It had been the most beautiful dream. It started with waking up in what appeared to be an afternoon. The sun was low, but it was on the other side of the earth. She didn't recognize the house, but it was definitely quiet and safe. She walked through the house and opened every window to the salty air. She couldn't hear an ocean, but she knew it was there. Somehow, she knew that there were no obligations to meet except for her immediate ones. There were no papers due. Jesse wouldn't jump out and pretend to be her conscience in this dream. It was a peaceful vacation. Vacation. She wasn't alone. She walked toward the front door. Though she'd passed by it recently, it suddenly seemed a lot bigger. She turned the enormous knob and rushed out to an expansive deck. The sky was blue by now, but she could still make out people walking up toward the house. She didn't want to see them. She wanted to stay alone in her house by the sea. She turned around to run back in and slam the door on the intruders, but Daniel blocked the way. He took her hand and moved her inside...
*****
Joanne turned over to snuggle deeper under the covers. She smiled at the darkness, because that meant that it was still early in the morning. Early in the morning meant that she could sleep a lot longer. She breathed into her pillow and pulled it farther over her head. 'What's that smell? Somebody other than me has been in my bed.' She sat up in bed. 'Shit!' She let out a high pitched shriek.
Joanne looked around Dan's room for a moment before she realized where she was. There was no one else to see what she'd done, but she pulled the blanket up to her chin anyway. She looked over to the small clock on his bureau. '12:30pm!'
She jumped up and rushed for her clothes. A note slipped to the floor. She snatched it up because she saw her name on it.
Joanne, I know you'll be mad, but I couldn't bring myself to wake you. Don't worry. I have your classes covered until 2pm. I'll meet you at your place with the notes. Don't worry about Pop. He's harmless. I told him to treat you nice, or else. You can go out through the door in the kitchen, if you don't feel like dealing with the crowd in the front. Daniel
She dressed and slowly explored her way back to the stairway that led to the downstairs kitchen. The house was brighter than she would have thought. The furniture was light in color and there were paintings and photographs everywhere. She noticed a second stairway leading up to another story, but she wanted out. When she opened the door at the bottom of the stairs and slipped through to the work kitchen, the people were too busy to notice her. She nodded to herself and spotted the door Daniel had mentioned. She had her hand on the pushbar, when David bellowed, "Young lady!"
She turned around to meet his thorough gaze.
"Here," he looked down at the floor as he offered her a little white bag. "A cinnamon roll. Daniel's favorite. We wouldn't want you to go from a restaurant hungry."
She felt the workers' silence. He'd been just loud enough to let every one know that he disapproved. She blushed as she held up her hand to fend off the offer.
"No, thank you. I'm late as it is," she softly said as she pushed her way out into the bright cold afternoon.
"Suit yourself."
'I know how it looked to those guys. I don't know if I'll be able to go back in there. Maybe, that was the point of that...gesture he just did.'
She rushed into her next class just after the chime sounded. She didn't want to go to the front. Dr. Samuels seemed to be in a particularly testy mood. She slid into a seat all the way in the back of the room in the hopes that she would blend in. She managed to get through half of the lecture. 'Just another 30 minutes or so, and I'll meet Dan.'
"Miss Croix! What are you doing up there? Get down here in your usual seat, where you belong."
'He picked today to remember my name?'
"Yes, I'm talking to you. You'll distract me if you're not where you should be."
She gathered her things and looked back at her classmates as they muttered about her. The rest of the period didn't want to stay in her mind, but it was a review. Between the snickers when the professor glanced over at her and Daniel drifting through her mind, she wasn't making much of an effort to pay attention to the content. She could just review on her own. The chime for the end of the lecture sounded, and Dr. Samuels was bombarded by a group of people with questions. This was her chance to make a break for it.
"Croix," his voiced raised over the questioning students. "Stay put. I'm not done with you."
She sat back down and clutched her backpack to her chest. 'This can't be good.'
"I have a question for you," he said as he gestured for her to follow him out of the room.
She nodded her acknowledgement of his words.
"Why is it that one of my best students came in late to class with the same thing she had on yesterday?" He paused to look into her surprised eyes. "Yes, I notice what you wear. So do other people. One of which came in this morning looking like he'd been hit by a truck."
Joanne looked down at the strap to her backpack and tugged it over her shoulder. "I don't understand, sir."
"Care to explain to me why one of my grad students looks more like a boxer than an academic?"
'Grad students?'
Dr. Samuels nodded his head toward his office and kept walking. "I can only assume that you and Daniel have come to some sort of understanding, finally. He's been quite the distraction. I had an idea that he was taken with you when he volunteered to take part of your shift. I've pulled that trick for years. He's never done that before. Not even when he was in the class himself. You should be flattered to know that. So," he laughed as he opened his door. "Was he defending your honor?"
She frowned, "I wouldn't call it that..."
"Of course, he was. You don't lie very well. Neither does he. When I spoke to him earlier, he nearly admitted that the fight was over a woman. I gave him an out, because I know him so well. I will give you a pass as well, because you're such a quiet person." He raised his hand in signal for silence before she could say anything. "Be on time for my class next time. Nothing is more important than your education. Not even Mr. Langier."
*
Jo walked so fast toward her apartment. She knew she would trip any second and decided it would be better at home away from public scrutiny.
'A TA?' "Shit!" 'Stop swearing, Joanne. Well at least we didn't do anything. You can drop him before he gets into trouble. Will this affect my grade? Did he slip me hints on the exam? I should have paid better attention during that first few days. What am I gonna do, now? Why didn't he say something? I don't know how he got me into this. HE? I got me into this all by myself. Way to pick 'em, Jo. He doesn't fit our list, right?'
When she turned the final corner, she saw him sitting on the stoop with one foot on the sidewalk and the other on the second step. His back was against the railing, and he was concentrating on a piece of paper he held lightly in his fingers. The wind fluttered through his hair, and he shook a few errant strands from his cheek.
'He's tall. He wouldn't be sitting like that if he wasn't. Damn, he's fine. He doesn't even know how fine he is just doing nothing. That's why you haven't been as rude as you should be. So what! He's good looking. He's smart. He's tall. He tastes good... Stop it, right now, Joanne. Get a grip. He's bad news. Curb him!'
At that moment, he looked up and noticed her. He rolled up to stand and gave her that strange smile he always seemed to give. She lost her train of thought.
"Hi, how was class," he continued to smile around an angry looking bruise that swelled his lower lip.
"I'm not sure. You tell me," she touched his cheek just shy of the bruise.
"It's not as bad as it looks. Just wait a few days, if you can't stand how it looks. Oh, you probably freaked out a bit when you figured out what time it was."
She nodded at him and narrowed her eyes.
