. I loved every little piece of it.

“Yeah, that’s true. Though, I do miss the sun.” This time I look up and see grey clouds covering up the sky. The wind didn’t really help matter in terms of the greyness.

Great, add a little bit of rain and it would just make this whole thing that much better.

Soon or later it would start to snow and I knew for a fact I didn’t have the kind of clothes to help me with that. So far the only clothes I had would last me not even a week into the snow.

Kayla somehow convinced me that it would be a good idea to pack things that were, how do I put it, more eye appealing? I went along, mainly not to hear her complain any longer,but now I’m totally regretting the decision.

I’m wondering when my luck was going to turn around when I feel something warm and soft touch my face.

My eyes snap toward Nick, startled from the sudden contact and warmth,  and  see him in front of me. I swallow the sudden lump in my throat when I feel his warm breath hitting my cheek, an intent look on his usually solemn face.

He must see some kind of confusion pass over me because he smiles and moves his fingers along my forehead, down my cheek, before finally stopping behind my ear.  Our eyes lock for a few seconds before he clears his throat.

“A piece of hair. Sorry.” He states softly and he lets his hand linger behind my ear for a moment and then slowly steps back.

I bring my hand to my ear for a moment and wonder what just happened. I mean, did it mean more than what I think it did? All he did was push a piece of hair behind my ear. Nothing more.

Then why do I feel like it was?

Nick smiles this sly grin and nods his head toward me, making thoughts of him and his hand vanish. I’ll think about all that another time.

“You know what would be perfect for these kinds of days?” I smile a little, trying to lighten the sudden intense mood.

I mean, it was Nick. The kind of friend who didn’t see touching girls’ hair anything more than a nice gesture. Right? Right.

“No, what?” I ask, forced lightness in my voice.

He reaches forward and tugs on another piece of my hair lightly that seemed to have escaped the bun. “A certain kind of beanie.”

We lock eyes yet again on the word beanie and he smiles, showing straight teeth, and straightens out. Okay, this is getting a little ridiculous.

He brings his bag closer to him and signals to the other side of the courtyard. I let out my breath, thankful I didn’t have to endure anymore smiles, long stares, or hair touching.

“I got to go to class. See you later Kels.” He still has that smile on his face as he turns around and starts to walk away, a sort of bounce in his step.

I then bring my finger to the piece of hair he touched and this time I don’t bother to try to figure out what he meant by the beanie statement. Better to keep all those forbidden thoughts tucked away.

Far away.

Instead, I just smile to myself for about five seconds before I remember that my scarf was probably halfway to Canada at this point.

It was enough to make my good mood float away.

I turn around and look back to the area that I last saw it heading and shock! It’s not there. Great, thanks to Nick some other girl probably had my scarf and was wearing it around. If that is the case, i hope they get a cold.

I let out my breath and decide to just go looking for it. I mean, I could give up and just tell myself someone probably already took it, but…I like to hold out hope sometimes.  Plus, I had an hour to kill before my next class.

I walk over to the tree and when I see nothing but brown bark and green grass, I shake my head. I step back and look up at the branches and the little bit of light shining through from the leaves is all I see and I know it was nowhere up there either.

In a moment of pure immaturity I walk over to the huge trunk of the tree and  kick it. Sure, it wasn’t the tree’s fault that my scarf was gone, but it was just there and it was the only thing I could take my anger out on.

I kick it again, which even I would admit was stupid, and I ignore the pain in my foot and go to kick it again when I hear a familiar laugh wave it’s way from behind me.

I stop, my foot in mid-air, and  look behind me. A few loose strands of my hair whip against my neck and forehead when I turn to see who it is.

When I see Julio standing there, arms crossed over his chest, light smile in place, and a familiar light brown scarf wrapped around his neck, I debate for a moment on the idea of kicking him.

He would be better kicking than the tree any day.

I end up planting my two feet on the ground and turn to face him. Since that night in the club, I just couldn’t see myself being anything close to…rude to him.

What he did was something that I could never repay him for and I think he even knew I was in his webs of debt. Not just that, but how I could I put so much anger on someone who was willing to go out of his way to help me?

But just because I wasn’t going to be rude to him, didn’t mean I was going to be Miss Nice either.

“Remind me to never get you mad. What did the damn tree ever do to deserve a Kelsey beat down?” He raises an eyebrow at the question and I shake my head.

“Julio,” I said, exhausted. “Give my scarf back.”

He looks suddenly down at the scarf around his neck that somehow he managed to make look hot and holds a bundle of it in his hand. The wind blows the end and it whips against his hand.

“This old thing? Come on now ángel, this is all mine. I especially like the feeling of itching polyester spreading all over my neck. It makes the whole bad taste aspect that much better.”

I raise an eyebrow at his cockiness and shake my head. “Did you just insult my scarf?” I ask bewildered and he gives me a mock stern look.

“My scarf. But, I know a certain girl who could make this itchy thing look sexy. Mind helping me find her?”

The side of his mouth tips up at the beginning of a smirk and I let out my breath and count to ten.

Even if the hot comment made my heart beat a little faster, I was still trying to not kick him. Seriously, he had a way of pissing me off and making me feel things I liked to not talk about. It was breathtaking.

“Fine, what can I do to get my scarf back?” He raises his eyebrows suggestively and I do the one thing I should have not done in that moment. I blush like a complete moron. He could also make me blush.

Asshole.

“Anything but…that.” I state and he doesn’t say anything as he brings his hands to his neck and starts to unwind my scarf.

I watch as the wind blows his messy hair across his forehead and instead of getting in his eyes like Nick’s hair did, it sticks up in one messy concoction. For some reason I have the urge to fix it.

Which is crazy.

Something knocks against the side of his hip, pulling me from my thoughts, and I see his motorcycle key hanging from his belt loop.

“Liking what you see?”

Dammit.

I look up at Julio and give him a look that says ‘please, there is way hotter.’ and I go to grab for my scarf when he brings his hand back, bringing the scarf to his chest. I stop, my hand hanging awkwardly in the air.

“First, I want to offer up a trade.”

“I’m not doing anything um…yeah…” I stumble over my words and I see Julio's lips twitch as if he was trying to hide a smile. He and I both knew what I was thinking.

“My God Mays, anything but that.” He bunches his nose up in mockery as he throws the words I told him back at me and I cross my arms over my chest, waiting for him to tell me his trade.

He drops the scarf from his chest and holds it loosely in one hand as he looks me up and down.

“Scarf for ten minutes of your time. Sadly, I would ask for more, but I have a job to get too.”

The thing is, if Julio wanted to talk to me, like really talk to me, he could easily do it.  He had a way of getting what he wants. So what was the point of asking me for time?

Julio is the type of dude to just walk up in the middle of someone's conversation and end it like it was no big deal. That’s the guy who has my scarf held hostage. Not the guy asking for a little chat.

His brown eyes stare into mine thoughtfully, waiting for his answer, and even if I would have said yes without hesitation, I look at him oddly.

“Why are you bothering to ask? Usually you have no care for the rules and-”

“I’m a changed man.” He says quickly and brings the scarf up so now it and I were about eye level. “So, deal or not ángel? My time is running short here.”

“Wow. Never pictured you as man who could be in a hurry.”

A smile. “Depends on what you mean by ‘hurry’.”

I let the innuendo go by without acknowledgement and just stand there for a moment, still wondering what was different about him. When I find nothing,  I slowly reach out and take the scarf.

When he sees me go for it, I see him relax noticeably and I raise an eyebrow at that. I swear, he was getting weirder and weirder by the moment.

I wrap the scarf around my neck and secure it this time with a tight knot. No need for it to go flying all over again.  Julio stands there, hands stuffed into his low riding jeans that were frayed at the knee, and when I get done, he smiles and sweeps his hand out.

“I’m not taking your hand.” I tell him and he winks as if it doesn’t bother him and he puts his hand back into his jean pocket.

“Wouldn’t bother to ask if I could.”

I pocket my hands and we start to walk away from the tree. It’s quiet for a moment and when I go to peek at him, I see him already staring at me. When he catches my eye, he looks away. I do the same and then he clears his throat.

“You want an A on this project, right?”

I nod my head, my fingers nervously running over the side of my leg. People walk past us and some poor kid’s papers go blowing in the wind and he starts to after chase them. I knew how he felt.

Julio stops walking and brings his hand out and touches my elbow to stop me also. The minute he has my attention, he drops his hand. The echo of his warm touch tingles it’s way up my arm.

“What if I make you a deal?” When he gets a look at my face, his lip twitches at the corner. “Your mind amazes me where it goes. I’m talking about a real offer.”

“Okay. Talk.”

“What if you give me two nights? Two nights to show you what it is like to let go,” I feel him move and I stand there, frozen in my spot. I have no idea where he is going with this.

He circles around me, and I watch him, until I feel his chest and thighs flush up against my back. I hold my breath as he brings his hand up to my hair and then with one finger pulls the rubber band out.

I feel his breath on my neck and then my brown hair realises in the wind, blowing in my face and I turn my head the same time his lips make their way to my ear.

“Two nights ángel,” He whispers, “ Two nights you can finally let your hair loose. Two  nights to do things that you only dreamed about doing. Do that, and I promise you that you will get an A on this project.”

His voice is warm in the cold weather and his teasing tone makes goose bumps pop up along my arms and up my neck.

What he’s suggesting is crazy. Why would I let the side of me I keep so hidden anywhere near him? What he is asking for is down right crazy.

Two nights.

Just me and him, doing only God knows what.

I have no idea why I do it, or why he wants to know the other side of me,  maybe it is because he’s so close or maybe it was because the idea thrilled me. Either way, I know I’m going to agree.

Two nights to lose control. Lose control with Julio.T able to break out of this role I let myself fall into.  I have no idea, but when my eyes go up and meet his dark searching ones, I say in a quiet voice,

“You have a deal.”