Hidden in the mist

Breaking down

    That’s when I woke up heaving for air as I sat up, I moved my hands around my bed to make sure I was still alone in my bed. I took in a deep breath and put my face into my hands, I felt the heat from my face, I knew I was blushing. My right hand moved to my lips, I could almost still feel his lips there, I shook my head in disbelief. “What the hell is wrong with me? What the hell am I doing having such dreams about a complete stranger?!”

     I went to get out of bed and I noticed my room felt like there was a lot of moisture in the air, even as my feet hit my floor I knew to watch my step because it was liquid on it. I hobbled over to my lights and flicked them on. I threw my hands over my mouth and gasped, my whole room was a complete sheet of foggy mist, I could see it was thick and not normal….

    “did I do this?.... No! no, no way!” my hands shot up in front of me and I began to move them as if I was pulling at the mist, my hands moving from that to a wide opening like I was ready for a hug then brought it in to a circle. The water in the room responded to my motions and started to rush to the center of my hands into a growing ball, I rolled my hands around it gathering and pulling as much as I could before launching it toward my bathroom door into the tub. After, I rushed over to my office checking my wards once again, and again they were still up protecting my house, nothing has entered nor has anything attempted to cross, or spell me or my house.

   I drop to my swivel chair and leaned back, I ran my hand threw my long black hair and groaned. “What is going on?” I asked out loud, knowing I had no answers, nor was any one there to help answer. I looked at the time on the clock on the wall and groaned some more, it was just after six in the morning, I had hardly gotten any sleep. Another disturbing thing was, my ankle still hurt like hell, I lifted it up from the floor to look at it had I didn’t have enough light to see, so I reach over to my desk to turn my desk lamp on so I could check my foot out better.

   When I did I noticed that my foot was indeed in bad shape, it was swollen some, nothing to major but enough to know that it was indeed needing to be wrapped up. There was some dis-coloring in it which was to be expected, I pulled myself up from my seat and left my office, softly shutting the door. I made my way to my closet and picked out something simple to wear today, a nice dark blue sweater and some black jeans, I did have a hard time finding some shoes that matched that wasn’t tight fitting and had some stretch to them. I left my closet after I got my cloths and carried my shoes and socks with me as I went down to my kitchen to make coffee and care for my foot.

    When I got there I realized that there was no coffee, I swore and slammed my cabinet door shut, I guess I had to ready my self sooner then planed and go get some coffee from the shop down the road. I was thankful the weekend was almost here so I could go do some shopping. I went over the selves that had my first aid kit and pulled it down, then taking it over to the breakfast island and sitting in the chair to go threw and grab out an ace wrap and something to take for the pain and swelling. I set the meds on the counter and too the ace wrap and began unwrapping it, I pulled my foot up to rest on my knee so I could wrap it. Once I was done I got off the chair and went to get some water to help wash down the meds, after taking them I sat down and got my socks and shoes on, I went over to the fridge to see if I had anything to grab for lunch for the day….. again self-anger, how did I let my things become so low? I guess I have been letting work take over me lately, ah work: I looked at the time and decided hey its still early I can grab a bite to eat and then head over to my class room to get a head start on grading things.

  I got my things ready and began to leave when I herd my phone chime, I looked to see if it was Zan, to my disappointment it wasn’t, it was only an odd email from an unknown sender so I ignored it. I went to my car and started it, letting it warm up some I decided to read threw a report that I had received by one of my crew members for the up coming expedition, it seemed it was more then one area that we had to cover, only one way going to be open for my students join. I was okay with that, but I was not to excited about having so much extra work to do in such a short time. I set my phone aside and shifted gears to leave my drive and head to the coffee shop, I would read more and reply back once I was situated with my coffee and breakfast.

    I was a few blocks away from town when my car decided to die on me, I face palmed myself, was glad that the coffee shop was only three blocks away. I gathered my things and started to foot it over to the coffee shop, while I was walking I decided to call the repair shop and see if they could come pick up my car, I informed the older sounding man what had happened and where it was located. He sounded tired, he must have just arrived in the shop, I felt bad having to bother him so early so I was okay with his telling me it would be an hour before he could pick up my car. I was sure he normally had at least an hour or two before customer came rolling in to have him work, enough time to wake up and drink a pot of coffee and see what he had going on in shop.

     I finally got to the coffee shop and stood in line waiting to make my order, I looked at the time and realized it was already after eight in the morning, I had only just under two hours before my first class started. I had to send an email to my students and let them know I had to cancel this morning lesson due to my car, then email the dean to have him aware of things. I started the email as I waited in line, just as I finished typing it was my turn to order, I ordered a cup of coffee and two blueberry scones, while I waited for them to serve my order and click all my morning class contacts and sent the email out. I grabbed my order and went to a nearby table so I could start on my email to the deans, I really didn’t need to but I figured it was the professional thing to do, I wasn’t like the other staff members that didn’t inform their students or other staffing of canceled classes or events.

   I was enjoying the moment of quiet and not having to rush or work, I had already eaten one of my scones and a third of my large coffee when I had heard a now familiar voice. I had turned in my seat towards the direction that I heard it coming from, looking past the small line I saw who the voice was coming from, it was Zan. I had a smile form on my lips as I saw him, but I started to panic some seeing I recalled my dream of him, I quickly shut that thought out and pushed it way back into my thoughts so not make things awkward. When I returned my eyes toward the counter Zan had just turned around with his order and saw me, right away he gave his breath-taking smile and came over with his tray of two large coffees and a bag of goodies.

   “good morn lassie! What a treat to see you here.” I gave him a smile back and replied back to him, hopefully I wasn’t to breathy when I spoke.

     “good morn Zan, a surprise indeed to see you here, what brings you here so early?” He grabbed a chair and took a seat across from me at my little table.

    “well I just came from the campus; I have been there the past few hours setting up and updating the lab computers so I could teach my lesson this afternoon…. What brings you here in this early morn?”

   “Wait, you just came from campus? How long have you been awake, we didn’t get off the phone till late in the night?” I was shocked that I couldn’t even answer his question.

   “well after I got off the phone with you, I recalled I still hadn’t done what I needed to… remember I was distracted last night when I showed up at the campus.” He gave a wink, but my hand went to my mouth in shock and embarrassment, his smile made me smile though, I gave him a slight nudge at his mocking though.

“ OH! I feel horrible now, but still why didn’t you try to rest some before going back?” he sat back some in his chair and let out a sigh, looked like he was trying to find words.

“well I had a lot to do so I headed to the campus, I started the updates on all the computers and rested for a bit before having to install everything but something woke me up and I had a hard time getting back to sleep, so I looked up your class hours for the day and saw you had one this morning. So I figured once the updates were done id begin the installs, while everything was installing it would give me time to stop by here and get us coffee and breakfast.” He then pushed it forward toward me and gave a grin, then continued. “but it seems like you beat me to the punch.” I looked at everything and gave a smile, I couldn’t help but return his humor this time.

   “well, I’ve been told a time or two I was good at throwing them.” I smiled and he shook his head.

    “so why are you here so early?” now it was my turn too look for the right words, I don’t know what he was trying to hide but I wasn’t about to tell him the full reasoning for my being here so early.

    “well I couldn’t sleep, my ankle was hurting so I got up to care for it and found I had no coffee, so once I was up and moving around I saw no reason to attempt to sleep again, nor sit back and do nothing at all. But to my dismay I sit here doing just that because my car broke down…. Oh! I’m sorry but I have to meet the tow truck driver down the road in...” I looked at my phone to check the time. “oh my, just over twenty minutes, I’m sorry but I have to go.” I started to gather my things when he reached out a hand to me that stopped me in my tracts, I looked up at him with a questioning look.

     “you’re kidding me right Boa? You just said you hardly had slept and that your ankle was bothering you. You also said your car broke down, where at?”

“oh well just up the road a few blocks down.”

“and your attempting to walk back to your car, after you walked here? you’re a crazy lassie that’s for sure, I can’t in good mind let you walk back to your car with your bad ankle, and alone…. Ill drive you, sit back down and rest okay, we will leave here in a bit. It shouldn’t take long, besides I’m sure you’ll pass the time with trying to argue it all with me. I’ll win of course.” He sat back while finishing his statement and I scuffed with a smile, I then listened and sat back down and made his comment true to the bone.

     “arse! Already you know me so well, you know, you really don’t have to do that…. Thank you though.” He raised a brow once I called him an arse, that’s right this girl knows profanity and will use it when it’s called for. He had a devious grin though; he knew he won.

   “your right….. I am an arse, and I know I don’t have to but I’m not gonna let a lassie like you walk around town alone even during the day, more so a wounded lassie. Oh, and…. I did win, thank you for not putting up too much a fight this time though, unlike last night.” I jerked my head up and raised an eyebrow at him.

       “what do you mean last night?” he leaned back in his seat more and put his hands behind his head, he crossed one ankle on his knee. oh no, I think he knows what I did.

     “don’t act innocent lassie, I know you left an extra tip on the table for that waitress last night.” Yep, I was busted. I blushed and looked down at my coffee and wrapped my hands around it, I pulled the cup to my lips and took a small sip.

      “I do not know of which you speak.” I said to him and quickly took another drink from my cup of coffee to cover my growing smile.

    “oh I’m sure you don’t, I bet she isn’t even working today after all the tips we gave her last night.” I gave him a smile from behind my cup that I still had held up in front of my mouth, I also gave him a roll of my eyes at his humor. “well, I suppose you might not want this other coffee seeing you have one already.” I looked over at the tray that held the two large coffees and then at the bag, I know that I shouldn’t have more coffee so soon, but after last night, I needed it.

       “well, if you still are so kindly and willing to give it to me ill be more then happy to take it. I think ill need an IV bag full of coffee today.” Laughing he handed me my cup, I set it next to my purse, so I didn’t forget it.

        “so, what do you think is wrong with your car?” Zan asked right before he took a drink of his coffee.

      “well I’m not fully sure, it is an older car so it could be anything. Honestly, I should just really get a newer car, I just don’t ever have time to go and look, I’m always working or away.” He nodded and gave a small hum, looking at his features in the day light, he seemed much more handsome then I recall, his eyes were this stunning soft green with hints of gold, a slight ring of blue just on the outer rim of the iris.                  His features stood out more in the suns light, his jaw showed to be strong and larger than the men I’ve seen around locally, his shaved his beard some. With him shaving the side parts of his beard, only leaving the lower parts to hang some from his face, the mustache blended in nicely. The red facial hair looked attractive on him, even with his dark blonde hair with hints of red here and there, his hair longer on the top then the bottom and sides, it was long enough to slick ack in a professional sexy look, but not long enough to put in a rubber band or anything, it was a nice in between look.

      I looked down at my drink before Zan could see me checking him out, my phone had rung for a new notification, so I picked it up and saw two new emails. The first email was from the dean, he was replying to my earlier email.

    Ms. McGrath, I thank you for informing me of your canceling of your morning class, I also received a few calls from your students worrying for the sudden canceling. They all informed me you had emailed them before their calls to me, it’s a joy to see your students care so much for you. I hope things go well with your car, please contact me if you need anything at all, as well as any news of other changes.

 Sincerely Dean Robert O.

      I was glad to hear from him, at least I knew he was well informed before getting those calls from my students. I was also shocked to see he was so kind to make an offer the way he did to help, not that id ever ask for help from my boss, I didn’t even want to drag poor Zan into this, but I knew he wasn’t one turn a blind eye, he has more then proven that since last night. I sent a quick reply back to the dean and thanked him, I also threw in there how his offer was kind but un-needed, I informed him why to, I told him how I met Mr. Howl last night while leaving campus,( leaving out the fact that he took me out to dinner after saving me from being blown across the parking lot.) and his kind act of saving me from the storms winds, and how we bumped into each other at the coffee shop, how he is helping me return to my car and meet the tow truck driver so we could take it to the shop. I also informed him that there wouldn’t be another canceled class, that I would be there for my next lectures.