Whatever It Takes

01 || petals.

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The first thing I think of as my eyes fly open is bloody murder.

While I'm usually normal enough and not homicidal, my alarm clock is making the most ungodly noise I've heard in all my nineteen years of existence, and I all want is for it to stop. I debate going to the storage closet for a hammer to smash the snooze button into oblivion.

Oh, screw it.

I groan into my pillow and slap my hand over my clock to shut it off and toss away my bed covers, wondering why my last two brain cells chose to attend morning classes at the University of Washington. In my freshman year no less.

It's 8:02 AM, meaning I have approximately twenty minutes to get ready and go to my first class of the day. I've never been late, considering the professors don't even take attendance, but the amount of time I have to prepare for the day, in any case, would probably horrify the majority of girls at the college.

I hear a muffled rustling from my roommate, Fleur's bed, and I can see with all too much clarity that yes, there is a boy in her bed, and yes, he is shirtless. He's draped over her in a way that has to be crushing her bones because he is literally enormous.

Someone save my virgin eyes.

Climbing down my bunk, I quietly scooch past them and toss on a sweatshirt and a pair of leggings - praying that it looks decent enough - and head to the private bathroom. I live in a triple room with another roommate besides Fleur, aka Lyla, and this is just one of the perks.

When I look into the mirror, my reflection stares back at me with dark shadows beneath my eyes, and I splash water onto my face to wipe all traces of grogginess away. My hair is long and untamed, and I opt to tie it up for lack of time.

"Shoot," I mutter, noticing the clock. I'm officially going to be late if I don't get there in about five minutes.

I sling my backpack over my shoulder, hastily slipping my feet into sandals. It's cold enough for the wind to bite at my skin, but I don't really have the means to care.

I sprint out Alder hall towards the Department of English, barely making it into the amphitheater-esque classroom. The room is almost entirely full, and I eye a seat towards the back corner that surprisingly, hasn't been taken yet, and make my way towards it.

I take a seat and pull out my precious baby, my brand-new laptop just bought for my nineteenth birthday. A gift from my father that was shipped in from Amazon because at the time, he was away on an important business trip. I smile at the memory of him.

The professor picks up his lecture from where we left off last time in the key to the prose of a poem. To be fairly honest, I don't find lines of pretty adjectives to be particularly interesting but half-heartedly pay attention anyway.

As I'm yawning a few minutes in, a boy plops down in the desk beside me. It's comical how small the table is in comparison to him. He hunches over it almost immediately, placing his head into his cradled arms.

Still typing, I snort in a very unladylike way.

His head whips up at break-neck speed, nostrils flaring at me. I almost flinch. It's the boy from, well, Fleur's latest conquest.

"Do you have a problem?" he mutters, slapping a notebook and pen in front of him.

I find myself interested in his voice alone. It's the type of track I would listen to on repeat at night because it's that soothing and husky. Also soft. He doesn't seem like he talks much.

"No," I lie.

"Then don't laugh at a poor man's lack of sleep."

I look to the side and squint, annoyed - my version of rolling my eyes. I can't believe Fleur would go for a boy like him, though he looks practically like a walking cliche straight out of a typical bad-boy-meets-average-girl book. My eyes trace back to his dark curls falling lopsidedly over his hooded eyes. He has hints of smile lines up and down his face, a wicked jawline, and of course: a body carved from some Greek god's dream.

I feel like just looking at him is some sort of invasion of space, especially since I'm a "nun" according to both of my roommates. Let's be honest, high school boys aren't all that good-looking even after puberty. But him? It's really some kind of vision.

"Stop it."

I feel the rush of color to my cheeks against my will. "Stop what?" I ask, feigning surprise.

He sighs as if talking to me is the greatest task he'll have to do today. "Staring at me, what else?"

His lips curl in somewhat of a smile. I frown.

"Look, I know you're just as bored as I am. If you think I'm going to stare at this laptop screen for one full hour you're vastly mistaken," I whisper.

The boy shrugs nonchalantly, lips quirked up again. "You think I'm hot?"

He chuckles, more to himself than me, like he's finding his own question funny.

I almost fling myself over the entire row of desks at his question. I'm finding it hard to believe someone can be both soft-spoken and arrogant. Though, his question has me looking away in embarrassment. "No, of course not," I say.

You know, like a liar.

I continue. "In fact, at this point, I've garnered that you're a prick. And you slept with one of my friends. I don't even know your name."

He gnaws at his bottom lip in consideration. "I'm Cody," he looks at me as if trying to place me. "Wait, are you Thea?"

Suspiciously, I slowly nod. "Yes, but how do you know th-"

"Fleur's my sister. She talks about you sometimes."

My eyes widen in horror and realization. I had no clue Fleur had any siblings, and I can feel my temperature rise about ten degrees. Cody has an amused expression drawn all over his face.

Bewildered, I ask him, "Why were you topless in her bed then?"

"I needed a place to crash after a frat party. I wasn't about to sleep in a soiled shirt."

The people around us are shooting us somewhat dirty looks and really, I can't blame them. We're kind of making a ruckus. The professor, however, is completely oblivious, thank the Lord.

"Okay, buddy, whatever you say," I mumble.

He continues to eye me after our odd exchange, and I can feel his gaze prickling my side, but I ignore him entirely and return to typing my notes.

When the end of class comes, I really think it couldn't come soon enough. I was beyond ready to get out of there.

As I pack up my stuff, I catch the boy looking at me again. Like I've really piqued his interest. It unnerves me, just the slightest bit. We're practically strangers.

I turn to leave the class and feel a tug on my arm. Cody sidles up to me. "Wait, Thea."

I have to strain to hear his voice. It's far quieter than any normal person's volume level.

Brushing his hand off me, I lodge a hand on my hip. "Yeah?"

As if rethinking, he shakes his head. His hair bounces with the movement. "Never mind, actually," he offers me his little smile.

"M'kay then. Well. See you around, I guess."

Cody nods and exits the classroom, heading the opposite direction of me. And honestly, I have no clue what just happened.

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Hi!! hope you enjoyed this chapter. i only know what i want to happen at the end of this story, so don't mind me. this is probably going to be really spontaneous. please please tell me what you think + if you enjoyed.

Love,

                   Crystal xx