Agony Aunt

Chapter Two

I opened the door and stepped out of the administration building of the university. A gush of the cold, September wind engulfed me and I wished that I had worn a scarf today. The residue chill crept down my spine and I shivered. 

I had just been to pick up my new schedule for this year and classes didn't start until next Monday. Today was only Wednesday so that left me time to conclude my internship at the magazine. 

Classes for the journalism department had started a couple of days ago and the editor-in-chief had asked me to stop by this week. Since I was already on campus I decided to make my way over to the other building. 

I flung the strap of my bag over my shoulder and pulled my jacket a bit closer to my body. Just as I had stepped down onto the connecting path I heard my phone ring and I pulled it out of my pocket to see Rowan's name flash on the screen. 

It had been nine days since I had moved out, nine days since Lilly and I had that conversation about the possibility of Nathan and myself being friends with added extras. I, of course, immediately asked Rowan for her advice since I had spoken with her about this before. 

She told me not to think too much about it and act on what my body wanted. Well, that was easier said than done. My body wanted to feel skin-on-skin contact, it wanted to feel the pleasure elicited by two bodies grinding together in unison. I wanted to experience kisses that fired up the pit of lust in my stomach and touches that left a burning ache in their wake. 

"Hey, Ro," I tried to place the thought of what it would feel like to have Nathan's body against mine out of my mind. 

"Alice, what are you doing? You sound out of breath," Rowan queried. 

"It's really cold out here," I eye-rolled, not that she could see me. "I'm on campus and I'm walking over to the newspaper." 

"Oh, of course, you are," I heard the playfulness in her voice. 

"What else would I be doing?" My eyes fixated on the cracked paving slabs as I walked and talked. 

"Exactly. What else would you be doing since you haven't propositioned Nathan yet." 

"What am I supposed to say to him? Hey, Nath, can I borrow your erection?" 

I heard laughter emit from the other side of the phone just as someone that was nearer my vicinity coughed. My gaze flickered up and I spotted a man walking in front of me. He must have felt my eyes burn into the back of his head because he peeked over his shoulder at me. 

His emerald crystals locked with my eyes and a toothy grin formed on his face, my frosty cheeks burnt with embarrassment. The stranger quickly turned away and picked up his pace, soon enough he was far ahead of me. 

"Alice? Are you still there?" 

"Oh god, someone just heard that," I groaned into my phone and more laughter was immediately heard from Rowan. "It's not funny!"

"It's hilarious." 

"What's hilarious?" Aidan's voice popped up through the speaker. 

"Nothing. I'm talking to your sister about something personal," Rowan informed him. 

"Are you at the bar now because once I'm finished up here I'll grab my laptop from home and then I'll be around."

"Yeah, we are. I'll see you in about an hour then?" 

"I'll be there," I smiled to myself and hung up the phone. 

Both Riley and I had developed a close relationship with Rowan over the summer, she had been there any time I wanted to talk about my anxiety or vent my frustrations. Rowan had been an ear to listen, a heart to advise and a shoulder to lean on.