"Simple, is not always easy."
Jessica was a quiet girl. She had moved to Ireland after her mother died. Her sister Stephanie had taken her in when she was 16, She was now 20 coming 21 in a few months. Over the four years she had lived in Ireland she had got to know several people, one of which was Marie. She was a short girl with dark brown hair. The pair loved to sit in the woods reading. They both enrolled at Queens, Jessica studying Literature and Marie studying Stage Acting.
Jessica rushed out of the lecture room, holding onto the velvet strap of her purple bag that was hanging from her shoulder. "Why the hell was he staring at me like that?" She muttered to herself. Her voice was soft, she had a very melodic voice, sweet and innocent. She made her way through all the crowds of other students and some tutors. She took a glance back over her shoulder as she kept her head down. She could see him towered over the top of most of the other students.
What is he looking for?
I felt a spike of anxiety rise up in my chest. When she flashed back to his eyes her anxiety vanished.
There was something about his eyes. They seemed warm.
I shook my head and tried to focus on getting to where I was meant to meet Marie, I saw him march away and he looked very frustrated.
He sure was handsome.
A small smile began to creep up on my lips. I shook the thought out of my head
But he is definitely a creep staring at me like that.
Suddenly I felt a heat of annoyance rise in me.
I think I should avoid him. He seems like trouble. Especially with the way that other girl near him was glaring at me. Her piercing green eyes were like daggers. Probably his girlfriend.
I talked myself out of any other thoughts than to avoid him.
I made my way to the front doors of the university, Finally having calmed down, I saw Marie jumping up and down in front of the steps up onto the pavement, she was waving, her light brown hair bouncing along with her. Pure glee in her dark green eyes upon seeing me.
"HEY!" My voice was loud and slightly high pitched which made other students turn and stare at me. I caught up to her and we both walked side by side up the steps and towards the main road. "So how was your first day Jess?" Marie wanted all the juicy details.
"Uhm, It was fun, my last class was very interesting, I will tell you all about it when we get back to my place."
I nodded and then fell silent and just listened to Maire talk about her day.
Before I realized we were already back in Newcastle. As we walked from the station my eyes looked up at the Mountain that loomed over the town. The day had ended, night had fallen, The town was silent, at least where I was, All I could hear was Marie in one ear and the sound of the ocean waves in the other.
"So are you staying over tonight?" I turned and asked Marie.
"Of course I am. It was our first day, you still have to tell me about your "Interesting" last class." Marie said this with one of her sly smirks. Which made me smile.
When we finally made it to my sister's seaside home all the lights were on.
"I guess Steph is in." I observed as I placed the key into the lock and opened the white pvc door. "WELCOME HOME!!" The sudden appearance of my tall sister caught me off guard. Stephanie was 5' 10", Wild blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair. She pulled me into a hug and then held me by the shoulders as she stared into my eyes
"Well? How was it?"
"It was okay. Nothing special, mostly just orientation and outlines of what we will be studying."
I pushed the long strands of my own hair from my face and shrugged.
"I guess they are giving us the weekend to look over the timetables and class layouts. I got a few packs from my professors to read over. One assignment."
Stephanie let me go and looked very disappointed that nothing exciting happened.
"Okay, well if you need me i'll be here watching TV."
She then moved off into the open living room and threw herself down on the long black leather sofa and stared up at the wall mounted television.
Jessica had grabbed Maries hand and pulled her up the dark oak stairs, along the wall of the stairs hung several pictures. Pictures of Stephanie, Stephanie and Jessica, Their parents, Days at the beach, On top of the mountain, Jessica rushed past all of them. She turned left when she reached the top, past three solid oak doors, one with a bathroom sign on it. At the end of the hallway she opened one of the oak doors with a sign on it saying "Jess' room."
Jessica's room was wide and spacious. her walls were painted with blue and cream, one wall had a painted decoration of sea waves that curled up. Her Double bed rested against that wall. Her pastel blue blankets and pillows laid up neatly. On the other side of the room was a long corner desk. She pulled her laptop from her bag and placed it on the desk next to her printers, that was in front of her Disney character lamp. Several pages and a map was splayed out in front of the printer. Her tall backed leather computer chair was tucked into the desk. There were a couple of beanbags, one green, one blue. Which sat next to her bedside table. On The wall facing the bags was her small television that was up on the wall.
After I had set my bag next to my computer chair. Marie followed and tossed her back next to the green beanbag. She then pulled her coat off as I did and we both placed them on the hooks on the back of the door as I closed it shut. Marie, wearing her hoodie with the image of a white haired warrior with a silver sword and black armor and a silver wolf image in the background threw her body onto my bed.
"Shoes." I said sternly as she kicked them off and they fell on my gray carpet with a thump, I kicked my own heels off and then fell down on the blue bean bag and let out a long sigh. Marie lay on her side and propped her head up on her hand.
"So?" She said with an excited hint in her voice.
"What happened in your last class? Did the professor hit on you? Oh the scandal!"
I rolled my eyes and then I recalled his eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes.
"No, Nothing like that, Marie." I sighed and laid my head back against the very fluffy beanbag. I stared up at the magnolia painted ceiling my fan light on.
"It was intense though." I started. Marie got herself comfortable by pulling my Little Mermaid plushie into her arms and leaning on it watching me intently.
Marie gasped "So this complete stranger just stared at you? That's it? Hell I would stare at you too. you're hot."
Marie oblivious to the weirdness of it all.
"I wish it was just a "You're hot." stare." I stated
"How he was looking at me it was like he was staring into my soul. When my eyes connected with his it was like the world shifted, I have never felt a person's gaze before but his. His gaze, I could feel, deep inside me. I couldn't even focus on the tutor, he captured me without even saying a word and it was a length apart. Seriously Marie, it was weird."
I said, but was it weird? The more I thought about it the more I came to realize, I kind of liked it. "So was he hot? Did you get his number? Does he have a friend?" Maries questions came at me like a gun.
I laughed at her, and then leaned forward placing my elbows on my knees. I stared at my palms
"I didn't even get his name. Yes he was hot, thought that was not what captured me, it was the intensity of his stare. It was like it could pierce anything. Yes he had friends. The couple in front of him kept staring back at him like they could read something off him. The whole room became very hot very suddenly."
Marie cooed and rolled onto her back "Sounds like fun."
I just sat and stared into my hand,
"Yeah.." I then looked up at Marie
"Though I am pretty sure his girlfriend wants to kill me."
This deflated Marie and she turned back onto her side and stared at me with her big beautiful eyes. "What makes you say she is his girlfriend? If he was looking at you as you say then does that not imply interest?" She had a point.
I just slid back into the beanbag.
"This girl was gorgeous, Long blonde hair, bright piercing green eyes. her skin was perfect, not a blemish or spot on it. She had serious model vibes. In fact they all did. The most noted thing about her was the death glare she was giving me. The other two looked somewhat confused and worried."
I looked up at the ceiling and recalled the memory in the air.
"Perhaps she is interested in him and she is just jealous that he is showing you the interest she wants."
Marie had a gift. She had an almost sixth sense when it came to people.
"Perhaps." I repeated
"He followed me out into the hall."
Marie gasped and then giggled "Ohhh He wanted to talk to you!" She squealed. "Okay, Monday. You have to talk to him. Simple"
My head shot around.
"Oh yeah simple, As if it were that easy Marie."
My eyes narrowed on Marie
"No. I plan to avoid him. I would rather focus on my studies and the reason I am there to begin with."
Marie groaned "If you do that. You are going to die alone Jess baby."
my eyebrows rose involuntarily at her
"Rude?" I scoffed while she added
"With a herd of sheep." This caused us both to start giggling.
I sat and looked at the ceiling more as Marie turned the Tv on. The Local news was reporting on the windy weather coming and what looked like a rainstorm. I gave an annoyed groan
"Besides, why would someone like him be interested in me? He is probably some rich guy who thinks he can have anything he lays his-" I found myself sighing again
"Dreamy, remarkably captivating…eyes on. The gall, I will not become some possession for him." I protested. I looked over at a very unamused Marie. her lips were a thin line and she was just blinking. Then she hit me in the face with my plushie
"Oh shush. You have some serious self image issues. Look at me. I am fabulous!"
She said dramatically. Then she smiled and patted the bed. I climbed up and we both lay there looking at my stick on stars that glowed when the lights were off
"Next time you see him. Make him see you." Marie nodded. I found myself nodding with her.
Later that night while Marie snored beside me. I threw my arm over my eyes. I could still see him. His dark silk like hair that hung down over his left eye. The way the green in his eyes slightly glowed in the sunlight.
"Was that normal?" I asked myself then shrugged. There was something about him though, Despite his creeper stares he seemed, at least to me, sad. Like he was holding a lot in. That other girl probably was no help for him. The other two I could tell had a close connection with him with how concerned they were. Wait, why were they concerned? None of them spoke. Like at all. It was certainly a strange day. I closed my eyes and let the exhaustion take me.
When my eyes opened it was all dark.
"Who are you?" I heard a deep, soft male voice but I couldn't see anything.
"Who are you?" It asked again more aggressively.
"My name is Jessica." I blurted out. Like its aggression just pulled the answer from me. I could hear a soft sigh of satisfaction.
"Jessica." the voice repeated. Not as a question, more so admiration.
Out of the darkness I could see two glowing vibrant green eyes. They moved closer. I could not move. As it got closer I could make out the outline of a four legged animal. I could hear its breathing. I could feel my body start to become filled with heat. My fear and confusion was wiped clear. I felt safe, protected. It pawed its way towards me until I could see it clearly. A titan of a wolf sat before me. Its fur as black as my surroundings. The only different color on it was a single white stripe that flowed down its breast.
"Y..you're a wolf." I announced and the wolf nodded. It actually freaking nodded to me.
"Am I dreaming?" It nodded again. Its glowing eyes stared at me. For some reason it was warm, comforting, admiring, I felt like I could tell this beast anything. I started to speak but the second I opened my mouth it spoke. The wolf's mouth did not move
"Not yet Jessica. Soon."
My eyes opened as the weekend sun poured into my room. I rubbed my eyes and stared up at the plastic stars. "
Weird." Then I rolled myself out of bed.
I looked back at the still passed out Marie as I gathered my red hoodie, black leggings, three quarter length purple and black running shorts, and a simple white short sleeved tight fitting top. I padded off to the bathroom and could hear Steph up at .. When I lifted my wrist I realized it was only 9 AM. Letting out a long drawn out, world changing stretching my whole body type yawn after which I was awake and ready to enjoy my day.
Marie still sleeping in Jessica's bed rolled herself over in a grog, still asleep she rolled again. Stepanie was down the stairs making up breakfast for everyone when she heard a loud bang coming out of Jessica's room. She looked up at the ceiling at the now slightly swinging lounge light
"You okay up there?!" she called up. Then she took the slightly charred eggs off the heat and raced up the stairs. When she made it to Jessica's room the door was open, Jess in the bathroom from the sounds of the shower. There in a heap face first, legs still on the bed was Marie.
"Marie.." Steph let out an exasperated sigh,
"Are you okay?" She asked somewhat sincerely, Maries head scraped to the left as she groaned. "Who put the floor where the bed should be?" She then tried to push herself up, except she had next to zero upper body strength, plus at the angle of her body all the weight was flowing down into those feeble arms of hers. She pushed and strained with no luck so she just gave up and landed back on her face with another thud. Steph threw her arms up
"Yeah. You are okay. Sort of."
Then she turned and went back down the stairs to finish destroying the breakfast.
Thirty minutes after Jess walked down the stairs dressed, black sneakers on and then walked to the kitchen where she heard her sister banging around with pots and other utensils. As Jess hung her head around the side of the door frame she spied Steph at the breakfast bar island in the middle of the large room. The walls? filled with cream coloured cabinets and cupboards. The log and gas oven was cream colored as were the tiles that made up the wall behind the rings. There were three stools tucked under the bar which looked out of floor to ceiling length windows. The morning sun spilled into the room illuminating it rather perfectly. The lovely pale blue sky had few wisps of clouds on it. It was the perfect day for a run. The mood of this room matched Jessica's current mood, awake, fresh and ready to go. Stephanie started plating up and setting plates out as another bang was heard from the stairway. Both Jess and Steph looked at eachother and stifled a laugh "Everything okay Marie?" They both called in unison.