ROSE POV

I can't sleep.

I feel awake, alive, buzzing.

And so I climb out of the single bed and walk across the threadbare carpet of my private dorm. I grab my tanned leather jacket from the back of the chair, give a dark look to the big stack of library books on my desk, and head out into the corridor.

I tiptoe down the hallway - careful not to wake any of the other students - and slip into the stairway. As I do I'm sure I hear the click of another door closing down the corridor behind me. I pause, peer through the little window in the door, see nothing but shadows, shrug, and head down the stairs.

When I get outside I take a moment to feel the cool air brushing against my face. It's the summer semester and even at night the breeze brings with it all of its scents; pine, flowers, suntan lotion, the memory of grilled burgers. I don't know why but my senses seem so attuned to everything right now. Like everything before was just a dream.

I feel a grin spreading across my face.

Well, I'm awake now.

I start to walk the dark path through the grassy area that leads across campus. I'm heading to the place I always head to – the place where I'm sure I can get the answers I so badly desire. Tall trees line either side of it and the walkway is littered with debris from them plus the odd soda can. I pick one up and toss it into the nearest trash can.

Behind me I hear the snap of a twig.

I spin around.

There's no one there.

Yet I feel it– the burn in my skin, the prickle in my neck. There are eyes watching me.

Slowly I turn back around and continue my night time walk. Now I'm consciously listening though – waiting for any sign that I'm not alone.

It comes in the sound of a footprint.

I stop, my eyes still fixed straight ahead.

"I know you're there."

Silence.

Then...

"You do, do you?"

A male voice. There's amusement in it, arrogance too. It stirs a feeling inside of me that I cannot place.

I turn around.

Stood about a metre away from me is a guy, shrouded in shadow. He's tall – just over six foot, I'd say. What looks like a leather jacket hangs casually open from his broad shoulders.

"Don't be that guy," I say.

"What guy?"

I raise an eyebrow.

"That creepy stalker that lurks in the shadows guy."

He doesn't move for a moment. Then he takes a step out from the shadow of the nearest tree and into the flickering light beaming down from one of the path lamps.

And I know him.

A tsunami of familiarity sweeps over me. My stomach clenches, my breath gets caught in my throat.

I know this guy.

Except I don't. I can't.

I've never seen him before in my life.

Yet I know him.

My heart is beating fast, my skin is on fire.

And I don't know why my body is reacting this way.

"Everything OK?" he says.

A smirk plays about his lips and his green eyes are watchful. It's like he knows what's going on inside of me.

"Do I know you?" I ask.

Amusement passes across his expression and he shakes his head. The movement ruffles his dark hair.

"Doubtful. I've just started here."

"This late in the year?"

"Transferred."

We hold each other's gazes, neither of us blinking, an unspoken challenge. Then I shrug.

"Whatever."

"I'm sorry," he says. "If I scared you."

"You didn't."

"Well – I'm sorry I came across as a creepy stalker that lurks in the shadows guy...I wasn't following you. Honest."

He gives me what he clearly thinks is a charming smile. I fold my arms and raise an eyebrow in question.

"I couldn't sleep," he says. "And there's a creepy old house on the edge of campus that I came across earlier today – I thought I'd go check it out."

I frown.

"Creepy old house?"

Something dances about his irises.

"Yeah, you know it?"

"Yes..." I say.

That is where I was heading to.

I frown.

"Are you sure you weren't following me?"

He raises his arms in mock surrender.

"Swear it. I'm Jack, by the way."

He takes a step towards me, bringing with him his scent of light aftershave, leather and the faintest smell of beer. He extends a big hand towards me for me to shake. I look at it then sigh.

"Eleanor, Eleanor Rose," I say. "But my friends call me Rose."

I take his hand. I feel his warmth and roughness as it encloses around mine. Another wave of some hidden emotion passes through me – I feel like I've touched this hand before.

The smile falls from his face as he slowly shakes my hand. His expression is suddenly serious – there is no trace of his earlier humour. And as he takes a step closer I notice things I don't normally notice in a guy's face – the light stubble, the tension in his jaw, the smudges under his eyes, the thickness of his eyelashes.

The sadness in his eyes.

"Rose," he whispers.

My name falls out of his mouth and there's pain, and relief, and familiarity, and something unidentifiable behind it. And weirdly, with his hand still clasped tightly mine, I feel those feelings too.

Even though I have no reason to.

It weirds me out.

I pull away, wrenching my hand out of his.

Then I give him a half smile.

"I said my friends call me Rose."

And the amusement suddenly breaks back out onto his face.

"OK, your ladyship it is then," he says. "Well, now the introductions are out of the way, perhaps you'd like to accompany me on the walk to the house?"

I swallow my irritation and shake my head.

Why does he have to be going there? That's where I wanted to go.

"No...I think I'm just going to head back."

He shrugs, his green eyes glinting.

"Your loss."

He holds my gaze for a moment longer then walks past me down the path.

"See you around, Rose," he says without looking back.

"Yeah...bye..."

I watch him for a few moments then head over the grass to another path – keen to continue on my night time walk but changing my destination. I'll head to the house on the edge of campus another time.

When I'm alone.

I look over my shoulder once more to the path Jack has taken.

Why does he seem so familiar?

Then I shake my head, dispelling him from my mind.