There's something in the air, something very familiar that makes me sleep incredibly well.
When I'm ready for breakfast the next morning and I step out of my door without thinking, I bump into a wall.
I blink a few times and see that I haven't bumped into a wall but an upper body.
Looking up, my eyes lock into light green eyes, nearly yellow.
For a moment an emotion flashes through his eyes that I don't recognize.
When I look closer I see spots of a grassy green around his pupil.
He has long full eyelashes.
I stand and stare at him for an endless moment because I've never experienced anything like it.
All the help in our household are women.
There are a number of men who work in the garden, but they all live in the village and are at least twice my age.
I've never been this close to a man.
Come to think of it, I've actually never spoken to a man other than my father, a cousin or uncle.
My gaze falls on his full dark red lips.
I wait in anticipation for them to say something but he keeps silent.
I feel his gaze fall over my body and a funny feeling starts building up at the bottom of my stomach.
Above his eyes are full eyebrows that are partly hidden behind the thick curls that fall over his forehead.
Only then do I realize how perfect his face is, his jawline and skin as if hewn from stone.
The only comparison material that comes to mind is a Greek god.
'Good morning Mara!'
Victoria's happy sound gets me out of my trans.
She grabs my upper arms and drags me into her room.
Within a second we are behind her closed door.
She drags me through her room and puts me on her bed.
'That was Divar.'
She lets a silence hang between us as if that name says it all.
'Okay, I'm the last person to forbid you anything, but you really don't want him. You'll see it today in uni, he's dangerous and it's better for you if you stay far away from him.'
Something stung inside me.
The last thing I wanted was to stay away from him, something like what just happened has never happened to me before. I know it was not really anything, but I have never been looked at like that. Or at all to be honest.
I shake the thought, that doesn't fit who I am at all.
I choose my goal and go for it.
I listen to good advice as it is given and use common sense.
So I nod. 'I'll stay away from him as much as possible. He does live in the same house, so I won't be able to avoid him completely.'
'I really don't mean to forbid you something, if you want to talk to him ofcoarse you can, I just mean to say he is dangerous and it is better to stay clear.'
'I know', I answer. 'You are a good friend.'
She smiles, 'come let's have breakfast!' I feel something akin to disappointment run through me as Victoria opens the door and he's gone. But why should he still be there? He must have been on his way to the kitchen.
*******
After I've had my first two lectures, I'm starting my first break.
I'm the only girl I've seen in class so far.
And although I've had some nice chats with the other students, everyone seems to be in a hurry as soon as the break starts.
I quickly walk out of the classroom alone.
I take a side door leading into a garden.
As soon as I swing it open, I see him, Divar.
He towers over three young man.
Maybe two years younger than him.
I can't understand them from this distance, but it's clear they're challenging him.
Divar fended them off but the boys don't give up.
Then I see Divar nodding.
He is saying 'okay'.
I hear the three boys cry out in joy.
Divar shakes his head.
One of the three jumps forward and for a moment I think he will knock Divar to the ground.
But Divar just turns his shoulders a little and the boy flies past him.
Then it goes very fast.
The other two attack simultaneously.
But before either of them can land a hit, Divar grabs them as if they where cymbals, slamming them into each other. I think I hear something crack. He drops them and they lie motionless in the grass.
The third still holds up his fists in defense, ready to attack.
But everything about him is in doubt, I can see it from here.
Divar says something and I see him trembling, he bows his head and lowers his fists.
After a nod from Divar that he can't possibly have seen because his eyes are staring at the ground, he runs to his mates.
I stiffen when I see Divar grinning.
Then he turns his head but I already disappeared back into the old building before.
I don't think he saw me staring.
Victoria was right.
I've never seen people fight, not really.
But I don't like it.
When I look for Victoria I see him in front of me.
With his broad shoulders and toned body under the white blouse that accentuates his muscles more than it hides them.
I see the grin on his face and imagine he is grinning to me.
I shake my head, as if that will help dispel that thought.
Then I hear her laugh, 'what are you doing?'
I smile back 'how are your lectures?'
I dodge her question and she doesn't seem to notice.
'Let me introduce myself' a young woman with dark blond hair holds out her hand.
I see that Victoria has gathered a small crowd of students around her.
'Emily' 'Amber' 'Denise'.
I didn't expect anything else from Victoria.
We chat and I chat along as if I've been doing that all my life.
Amber sighs, 'we have been given a group assignment, but all the groups refuse me.
I really don't feel like going to the professor. What should I do now?'
Victoria looks at her compassionately.
I frown, 'why don't they want to work with you?
Suddenly all eyes are on me.
'What kind of bubble do you live in?'
It's Amber who says it but it's not meant to be mean, she mainly sounds surprised.
It's quiet for a while, but then it picks up.
Victoria is answering me.
'Because she's a woman of course, they're afraid she'll bring their grade down.
Even if they have faith in her skills, they man not yet trust the teacher.
Some lecturers impose stricter rules on women in order to keep their average as low as possible.'
Emily continued with contempt in her tone. 'So that we seem less smart compared to the male students, or even so that we are thrown out of university for not scoring high enough.'
I look at them with wide eyes.
This is what my sisters meant by "life at uni is hard".
I take a deep breath and nod.
'So the only thing we can do is perform way above average' that makes their serious looks disappear.