Chapter 2
Lisanne floated back to her dorm room on cloud nine. In fact, she felt so good she was probably on clouds 10 through 15 as well. She certainly wasn’t aware of the pavement beneath her feet.
The audition had gone well. No, the audition had gone great. She had been spectacular. She’d sure surprised those guys. They admitted they’d been blown away. None of them had expected such a full, bluesy voice to come out of that mousey little exterior. She didn’t even mind that they’d called her ‘mousey’: it was true.
“Welcome to 32o North,” said the scary looking one named Roy.
And they’d given her the job. She was in.
Rehearsals started in a few days with their first gig planned for three weeks time. They’d even given her a nickname on the grounds that ‘Lisanne’ had ‘too many damn letters’. To them she was LA, and she was one of them. They’d invited her back to the club on Tuesday to hear another band play. They wanted her company.
It had been fantastic except for one thing: she wished that Eyebrow Ring guy had stayed after all. She’d liked to have seen the look on his face when he’d found out, along with his friends, that she could really sing.
The thought confused her, particularly because he’d behaved like a jerk on just about every occasion they’d crossed paths.
But his friends had all been really cool, despite the way they looked. They’d listened to her respectfully, and hadn’t tried to hit on her. Well, she was used to that, but the respect was new, and she found she enjoyed it. A lot.
She couldn’t wait to tell Kirsty her news. Then she hesitated. It was one thing to sing some blues standards in an empty room during an audition, but it was a whole different ball game to sing someone else’s original material in front of a paying audience. She decided she’d wait until after the first rehearsal before she broadcast her happiness. By then she’d have a better idea of how it was going to work out. If at all. They might decide they’d made a mistake, or find someone better.
Kirsty was sitting cross-legged on her bed staring at her laptop, having at least six different conversations, if the ping of messages were anything to go by. Despite the tiredness that came after her desperate hangover, Kirsty gazed at her appraisingly and Lisanne had to look away.
“Wow, you look like you’re in a good mood. Who’d you do, Maclaine?”
Lisanne blushed, both from the coarse language and the implication.
“God, Kirsty! No one! I just had a good evening. Look, um, some … friends of mine have invited me out to this club tomorrow night, and I wondered if you’d like to come.”
Kirsty gave her a sour look.
“Some friends of yours invited you out to a club last night, but you were too busy doing your homework.”
Oh.
“Okay, I deserve that,” Lisanne admitted, “and I’m sorry, but will you? Please, Kirsty? I don’t want to go by myself.”
Kirsty huffed a bit more then said, “Who are these friends of yours? I’ve never seen you speak to anyone.”
“Just some guys I met.”
“Guys? Which guys?” Kirsty snapped, her eyes suddenly alert.
“Um…”
Kirsty paused dramatically, inspected her fingernails, and generally made Lisanne nervous enough to start a tic behind her eye. “Fine. I’ll go. I’ll text Shawna to see if she has plans.”
Lisanne bit back a retort that Shawna was a bitch and wasn’t welcome. But she also knew that would be a quick way to lose Kirsty’s friendship, if she tried to make her choose between them.
For the rest of the evening, she fielded Kirsty’s inquiries about who the ‘guys’ were that they were going to meet.
Lisanne answered as vaguely as possible.
“I don’t even know them that well. They’re locals, but they seem really nice.”
“How did you meet locals? Hmm, you’re a secretive little thing, aren’t you? Now play nice and tell Aunty Kirsty all about it.”
“No, really. We just, um, got to talking, and like some of the same sort of music. That’s all.”
“Fine, don’t tell me. I’ll just ask them when I see them.”
Lisanne cringed.
“Okay! I’ll tell you! But, please, please, please don’t tell anyone else.” Especially Shawna.
“Come on, tell me already!”
Reluctantly, Lisanne told her the whole story, watching with some pleasure as Kirsty’s jaw dropped open in surprise.
“Omigod! That is so cool! You are totally awesome!” she yelled. “I knew you were hiding something, Lisanne, although I have no idea why you’d want to hide something so amazing.”
“Because I don’t know if it’s going to work out.”
“But they must like you if you’re going to sing with them.”
“Um, maybe.”
“And they’ve invited you tomorrow night.”
“Yeah, but…”
“Well, first of all we have to get you fixed up—and that’s going to take some work.”
“Excuse me?”
“We need to make you look stunning, so they’ll know they’ve made the right choice.”
“They care that I can sing—they don’t care how I look.”
Kirsty rolled her eyes.
“They’re guys. Of course they care how you look! How on earth did you graduate high school without knowing that elementary fact, my dear roommate? Well, don’t worry—Kirsty, queen of kitsch, big mama of the makeover is on the case. You’ll just have to put up, shut up, and enjoy the ride.”
“Okay, but no high heels.”
“What part of ‘shut up’ did you not understand?” growled Kirsty.
Lisanne kept quiet. She didn’t want to blurt out that maybe being the queen of kitsch wasn’t really what Kirsty thought it meant, bearing in mind she was majoring in fashion … Yeah, better to put up and shut up.
* * *
After eating an early dinner the next night, Kirsty rolled up her metaphorical sleeves and went to work. Two hours, two excruciating hours later, Lisanne stared at a reflection she barely recognized.
“You scrub up good, girl,” said Kirsty, encouragingly.
“Um,” replied Lisanne, staring at her kohl-rimmed eyes, dark ruby lips, and glossy hair.
“Thank me later when every guy in the club is hitting on you,” said Kirsty, with a wink.
Lisanne closed her eyes and offered up a silent prayer, hoping that would never happen. She calmed herself with the thought that if it did happen, it was only because Kirsty had dressed her in one of her (many) outrageously short miniskirts, and knee-high leather boots. Most guys wouldn’t look beyond that. Or maybe as far as her fitted shirt. Certainly no higher.
She felt Kirsty’s soft hand on her shoulder.
“You’ll be fine. You look hot as fuck. My little diva,” she said fondly, and kissed her cheek.
A knock at the door interrupted them.
“That’ll be Shawna,” said Kirsty, skipping to the door.
Shawna stalked into the room, then stopped and stared at Lisanne, utterly shocked.
“She looks good—you can say it,” grinned Kirsty.
“Um, yeah,” choked out Shawna. “For a music major.”
Kirsty rolled her eyes. “Just admit I’m brilliant and she’s a doll.”
“Whatever,” said Shawna, shrugging her shoulders, and glaring at Lisanne.
Lisanne folded her arms across her chest and stared back.
Game on.
* * *
When they got to the club, the line was halfway around the block.
“I’m so not waiting here,” snapped Shawna, throwing an irritated look at Lisanne as if she had personally caused the delay.
“Go and tell the guys on the door who you are,” Kirsty said, impatiently.
“Excuse me?” Lisanne gasped.
“Seriously, Shawna’s right,” prompted Kirsty. “We’ll be out here all night.”
“I can’t! I mean, they won’t…”
“Lisanne!” Kirsty insisted, “Just do it. March your pretty little ass over there and demand they let us in.”
“Or we’re going somewhere else,” smirked Shawna.
With a feeling of dread and preparing for humiliation, her heart pounding clear through her ribs, Lisanne tottered up to the entrance.
“Line’s back there,” intoned the doorman.
“Yes, I know,” coughed Lisanne, “but could you tell Roy that Lisanne … um, that LA is here.”
The doorman looked down, his eyes sweeping her from head to toe.
“You a friend of Roy’s? Okay, you can go on in.”
Lisanne nearly fell over in shock, but Kirsty nudged her and winked suggestively.
“Um, and my friends?”
“Sure, honey. Go on.”
Kirsty tugged her elbow, pulling through the door.
“Wow! How cool is that?” she laughed. “He didn’t even ask for ID!”
Lisanne was in complete shock. Shawna just looked pissed.
“This place is rocking!” yelled Kirsty, over the rising decibels.
Lisanne had to admit that the club looked a lot better at night, and filled with people. It didn’t seem so rundown and divey. Perhaps not quite so welcoming for serial killers, although it still had an edgy, dangerous vibe—like many of the clientele. She’d never seen so many tattoos—and that was just on the girls.
Despite her glamorous makeover, Lisanne still felt like the freshman nerd she really was—and completely out of her depth.
“Let’s get some drinks,” shouted Kirsty, oblivious of the fact that less than 24 hours ago, she’d been nursing a major hangover.
As they walked toward the heaving bar, Lisanne spotted Eyebrow Ring guy. He had some redhead draped over him, and he was grinding his hips into her in a way that was probably illegal in 51 states. It wasn’t dancing in the strict sense of the word: more like dry humping to music. But it was definitely hot. She was almost surprised the dance floor hadn’t combusted beneath them.
The redhead’s hands were in his back pockets, squeezing a very nice looking ass. Perhaps you didn’t need to be a great conversationalist when you spent the evening with your tongue down someone’s throat.
Lisanne was annoyed by her own bitchy inner monologue. It just seemed so unfair that she was all dressed up, looking hotter than she had any right to look, and he was utterly unaware of her existence.
He’s a jerk. Remember? You want to be just another notch on his bedpost?
Feeling ridiculous, she followed Kirsty to the bar and ordered iced water. Shawna gazed at her scornfully, then proceeded to engage Kirsty’s entire attention to herself. Kirsty tried valiantly to include Lisanne, but what with Shawna’s natural bitchiness, the number of people packed into the overheated room, and the volume of the music, it was a losing battle.
Lisanne stood by herself, feeling pathetic and miserable, when Roy strolled over to her.
“I’m seeing it, but I’m not believing it! Wow, look at you, baby girl! I’m sure glad you didn’t dress like that to your audition.”
Lisanne looked at him, puzzled and more than a little hurt. “Why not?”
“Because I’d never have known whether I was hiring you for your singing … or not.”
When Lisanne understood what he was saying, her skin heated in a blush.
“Um,” she stammered, looking down.
“You turn up like that for gigs, and we’ll be unstoppable,” he said, grinning at her expression.
“I don’t know. My roommate did this,” said Lisanne, holding out her hands helplessly.
“Introduce me,” ordered Roy, sweeping his eyes up and down Kirsty’s undeniably delicious curves. “I want to thank her.”
Lisanne felt hopeless. It had started already. Everything she had for herself eventually got taken away. Singing was the only thing that she was really good at, and now that was being spoiled. For once, she would have liked it to just be about her.
Then she gave herself a swift ass-kicking and admitted to herself that she was behaving like a brat—Kirsty had never been anything but nice to her. Shawna … well, that was a different story.
Lisanne made the introductions, and was surprised when Roy put his hand around her shoulder, pulling her in for a hug.
Shawna’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as the heavily tatted man-mountain lifted Lisanne off her feet.
“Any friend of baby girl’s is a friend of mine,” he boomed.
* * *
Daniel finally managed to unwedge Terri’s eager tongue from his mouth. She’d practically assaulted him the moment he’d walked through the door. Not that he had any particular objections to that—it simply meant he hadn’t had to worry about holding a conversation with her after all. He was relieved that she hadn’t asked him about his brother—or for drugs—but was unreasonably disappointed that she didn’t seem interested in getting to know him either. Although he had to admit she’d gotten to know his body pretty well, and his cock felt like it had been trying to climb through his jeans to get to her for the last hour. If he didn’t get laid tonight, his balls were going to be bluer than the music.
He felt the change in the rhythm of the crowd as the DJ finished his set, and the band got ready to play. He looked up in time to see Roy manhandling a cute girl with light brown hair, and smiled to himself. When Roy finally put her down and she turned around, obviously embarrassed, Daniel nearly choked on his bourbon. It was Library Girl—looking shockingly hot.
Roy had told him that their new singer would be in tonight—looked like Library Girl had gotten the gig after all.
He felt Terri run her hands under his t-shirt, scratching her nails down his back to get his attention.
“You want to go back to my place? My roommate won’t be there.”
Which was what Daniel had been hoping she’d say—well, expecting, really, from the way she’d been mauling him. His wallet was well stocked with condoms and he’d been looking for the chance to try out the new ribbed ones—see if they did what they claimed.
Maybe he’d get her to blow him first.
As the band took to the stage, he glanced over to see Roy cheering and yelling. Next to him, her eyes glowing with excitement, was Library Girl. Daniel felt a pang of jealousy before Terri dragged him outside.
* * *
Lisanne was almost leaping up and down, when she remembered that Kirsty had made her wear heels. Her feet were killing her, but she didn’t care. The band was awesome and it was both thrilling and terrifying to think that in just three weeks, she’d be up there. The thought left her feeling slightly nauseous.
Glancing around, she could see Roy pogoing with such violence that she feared lives would be lost. People edged away from him, as 230 pounds slammed straight up and down, fists raised above his head.
Lisanne giggled. Roy was a sweetie—nothing to be scared of at all. The man was a teddy bear and she felt safe with him.
Glancing around, she kept looking for Eyebrow Ring guy but he seemed to have disappeared. He was probably with his gorgeous girlfriend, kissing her into seventh heaven, or other dimensions—and other things.
Lisanne wasn’t a complete prude—she had a fair idea what might be constituted by ‘other things’, she’d just never experienced any of them herself. She did, however, have a vivid imagination. She sighed: it seemed that imagination was all it would ever be. Kirsty’s predictions of being hit on were way off the mark. No one had come near her.
She didn’t stop to consider that Roy’s proximity and size made him one helluva bodyguard, whether she wanted one or not.
Kirsty, however, had had more luck, and was doing some of her own dirty dancing with one of Roy’s buddies. Lisanne thought she recognized him from earlier in the day, but since he wasn’t one of the band members, she couldn’t be sure. Even Shawna’s disagreeable sneer that made her look like a bulldog chewing on a wasp, had disappeared for now. Miracle of miracles, she seemed to be enjoying herself.
They partied on till the club closed at 4 am, and Lisanne felt guilty being out so late on a school night. But damn, it had been fun! Then Roy hustled them into a taxi and ordered Lisanne to get her ass back over there after school on Thursday.
When Kirsty and Lisanne stumbled back to their room, the sky in the east was beginning to lighten. Part of Lisanne was exhausted—mostly the parts connected with her feet—but the romantic part of her, which was by far the greater part, wanted to stay up to watch the dawn. Kirsty vetoed the idea on the grounds that a) she was so tired she’d been sleepwalking for the last hour, and b) she’d never heard such a dumb idea in her entire young life.
At the same time, in another room across campus, Daniel was pulling on his boots and zipping up his jeans.
Terri was fast asleep and snoring softly. Her skin was flushed and her hair spread across the pillow like fire.
It had been a good evening and mutually enjoyable, although he hadn’t been able to notice any appreciable difference from using the ribbed condoms. Terri had looked like she was yelling a lot, so maybe … Daniel wasn’t sure he’d see her again. They hadn’t swapped phone numbers, so she probably felt the same way.
He hesitated briefly, looking down at the sleeping figure, then left, closing her door behind him quietly.
The roar of his engine sounded loud in the still morning air. He lifted his face toward the creeping dawn, then hit the throttle and headed for home.
* * *
Despite the exhaustion with which Lisanne finished her second week at college, it was way better than the first. For one thing, she was beginning to recognize people in her classes and to make some friends, particularly with the other students in the orchestra; her violin professor continued to amaze and inspire her; and best of all—band practices were going really well.
She’d learned almost all of the songs that Roy had given to her, and the other band members had been really pleased with the way the first rehearsal had gone. Roy played a mean bluegrass style on his guitar, JP kept rhythm, Carlos played both bass guitar and double bass, and Mike was the drummer. The sound was something between blues and indie rock, and Lisanne hoped she could get them to try out some covers of the bands she liked.
She’d assumed that Roy had written the songs, but he’d told her that they were by a friend. From the looks the other band members exchanged, Lisanne realized that there was a story there—and one they weren’t going to share with her. But they were pretty friendly overall, teasing her like she was their little sister, and they were the unruly pack of older brothers she’d never had.
The only low point in the week came on Friday morning, in the shape of her business class.
Lisanne knew she was going to struggle with the subject—mostly due to her complete lack of interest and the fact that adding up two plus two gave her a headache—she resented the fact that she was taking it just to please her parents. Trying to read the assigned textbook made her eyes glaze over, and that was just reading the book’s title.
She clapped her hand over her mouth as she yawned loudly. Kirsty looked at her, sympathetically.
“Is it feeling like a long week?”
“You could say that,” Lisanne nodded tiredly. “I haven’t stopped—the wheels are still turning. I’m looking forward to a lot of sleeping this weekend.”
“Light weight,” snorted Kirsty. “Bet I can persuade you to come out tomorrow.”
Lisanne shook her head, but didn’t take the bet.
Suddenly she sat up straighter.
Eyebrow Ring guy slouched into the room, and sat in the same place in the second row. He tossed his messenger bag onto one seat, and his jacket onto the other side of him, a clear message that he didn’t want anyone sitting nearby.
What a jerk! Obviously the guy didn’t have any friends. No surprise there. But then Lisanne remembered how at ease he’d looked with the guys from the band—and very at ease with the slut from the club. It was confusing.
He looked exactly the same as the first time Lisanne had seen him, except today he was wearing a gray t-shirt. She couldn’t help noticing this fact, although it was hardly important.
She’d been disappointed not to see him anywhere on campus during the previous days. She had, however, seen the redhead, giggling with her friends in the cafeteria.
“Still lusting after Daniel Colton?” whispered Kirsty, with a knowing look.
“What? No! I … He’s friends with Roy, that’s all. Seriously, no. I mean he’s cute. Obviously. But … he totally knows it, too. No. Not my type.”
Kirsty smiled. “You’re babbling. You must have it real bad for him.”
Lisanne groaned, but was saved from answering when Professor Walden walked in.
As before, Eyebrow Ring guy—Daniel—didn’t write one solitary word, not a single note. He just sat there, not taking his eyes off the professor for the entire lecture. Odd.
“Now, for your midterms and for the rest of the semester,” announced the professor, peering over the top of his glasses at the end of the lecture, and before everyone could disappear, “instead of an exam, I’m going to be handing out assignments for you to work on in pairs. So those of you who don’t do well in standardized tests will have a chance to show me what else you can do. Pairing is arbitrary: if you’re not happy with your partner—well, that’s just too bad. In business, it’s about making the most of the team you’ve got; finding everybody’s strengths, compensating for weaknesses, your own included.”
As he proceeded to read out names, and students were matched up, the room gradually emptied. Kirsty was paired with Red T-shirt guy, and they both looked pretty happy about that.
Then,
“Miss Maclaine and Mr. Colton.”
Kirsty giggled.
“Be careful what you wish for!”
Daniel turned around to find out who his partner was going to be, scanning the rows of students, waiting for someone to catch his eye.
“Go on,” hissed Kirsty, giving Lisanne a little push.
The movement caught Daniel’s attention, and he looked surprised as Lisanne nodded at him, her cheeks already heated.
Several other female students threw her angry looks, but Lisanne didn’t even notice. Much.
Hesitantly, she walked down the steps toward him.
“Hi,” she said shyly, feeling lightheaded.
He held out his hand toward her and she shook it quickly. His skin felt warm and dry, the palm slightly rough.
“You’re Lisanne,” he said. “Roy’s friend. I’m Daniel.”
“Um, yeah,” was her genius reply.
They stood staring at each other. Lisanne couldn’t help noticing that he had incredibly long eyelashes, and his irises were a light hazel, flecked with green and gold.
“So,” he said quietly, looking her in the eye, “can I have my hand back? I might be needing it.”
“Oh, sorry!” she gasped, dropping his hand as if she’d been electrocuted.
She could tell he was trying to hold back a smile, but she didn’t think it was possible she could blush any redder. He raised an eyebrow and she waited for him to make a smart comment, but he didn’t.
“How do you want to do this?”
“What?” she stuttered.
“The assignment. Do you want to work at the library?”
“Um, yeah, sure. Whatever.”
“Okay, what’s good for you? Sunday evenings?”
She looked up to meet his eyes, and this time she saw a definite smirk.
“So you did see me there,” she shot back.
He shrugged.
“But you didn’t see fit to stop and help me up when I was sprawled all over the library steps!”
He frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I saw you studying—that’s all.”
“Oh sure! I was only a few feet behind you when I fell over. You must have heard me yell.”
A look of sheer rage washed over him and Lisanne instinctively took an anxious step backward.
“Well, I didn’t,” he snapped.
There was no answer to that. Lisanne simply added ‘liar’ to his list of failings. She had the feeling it was going to be quite a long list.
“Anyway, I’m busy on Sunday evening,” she said, trying to sound disdainful. Just because he was beautiful didn’t mean he could get away with being an asshole. Not with her.
He continued to stare at her, his face tight with anger.
“What?” she said, irritated.
“So when do you want to work? I don’t want to start dropping grades because of you.”
Lisanne’s jaw snapped shut with a loud click.
“I’m free Sunday afternoon,” she spit out.
“Two o’clock,” he said. “Don’t be late.”
Then he picked up his leather jacket and messenger bag, and walked away.
“What a jerk!” she muttered, mostly to herself.
She glanced over to see that Kirsty was still enjoying the attentions of Red T-shirt guy.
Lisanne sighed and rubbed her forehead tiredly.
* * *
At 1:55 pm on Sunday afternoon, Lisanne was hurrying across the campus toward the library, determined not to be late. She didn’t want to give Daniel any excuse to be even more of a jerk.
She’d just got to the library’s large revolving door, when she saw him jogging across the quad. He took the steps to the library two at a time, a serious look on his face.
“Afraid you were going to be late?” she said waspishly, when she caught up with him.
“No.”
His tone was brusque.
Lisanne blinked. Perhaps she’d deserved that.
“Look, I’m sorry,” she said. “We need to work on this together, so … let’s just try and get along, okay?”
He shrugged. “Whatever.”
Lisanne snatched back the olive branch, and marched into the library, steam coming out of her ears at his rudeness.
She picked a table toward the back of the room and flung herself into a chair. Daniel was still standing, shifting from foot to foot.
“Um, do you mind if I sit there?” he said, pointing toward Lisanne’s seat.
“Excuse me?” she snorted.
“I …um, I like to sit with my back to the wall, so I can … see everything…”
“Suit yourself,” she said, in a clipped tone, “but I’m not moving.”
He scowled at her and finally pulled out a chair opposite Lisanne, which left him with his back to the rest of the room.
From the way he twitched, jerked his legs up and down, and kept tugging on his eyebrow ring, Lisanne didn’t need to guess that he was feeling uncomfortable. She smiled smugly to herself—she liked having him on the back foot; it made her feel like she might have a chance of holding her own.
He scratched at the fine stubble covering his cheeks and chin, and slumped back in his chair.
“Where do you want to start?” he challenged her.
Lisanne had one good idea, which she proudly lay before him.
“That’s a bit basic,” he scoffed.
She blushed, mortified that her idea was so obviously lame.
He let out a long breath and Lisanne risked a glance at him. Even when he was pissed and irritated, she still couldn’t help wanting to look at him.
To her surprise, his expression was sympathetic.
“You’re not really into this, are you?”
She shook her head, her cheeks still flushed.
“Roy said you’re majoring in music?”
“Um, yeah.”
She was surprised to hear that he’d spoken about her to Roy.
“So you’re taking Introduction to Business because…”
“My parents. They thought … I should have something to fall back on.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“They’re right. Your parents. Nothing’s guaranteed. It’s good to have a backup plan.”
Those weren’t the sentiments she’d expected to hear from someone like him—he had such a devil-may-care, couldn’t give a shit attitude.
“Look, it’s quite straightforward if you think about it like this,” he said, pointing toward the second chapter in the textbook.
To her surprise, he’d come prepared and had some really good ideas. Even more surprisingly, he’d been able to explain some of the concepts she’d been struggling with—industrial inertia, production flow—in clear, non-patronizing language.
It seemed so simple! Lisanne couldn’t help laughing out loud, and Daniel grinned back at her.
“Yeah, I’m a funny guy.”
“Actually I thought you were an ass.”
“Fuck you very much,” he said, solemnly.
Lisanne sniggered.
“You’re welcome.”
She decided that she much preferred his smile to his scowl. Both were hot, but his eyes were soft and happy when he smiled. Then she realized that the laugh she’d heard at her audition had been his. She hoped she’d get to hear it again. A lot.
He stretched his back out, pulling his arms over his head. Lisanne couldn’t help but stare at the sliver of stomach that she glimpsed above his waistband, and the taut muscles of his chest that she could see shadowed beneath his t-shirt.
She tore her eyes away when she realized that being caught checking him out would not be cool, and might unleash his inner jerk.
“There’s a book I used in high school that might help you,” he said, distracting her from her ogling. “I could see if they’ve got a copy here, if you like.”
Lisanne narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was suggesting that she wasn’t up to the current course level, but she saw nothing except sincerity on his face. She felt ashamed of her shrewish thoughts.
“No, that’s okay, thanks. I’ll find it in the stacks. What’s the title and author?”
He wrote down the details for her, and carried on flicking through the textbook for more ideas.
Lisanne wandered past the rows of tall stacks until she found the right shelf. She pulled the book out and flipped through the pages. He was right: it would really help her.
Suddenly a loud, blaring alarm rang throughout the library, making Lisanne jump. Everywhere, students were throwing books into bags and heading for the fire exits.
She ran back to their table and was amazed to see Daniel still sitting calmly, his head bent over his books.
“Daniel!” she yelled. “The fire alarm!”
He didn’t move.
“Daniel!”
Nothing.
“Daniel!”
Still no reaction. Jeez, he must be listening to his iPod.
Annoyed and worried, she hurried over, slamming her books into her bag.
“What’s up?” he said, clearly confused by her actions.
“The alarm!”
For a moment, blank incomprehension washed across his face, then he glanced behind and saw the other students departing rapidly.
Muttering to himself and cursing under his breath, he swept the books into his bag and followed Lisanne out of the library.
Students were milling around in front of the building, and spilling onto the quad. Everyone was wondering if it was a real fire, or just a drill. Was there any smoke? Had the fire department been called?
“Should we go wait on the grass?” Daniel said, casually.
“Sure.”
They found themselves a free space, while Lisanne tried to ignore the incredulous stares from other students because the Daniel Colton was hanging out with a nerd. One was the redhead that she’d seen him with at the club. She was scowling at Lisanne and muttering something to her friend.
“Um, your girlfriend is over there,” said Lisanne, pointing quickly over Daniel’s shoulder.
He frowned and looked around, then gave a small smirk.
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
“But … I saw you with her at the club.”
Daniel shrugged.
“We just hooked up.”
“Oh.”
Lisanne wasn’t used to people talking so casually about, well, sex.
“She doesn’t look very happy.”
“Not my problem,” he replied, frowning again. “She got what she wanted.”
Lisanne didn’t know how to answer that.
He lay back on the grass, propping himself on his elbows and stretching his long legs out in front of him. Then he pulled a squashed cigarette packet out of his pants’ pocket and lit one, sucking in the smoke appreciatively.
“Smoking’s really bad for you,” said Lisanne, disapprovingly.
Daniel looked amused.
“Yeah? I don’t think anyone ever mentioned that to me before.”
Lisanne rolled her eyes and he winked at her, then took another drag.
Lazily, he blew smoke out of his nostrils, and Lisanne watched the plumes swirl around before the light breeze tugged them away.
And then she noticed something. “You’re not listening to your iPod.”
He looked puzzled.
“Um, no.”
“You weren’t wearing earphones in the library.”
“No,” he said, suddenly looking tense—defensive, even.
“The alarm…”
“What about it?” he snapped.
Lisanne was taken aback by the anger in his tone. She hesitated.
“Nothing,” she mumbled.
His eyes narrowed, but then looked away from her.
“Whatever. I have to go now.”
“But we haven’t finished studying…”
He didn’t answer; just stubbed out his butt on the grass and flicked it away with his fingers.
“Hey! No littering! Birds could try to eat that.”
He didn’t even look at her as he stood up and strode away.
Lisanne was left wondering what the hell had just happened.
No, he wasn’t getting away with this crap—not after they’d been getting along so well. She scrambled up and chased after him.
“Daniel!”
He didn’t break stride.
“Daniel!”
No reaction.
Her pace slowed until she was walking behind him, and calling his name, but he didn’t turn; he didn’t look at her.
She grabbed his arm and he swiveled so fast, his fists raised, that Lisanne jumped back. He relaxed a fraction when he saw her, but only a fraction.
“Daniel?”
“What?” he spat at her.
“I was calling your name. You didn’t hear me.”
He shrugged. “I was thinking about something else.”
“No. I mean you didn’t hear me.”
His temper exploded; his eyes dark and furious.
“What do you want from me?”
“You didn’t hear me, did you?”
He tried to shrug her off but she wouldn’t let go, gripping her fingers around his arm tightly.
“You didn’t hear me!”
“Get off!” he snarled, pushing her away roughly.
Her hands dropped to her sides and she felt like she was gasping for air.
“You can’t hear me!” she whispered.
He turned away, but not before Lisanne saw the desperate pain on his face.
“You can’t hear at all.”