Heart of the Ocean

Chapter 2 - Beginnings

My eyes snapped open, tears streaking down my cheeks. I could almost smell the salty tang of the ocean. How strange, I’ve never even been to the seaside, yet I could feel the rocking of the ship and the pound of the waves against the hull.

I slowly stretched like a cat, feeling the soft cloud of duvet that cocooned me, as I considered this new dream. Recently I had been having the same dream of blinding light and the scorch of fire before waking up. Up until now I always thought it was exam nerves but now, I was not so sure.

My heart was still pounding in fear of that mysterious man. I couldn’t remember his face, but I remember the burn of his touch as he pressed his body to mine. I shuddered. I’d never even been on a date with a guy yet here I was, tingling at the memory of a mystery guy from a dream. Get a grip Clio, are you really that desperate?

I rolled my eyes in mock self disgust and glanced at the clock. Holy s**t, its already late!! I’m going to be late for my last exam. I wrenched myself from bed and leaped for the shower, kicking the sheets off before I tripped over my two left feet.

Lathering up in the shower the events of my dream soon faded from my memory and the fresh reality of lectures, exams and essays flooded my mind. I was in my first year at York university studying history of art, a subject I hastily chose so that I could follow my friends to uni: Zara and Alaric.

Zara was small and tan with an athletic build from constant physical exercise- she had joined five different sports clubs when we enrolled. Her hair was raven black that bounced reddish tones when the light hit it just right. She had a dazzling smile that broke hearts where every she went, mine included. Zara was the kind of girl who looked amazing effortlessly.

Alaric was tall and blonde with a chiseled body that he honed through daily rowing. He was charming, funny and sweet. Despite Alaric’s sweet personality he had yet to pull himself a girl friend because of his striking acne that he secondary school almost over-night.

Because of the acne his self-confidence with girls took a nose-dive and the only female he has the confidence to talk to is me. It broke my heart, Alaric was such a good guy with a wicked sense of humour, any girl would be lucky to have him. Zara, on the other hand, terrified him whenever she was near.

Not that I should go around shaming anyone for their looks or lack of partner.

As I got out the shower to get ready, I took a long look in the mirror. The person staring out was 5ft 11, I towered over a third of the boys in my class, with frizzy ginger hair that hung halfway down my back when it wasn’t sticking out like a witch. My eyes were grey like slate and my face pale like chalk. Alaric sometimes said I look like a ghost. My gaze slid down to my naked body and narrowed in dislike. Some would call me curvy and bullies call me a pig in a wig. My thighs rubbed together, and it felt like the ground trembled when I walked. Sure, that would be fine for some muscular guy but for a girl, who should be petite and dainty, I felt disgusting.

Before I let my thoughts spiral and drag down my mood, I snapped my eyes away from the mirror and began rushing to get ready for the day. I pulled on the first clothes I found in the wardrobe, jeans, every time - even in summer, with purple hoodie and purple converse. I gave my best effort in taming my nest of hair but eventually I had to concede that my hair had won it’s battle against gravity and I had no time to pull out the straighteners. Instead I scrapped my hair up into a low bun and called it quits. I looked at the birthday eye shadow palette my mum gave me and sighed, instead I complete my look with cherry Chapstick. Catching the time I grabbed my book bag and ran out the door.

Term had only been in session for 3 weeks and I was still getting used to my surroundings. York university wasn’t exactly big but it felt big for a village girl like myself. At some point during my dash looking for the Dorian 3 seminar room I realised that I was completely lost.

I swung my head looking for some sort of map of sign that would give me some sort of idea where the Dorian block was when I felt the hairs raise up on the back of my neck.

Slightly spooked I slowly turned on the spot looking for the source of my discomfort.

I saw him sitting casually on a stone bench drinking coffee and having a conversation on his phone. He had short cropped hair, the colour of coal went well with his dark tanned skin. His clothes were alarmingly tight fitting and his muscles threatened to escape his t-shirt. I felt blood rushing to my cheeks as an embarrassing thought flashed through my head, “he looks like a god”.

As that thought whirled through my head his eyes suddenly flashed up seeming to grab my eyes with his stare. His eyes were dark and smouldered, his gazed intent on my face. He c****d his head to the side which seemed oddly adorable and out of place on such a rugged man. He said something into his phone, hung up and slowly got up to his feet. I realised, with shock, that I was still staring at him and quickly turned around, pulling out my phone, planning to message Zara for directions. A dark shadow fell over me and I spun back round in alarm.

It was him. He was right in front of me, an easy smile tugging at his lips.

“Hello? Can I help you?”, my voice trembled slightly as raised my head to meet his eye – I realised that he had to be almost 7ft!

His charming grin fell in disappointment, “you don’t recognise me? I’m doing History of Art and I saw you in the beginner’s lecture. You were only 2 rows in front of me.”

When words failed me, he continued shly, “I remember your hair. Buuuut I guess you don’t remember me. I guess I’m not as memorable as you are”.

Somehow, my face became even redder, I must have looked like beetroot.

“Oh no, ummm sorry, no. I was so focused on the lecture I guess I wasn’t really paying attention to anyone else” I mumbled lamely, unable to meet his eye.

He laughed pleasantly, running his fingers through his cropped hair, looking slightly embarrassed, “I guess I shouldn’t be so vain! Anyway, I thought you looked a little lost and I wondered if I could help? I’m actually on my way to Dorian 3 for a seminar. Maybe I can help you find where you’re going before I go to mine?”

My eyes bulged and my head shot up in alarm when I realised that was the same seminar I was in, “I’m actually headed that way too. That’s a massive relief, I had no idea where I was going!”. I grinned sheepishly.

“Perfect, at least I’ll know one friendly face when we go in,” he said, as he strode towards the east side of campus, “I’m actually super nervous about meeting new people. I’m from an island up north with around a population of 300 so all of this is a bit overwhelming”.

He looked down at me and winked conspiratorially, like he was letting me in a little secret.

“I’m Nathrach Goldring by the way. But you can call me Nate”, he grinned. What a strange name, I thought, I wonder if he is Scottish. Although he doesn’t have an Scottish accent. In fact I couldn’t place his accent at all, almost as though he had travelled the world.

I blushed again, “I’m Clio Thames”.

“Clio. Is that short for anything? Like an Egyptian queen perhaps?”

An abrupt squark erupted from my mouth. The thought of anyone comparing me to Cleopatra was insane. I eyed Nate suspiciously, wondering if he was making fun of me. But he didn’t seem to notice and stared ahead, leading us unerringly towards our shared lecture.

“No”, I replied, “nothing that grand I’m afraid. It was my grandmother’s name. But she wasn’t a queen, just a crazy cat lady.”

Nate chuckled, “do you have any crazy cat lady tendencies I should be worried about? My neighbour had a cat so wild  it would leap at your if you tried taking the rubbish out.”

“Hey! I love cats, they’re cute and don’t give a s**t about anything” I replied peevishly.

Again Nate chuckled in reply, his coal black eyes twinkling when they met mine. I realised he was enjoying teasing me. I wondered if he was being an ass or just being himself. I squirmed slightly and started fiddling with my hoodie ties.

After that we walked to seminar room in silence. I wondered if Nate had realised that I was uncomfortable being teased by people I just met or whether he was the uncomfortable one. After all, he did say he was from a small Scottish island.

Walking next to Nate I wondered how exactly I could have missed him in the lecture hall when he was so hot. Girls were eyeing him up and down like a piece of meat as we passed the main fountain. Even guys too, their eyes naturally drawn to Nates overwhelming aura. I shook my head, slightly baffled.

Nate caught the gesture and raised a questioning eyebrow in my direction, “what’s on your mind, Clio?”.

Caught of guard by his sudden question I blurted “I was just wondering how I could have missed you, even in a crowd of freshers”. My eyes raked his well-toned body whilst my hands flailed foolishly in his general direction, “you’re what? 7ft? Built like a Greek god, killer smile and you have…..”, my voice trailed off in horror.

I can’t believe I had just blurted out that I thought he looked like a freaking Greek god!! I groaned. Why couldn’t I keep my runaway mouth shut?

Nate just gave me a huge grin like a fox in a hen house, “and do you like this kind of look Miss Thames? Or is it possible that I’m not our type”. At first, my naïve self thought that this was a real offer. Maybe he was actually interested in me.

Then his face took on an intent, roguish look, the kind of look that was just waiting to hear me gush about how hot he was blah blah blah. Just fishing for complements from the deluded little girl Clio.

I remembered the last time I told a guy I thought he was cute. Let’s just say it hadn’t ended in happily ever-after.

Something inside me snapped.

In an instant I realised he was just taunting me, playing off my shy, awkward self for a laugh. I felt my heart race in my chest, my arm hairs stand on end and my palms begin to sweat as I stopped dead in my tracks and pulled Nate to face me. Daring Clio.

“Listen. I’m sorry for blurting out those things. We both know I was just nervous. Obviously, I’m not used to talking to guys on your level. But that doesn’t mean you can tease me”, I loudly whispered, not wanting to draw attention from other students. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Nate was clearly taken back by my daring and stood blinking, lost for words. Obviously he wasn’t used to his targets letting lose.

I stared intently into his inky eyes trying to convey the depth of my indignation. His weren’t black at all I realised but were a light brown like fudge but filled by the dark pit of his pupils. They seemed to convey the smoulder of a dying fire. The kind of eyes a girl could loose herself in, I realised with a start.

I must have been staring at Nate for a good minute I realised foolishly. But what was more strange is that he hadn’t so much as blinked the entire time. Instead he had stared back into the depths of my eyes, refusing to back down. I wonder what he saw in my eyes I thought.

I took a tentative step back, releasing Nate’s arm. “Ouch” I muttered as a zap of static electricity pulsed through my hand.

Nate c****d his head to the side as he rubbed the palm of his hand, “huh. Must have been static from your hoodie”. His face was thoughtful as continued to stare into my eyes, “happens all the time”.

I felt like he was hinting at something from the pointed look on his face, but my frazzled mind was too wired to think it through. I noticed that somehow, we were now outside the Dorian building.

“I guess we should go in”, I mumbled, the daring Clio once again replaced with the run of the mill Clio.

I wish the earth would just swallow me up.