I don't remember turning my lamp on. Contemplating my thoughts, I wander into the room but halt in my tracks as I watch the mysterious man emerge from the shadows like a wolf.

My eyes bug out but before I could scream, he presses his hand against my mouth and I freeze, panting and gaping at him as my heart thuds in my chest.

His deep, haunting eyes hold mine. Hell, he smells sinfully good, some musky, masculine scent, probably body wash or shampoo? His gorgeously symmetrical face illuminates under the faint lights, clouding my senses.

He locks the door behind me fluidly and catches my wrist, drawing me to the bed and I land on it with a creak echoing through the room. Kristy is passed out, drooling. Lord...seriously?

He props his clenched pale fist beside my thigh, forming another slow creak and I gulp audibly. This dude is pressing my buttons, some hot ones; an unfamiliar jolt of electricity travels down my spine, making me shiver and my mouth dries to a sand paper. His breath is minty against my cool face but his gaze is scorching.

"You're one nosey little girl. You know that?" My lips part to accommodate deeper breathes as my mind shuts down. "I want to know what set you off." His lips twitch and my mind finds a way back to connect to the aftermath.

I lick my bottom lip before I answer, "I got a feeling you're an ass, didn't take you for a dense guy too." I'm just glad I don't sound weak under that gaze. His laugh is throaty and my mind short circuits. Dear God. I need help.

He grazes his fingers against my arm and I stare at his long fingers, my stomach summersaulting. "Is it the fact that you weren't on that couch with me?"

"I seriously want to know what gives you that impression." My voice falters as he exerts light pressure on my inner wrist, his face impassive and hard.

"Isn't it obvious? Your first day here already and not even a dull moment to spare while climbing the social radar." Oh my God! Is that what he thinks of me? And why do I suddenly care what he thinks about me?

"Are you out of your freaking mind?" I snap, looking away. It's easier to talk while my eyes aren't raking him. I was caught up with his uncalled presence and this proximity so much I lost the thread to my issues with this guy.

"I need to go to my dresser," I mutter, pushing to my feet but I'm sprawled down as he shoves me back to my spot, he doesn't budge. "Could you like, not be here, glued to my bed right now?" I say curtly with my gaze on his sculpted torso. This man is blessed with that body and I'm a lost cause.

He leans away with his steely gaze, crossing his arms on his chest and I watch his muscles flex under the garment.

Upon fetching my hair brush, I begin to untangle my hair. I choose to be unaffected under his icy gaze even when my neck prickles. Panic and jitters knot in my gut but I remain silent for another uncomfortable moment until he breaks the silence with his glacial tone. "If you assume I'll let you get away with this then I'll have to determine you as non-compos mentis." His Latin is sharp and fluid. I should've seen this coming.

"Yeah sure," I roll my eyes, "Go ahead, do what I think you must be always doing. What is it?" I raise a brow challengingly, "hit women? Snot shit off them? What is it?" I'm so done with this drama.

I watch rage mixed with anxiety sift through his face in a swift moment while he runs this fingers through his dark hair and in the next beat, his fist lands on the wall beside me with an echoing thud, startling me so abruptly I practically squeak.

My mouth drops open as my eyes bug out and I stare at him. His face is masked with austere exasperation and volatile indignation.

"I'm many things but I don't do that shit. Don't you dare take that tone with me." That demand is perilous and dark, and I get a feeling I pressed him wrongly.

Something shifts inside me to the sight and I decide to take a tread on the thin ice. Didn't he say that he'd do that if I knew him personally? Hmm. Was it a lie? "Listen.." I lace my fingers around the hairbrush tightly, "...I'm sorry I hit you alright? I didn't, in my right mind, intend on that. I just can't stand the idea of men abusing women like that." Because of my past. God, I need to breathe. "I'm not exactly offering you friendship but I don't wish to wage a war between us." I'm hoping and praying he doesn't decide to hit the wall again. I watch him with my teary eyes and he visibly softens, exhaling harshly as he sifts his fingers through his hair, looking away while he silently deliberates. His scintillating gaze averts back on me one last time before he exits the room.

***

I wake up to the morning sun beaming through the window. A soulful Sunday is probably what I need. I don't waste another minute and begin my day after doing my bed. After doing the laundry for the next hour and a quick shower, I find myself looking forward to exploring the city.

There's nothing a little make up can't fix, even if it's pale face and baggy eyes. I throw into a yellow shell top and a pair of denims after binding my hair into a bun and head outside. I also talk to my mother for a while; it's a bittersweet feeling because I can't tell her what I've been through since she left and she sees right through my lies-if this isn't an epic struggle, I don't know what is. She also tells me about Nate, my best friend is back in town while I'm away in Seattle. My mother always wanted to set us up but Nate and I consider one another as family which is why it never worked out that way. The mention of his name instantly brightens my day. Perhaps I should meet him while he is around.

Strolling through the campus mindlessly, I find my phone buzzing in my purse and I fish it out immediately, groaning to the caller I.D on my home screen. I swear I could've lived my whole life without this. "Father," I answer the line coolly after mentally debating over my response.

"Meet me over lunch today." he demands from the other end of the line and I scowl at my phone.

"I can't."

"I'll text you the address."

"Did you...can you hear me?" Why am I even enduring this royal pain?

"We need to talk." I ignore the insistence in his voice.

"Okay, why can't it be over the call?" I've never been so confused.

"I'll be waiting, Jessica." The line goes dead with his admonishing tone and I hold back an urge to throw this thing and stomp on it. I instantly receive the details of his address and amble out to catch a bus.

The destination is considerably far away but the bus ride helped. My father decided to meet me over lunch in a fancy hotel. Why am I not surprised?

Pushing passed the double doors, I make my way to his floor and knock on the door tentatively. It opens revealing my father in his flawlessly tailored suit. His eyes are as grey as mine with blond hair; both of my parents have grey eyes coincidentally but they are beautiful in their own ways; my father looks better with luxury on his side. He closes the door and splits into a charming smile. "How are you darling? Do you find this place interesting?" If he knew just how interesting this place has been for me, I roll my eyes at the thought.

"You're not very good with the pep talk, so just cut to the chase." A huge part of me loathes him and it always will. "Why the bad mood?" He saunters to the console table in the room and fixes himself a glass of Armagnac while I can't help but wonder why it's always been like this. Why doesn't he know how to be a father? My mother always forced me to drop pies on his doorstep on Thanksgiving holidays, regardless of my protests, partially because she was also curious about his lifestyle, besides, she always wanted me to have my father. What she fails to accept is that my father left the both of us that night.

My patience starts to wear thin as he enjoys his drink for good long ten minutes in silence. "I thought you had something you wanted to say." I break the silence and I look at him questioningly.

"I have a little something for you for making it to the college."

"You do?" I wish I could sound thrilled about this but I don't, I can't.

"I'm so happy for you Jessie, so proud of you to make to one of the best colleges."

"Mm-hmm. I'm sure you are." I fake a smile and he looks away. "You know what? I don't need your pearl necklace or diamond studs." I bite out icily, "You left us for all this?" I throw my arms in the air exasperatedly, "You checking up on me would've done the job just fine but no...you have to over-compensate me with your riches." I feel sorry for my mother and myself.

His eyes shift with remorse, torment and embarrassment as he glances at me and I rub my upper arms to soothe myself. He draws a maroon leather box out of his pocket of jacket and places it on the table in front of me. I ignore it. "Go ahead, don't be shy." he coaxes. Terrance Dawson and his exorbitant gifts. "It's just a gift for my daughter." Right.

Sighing, I take the box into my shaky hands and flip it open, gasping to find a...key? He has gone a little too far this time.

"Is this..." I hope it isn't. "I know you need a car when you go to college like UWC." Oh God, it is.

"I can't accept it." I assert quickly and place it back on the table.

"Don't be ridiculous." he snorts, "darling you'll need it." How does he know that I do? I know I need one desperately but what does this supposed to mean? He just dropped a freaking car on my lap.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" I can't help but inquire.

"Honey, you have to know that what I did was never meant to hurt you."

"But it did." I say point blank and he sighs.

"When I left your mother-"

"You left me too." I interject placidly, unable to bear the pain of his words cutting right through me.

"Look, I want to be here for you Jessica, your parents' differences shouldn't affect you. Let me prove it." Whoa. He manages to sound so convincing. "I've made a terrible mistake. I shouldn't have left you like that." If this weren't happening right in front of me, I wouldn't have believed a word of it. "Will you give me another chance?"

What should I say? A little girl in me always wanted her father and he is right here, finally owning up to the past and trying. Should I? What would mother think? I decide to flip the subject. "But I don't know where you live." I grumble softly and beams, handing me his visiting card.

"Thank you, Darling." He kisses my temple quickly and I shove the card in my purse. "Let's have brunch together."

****

An Audi wasn't what I was expecting. It's sleek and perfect on the road.

Father asked me not to over think, easy for him to say. I wish it weren't so weird with everything but I'm glad I gave him another chance, because, well everyone deserves one.

The brunch felt like old times, we finally bonded over and made some amendments. Oddly, I'd like to do this more often. 

~~~~

Hello Reader! Thank you for reading. I will make the necessary changes. 

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