Jade
"I think all jocks have a sensitive side. It's just, will they show it to anybody?" - Channing Tatum
"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
Everything was in confusion in the Oblonskys' house. The wife had discovered that the husband was carrying on an intrigue with a French girl, who had been a governess in their family, and she had announced to her husband that she could not go on living in the same house with him. This position of affairs had now lasted three days, and not only the husband and wife themselves, but all the members of their family and household, were painfully conscious of it. Every person in the house felt that there was no sense in their living together, and that the stray people brought together by chance in any inn had more in common with one another than they, the members of the family and household of the Oblonskys. The wife did not leave her own room, the husband had not been at home for three days. The children ran wild all over the house; the English governess quarreled with the housekeeper, and wrote to a friend asking her to look out for a new situation for her; the man-cook had walked off the day before just at dinner time; the kitchen-maid, and the coachman had given warning." (Tolstoy. Chapter 1.)
Just like that, a family, a home was destroyed. It just takes one cheating asshole.
"What language is that?" Someone asks right next to my ear, bringing me out of my own little world and scaring me half to death.
"OH MY GOSH! ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK?!" I yell and turn to glare at the offending person crouched behind me. I place a hand above my racing heart. Jeez, it's about to explode.
The man falls back on his ass, startled by my reaction. "What did you ask?" I take a deep breath and ask again, trying to be nicer this time.
"Umm.. I asked 'What language is that?'" the man repeats, chuckling at my reaction.
"What, this?" Holding up the thick, tattered book, I answer, "this is in Russian. It's Tolstoy's Anna Karenina."
He eyes me curiously with a smirk before asking what the book is about.
"It shows how relationships and lives can be destroyed with jealousy, and how caring what society thinks impacts people and their relationships. My mom brought it from Ukraine a few years back from her family home." I say and look down at the book, longingly. A sudden rush of sadness overtakes me as I remember my mother and the beautiful memories we had.
"Must be some book for you to be so engrossed in it," he says, snapping me out of my thoughts. A smirk plays on his lips, and it's then I notice how attractive he is. His short, blonde hair is spiked up, and his cologne is intoxicating. His hulking figure is crouched next to me and makes me wonder how tall he really is to have him still towering over me. Shit, he's cute and I'm embarrassing myself. Seriously, is he like some model? And am I seriously blushing right now? Get a grip, woman!
"... is about." Oh shit was he still talking?! I was too distracted by how hot it suddenly got and missed what he said. Shit shit shit. "Hello?? You there?" He chuckles again and waves his hand in front of my face.
"Sorry, what were you saying?" I unfold my crossed legs and extend them out as I lean back on my hands. Displaying my most charming smile, I notice his eyes travel down to my chest where it's barely covered with a tight, summer tank top. It's his turn to zone out. What? Can't a girl use nature's gift sometimes? After all, it was a gift; why should I let it go to waste. Plus, I'm pretty sure he's already flirted with three other girls and all before lunch. I'm just playing what I'm pretty sure is his game.
Clearing his throat and coming back to reality, he repeats what I previously zoned out on. "I was saying, why don't you tell me more about these things called ... booksss…" He jokingly drags out the last word as if the word feels like something foreign and odd on his tongue. Laughing to himself and extending his hand to shake, he says "I'm Nathan. My fraternity is throwing a party tonight at Kappa Sigma. You should come, and you could tell me all about this fascinating and alien thing." He points at the thick book on my lap, his flirty smile returning.
"Hmmm." Slowly, I drag my eyes from his honey blonde hair to his broad shoulders arms and down to his toned legs teasingly. "Sure thing, right after I finish my book." I smirk and lay back, open my book, and pretend to read. Glancing back up a few seconds later, I see him still staring at me with a goofy smile.
Can't he take a hint? "Don't you have football practice or something? What is it that you jocks do in your free time?" I ask sarcastically.
"A football jock?!" Nathan gasps and fakes being insulted. I smile slightly, thinking it's kind of cute. " We're actually called professional athletes, you know. And how do you know I play football? The season hasn't even started yet.. Wait, are you a fan of mine?" he asked jokingly.
"Well, call me stereo typical, but you have a jock vibe around you," I say, sitting back up, abandoning my book. "You know, with your gelled hair, track pants, and big muscles. Clearly, you're sporty." Grinning up at him, I hear his throaty chuckle. Jeez, if I was standing, my knees would give out. "Also, I noticed that the half-hidden tattoo on your left bicep is a number '14' and a football, but you can call it a lucky guess if you want."
His face is a mix of shock and a bit of awe. Then he throws his head back and lets out a booming laugh. "Just wow. Did I hear you say big muscles? A woman after my own heart" He quips, flexing his biceps and kisses each one.
"So, the only thing you heard me say was that you have big muscles" I reply, laughing heartily. When I stop laughing, I notice he's gone silent, his eyes full of amusement and locked with mine. Why is he staring at me like that? I start feeling a bit self conscious and look down to check my phone. "SHIT! OH NO! SHIT SHIT! I'M LATE!" Startling him, I jump up and grab my phone and half eaten bag of chips. "Sorry, I have to go! I'm late!"
"What the hell; where are you going?! HEY WAIT! I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME!" Nate shouts after me, but it's too late. I'm already running across campus towards the dining hall.
A few minutes later, I run into the building. Panting and out of breath, I frantically look around until I spot a couple of people in the back corner packing up paperwork into boxes. I jog up to them and ask, "Excuse me, is this where the interviews are being held? I noticed a sign earlier today that the dining hall is hiring."
The woman to my right doesn't even spare me a glance when she answers. "You're late. We're done for the day."
"I'm sorry, I got held up dealing with something at the admissions office," I lie. "There's no way you can make an exception?"
"No, the positions have already been filled with people that made it here on time." The man helping with cleaning up answers rudely as he turns away from me to continue what he was doing.
There's no need to be so rude. I turn away dejectedly. Most of the campus positions have been filled already, and this job was something I know I could have done. What am I going to do now? I'm on my last few hundred bills and I still need to pay for my classes when I enroll next week. I head back to my dorm trying to think of where I could find a job. Maybe I should try going downtown to see if I could find anyone hiring. I might have better luck there.
I'm lost in my thoughts when a realization hits me. I start jogging towards my spot by the lagoon, hoping it's still there. However, when I arrive, the book my mom gave me is no longer here. A wave of sorrow washes over me, replacing my panic. How can I be so stupid! I can't believe I left it behind. It's the last thing I have of my mom's. This is so not my day. A fat, hot tear rolls down my cheek and I swipe at it irritably. Maybe Nate noticed it and grabbed it before he left?I really hope so. He's my last hope for finding my precious book, and I desperately want to find it.
I remember Nate mentioned he's having a frat party tonight so maybe I can find him there. With a renewed sense of purpose and hope, I head to my dorm to get ready for tonight.