Chapter 5

Lucian had just finished a class and was headed in the opposite direction of the classrooms. He passed various lecture rooms on his way out.

Some too colorful for a lecture room, he thought to himself. 

Everything about this school was too colorful, the fresh paint on the walls and the smiles on the students faces like being in this dreadful world was something to be happy about.

He caught a glimpse of a short blond with thin straight hair held back in a brutal bun and immediately increased his pace. Mrs Hudson was not someone he wanted to see him on his little escape for a breather. He did not realize he had started walking two steps per second until he was out the double doors that provided an escape from the crowded halls. 

“Mr Storme, may I have a minute of your time?” The woman found her way to where he currently stood trying to catch his breath. 

The hairs at the back of his neck stood at attention as she drew closer. He plastered the best inconspicuous smile on his face and turned to face her. “Good morning Mrs Hudson, I would love to but I am currently in a hurry to get a little something in my stomach before my next class,” he explained already taking a few barely noticeable steps to create some distance between them and give him a head-start should he need to run.

“Oh but it would only be a minute, I promise” she said not at all fazed.

“I guess if it would be just a minute...” Lucian offered hopefully because he knew there were a hundred and twenty percent possibilities that it was going to take more than a minute.

“Just a minute,” she confirmed.

“Alright, I am all ears,” he took a step and asked, “Can we walk and talk?”

“Certainly.” she followed his lead, taking the route of the university's parking lot.  

“Some of the professors and I were talking and we noticed you have not made any connections with anyone. Is there something wrong?”

Lucian felt the urge to roll his eyes. “Nothing is wrong. I am only trying to make sure I do not mess things up and end up losing this job. You understand how hard it is to get a job in a university like Easton and I would not like to mess that up by being incompetent.” He explained unconsciously increasing his pace but somehow the woman seemed to keep up.

“Far from that, Mr Storme, you have been nothing short of excellent since you started the history class.” She smiled fondly despite not knowing him on a personal level. “The previous assistant professor but did not taken his job half as seriously as you do and he lasted two years so I am pretty sure you would do just fine.”

“Well, that sure helps me relax a little bit but I do need to hurry along now, I have just fifteen minutes left to get there and actually eat without choking. It was definitely lovely chatting with you though,” he lied through his smiling teeth.

“I know a good restaurant close by and you would be there in two minutes tops.” 

Good, she did not see through his lie. Well, she did just speak to him successfully for the first time. She seemed to be rambling about something and he tried to focus on what she was saying before she realized he had stopped listening.

“I could show you if you want, I have not had breakfast as well and the company would definitely be a welcomed…”

“No!” he shrieked before he caught himself and realized he must have voiced out his thoughts. “I mean, I would love that but I would very much prefer to eat alone. I never feel comfortable with people watching me eat.” He caught the slight pause in her shuffling and hand movements and did not miss the small frown before she smiled again.

“I totally understand, I guess next time then,” she aired more like a question.

“Next time,” he confirmed before he goes to create more space between them and started heading in the opposite direction of the lot. 

Please do not say anything else, please do not call me back, please do not say anything else, he chanted in his head as he kept on walking slowly but gradually increased his speed.

Lucian could see his new favorite restaurant in the distance, the barely standing ‘E’ in the Beatrice’s restaurant. He would choose the chipping paint of this restaurant over the freshly painted cafeteria in the lecturer’s lodge of the university anytime, any day. 

Almost switching to a run as he got closer, he could see Beatrice, the owner of the little bakery switching the sign that said ‘Closed’ to ‘Open’. Just in time. Though it did not matter what time he arrived as long as it was between his first and fourth classes. The only people that do come to Beatrice's Restaurant are the students at Easton University because they served absolute cabbage to the students at their cafeteria and some just liked Beatrice, he could see why. She was very friendly, and although petite, she had fire-engine red, kinky hair that gave her this charming flair.

The other professors did not bother with the place because they were provided with everything they needed at the professors’ cafeteria and the food was nothing short of excellent. He had eaten there okay his first day but swore never to again. The professors felt the need to destroy every form of silence. Their talks were too loquacious and they tried to ‘include’ him in their conversation. Now students, he could deal with by maintaining a stern expression but the professors could care less if he wore a clown mask, they would still try on chat him up. 

He pushed the glass doors and was greeted by the chimes of the bells above his head.

Beatrice straightened to see who her first customer for the day was and gave a shy smile when she saw it was Lucian. Of course, she had noticed the new customer right away when he had stepped into her restaurant the first time almost three weeks ago. He was the kind of handsome that would make any doubtful lady reconsider getting married and having his babies. The first thing she noticed about the man was his obsidian eyes. It felt like she could get lost in them if she stared a second too long irrespective of the fact that she had seen them every day since the first day he walked in.

“Good morning, Mr Storme. Would you like the usual?” She asked, reminding herself to breath and not come off desperate.

“Yes please, but could you add Tiger cakes today?” 

“Sure. Stressful day?” She asked trying to keep the mysterious hot man talking.

“Yeah, I would be at the back,” he muttered, already heading to the best seat in the house, ignorant to the frowning red head he had who was preparing his order.

He felt a sense of familiarity as he sat down on the wooden chair and played with the end of the table where a part of the wood seemed to have chipped off, like he always would to pass the time.

“Here’s your order, sir,” Beatrice clipped as she placed his order on the table. 

This confused him because Lucian believed he was on his best behavior today. Maybe there was an issue with her family.

“Thank you.” He smiled and watched as she walked back to the counter. Her movements seemed tense. He decided to order some more to go after he finished. Perhaps it would cheer her up.

He gobbled up the cakes as fast as he could without looking like he was a starved troglodyte. Lucian had always thought it better to start the day with something he actually loved and then eating healthy the rest of the day. Life is already hard enough.

He finished the cakes, all seven of them, in record time and headed to the counter to pay but to his surprise, and someone else had stolen Beatrice’s attention. The first thing that caught his interest was her voice, familiar yet not. Her dark grey eyes fell on his then moved back to Beatrice. She radiated beauty even in the plain clothes she wore. No, no, he could not go down that road again.

Clara had noticed the only man in the restaurant before he even walked up to the counter to pay for his meal, if you can call a bunch of cakes a meal judging by what she had read in the receipt Beatrice printed out from the machine. 

She caught him staring and decided to ignore it. She always ran away when she knew there was a chance a man could become more than a stranger, for her sake but most of all, for Evander’s sake. This particular man screamed dangerous and the more she discreetly watched him, saw how those slender fingers placed dollar bills on the counter, the surer she became that he was, especially for her heart. She would rather risk coming off as rude. She drove her head into the menu to stop herself from looking further.

“Two Tiger cakes, two lemon cakes, biscuits if you have any, and two cups of coffee, one with cream and sugar and one black. Oh, and can you pack it? I won't be eating here,” she asked, remembering Evander.

“Sure.” Beatrice named the price, already printing out the bill slip, unsmiling. 

Clara watched as the tall stranger walked out the restaurant but then something caught her eyes even though his muscular back was interesting to watch; an eight lying on its side, almost transparent in the light. An infinity symbol above his head.

She blinked and it was gone from the top of his head and in few seconds, so was he.