In Love with a Jackal

5.

I had just finished writing a lengthy excuse to the professor why I hadn't done jack shit this morning and was about to head for lunch when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned and found Antoine leaning over me, motioning for me to take out my headphones. I did as he asked and tried hard to play it cool.

Sandy blond hair and soft blue eyes, Antoine was like an oasis in a desert; a dream come true.

He was an international student like me, coming from a small town at the cote d'Azur, where his parents owned a vineyard. He specialized on the Minoan civilization with a minor in Greek art, so we had bonded right at the beginning of the programm.

I knew he liked sailing, white wine and long walks on the beach at sunset.

Ok, the last thing was more of a figment of my imagination, but there was a big chance he did.

Truth is I kind of had a crush on him, but we had become to good of friends, that I was scared of ruining it with unwanted feelings.

"What is it?" I asked him with a faint smile.

"Carrie texted me saying someone was looking for you downstairs at the info point."

My happy smile morphed into obvious confusion. I hadn't expected anyone and it's not like I knew anybody outside of university anyway. So who the hell would come looking for me that wasn't already here?

"do you know who?" I asked.

Antoine shook his head, "She just said you weren't answering her messages and that I should come get you."

I grabbed my phone and wallet and got up from my desk. Antoine quickly grabbed his own backpack from his chair and we both left the office together.

We were halfway to the big winding staircase that led down to the foyer when a figure in a blue hoodie, shorts and sandals came up the stairs towards us. As they got closer, the figure became more and more familiar until realization finally hit me and I froze on the spot. No doubt he was the person who must have been looking for me downstairs.

"So you still want to go to lunch after or..." Antoine stopped talking when he noticed I was no longer walking beside him. He looked at me with a confused smile and then turned back to see what I was staring at so intently.

Having now recognized me too, Anubis waved before exclaiming down the corridor, " Tina, I've finally found you!"

As Anubis came closer, Antoine's smile slowly melted off his face,

"Isn't that my sweater? " he mumbled, looking back at me oddly.

I felt the color drain from my face.
"Thanks so much for getting me," I said to Antoine, quickly deciding it was best if nobody I knew met Anubis, "I know you're busy, so you don't have to stick around."

I had already started pushing Antoine in the opposite direction of Anubis when a tall guy, with light brown hair and dark eyes, suddenly came out of the men's bathroom next to us.

And that guy happened to be goddamn Carlisle.

Ugh.

At first Carlisle ignored us in his normal condescending fashion, but when he set eyes on Anubis, I physically watched recognition hit his face. The big grin he quickly acquired after, made me curse my rotten luck for the next eight centuries.

"Hello there!" Carlisle hollered at Anubis, at the same time blocking Antoine and me from leaving, "Aren't you Tina's legendary fiancee?"

At the last word Antoine went rigid and his feet were suddenly rooted to the floor. That gave Anubis enough time to catch up with us and soon I was surrounded by three handsome men (don't tell Carlisle I said that), two of which looked at the third like he was a pig who had just sprouted wings.
The pig with wings on the other hand, flat out ignored the both of them.

"Tina," Anubis said with a sense of urgency, "there has been a major change of plans, you must come with me immediately." He stretched out a hand towards me but was instantly intercepted by Antoine, who turned his grip around and made Anubis shake his hand instead. Tension instantly rippled between them.

"Nice to finally meet you, I'm Antoine," he said his voice not as friendly as usual, "Mind you telling me your name? Tina barely talks about you."

Anubis, who had only just acknowledged his existence, appeared a bit confused by the action. He glanced between me and Antoine a few times and then suddenly his confusion dissapated and his lips for some reason formed a faint 'oh'.

He was about to say something when Carlisle beat him to it.

"And while we're at it, I'm Carlisle." he said stretching out a hand in his direction, "I didn't get to introduce myself last night at the lab but it was far from appropriate, I mean you were barely wrapped in what, a towel? " he laughed at the end like it was meant to be funny and not utterly embarrassing.

Antoine's eyes widened on the word 'towel' and I felt like melting into a puddle on the floor. Only Anubis appeared unfazed by the obvious jab at him. He simply grasped Carlisle's offered hand and shook it, happily telling him,

"Yes yes, the pleasure is all yours." Anubis let go again, wiped his fingers clean on his pant leg and then curtly added, "Now leave."

Dumbstruck by his bluntness, Carlisle stared down at his hand and I felt my soul leave my body.

To make it worse, Anubis then pointed at Antoine, who mind you hadn't moved since 'towel', and instructed, "Take this guy with you too, right now I don't have time for romantic jealousy-ow!"

Before he could finish his sentence, I grabbed Anubis by the hand, digging my nails into his palm to make him shut up.
Knowing it was time to pull the Emergency brake, I quickly stammered,
"We've got to go, I'll see you later!" before turning and dragging Anubis down the hallway behind me.