“Okay class, I want your papers on Cyber Terrorism, complete with your opinions on its cause and the best way to fight it, on my desk by Friday of next week. Don’t forget that you need at least five supporting factors to back up your opinions on this paper. This paper is going to count as thirty percent of your grade this semester. Class is dismissed.”

Groans could be heard vibrating through the classroom. Shane Graves was probably the only student in class who had a smirk on her face since she was seriously looking forward to this assignment. She already had the paper mapped out and completed in her head.

“Ms. Graves, may I see you for a moment?” the professor asked before Shane could leave the room.

Shane walked over to her desk, “Yes ma’am?”

“Shane. Thank you for staying, I have a small request for you. You are the top student in my class, so I need your help in tutoring another classmate. I’d hate to see his talent go to waste. Can you help him please?”

“Who am I helping?” Shane asked hesitantly at the world ‘him’,

“Oh, perfect timing. Shane, this is Pattrick Jones, our college wide-receiver from the football team. Pattrick, this is Shane Graves, our class genius. I want to pair you two together. Shane, I need you to help Pattrick here with his tests and his papers. I want you to help get him on track, and guide him to where he needs to be with his tests and papers. He’s very smart, just has a short attention span.”

“Must be one too many hits to the head or he’s caught some sort of brain sucking parasite from the cheerleading tramps he’s banged, probably. Not sure how much help I can be there.” Shane mumbled under her breath, a little too loudly.

Pattrick burst out with a loud belly laugh as the professor looked at Shane with a glare. “Ms. Graves, I suggest that you keep your personal opinions to yourself, especially if you plan to work in cyber terrorism, young lady.”

“It’s all cool, ma’am. I actually thought it was funny.” Pattrick smirked at Shane before turning back to the professor. “Will she be helping me for the rest of the semester or just for the project coming up?”

“I think I’ll have you two working together for the rest of the semester. You two can meet up once or twice a week, depending on your schedule. Does this work for you?” The professor asked both Shane and Pattrick.

Shane looked down at the floor then at Pattrick before turning to look at the Professor, “I guess it’s fine.”

Pattrick smirked and shrugged, “Yeah, football is winding down, minus practice and a few more games, it’s all good. I can do one or two days a week.”

“Great, thank you both.” the professor dismissed them. Shane sighed and started to leave. She’d gotten as far as the hallway when she jumped from a hand on her arm.

“Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. Look, I’m sorry the professor pushed you into this, but I really would appreciate you helping me on this assignment. I’m Pattrick Jones, but the football team and my friends call me Flash.”

Shane looked at the hand Pattrick stuck out toward her like it was a bug. “Yeah, I got that from the introductions earlier. I’m just plain Shane. I’m usually in the library if you want to look for me when you’re ready to study or need me to help you.”

“Can I get your number? You know, for when I’m going to head that way and want to make sure you’re still there or something.” Pattrick asked.

“I don’t really know you.” Shane said, with no emotion in her voice.

“Ah, one of those who likes to play it safe. Smart cookie, as my mom says. Here, let me give you my number. When you decide to go to the library, just message me when and where in the library, so I’ll know where to meet you.” Pattrick said, as he wrote his number down on a piece of paper that he handed to Shane with a smile.

Shane looked at the paper as if it was the plague before she took it from him and tucked it into her pocket. As she tucked the paper away, a group of cheerleaders that Shane had issues with, walked up.

“Hi Flash, what are you still doing here? Don’t you have practice today? Don’t tell me this loser is pestering you.” Cynthia Hillard, the head cheerleader said.

Shane saw Pattrick roll his eyes, “Can it, Cynthia. No, Shane is not bothering me. Not that it’s any of your business what I am doing or with whom. Now run along with the rest of your pack of hyenas and leave me alone.”

Cynthia huffed, “Whatever!” and walked away. The movie Mean Girls came to Shane’s mind when she looked at that group.

“Sorry about that. She thinks she controls the football players. Don’t pay her any mind. I sure as hell don’t.” Pattrick said. “I have practice this evening. I should be done around six. Want to meet up around, say seven? That gives me time to grab a shower and some grub then hike it to the library.”

Shane shrugged nonchalantly, “Um, yeah, sure, seven sounds good.” Shane nodded at Pattrick, “I usually sit in the back corner.”

“Okay, Cool. See you then.” Pattrick said as he waved bye.

Shane walked away unaware that Pattrick had stopped in his tracks and followed her with his eyes, confused by her demeanor. Shane went on to the library as per her usual. She started studying and worked on getting some of her other assignments done and out of the way. She had several all done by the time six o’clock rolled around. Shane had been so engrossed in her studies that she had lost track of time and had missed her usual five pm slot time for dinner. Packing up her books, she walked to the dining area. After getting her food, she went in search of a table. Several minutes after settling at said table, she was startled by a shadow that fell over her. Shane looked up to see a smiling Pattrick putting his food tray down across from her.

“Hi stranger, fancy meeting you here, don’t think I’ve ever seen you in here at this time of the night before.”

“Hi, I usually come here with my roommate. Got too engrossed in my assignment for another class, and missed my normal time.”

“I’ve done that before. What are you studying for? I’ll graduate this year with a degree in Computer Science, with minors in Homeland Security and Cyber Terrorism as my focuses.” Pattrick commented, trying to start a conversation with Shane.

“That’s cool, I’m Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Homeland Security and Cyber Terrorism.” Shane said quietly.

“You don’t talk much do you?” Pattrick smiled trying to win her over.

Shane smiled weakly. “I try not to. Keeps me out of range of the drama queens and bullies.”

Pattrick straightened up in his seat and became serious, “If anyone tries to bully you, you let me know. I don’t put up with that shit, from anyone. My Uncle Dude would can my ass. Well, that is, what would be left over of my ass after my Uncle’s Wolf, Cookie and Abe got hold of me first.” Shane laughed lightly at Pattrick’s grimace, from his story.

“Wolf, Dude, Cookie and Abe? Sounds like a boy band group or something. But thanks, I’m good so far. I’ve managed to stay away from all of that for the last four years. You must have a huge close-knit family to have that many uncles and that kind of support.” Shane commented.

Pattrick busted out laughing “Not really. It’s just me, my mom, my dad, and my baby sister. My parents were in high school when they had me. My dad joined the Navy after graduation to be able to support my mom. I was an only kid for quite a while, much to my grandparent’s surprise. My parents are still crazy in love, twenty-one years later. My ‘uncles’ are friends of my dad’s, and military like him.” Pattrick said, smiling while talking about everyone.

“Cool” Shane said letting the conversation die.

“What about you? What’s your family like?” Pattrick asked.

“I don’t know…” Shane started to say.

“Ugh, really Pattrick? You’re sitting with the loser people now? What will the rest of the team say?” Cynthia whined from behind him.

Pattrick stood up and looked Cynthia dead square in the eyes, “Do I look like I give a shit what you and the rest of the team think? When have I ever cared what you think? I am in the middle of a conversation, with Shane, a conversation that doesn’t include you. Now, leave so I can enjoy the rest of my food without you giving me indigestion.”

Cynthia huffed and turned to glare at Shane. “Well slumming it with trash would definitely give it to you.”

“Glad that you figured out why I’m not sitting with you, then.” Pattrick fired back to Cynthia. With a screeching yell, Cynthia stormed off. “Sorry about that, now, where were we?” Pattrick continued.

“You do know she will try to cause you problems on the team?” Shane asked, watching Cynthia’s retreating form.

“No, she won’t. Here’s a secret Shane, football isn’t my life like some of the other guys on the team. I have other goals in life. So, her trying to get me kicked off the team doesn’t bother me. Besides, she’s just hoping she can annoy me enough to get back on my dick. Never going to happen, the one time was the biggest mistake of my whole college life.” Pattrick shrugged.

“Ew, gross. On that note, I’m done eating. I’ll meet you in the library.” Shane started to get up.

“Come on, don’t be like that. I’m sorry.” Pattrick laughed. About that time, his phone rang. Pattrick answered, putting it on speaker. “Hey dad, what’s up?”

“Hey son, just letting you know really quick that I’m shipping out within the hour. Your mom and sister are staying over at Caroline and Wolf’s place tonight. Give them a call if you can. Also, Wolf says he and the team want to know when the next game is. They plan on being there to root you on. Okay, I’ve got to run, be good son, I love you.”

“Love you too, dad. Be safe and I’ll see you when you get back.” Pattrick disconnected the call.

“Are you okay?” Shane asked, concerned.

“Yeah, big game next weekend and my dad’s team gets deployed. It sucks, but I am used to it. Oh well, at least Wolf and the gang will be there. Let me call my mom really, quick then we can head to the library.”

“I’ll just meet you there…” Shane started.

“Shane, stop being so difficult, I’m not going to hurt you or anything. I just want to call my mom, quickly, to check on her and on my sister, then we can head over to the library together. I don’t want to have to hunt all over that place. Please?” Pattrick asked.

Shane nodded as Pattrick dialed his mom’s number, placing it on speaker phone. “Hey there Flash, how are you, kiddo?”

“Hey Wolf, my dad just called, so I was checking in with mom.”

“All is good. She’s out back with Caroline, Fiona, and Cheyenne, you know, women’s talk and all. Her phone was here in the living room. How’s school? When’s the next game?” Matthew ‘Wolf’ Steel asked Pattrick.

Pattrick chuckled at the questions, “School is good. May need some help from Tex on my cyber homework. They’ve assigned me a partner, slash, tutor. I’m getting ready to pick her brain right now, for some help with a couple of papers we have to do. As for the next game, we have a huge one next weekend. It determines if we make the playoffs or not.”

“We’ll be here for you kid, the whole gang will be there, to root you on with your mom. I’ll send Tex a message to let him know you need him to contact you. So, this tutor person is a girl huh? She cute?” Wolf asked with a grin that you could hear in his voice.

“I’m telling Caroline.” Pattrick said sternly, as he looked up. Shane was getting up to take her tray to the disposal window. “Shit, I got to go, we’re done with chow and heading to the library now.”

“You have me on speaker phone, again, don’t you? Don’t tell me she’s there with you too? One of these days, you’re going to learn.” Wolf teased.

“You’re all so juvenile sometimes. I’m telling Caroline to cut you off for several days old man.” Pattrick teased back as he hung up.

Pattrick rushed to gather his stuff and throw his tray away. He caught up with Shane on the walkway towards the library. The two walked in an awkward yet comfortable silence. Just before they got to the library, Pattrick broke the silence.

“You’re definitely not one for conversation.”

“I’m just careful who I talk to and whom I trust. Don’t take it personally. Just something I’ve learned in life, the hard way.” Shane replied quietly.

Shane felt Pattrick’s eyes on her as they kept walking. “You never told me about your parents.” Pattrick said.

“Nothing to tell, Pattrick. My helping you with your cyber papers do not have anything to do with my family, so, let’s please drop it.” Shane replied as she walked past him into the library.

Shane headed to her hideaway spot all the way into the back of the library away from prying eyes and people coming and going. She felt Pattrick follow her to her special spot. She felt kind of self-conscious at first then shook it off. Shane had always pushed herself since she started college. She felt she had something to prove to herself and to everyone else around her.

“This is where I sit all the time. I’m always here if not in my classes.” Shane whispered to Pattrick.

“Lucky. This is quiet and out of the way. How did you find it?” Pattrick asked looking around.

Shane cracked a small smile, “I honestly don’t remember how. I just know this has been my spot for the last four years. I am actually going to miss it after graduation.”

“Maybe they can put a plaque here that says, ‘Shane’s spot…treat it with care,’” Pattrick joked.

“Ha ha, so funny…not. Alright Mr. Jock, let’s get down to business.” Shane said.