BURN

Chapter three

CHAPTER THREE

The insistent rapping on the door woke me up, wincing in pain as I realized I had fallen asleep on the couch in a cradled up position. Pushing my feet into the blue crocs I yawned simultaneously while stretching, hoping to relieve my cramp up muscles. I was heading to the door but Jade came out of her room, beating me to it. All the sleep flew out of my eyes when Danny walked right past her, fury detectable in the expression painting his face.

“Here we go,” I muttered under my breath, bracing myself for Danny’s wrath.

“I was only gone ten hours Sophie, ten bloody hours before I received a call that my sister was spotted at a party completely drunk out of her mind, looking like a bloody slut!” I internally winced at the exaggeration. I had not been that drunk and neither was I dressed like a slut.

“Morning to you too Danny,”

“And you know what else I keep hearing? My beloved sister was seen leaving the party with Malcom. Of all the guys you had to choose Malcom!” he ranted breathing heavily as his chest heaved up and down. Wow, he really was mad.

“Wait, that was the Malcom I keep hearing about?” Jade suddenly spoke but Danny glowered at her.

“I’m just going to sort out the laundry,” she padded towards her room shutting the door behind her, the slight bang resounding in the entire apartment.

“Who is Malcom?” It was almost stupid to ask because by now I had already guessed that had to be the name of that guy I puked on.

“Are you being serious right now? Apart from the fact that you went to some filthy party, you didn’t even know the name of the person you went to bed with? Just how anymore impossible can you get?”

“Danny-“

“Malcom is one of the most notorious campus players and you have only been here for two week before you hop in bed with him-“

“Danny, I didn’t sleep with Malcom. Heck we didn’t even get to the make out stage,”

He stared at me for a second and even though he was relieved, he could not show it.

“Well that’s not what the entire campus is saying. I’m going to find a way to cool these rumors down but from now on I’m going to have to monitor your movement. You are only a two week old first year for Pitt’s sake. Don’t forget what would be at stake if you make one wrong move,”

Your reputation, of course.

I watched him stomp off, running a hand through my hair in frustration. Barely a second later Jade bust through the door of her bedroom, plopping on the couch next to me. Her face was painted in a light, excited smile.

“I didn’t take you to be such a perfect liar,” she nudged my arms playfully.

“I was not lying,”

“Come on, you know I can never tell your brother. From those rumors I have heard, they say he is excellent when it comes to bedding girls,” she wiggled her eyebrows mischievously.

“I didn’t sleep with him Jade,” I countered.

“Why not?”

“Because I puked on him instead and now I just have to hope he didn’t recognize me,” her eyes were wider than saucer.

“You f*****g puked on him?” she chuckled airily.

“I’m really glad you find that funny because apparently I don’t,” I huffed patching my right leg over my left one.

“Come on. Don’t beat yourself about it. If he really is like how his reputation precedes him then he obviously won’t remember you. Besides, you had make-up on, I doubt he’ll recognize you without it,” she squeezed the back of my palms comfortingly.

“True but how come you have heard of Malcom and I haven’t” I pointed an accusatory light glare at her.

“Probably because while I was scouting the university, you were too busy trying to keep your head down and act modesty. Your brother has really had it for you and honestly I thank God, I’m the first born in my family,”

“Yeah, you should thank God for that but still it doesn’t eradicate the fact you should have at least told me about him,”

“I would have if I had actually known how he looked like. All I heard were just rumors about him but he has not been in school since we reported. From what I heard he just got back in yesterday,”

“Which means he probably didn’t know me.  Now that is a good sign,”

“Maybe. But sometimes I tend to think your brother is just too damn overprotective,”

“You have no idea,” I agreed.

“You need to meet someone who will make you wild even just for a day. You know being wild is what makes life fun, right?”

“Yeah, try telling that to Danny or my parents,” I sighed helplessly.

All night I turned and tossed a million times, the memory of Malcom a permanent chip in my mind. His perfect sharp jaw, smoldering eyes of the darkest shade of brown and that confident smirk that was enough to cause a twist in my core. I wondered what it was like to run my fingers through his sleek mass of dark hair or brush his jaw with my cheek. But all that was just wishful thinking and Malcom would probably never look my way even once.

The weekend pretty much dragged on and soon enough Sunday arrived. It was around four in the evening when I walked inside the almost deserted library save for a few students.  I choose a seat next to the window at the far end of the Library. Huddled up in the corner with my legs drawn up on the seat, I bobbed my head slowly to the music booming through my earphones as I lost myself to it. It’s only been a week since I came to the university and we already had an assignment. I skimmed through the Grey’s Anatomy book I had taken from the library shelf and after getting what I wanted, I rested my head back against the chair reading through the notes. It must have been hours and I was so absorbed into the book until a fist hit the table I was using.

“What the hell!” I cussed, pulling off the earphones.

When I looked up, familiar dark brown eyes stared down at me.

“Oh crap!” I cussed yet again realizing that it was Malcom, the notorious playboy my brother warned me about and the same one I puked all over on Friday night. I flushed, avoiding his gaze at the memory of the latter.

“Hello Munchkin,” his voice way more deep than I remembered it. And Munchkin? That was so cheesy.

“Um…Hi,” I stuttered, my chest heaving. How wrong was I to think I would never have to face Malcom or that he would probably never recognize me as the same person who puked on him?

“Mind if we talk outside?” My heart stopped.

“I still need to finish up my assignment. Maybe some other time?” The image of me vomiting on him was still fresh in my mind. The embarrassment of it was weighing more heavily on me each second he kept on standing that close to me.

“If my clothes were able to wait two whole days before I managed to locate you, then I can wait a few more minutes. So the faster you work the earlier we get done,” A small smirk played on his lips as he looked at me.

 My heart sank when he sat on the chair across mine. There was really no way out of this even if I tried. His right elbow rested against his knee that was drawn up over the other leg. Unreluctantly I found my gaze slowly raking over the portion of his arm exposed under the grey V-neck shirt. A tattoo of what looked like a raven protruded, tracing its way to the back of his arm.

“Are you done?” his voice cut through my fazed thoughts as I let my gaze drop on the book.

“Um… Just a few more minutes,”

“Then quit staring at me and do your work. Despite how it looks like, I really don’t all time in the world dancing at the tip of my fingers,” he lilted impatiently.

I didn’t reply or even look up, afraid he would see my face tomato red from flushing. Ten minutes later I pushed my assignment book inside my one-way brown, leather bag before standing up.

“Let’s get going,” I muttered only realizing now that the few students in the library had been whispering and stealing glances at us all along. So the rumors were still going on and obviously now that Malcom was seen talking to me, they were obviously thinking the worst.

“Don’t worry, rumors usually die down eventually,” Malcom whispered, his hot breath brushing my ear. I could feel the hair at the back of my neck rising.

He walked past me, his hands shoved in the depth of his pants as he let me follow him. Gathering enough courage I pushed my body forward very much aware of the whispers and gazes burning at my back. Knowing Danny would somehow get the news, switched off my phone to avoiding having to talk to me.