Chapter 11
1188 Words
Allison’s POV
I stared at him disbelievingly. "You're in this class? Since when?"
Collen shrugged, his face blank. "Since the beginning of the semester, I guess our schedules just never lined up until now."
I narrowed my eyes as suspicions crept into my mind. "You signed up for this class because you know I'm in it, didn't you?"
Collen's eyes widened in surprise, and he shook his head. "No, Allison, that is not true. I signed up for this class because I need it for my major. It just happens that we end up in the same class."
I felt my blood rise at this. I didn't believe him. "Just a coincidence? Come on, Collen? It's hard to believe you happened to end up in the same class with me."
Colleen sighed. "I swear, Allison, it's a coincidence. I didn't even know you were in this class until I saw you here today."
I crossed my arms over my chest and raised one eyebrow, indicating clearly that I didn't believe him at all. "I find that hard to believe. You have been trying to get close to me since we started working together. It just seemed like another one of your attempts to be around me."
"Allison, I'm not trying to invade your space. I respect your boundaries. I just want to get through this class and our project without any more drama."Colleen said.
I wanted to believe him, but everything seemed too convenient to be true. "Fine. But if I find out you signed up for this class because of me, we're going to have a serious problem."
Colleen nodded, her face still blank. "I understand. But let me reassure you, my presence here is purely a coincidence."
Although he reassured me that there was nothing to worry about, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. I focused on the lecture, but my mind kept coming back to Collen. If his explanation was true, I would need to find a way to deal with him in this class and at work.
The rest of the lecture seemed to fly by in an instant. My concentration was blown, and I couldn't help looking across at Collen every few minutes. He had appeared intent on the lecture, scribbling some notes and all that, but that didn't help much.
As the lecture progressed, I noticed a girl a couple of rows ahead constantly looking back at me and Collen. She had never made it a secret that she didn't like me. Known for her sharp wit and fierce competitiveness, she was always the best performer in the class until I came and took the limelight away from her.
The girl’s eyes narrowed every time she looked at me, her resentment palpable. It didn't take long for me to realize that the girl’s animosity had deepened since Collen's arrival.
The lecture finally ended, and students started packing their stuff. I turned to Collen, still gathering his notes. "Colleen, I hope you understand why I'm skeptical. Our situation is already complicated enough without you suddenly appearing in my class."
Collen turned to me, his eyes softened. "I understand, Allison. But I do promise you, I am not going to make things worse for you. I have my reasons for being here."
Before I could respond, the girl sauntered toward us, her eyes dancing maliciously from me to Collen. "Well, isn't this little cozy?" she said, smiling icily. "I didn't know you two were buddies."
I straightened, "We're just classmates."I said.
The girl's smile broadened, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Is that so? Because it looks like you two are a bit more than that."
Collen stepped in, his tone firm. "If you have something to say, just say it."
Her arms crossed, her eyes never left mine. "It's just interesting how you always manage to be in the right place at the right time, Allison. First, you come first in class, and now you've got Collen's attention. Guess it's nice to have everything fall into your lap."
My temper flared. "I work hard for my grades. If you have a problem with that, maybe you should focus more on your studies instead of worrying about me."
The girl's eyes flashed with anger, but before she could respond, Collen intervened again. "Enough, both of you. This isn't the time or place for this."
The girl sneered. "Of course, you'd defend her." She turned on her heel and walked away.
I came to class early so that I could just delve into my studies and keep clear of more drama. Taking a seat, I began reviewing my notes and blocked everything else out. Students trickled in as I kept my head down, hopeful that it was going to be a peaceful day.
Just as the lecture was to begin, I felt a strong tug on my backpack. I turned around to find that my bag was already open and my notes were spread on the floor. Standing nearby was the girl, a smug look on her face. "Oops," she said, not even bothering to hide her malice.
I bent down to pick up my notes, but the girl stepped on one of the pages and kept it pressed to the floor. "You're in my way," the girl said, her voice reeking of disdain.
I balled my hand into a fist to control myself. "Move your foot, I said."
The girl smirked, but she didn't move a muscle. "Make me."
Before I could even react, Collen was by my side, bending down. He picked up the scattered notes, politely pushing the girl’s foot out of the way. "Is there a problem here?" he asked, his tone soft but firm.
The girl’s smirk faltered. She glanced at Collen, then at me, before she huffed and stepped back. "No problem at all," she said, her voice icy.
He handed me my notes, his touch lingering just a moment longer than necessary. "You okay?" he asked softly.
I nodded. My heart was pounding. "Thanks, Collen."
After class, Collen said he needed to run and get a cup of coffee. "You need a break," he said. "Let's get out of here for a bit."
I hesitated but nodded in agreement. We walked to a nearby café in thick silence. Once we had our drinks, we found a quiet corner to sit in.
"The girl has been a problem for some time, hasn't she?" Colleen broke the awkward silence.
I sighed and stirred my coffee absently. "Yeah, she's always had it out for me. I think it got worse when you showed up."
Colleen scowled. "I'm sorry if my presence makes things harder for you."
Collen reached out across the table, his hand grazing mine. "You don't have to be alone in dealing with everything, Allison."
My breath caught at his touch. "Collen."
My heart thudded wildly as my mind urged me to pull away, to distance myself from him, but my attraction to him was overwhelming.
I was torn. I wanted to give in to the temptation, to lose myself in the moment.
- Writer
