I run my fingers over the smooth stone of the pillars.If I just keep heading straight, sooner or later I have to get back to where I started.Assuming I can just walk down every corridor.Well, even if I’m not allowed to, I will.
I turn a corner.The hallway is dark, but I can see a figure a few yards away.A girl.She’s staring at something on the wall.A display case.She’s really studying it.I stop.
She takes a little step back and even raises her arm.I hold my breath as I see her clenched fist.No way...Is she gonna throw a punch?Her arm’s in the air, I can feel her struggle, and in my head I’m rooting for her.
Go on, do it.Do it.Respect if you do.Smashing up a display case at night has to be big trouble, right?Maybe I should do it for her.Not such a bad idea.No way she’s going through with it.She’s hesitating too long for that.
But I pull my cell phone out of my pocket.Why?Because I’m an asshole.I lift the camera and snap a photo of this girl I don’t know.It’s good to be able to call the shots, or so they say.If someone gives you blackmail material, take it, especially if they make it this easy.I have all the time in the world to slip my phone away again and stroll over to her.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
She whirls around and stares at me like she’s been struck by lightning.She immediately drops her fist.She frowns a moment, then shrinks back from the display case.
I notice two things.One, she’s mad as hell.And two, she’s gorgeous.Her eyes are puffy like she’s been crying.But that doesn’t fit with the air of determination in the set of her full lips.So now I’m curious.
“What the hell...”she hisses.She doesn’t seem too amused that somebody was watching her.Rookie error.The thought leaves a bitter taste in my throat.
“True, though.”I stick my hands in my pants pockets and walk around her.She doesn’t even look at me.OK, there’s just a glance, for a split second, and I feel it arouse something I never knew I had within me.“You don’t have the guts to do that for real.”
Her eyes are huge, and it’s too dark to see what color they are, but they glitter dangerously.I find that kind of amusing.
“You don’t know me,” she says.
“True.”I give a bored shrug.“And you don’t know me.Great, huh?”
She goes to walk past me so I block her path.I kind of hate myself for that because I’m taller than her and stronger, and I always swore I’d never use those attributes to take advantage of a woman.But she’s daring me.
I nod past her to the indirectly lit case.“That you?”Say what you like about me, but you can’t call me unobservant.I notice shit.For instance, that there’s a big team photo among all the trophies and certificates, and that she’s in the middle of it, holding a medal that hangs around her slim neck on a wide ribbon.She’s wearing sports clothes and her dark hair is in one of those messy buns that really do it for me, sadly.Her eyes are sparkling.Not like they were just now.But like she gives a damn.There’s life in her eyes, life that I can’t see when I look at her now.
She turns away and hunches her shoulders together.
“What’s it to you?”
“Impressive,” I remark, stepping closer to the display.So now I’m not in her way, but to my satisfaction, she doesn’t leave.Of course she doesn’t.Because she’s intrigued by me.I can sense it, and I don’t like it.Because I’m intrigued by her too.
“What happened?”I ask, once I’ve checked out the achievements of the team that she can’t be part of anymore.Because she wouldn’t be this emotional if she was.“Accident?Got kicked out?Got beat in the heats?”Her face is as white as the moon as I turn back to her.Her eyes narrow to warning slits.“Drugs?Doping?Some kind of scandal?”
“What the fuck’s your problem?”she spits, taking a step toward me.I want to grin in appreciation, but I stop myself.
“You’re pissed,” I say, feeling her grow even angrier.“I’m just trying to help.”
Before she can answer, I pull off my hoodie.As my head emerges from beneath it, I notice her eyes dart to my belly, then back to my face.The black T-shirt I’ve got on underneath rode up,and she hastily looks away again.“I don’t need anyone’s help,” she declares.
“Yeah, you do.”I press my sweater into her hand.“If you don’t do this now, you’ll stay mad.”
She lifts her head, and the disdain has gone from her eyes.
She opens her mouth, but I don’t let her speak.
“So you don’t cut yourself.”I point to the hoodie.“It’s more fun this way, trust me.”
“You’re insane,” she says in a toneless voice.
I shrug and step away from the glass case again.I study her body as I wait to see what she’s going to do.She’s wearing the fancy school sweater with black leggings, and that combination is my downfall.Long legs, slim ankles.She’s actually kind of tiny, but she doesn’t look like anyone ever told her so.It’s her way of standing.Upright posture, chin up, proud gaze.Right now, it’s focused on my hoodie in her hands, and she doesn’t have the guts.I know it and try not to sigh.
“Would it give you the same relief to just watch?”
She looks at me.“What...You mean...?”
