Day realizes that seminars are boring days later on his official first day.
He has well-balanced classes, and he has planned and managed his time so thoroughly that he has time to rest and still be ahead of class if he commits to it.
The last thing he needs is to fail and then get a call from his parents asking him why he is flunking his first year.
He knows he is smart, but that's because he has spent all his time nose buried in textbooks and the occasional literature when his brain is tired with all the medical terms and procedures.
It's thirty minutes in the selective he chose because apparently, humanities are a requirement to his final grade, and he can't imagine himself in any kind of sport, so humanities course it is.
Everything is going well; he can even look outside the window into the leafy fields surrounding this side of campus and enjoy the cold breeze coming from the open window.
He chose this exact spot, not too far back and not too front, because it gives him a vantage point on the main door, to the whole classroom, plus he can't be bothered to mingle yet.
He is feeling a little queasy, too, so the window and slightly away from the crowd in the middle of the class seemed like a good bet.
That's why when the door opens suddenly, his eyes lock in on the person walking in, and his whole body locks.
The scent hits him first.
Dark chocolate that hits him so hard that he has to hold back a whine. Then, he registers other features of the stranger he wasn't able to see the other day.
Hair is still styled back, showcasing the shaved sides, glinting earrings adorning his ears, and a lip ring, on that sinful mouth, red and plump, like it's meant to kiss, or pout, day can't decide.
He is wearing a full suit, as he came here as an afterthought after attending a world domination meeting.
He doesn't look like he belongs, no. he looks like he owns every single soul in the damn class, and that somehow doesn't surprise day.
His throat goes dry when those eyes, the same piercing eyes he has been getting flashes of in his dreams lately, are directed his way and lock onto him.
Breathe gets caught in his lungs, held hostage in them, until the professor breaks and he is released, finally gasping for air, hoping it's inconspicuous.
"Mr. King, glad you could join us. Please have a seat."
No, 'you are late', it's a full address, like the professor is addressing his employer. Day is flabbergasted, as he finally becomes aware of the thrumming excitement and chatter going on around him from the previously bored classmates.
Everyone is looking at him, whispering and some even saying hi to him. he can only look in confusion as he makes his way towards his row, nodding to the greetings sent his way, closer and closer that day shifts uncomfortably in his seat until he passes him and-
Sits right behind him.
The professor stopped his lecture to give him a chance to sit before he went on, and when he is seated, the professor picks up where he left off, and Day is just … stumped.
What the hell?
The stranger from the bakery, the stranger that has been haunting him ... is in his class. Seated right behind him, he can swear his eyes are on him.
Day's neck flushes red all the way to his ear tips, and he leans forward on his desk, clearing his throat softly and subtly, ruffling his hair to hide his flaming ears.
It doesn't help that he feels like he wants to jump out of his skin, again. No, all his attention is arrested by the man behind him, so good-looking, so threatening, and who smells so divinely that he has to swallow a couple of times because his mouth is watering.
The first time in… a long time, someone's scent and their perfume haven't made him want to retch. He must be using a very expensive cologne; Day is sure of it.
If by how people are still stealing looks, looking at him with both admiration and …. Like they want him to eat them is to go by, yeah.
He doubts this person lacks anything.
Day is so keen and aware that any single movement he makes, he registers; the professor could be mute.
An hour goes by like that, and it's time for a short break. He needs a break.
Problem? He can't move. He can't make himself move, even though he wants to run. The feeling of running far, far away from this person creeps in on him, surrounds him-
"Hi, Travis! I didn't know you would take this elective!" A chirpy female voice sounds behind him, sounding so excited. "Can I sit here?"
"mh."
"I haven't seen you around campus lately. We had a party that we thought you would attend. I didn't see you there."
"busy."
"Oh yeah, that's fine. I missed you though-"
Day is socially inept; he knows this. But even he can tell when someone is interested and when they aren't. Even he can get the social cue getting thrown around by the responses.
"…in my dorm. And the girls are going to check out the new café that opened downtown. Can you give us a ride?"
"Leah- "
"it's kia-"
"I could have sworn you looked like Leah."
"Leah is my roommate."
"Oh yeah, great girl. Good fuck too. How is she?"
Wow.
"She's- she's fine," Kia responds, tone hurt but still hopeful. "She is coming too."
Day cannot believe what he is hearing.
"Yeah? You will tell me how their coffee is then. The place I used to go to shut down."
"Oh no, that's too bad. What happened?"
"The barista spit on my coffee."
"Huh?"
"Yeah."
"My birthday is coming up. I specially invited you, sent you the card too, I hope you got it? I will wait for you-"
"Leah, I do need my break, and you chirping away is making me feel tired. Can you move seats now?"
"Sure. Okay, see you, Travis!"
Day can't help but snort. It's ridiculous! What the-
"Something funny?"
He looks to his right, empty seat that he has placed his bag on, and then looks behind him. Yep. Travis is looking at him, all attention on him.
Is he talking to him?
"Yes, I am talking to you."
What the-
"Nothing," day shrugs, looking forward again, heart beating fast as he plays with his pen.
"If you have something to say, then do it. I want to hear it."
"Just didn't realize that jerks still existed, that's all," he shrugs again, not even bothering to turn around. He hears Travis chuckle, but it's so soft and breathless, he must have imagined it.
"You think I am a jerk?"
"She was trying to be nice, and you were so rude to her. Is that a thing, or are you living up to the image?"
"What image?"
"the popular bad boy image. Obviously, if you are going for that, you should ditch the stuffy suit and go for the leather jacket and ripped jeans," day shrugs again.
He doesn't think his suit is stuffy. He has never actually seen someone look so good in a suit as the jerk looks. It's really unfair.
All the good-looking ones are always so rude and mean. TV was right all along, it seems.
"Mhh, do you like bad boys?"
"What?" day actually turns around this.
"Do you like bad boys?" Travis asks, smirking, and that lip ring glints, making day's eyes fall on it. On those lips.
What?
"What does it matter to you?"
"Because I want to consider if I should change my look. So what do you think?"
"I think nothing," Day rolls his eyes. He isn't about to get sucked into this. "Leave me alone."
"What's your name?"
"No one."
"Never met anyone named no one before. Interesting."
When is this damn break ending? It's supposed to be fifteen minutes, not fifteen hours!
He is so tense, almost breaking into a run when Travis leans on his desk, which means he gets closer to day. His breath tickles his neck, and he has this urge to-
"Nice perfume. What do you use?"
"none that you can afford."
"Oh, he bites," he chuckles, and damn that warm breath. That chocolate scent is intoxicating, clouding all of day's senses. This close, it's more delicious; he can't focus.
"Don't you have someone to tell off? Or do you have a habit of disturbing quiet people."
"You're quiet?"
Damnit …
Travis leans closer, downright smelling his hair before he pulls back, juts abruptly, and stands up. The guy didn't even come with a notebook, and day watches as he walks up to his desk, standing there smirking down at him.
"See you around." He winks and then saunters out the door, just as the professor gets back in.
He doesn't even say a word, the professor doesn't even blink, and day just …
Just sits there, wondering what the hell just happened.