First Semester (Elton Hall Chronicles Book 1) Page 4

  “Let me see your computer.” Annabelle put the water bottle on my desk as I got up and handed the laptop to her. She pulled up his social media page and started to creep.

  “Well, his profile says that he is single. He has been for a while,” Annabelle said as she continued to look through his page. “Trent should probably make his page a little more private. Looks like he was in a relationship with a girl named Brittany until last January. I am gonna guess that she dumped him.”

  “How do you know that?” I looked over her shoulder but didn’t see anything that indicated she dumped him.

  “Well, I pulled her social media page up too and she posted that she was in a new relationship, like, two days after posting that she was single. And if you look at the guy she is with now, he talks about meeting his girl and having fun with her before she and Trent broke up. So at the very least, Trent dumped her for cheating,” Annabelle explained as she continued to look through the social media pages.

  “You’re a little scary,” I exclaimed, and made a mental note to increase the security on my social media page just in case I ever made an enemy of Annabelle.

  “Eh, it’s not that hard. Okay, so it looks like a lot of girls have pictures with him, but there are very few regulars besides Clarissa and Nat from EET. Probably means he has either been staying single or playing the field. I would watch out for that,” Annabelle warned as my phone went off again.

  Trent: Don’t heroes get some kind of prize when they rescue the damsel in distress?

  I laughed. Nice. Maybe I should keep these texts to myself.

  Me: I wouldn’t say rescue. But maybe you do deserve a small prize. Any ideas?

  Annabelle and I continued looking at his social media page for another ten minutes and determined that we couldn’t find anything else out. We said good night and she headed to her room. I was going to get ready to shower when the sweet sounds of Denny Lopez hit my ears. It was another text from Trent.

  Meet me for lunch tomorrow in the cafeteria at one. I’ll even come all the way to your side of the path.

  I smiled. My heart started racing again. I had to get that impulse under control before it got me in trouble.

  Since you’re going through so much trouble, I guess I could be there.

  He responded almost instantly.

  Can’t wait.

  I grabbed the rest of my things and headed to the shower, but not before texting him again.

  Don’t forget my CD ;)

  Chapter 3

  When I woke up the next morning, Lola’s bed was empty and looked like it hadn’t been slept in. She must have had a long night. It was around ten in the morning so I had plenty of time before my lunch date. I decided to spend a little time on the computer looking at my schedule. I put my classes and their locations in my planner and then I added the name of my professors next to the classes just in case I forgot.

  What frustrated me, though, was that my Literature 101 class had not been assigned a professor yet. Or at least the class website had not been updated with a teacher’s name. Looked like I was just going to have to wing it.

  Once that was out of the way, I had some cereal to hold me until lunch. I was really bad about breakfast. I needed to have a bowl of cereal in the morning or I was grumpy for the rest of the day. So I finished my breakfast and went over to Annabelle’s room. I needed to tell her about the date.

  “Hey, you are still in pajamas,” Annabelle pointed out as she opened the door.

  “Yes, I need some help getting dressed. I have a date,” I said, and then turned around quickly and headed to my room so I could hide the blush on my face.

  “Wait, what?” Annabelle grabbed her keys and followed me into my room.

  “After you left last night, Trent asked me to meet him in the cafeteria today for lunch.” I walked over to the closet and began pulling things out.

  “Yeah? Are you excited?” Annabelle asked as she joined me in front of the closet.

  “I think so. I’m just not really sure what to expect. Like, it’s the cafeteria, so clearly if he pays, it’s part of his meal plan, so I am not sure if that counts as a date. I mean, I have been calling it one in my head, but he never actually used the word date. But we were flirting, so I think it may be one.” I was rambling. It tended to be a nervous habit. Some people couldn’t talk at all when they got nervous, but I had this uncanny ability to continue to talk until either someone interrupted me or I passed out.

  “Okay, relax. Just breathe. Go there and see what happens. We will find you something awesome to wear, and even if it’s not a date, it will become one,” Annabelle assured me as she pulled a light pink blouse out of the closet. It was one sleeve and a little tight. I usually didn’t feel that comfortable in it but what the hell. There was no way I was going to be comfortable today anyway so I might as well have something else to focus on than just Trent. I paired the top with a pair of white jeans and pink wedge heels.

  Annabelle straightened my hair for me as we talked about EET and upcoming ideas she wanted to implement. Once my hair was perfect, we headed to the bathroom so I could do my make-up. Annabelle sat on the counter as I tried to keep it basic. This, of course, was not possible. I liked make-up, I liked the way I looked in make-up, and I liked what I could hide with make-up. I did the whole contouring thing, winged eyeliner thing, and bright lipstick thing. It was a process but it made me feel good. I blotted my lipstick and realized Trent was in for it. I looked good. It was twelve forty-five and I needed to head over.

  “Come over and tell me everything afterward,” Annabelle called over her shoulder as she left the bathroom.

  I went back to my room and grabbed my wristlet. Still no sign of Lola, so I locked the door and headed to the cafeteria. As I got outside, I saw that it looked like it was going to rain. Of course it was, because I had straightened my hair. I ran back up to my room to grab my umbrella. I was probably going to be a little late, but fashionably late was still a thing, right?

  I quickened my step a little and checked my phone. It was twelve fifty and I could see the cafeteria. I took a deep breath and slowed down. I wanted to look casual and cool in case he was looking for me. As I got to the door, I reminded myself to keep breathing and walked in.

  ***

  Trent was sitting on a couch in the TV lounge right outside the cafeteria. I took a second to really look at him. Trent had his cell phone out and was playing some game. He was wearing a short-sleeved green polo and his tan muscles were practically busting out of the sleeves. Trent clearly worked out a lot. He also must have spent a lot of time outside because he while he was tan, there was no orange tinge. This was the kind of sun-kissed skin that only came from outdoor activities.

  His blond curls were falling into his eyes so he reached up and ran his fingers through them. The curls were adorable. He seemed to try to tame them with gel but I had a feeling they really had a mind of their own. I smiled and decided it was time to stop staring before someone questioned my state of mind. I walked over and sat down next to him. This may have been a little forward because he jumped about three feet in the air.

  “Woah! You scared me,” he said as he closed out of the game and slipped his phone into his pocket. He looked straight into my eyes and my heart stopped for a second. There was something about his stare that caught me off guard. Maybe it was the small hint of lust and desire, or maybe it was that his chiseled features screamed sex. Whatever it was, it was a little intimidating and very intoxicating.

  “Sorry!” Maybe I should have just said hi instead of sitting down with him. I was beginning to feel a little embarrassed.

  He stood up and reached for my hand. “Don’t worry about it. Ready for lunch?” he asked, pulling me up from the couch. He had the cafeteria attendant swipe his card twice. It was cute that he paid with his meal plan, but I still was not sure if this qualified as a date. I shook my head and decided to forget trying to label it and enjoy the day.

  Trent headed straight for t
he pizza. I laughed under my breath. It didn’t matter how much a guy worked out; if there was pizza available, then he was interested. I headed over to the grill to have a panini made. He got his food way before my sandwich was ready, so after grabbing a drink, Trent walked over to me with his food tray.

  “Do you want me to get you a drink while you wait for that?” he asked as he placed his tray next to mine.

  “Sure. I’ll take a Coke.”

  “Great. I’ll be right back.” Trent winked and then turned around.

  The small butterflies I had been trying to control seemed to be growing by the minute. He ignited my body with the smallest things. I watched him walk away and had a perfect view of his glorious rear end. He was wearing khaki cargo shorts and I could not help but notice that his ass looked perfect. I had just started to wonder if his tan went all the way up his legs when the cook interrupted my thoughts.

  “Ham panini?” he called, and placed the sandwich plate on the counter.

  I thanked him, grabbed the plate, and put it on my tray. I turned around to meet up with Trent but he was already walking back over to me. “Good timing.”

  “I try. Let me grab that for you,” Trent offered as he grabbed my tray and walked away, carrying both his and my lunch. My eyes widened. I had been known to trip over thin air so carrying one tray always made me a little nervous. Here he was walking the maze that was the cafeteria tables like it was an open field. He picked a table next to the window with a perfect view of the castle. We sat down across from each other and he slid my tray over to me.

  “I’m impressed. I can barely carry one tray without tripping or spilling something.”

  “It is one of my many talents. Tray balancing is a real art and I have spent many years practicing just for this moment.” Trent looked at me and laughed.

  “Nice,” I said as I rolled my eyes and tried not to smile at his lame joke. We started eating and there was a small moment of silence. I began to panic a little. I did not plan any points of conversation or what I would say to him. My mind raced, but luckily, Trent piped up before my mental breakdown had a chance to take over.

  “So, what did you think of Casino Night?” Trent asked. I was grateful he had said something and relaxed a little.

  “It was a lot of fun. My dad taught me to play poker when I was younger and he was always super competitive so we used to get really into it.”

  “That sounds awesome. It’s kind of like my family. I’ve been playing lacrosse for, like, twelve years now but my favorite times were the family games. I have two brothers, and the three of us plus my dad would play two on two lacrosse a lot. My mom had to ref because she swears we all play dirty,” Trent explained as he finished one slice of pizza.

  “Do you play dirty?” I asked, and looked into Trent’s eyes. I loved innuendos. A smile spread across Trent’s face. It was a different smile from earlier. The corners of his mouth turned up in a bit of a smirk and he looked deliciously mischievous.

  “When I have a willing partner I do,” Trent responded, barely moving. He met my stare and seemed to challenge me.

  “I will keep that in mind for later,” I promised as I refused to look away. The sexual tension between us could have set the cafeteria on fire.

  “Oh, there is going to be a later?” Trent asked as he leaned forward across the table. That mischievous look grew into what could only be described as a smolder. I decided to push him and see what he would do. I liked playing with fire.

  “Down, boy. You couldn’t handle me if you tried.” I slid my foot up his toned calf and then right back down. Trent looked down in the general direction of where his leg was under the table.

  “Maybe not, but I sure as hell would like to try,” he said as he looked down toward my chest. As he returned his eyes to mine, he winked.

  I was about to respond with another sexually fueled retort when someone called Trent’s name. He held my glance for a second longer and turned around. I followed his eyes.

  Two guys were headed over to our table. One of the guys was tall and thin with black hair. He had deep tan skin and was of Asian descent. He was not as muscular as Trent but he could hold his own. The other guy was about average height with blond hair. He was pale with lots of freckles.

  “Trent, what’s up?” the blond asked as he fist bumped with Trent.

  “Not much, guys,” Trent said as he nodded toward the black-haired guy in greeting. Both guys looked at me. “This is Violet. Violet, this is Mark and Shane,” he said, first pointing toward the blond and then the black-haired guy.

  “Hi,” I said as Shane extended his hand to me. When I offered my hand to Mark, he took my hand and kissed the top of it. Trent rolled his eyes and shoved Mark away from me.

  “What?” Mark asked, putting on an innocent front.

  “Yeah, Trent, don’t punish the guy for being chivalrous,” I chastised with a mocking smile on my face.

  “He can’t even spell chivalrous,” Trent teased as Mark and Shane walked away to get their food. Before turning around, Mark blew me a kiss.

  “Maybe not, but I think I’ve found a Prince Charming,” I continued to tease him.

  “Prince Charming is overrated. He isn’t even named in the movie,” Trent exclaimed as he finished eating his second slice of pizza.

  “Look at the Disney fan.” I was genuinely shocked. Cinderella had always been my favorite fairy tale.

  “My ex-girlfriend was obsessed with Disney so she used to make me watch the movies over and over again.”

  “Yeah, okay. I bet you watch them at night to help you go to sleep.” I tried to steer the conversation away from his ex. Not exactly good first date talk. How did he not know that?

  “You caught me. I can’t fall asleep unless I hear Disney music. Luckily, I have every soundtrack on my phone.” He picked up my tray and took it to the trash. Trent returned and leaned on the table. I could feel those butterflies again. “How about some ice cream?” Trent asked.

  “I could use something sweet,” I teased as Trent led me over to the ice cream bar and we each grabbed a bowl.

  “Okay, so this is how it goes. I’m going to make you a sundae and you’re going to make mine. You can’t say what you like or don’t like, and you have to eat the sundae the other one makes,” Trent instructed as he looked around at the ice cream.

  “I could give that a try. But I’m allergic to peanut butter so that could be bad.” I had a small reaction to peanut butter as a kid. My mom freaked out and banned peanut butter from the house. Since then, I hadn’t had so much as a spoon of peanut butter. We didn’t know what would happen if I tried it now, but it was better to be safe and breathing than sorry and choking.

  “Got it. Okay, turn around and I’ll make yours. You can’t watch.” Trent started to scoop some vanilla ice cream into my bowl.

  I turned around and leaned against the wall. “This game has a lot of rules,” I complained as I tried to sneak a peek at what he was doing.

  “No peeking. You’re breaking the rules,” he reprimanded.

  “Rules were meant to be broken.”

  “You really are trouble, aren’t you?” Trent asked as he handed me the bowl of vanilla ice cream with M&M’s and sprinkles.

  “That depends on how you define trouble,” I said as I went to take a bite of the ice cream. I tried to be sexy as I slowly brought the spoon to my mouth and overemphasized licking the ice cream off of it.

  “How do you define it?” Trent asked as he leaned in so that he was inches from my face.

  “I guess you’re going to have to stick around to find out.” I turned around and started making him a bowl.

  We headed back to my dorm with the bowls of ice cream as we talked about classes tomorrow and EET. We finished the ice cream and tossed the bowls in the trash can. Trent walked me to the door but stopped me before I could open it.

  “I am going to stop you there. We went to the cafeteria so this is like half a date. I want to kiss you, but not like this.
How about you let me take you to dinner off campus Tuesday after EET’s meeting? We can have a real date and maybe discuss this kiss a little further,” Trent suggested as he leaned against my doorframe.

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Great. I’ll see you Tuesday.” But before he left, he reached into his pocket and pulled out my CD.

  “Oh my gawd. Thank you!” I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a big hug. We stood like that for a moment and I had the distinct impression he was going to kiss me but he just turned around and left. I watched him go and admired the view from behind.

  I opened the door and tossed my wristlet onto my desk. It was a date. Kind of. We were going on a real date Tuesday. I smiled and waited a couple minutes to take it all in. Then I headed to Annabelle’s room so we could overanalyze the half date.

  ***

  The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Annabelle and I hung out and watched some TV before ordering Chinese for dinner. Turned out we were both crime show junkies. At around 10 p.m. I headed back to my room so that I could take a shower and get ready for the first day of class tomorrow.

  My first class was literature at 9:15 in the morning. I had checked to see if the teacher had been assigned to the class yet but the school website still didn’t have one listed. The book for the class said W. Johnson was the author. As this was pretty vague, I didn’t think I could figure out who this was. I was just going to have to wait and see when I got to class.

  ***

  I got up at 7:45 so I could get ready for my first day. I was having a bowl of cereal when the sounds of Denny Lopez erupted from my phone.

  Good luck on your first day of school, baby!