Chapter 21
The college campus is enormous. I thought the Spade house was a lot, but there is no way I’ll be able to navigate this place after just one day of walking around it.
Zander assures me he’ll help me get to all of my classes, but after comparing our schedules, we have exactly one class together all week, so I’m not so sure about that.
Zander somehow remembers his schedule and the guys', and it seems I have at least one class with each of them over the week. I also have a free day on Wednesday, but seeing as I can’t drive and Kratos wants me to be at least near the guys, Zander has been going over the open extracurricular courses I can take to fill my day until one of them is free.
None of the options sound bad exactly: art, dance, robotics, astronomy, and even photography.
Everything has its own appeal, mostly because I’ve never had a chance to explore anything like them before.
We’d spent almost an hour just going through all the choices and what they were, and I still wasn’t any closer to deciding.
It wasn’t until the head of the welcoming committee stepped in that we finally got somewhere.
She offered the option of sports and physical classes, and while sports didn’t sound like they were for me, Kickboxing got my attention.
Hazel has spent all morning with us. From the moment we walked in, she was there with my schedule and a welcoming smile.
Aside from that, she mostly stood back and tried to seem invisible, so I didn’t attempt to draw her into a conversation.
She hadn’t said anything to me after greeting me and welcoming me to Northwestern University, but she was clearly listening because she knew when to step in.
“Kickboxing usually has four or five open slots each semester as many people go with sports or something less hands-on. If you want, we can head back to the office, and I can check the system to be sure?” She seems unsure but also genuine in her attempt to help, and I can hardly keep my excitement contained as I nod at her, almost a little over eagerly.
I feel a bit silly being so excited about something so simple, but she smiles at my reaction, and I see some of the tension leave her shoulders for the first time since I met her this morning.
“Thanks, Haze, that would be great,” Zander tells her as he takes in my enthusiastic reaction with a small smile playing on his lips.
For the first time since we stepped into the school, I realize that he seems to know her, and while that's not surprising with the guy's reputation, it looks as though he knows her well enough to have a nickname for her.
I try to keep my questions to myself, but after Hazel gives us a nod and turns back toward the office, it must be clear on my face for Zander. He chuckles before slinging his arm over my shoulder, guiding us after Hazel.
“What’s with the face, Doll?” he asks me as we walk. Thankfully, Zander seems to know where we need to go because I can't tell one hall from another, even after spending the better part of the morning in this building.
Ugh, Monday’s going to be a nightmare.
“I have no idea what you mean,” I tell him as I continue to look around, trying to find markers that might help me before realizing it’s a lost cause and turning my attention back to him.
He gives me a look that screams he doesn’t believe me, but I don’t take the bait. Instead, I shrug as if I have no idea what he means.
After a minute, he gives in. “Well, whatever the reason,” He gives me a pointed look, and I raise my brow at his response before he laughs and continues, “or non-reason, there's nothing to worry about, I assure you. We grew up with Hazel, and she’s like a little sister to us more than anything else.”
As soon as he says it, I can see that. He may have had a nickname for her, but he was busy looking at me when he said it. None of his typical flirting nature was directed at her as he does with me when he calls me Doll.
Just thinking about his stupid nickname for me has heat rising to my cheeks, and I duck my head, hoping he doesn’t notice it.
When he first called me Doll, I thought it was just a term of endearment that he might use.
But during the time I’ve spent with the guys, I’ve seen him around a few girls, and he hasn’t called anyone else that, or any other nickname for that matter.
“What are you thinking about that has your cheeks so pink, Doll?” Ugh! Of course, he would not only notice but, again, with the nickname. Damn him.
“Nothing,” I say, and the moment I say it, I know I’ve said it too quickly. If the smile on his face is any indicator, he knows it too.
“You're killing me here, you know,” he tells me as we turn down a hall that I’m shocked I recognize. It only takes a moment before I realize this is the main hall; the large circle foyer opening at the end is a dead giveaway. At least I’ll recognize this, if nothing else.
“I haven’t done anything,” I tell him, but he just shrugs before pulling me closer to his side without slowing our stride.
“That’s the problem here, Doll. You don’t have to.
The scent of you is intoxicating, the way your hair falls to your ass does me in, and when your cheeks turn that beautiful pink color, all I can do is picture all the other ways I can have you flushed and flustered for me,” he whispers in my ear.
His low, seductive voice helps my brain paint a picture of exactly what he meant.
My mouth falls open as I look around to ensure Hazel isn’t waiting for us somewhere in the hallway.
Once I see that it’s just the two of us, I smack the back of my hand to his chest, not hard enough to do damage but enough to hopefully get him to knock it off.
“Zander!” I whisper yell at him, keeping my voice low enough that it won’t bounce off the open area around us.
“What? I can’t help that you're so adorable all the damn time,” he says with a wink and a sly smirk.
I open my mouth to tell him just how inappropriate this conversation is, but we’re stepping back into the main office before I can.
Swallowing my words, I give him a stern look, hoping my face gives him a clear look to knock that shit off.
It doesn’t. I know it the moment he laughs.
How is it that I can kill grown men, but Zander has me ready to run and hide with just a few well-placed words?
He’s going to be the death of me.
“Okay, it looks like the kickboxing classes meet twice a week,” Hazel says to us the moment we walk into the office. She’s hidden behind the computer and doesn’t even look up, but I guess nobody else is here, so she’s safe to assume it’s us.
“Good news is that it's Mondays and Wednesdays, and the Monday class meets just thirty minutes after your first morning class. You should be out with plenty of time to get to your afternoon class.” She looks up, shooting me a small smile over the monitor that I can’t help but return.
“So, did you want me to sign you up?” she asks, and again, all I can seem to manage is an over-eager nod.
She ducks back down behind the monitor, and I hear her click away at the keyboard before the printer behind me comes to life. Hazel hops up and grabs the paper off of it before offering it up to me.
“There you go. Your new schedule is all set.” I take the paper and just look at her for a moment. The smile she has on her face completely transforms her appearance.
When we came in, she was timid. Her body language screamed that she wanted to shrink into the wall and disappear into the shadows.
I might not know a lot about school, but I wondered how someone like that ends up being the head of a welcoming committee.
But now she looks the part. She seems warm and welcoming, like someone who could attract friends easily.
“Thank you,” I tell her simply, folding up the paper and stashing it in my pocket before turning back to Zander. I’m not sure if we are done here or if we need to do more, but I’m sure he will.
“Thanks again, Haze. Is there anything else you need Jade for before we head out?” he asks, and I watch as some of her earlier shyness returns as she looks at him. Huh, maybe the guys make her uncomfortable.
“Um, no, I gave her the books we have for most of her classes, but unfortunately, the two she’s missing won't be in until Monday morning, along with her laptop,” she tells him before looking back at me with a nervous look on her face.
“Would you mind coming here first thing Monday before classes? I can meet you here and make sure you get them.” I’m not sure why something so simple and entirely out of her control has her so on edge, but I find myself wanting nothing more than to ease that away.
“Of course, that’s no big deal,” I tell her, and the instant I say it, I know it helped. Her posture loses some of its nervous tension almost right away.
She opens her mouth as if to say more, but before she can, her phone beeps loudly, cutting her off. She pulls it from her pocket, looking down at it quickly before letting out a huff of frustration.
“I’m sorry to have to do this, but I have to go. I didn’t think this would take so long, and I arranged to be picked up about ten minutes ago.” She holds her phone up for us as if to explain, though I don’t see why she feels the need.
“Oh, no, it’s fine. You helped plenty, and I’ll be here Monday for everything else, so we should be all set anyway,” I tell her, giving her what I hope is a reassuring smile. She returns it before turning back to Zander again; he simply nods at her, which appears to settle it for her.
She moves around the office, shutting things down before meeting us by the door, where she shuts off the lights and locks them before we all head out together.