The Pursuit of Felicity

Chapter 5

I stare at my textbook, blinking back sleep. I look up at the computer screen and see that it's barely 2:45PM. I don't get out until 5, and it already feels like I've been here for seven years. Only two people have come in since I clocked in at 1 and both were here less than five minutes. I glance back at my boss' door and wonder how much trouble I'd get in if I get caught taking a nap. I shut my eyes for a second, figuring I'd rest them until the next person comes in.

"Sleeping on the job?" a voice disrupts and I jolt awake. I look around in fear and am (surprisingly) relieved when I discover that it's only Cameron. Though confused as to why he's here, I'm happy it wasn't my boss that caught me. I look at the screen of the computer and notice that only five minutes have passed since I shut my eyes. He couldn't give me another five minutes?

"What do you need?" I ask him as I wipe the sleep from my eyes.

"Were you up late last night partying?" he wonders aloud as he tugs lightly at the straps of his book bag.

I glance up at him and repress the urge to sigh. I swear if he wasn't so obnoxious, I'd probably be blushing from embarrassment right now. "It's Wednesday. I was up studying," I correct him as I stretch out tiredly.

"What were you studying?" he questions as he peeks at my textbook. I make it a point to shift my papers over the pages.

"I was studying the concept of minding my own business. Have you heard of it?" I retort, which results in his mouth dropping into a shocked 'O'.

"You're a great worker. First, you sleep on the job, and then you're rude to the students," he observes with a slow nod. "You should get a raise."

"Tell my boss that," I dare him with a small glower. "Speaking of, are you here for a meeting?"

"I am," he answers as he glances at the clock behind me. "3:15."

I log in and look at the schedule where I find his name scribbled in as C. Woods. I click it and confirm that he's here, which sends a notification to Professor Harper that he's ready when she is. "You can sit down," I wave him off dismissively in hopes that he'll leave me alone.

I watch as he walks towards the lounge area and let out an alleviating sigh. Instead of taking a seat as instructed, he grabs one of the chairs and drags it over so that it's directly in front of my desk. As if a casual action, he removes his bag from his back, drops down, and releases a relaxed breath. "So how is your day going?" he wonders aloud as he stretches out in the chair. His long legs hit the desk as he leans forward with his arms on his knees.

His chocolaty gaze encapsulates me as he waits for a response. "You're blocking me from students," I surmise when I break my eyes away from him. Just to be convincing, I look over his shoulder at the door. I can see perfectly fine down the hallway and it's clearly desolate.

"If anyone comes, I'll move," he insists with a wave of his hand. He licks his lips and nods back into the conversation. "So...how's your day so far?"

"You know, I'm 95% sure you're stalking me," I confess as I lock eyes with him again. A grin breaks out onto his face, and he tips his head back slightly and lets out a deep laugh.

"What do I have to do to make it 100%?" he jokes, and I watch the way he rubs his hands together.

"Leaving me alone would make me certain that you are," I answer with a tight-lipped smile.

"Somehow I feel like that'd be counterintuitive," he rebuts before his eyes drop to my top, which is just a plain pink t-shirt. "It's a good thing they don't make you wear name tags. That'd definitely blow your whole Nameless act. Or do you only refuse to tell your name to people you're trying to sleep with and then leave...Player?"

"You're ridiculous. I'm not a player," I dispute with a small scowl. "Besides, I told you my name."

"How'd things go with that girl, by the way? Is she heartbroken?" he asks as he leans back now. His long legs extend far enough that the sneak under the desk.

"She's fine," I answer vaguely. That night, we went out to her car and made out, but that was disappointingly all. Then, she hit me up to hang out, so we did, and all we did again was make out. So things aren't looking too hot so far, but that's none of his business.

An email pops up in the corner of the screen and I grab a sticky note, write down the person who sent it, and stick it to the computer screen. He watches with interest as I place the pen back into its designated cup. "What are some of the things you do here?" he asks as his eyes scan my desk curiously. I figure the question is innocent enough to answer.

"I answer students' questions. I schedule appointments. I keep track of emails and phone calls for Professor Harper. I keep the area neat. I occasionally file paperwork," I list as I also take a look around.

"It sounds easy enough," he nods before pointing at my hidden textbook. "You get paid to do your homework, basically."

After nodding in agreement, I explain the downside. "But it's also extremely boring. I work through lunch so everyone's either eating or in class. I also work close and no one comes in because they're done with classes and are napping."

"Do you always work this shift?" he questions as he squints at me. His gaze is playfully suspicious, and I raise a pointed finger at him.

"Not if you're going to pop in," I answer, which gets a loud laugh from him. Before he can answer, Professor Harper's door opens, and she looks at the two of us.

"You can come in, Cameron," she announces. He gives her a short nod and stands up. I allow my eyes to scan him as he does, and I'm not disappointed. Like he promised, he places the chair back in the waiting room before joining the professor. I return to my textbook and try my best to focus on the blur of words scrawled across the page. Once I manage to get into the groove of things, the sound of the professor's door opening breaks my concentration.

"Same time next week?" he inquires with a large beam as he stands before my desk. I roll my eyes and shoo him away like a fly. I listen to his laughter travel down the hallway and repress the urge to rip my hair out. Why do I see this boy everywhere? And why does he have to be so cute?