Dr. Landson stood by his desk as he checked his Rolex. "That's all for today, please hand in that thesis statement by Friday. The last thing I want to do is spend my Halloween weekend emailing the bunch of you just to be left unanswered—and no I don't care whether you had too much of a hangover to complete it—I want it done."
Veronica rose from her seat quickly, stuffing her MacBook in her tote bag before following the rest of her classmates shuffling out of the room.
Dr. Landson's deep voice stopped her. "By the way Ms. Carter, good work."
Veronica briefly pauses, wondering if she heard that right. She nods her head politely, walking out the door into the Philosophy's Building 3rd floor hallway. She catches sight of Jessica, Tyler, and a few other classmates grouped by the elevator. She hugged her chest, feeling uneasy as her classmates spoke in earshot.
"She's so fucking odd," Tyler muttered.
Jessica rolled her eyes. "You think she's an exchange from a psych ward or something?"
The students giggle. Jessica tries to hide her arrogance with a subtle shush.
Tyler shakes his head. "Gosh, did you see the way she froze up earlier? She looked like she was about to cry."
A student Veronica recognized earlier said, "Probably PTSD from whatever mental institute she was from."
Tyler held in his laugh. "It's crazy how Dr. Landson just lets her freakish behavior slide."
Jessica smirks. "I bet she's fucking him."
Veronica's eyes widened, disgusted and offended. "What kind of person just says that?" She thought. However, despite her anger, she knew better than to speak up and cause a scene. she stood still, turning her attention to the elevator screen. It was still halted at 11.
Tyler didn't seem to partake in Jessica's cruelty of words. "No way, Dr. Ladson's just got appointed, he wouldn't be messing around with undergrads during his first year."
The two were now in a hushed conversation away from the other students, the only person hearing them was Veronica.
"Then why the fuck is he always kissing her ass?!" Jessica whisper-shouts. "He always has her answering questions. She's like the star of the show every week, saying shit out of her ass each time—"
Tyler raises a brow. "She makes a lot of good points, today her bias did make sense in a historical concept—"
"What she said was rude, Tyler. Shit was different back then, and you know that. You can't just blame it on God. Dr. Landson is an idiot. How the hell do you ask your students to discuss faith in a negative view? I get this is a Philosophy course but why the hell should he force his atheistic views on us anyway? And of course, his damn cockwarmer agrees with him—"
Veronica had enough. She stormed off, taking the stair exit by the elevator.
Jessica and Tyler fell silent when they noticed her presence abruptly leaving. But they brushed off their guilt by changing the conversation to the Halloween party on Friday.
—
Veronica exited the building, merging into the crowd of New Yorkers and college students. The street was packed, and the bustling sounds of the city were something she had gotten used to well during her first year at university. She loved how the noise interrupted her thoughts. Her mind didn't feel so clouded.
But at the moment she was upset and irritated. She wanted to scream her lungs out. She wanted to go back into the building and punch the fuck out of that blonde bitch.
Her mind was at a melting point. "This year was starting so great. I was in the lines of caution the whole time."
She was so immersed in her thoughts, clenching her bag, that she didn't look up as she turned the corner, bumping into a man.
"Fuck," she hissed. She turned around. "I'm sorry …"
Veronica paused for a moment to examine him briefly. A tall dark-haired man in a black trench coat, dark cargo pants, and combat boots stared her down. He looked like someone coming out of a war zone.
Veronica's eyes were glued to his, so deep in confusion by his hard glare that she didn't know whether to stay rooted or run.
He was attractive by feature, his jawline clenched, his lips plump, and his stare deadly in a way that made most women weak. She couldn't help but notice the scruff on his chin, and the way his masculine musk basked her she moved back. The first couple of buttons of his blazer were open, and she knew he was muscled like a god.
She looked down and saw a crest underneath his trench coat. A crest she knew all too well.
All her senses were still.
Veronica turned around, speed-walking into the crowd. Her chest was beating rapidly, her eyes widening in fear as she ran to the nearest corner.
She turned around, only to see the man had disappeared.
—
Veronica's heart didn't slow down till she made it to Washington Square Park. Cigarettes, nature, and gas musked together to create a lingering scent of the park. It was a nice fall day, and seemingly the university population was packed in the park, having picnics or shopping at the stalls.
She stared at the trees surrounding the park, all raging red leaves sitting on the grass, covering the ground like a blanket. Veronica loved Fall.
She arrived at the West side of Washington Square Park, smiling when she saw her roommates, Gina Santiago and Jordan McMillian sitting on the grass over a blue blanket, basking in the fall breeze. When Gina noticed Veronica walking towards them she waved.
Gina's brown hair was luscious, tangled together in a clipped ponytail. Even in the cool breeze, she wore low-waisted jeans and a tight green tank top, her breasts pushed together. She was elegant and smart, an Anthropology major. And stunning. Veronica lost count of how many boys asked her out in just this week alone.
Jordan had a pink pixie hair cut, fit in her pastel hoodie and baggy pants. She had a cute but appealing face, one that could be modeled for a cosmetic company. She waves at Veronica.
Veronica smiles. She runs to them, bypassing the other students having picnics on the open grass.
She bends down and sits beside Jordan. "Hey, roomies."
"Hey tweep," Gina says in between a giggle.
Jordan frowns. "You look rough, everything okay?"
Veronica nods nervously. "Everything's great, just a long class."
Gina groans. "Are you talking about CPIP? God, I hate that course. Took it last year and wanted to kill myself."
Jordan sighs, remembering the pain all too well. "It was a mandatory elective for Anthro majors, unfortunately. The professor was fine and so were the seminars but the topics put me to sleep."
Veronica frowns. "Really? I sort of like it—Well, at least the professor's cool. He's new to the humanities. A transfer from the psychology department."
Gina shifts her position on the blanket, now leaning on her side, holding her head up with her elbow. "Well let me just tell you, CPIP was not fun for me. We spent an entire semester discussing morality like it was the world's hardest jigsaw puzzle."
Veronica tilts her head. "Well, it's a complex topic."
"No it's not, V. Good and bad are not debatable topics, they're both distinct, and with common sense, you can define them without a problem. I don't get why it's so controversial."
Jordan cuts in before Veronica can respond. "Speaking of controversial …"
Jordan hands Veronica her phone, showing her an Instagram post titled "Renowned Philosopher and Archaeologist, Melissa Hawksley Lectures at C95 Hall for a Workshop on Demonology - Religious Studies Department"
Gina laughs almost bitterly. "Looney tunes these Satanists."
Jordan stares at her in disbelief. "This is THEE Melissa Hawksley! You're telling me you don't want to meet one of the most famous demonology scholars of our generation?!"
Gina's face twists into a disgusted expression. "Why is that even a study? What do you learn? The ten commandments to enter hell?"
Veronica rolls her eyes. "You sound like Jessica Reed."
"Jessica Reed? As in the Reeds?" Jordan asks. "I've seen her in my gen-ed class. I'm pretty sure her dads some big-time researcher, funded half the religious texts archives."
"Well that makes sense," Veronica says, remembering how arrogant Jessica was in her classes. The girl stank of privilege.
Gina raises her hand, drawing their attention. "Enough about academics, AJ is driving us to Party City to get decorations, you tagging along?"
Veronica shrugs, holding herself against her chest. "I'm not feeling that great." Veronica didn't feel like sitting in AJ's van while he blasted Metallica until her ears were pounding. Heavy metal wasn't her forte, yet it seemed her roommates couldn't get enough of it.
Gina tosses her luscious brown hair to the other side of her shoulder and gives them both a stellar smile. "Well, I'm in a spooky mood and I need to set everything up for Friday night. Are you feeling graves or pumpkins for the wallpaper?"
Veronica smiles. "Graves."
"Great, then we're off—"
The wind stills as a figure harshly jumps between Gina and Veronica, into Jordan's lap, startling them all. Jordan yelps as Gina sits up. The three shuffle backward.
"What the fuck Braz!"
Braz Rollins laughs in between a yelp as Jordan pushes him off.
"God you're a bitch," Jordan mutters, gritting her teeth.
Braz laughs, his chuckle causing Veronica to smile. She always liked his laugh. "Sorry, I couldn't help it," he said.
Braz leans back, sitting in between Gina and Veronica. Gina was irritated by the way he scuffled between them but bit back her remark. He turns to Veronica looking her up and down as a flirtatious smile slips on his face.
"Hey V, didn't catch you this morning."
Veronica averts her eyes in embarrassment. "I was browsing coffee shops. Found one in front of the English Building. They sell mushroom coffee."
Gina and Jordan stare at her in disgust but Braz's smile only deepens.
"We should go there one day, maybe I'll try it," he jokes playfully.
Veronica raises a brow in surprise. "I never thought you'd drink anything but sugary frap."
"Emphasis on maybe."
Braz and Veronica laughed. Gina and Jordan looked at each other, raising their brows in suspicion, knowing all too well something was up but didn't question it.
The roommates all seemed to know that Braz had a crush on Veronica, and Veronica might've felt the same way if she wasn't so closed off all the time. She'd been known for being distant, never enjoying the attention for too long. She kept to herself most of the time out of caution, but her roommates didn't know what she was cautioning about. The only person that seemed to make her less tense was Braz.
Veronica clears her throat when she notices Jordan and Gina's suspicious looks.
"I should go to the apartment, I have a paper due tonight. I've barely started."
Braz's hands graze her back, causing Veronica to flinch from surprise. "You don't want me to walk you home? I don't mind," he offers.
Veronica awkwardly gets up. "I'm good. Thanks though, you guys have fun."
She offers them an apologetic look before picking up her tote bag and walking away. She didn't need to look back to see their disappointed faces. She's known her roommates for close to a year, but at times it was like she was a stranger.
When she was kicked out of the dorms for losing her room and board scholarship, Gina and Jordan were the ones who offered her a room in their crampy apartment. She was thankful for having a home. Thankful that Braz could make her heart leap. Sometimes thankful that AJ's blasting speaker could drown out her overbearing thoughts.
She was thankful, but will always be cautious.
Always.