Chapter 3 The Encounter

I pretend not to notice him coming my way, fixing my eyes solely on the paper in front of me. We have no bad blood but I can't help but feel awkward around him sense we haven't spoken a word to each other in so many years. The table shook slightly as he bumped into it before lazily sitting in the chair to my right. His familiar sent of maple and wood swirled in the air between us causing me to take an involuntary deep breath. I missed this smell, it made me feel so relaxed. Taking me away to a past memory of when my mom was still around. I discreetly cleared my throat, forcing myself back to the present time. I adjusted my body trying not to take up space on his area of the table. Desmond flipped his workbook open pressing the pages flat with his firm hands. I noticed the deep patches of purple and yellow forming upon his reddened knuckles. Flesh was busted open and on a few of his knuckles a scab had started to form. His hands balled into fists before disappearing from my view. I felt his eyes on me before I realized my mistake. My eyes slowly shifted up, hoping he didn't see me starting at his busted hands. Only to be met with the most breathtaking sapphire eyes swallowing me whole. Telling me I was not as discreet as I had hoped to be.

I took my bottom lip in-between my teeth, a habit I've adapted when I'm nervous or embarrassed. His bruised lips parted slightly as he released a soft breath of air while his eyes shifted to the involuntary actions of my mouth. His minty breath caressing the skin on my face. My heart rate increasing as I come into the realization of how close our bodies are to one another. His eyes lock back on mine while mine shit nervously away from his gaze.

"Sorry." I whisper, cursing myself for my stupid actions.

Desmond nods in response then places his hands back onto his papers.

"You have an extra pencil?" He whispers after awhile without looking in my direction. I shift in my seat and grab a pencil before handing it over to him. Desmond's fingers softly bush against the skin on my hand lingering for a moment longer than necessary before taking the pencil into his hands. My eyes lingering on his battered knuckles. The action sends an unfamiliar sensation throughout my body. Sure Desmond is one of the most attractive people I've ever met but strangely enough I've never been into him. I've only ever saw him as a friend, the same goes for Leviathan.

"Thanks." He whispers as his lips slightly curve up into a slight smile.

"Does it hurt?" I blurt out in a hushed voice. More thinking out loud because I didn't mean for my question to be auditable. His hand freezes midway into writing on his paper as he registers my question. I mentally curse myself at yet another one of my stupid actions of the morning.

"No." He responds with a small chuckle purring from deep in his brod chest. Those dimples almost coming into view. "Guess I'm just used to it." He shrugs, before returning to his work.

Throughout the class I kept getting an overwhelming sensation that someone was starting at me. But everytime I looked up from my paper and around the room no one's attention was anywhere near my direction. everyone was engrossed in their workbooks. I brushed it off as just my overactive imagination and forced myself to continue my assignment. I tried to press my body further to the left afraid I was crowding Desmond's space and going to cause him to be annoyed with me. Because randomly throughout the class his arm kept brushing against mine, his knee would tap into my knee or brush against my leg. I was about to apologize for being such a space hog when the bell sounded ending first period.

I stretch my arms above my head trying to break the tension building in my muscles from my awkward stance throughout class. Catching a glimpse of Desmond's eyes glued to my raised chest as he bites on his thumb nail in the most seductive way. He probably doesn't even know how enticing he appears at that moment. I quickly put my arms down resting my folded arms on the table in an attempt to cover my chest in a non-shalant way. Noticing Rosa's eyes enlarged with shock as they shift between the two of us. I raise my open hand to my forehead attempting to hide my eyes from her. I did nothing wrong so why do I feel so awkward and embarrassed. Desmond got up from his seat first as I gathered my things. His knuckles were rested on the table as his hand held 4 freshly sharpened pencils one of which being the neon green pencil I loaned him earlier in class. I sucked in a breath playing out the seen in my head realizing how out of norm it would be for an honor roll student to come to class unprepared especially on his first day. He walked away before I could say a word, and Rosa quickly jumped out of her seat to grab my shoulders in both her hands.

"Oh My God!" She screeched. pulling me to my feet. "What was that?! Did you see what I saw?!"

"Relax Rosa, you're making a big deal out of nothing." I brush off the Encounter she's referring to.

"If you had my view you wouldn't be saying that." Rosa persists.

" Trust me, there is absolutely nothing to get worked up about. just forget whatever you think you saw. "

We make our way to our lockers grabbing out supplies for the next class. Rosa is insistent on something going down between Desmond and I during our last hour and refused to stop pushing the issue until I did the inevitable. I distracted her by asking what I missed during the fight. I knew I'd regret it but in that moment it seemed like the more tolerable topic. We stopped at the vending machine before heading back to class. I got a bottle of water while Rosa grabbed a coffee. As if she needed anymore caffeine she hasn't stopped talking this entire time. I smirk at my train of thought as we made our way back to class.

As we enter the room and head back to our seats I notice Desmond is already seated and upon my desk sits my favorite candy bar. Rosa makes an "I told you so" hum in my ear as she brushes past me to her chair. Desmond however sits silently in his seat oblivious to his surroundings. Giving no indication the chocolate was his doing.