The Secret Trinity Unearth (5 page)

When I walked in the door I clutched onto my backpack, like it was a life vest saving me from drowning. I was careful to look straight ahead, acutely aware of the fact that simultaneously a hundred pairs of eyes from the left of the room shot in my direction. Crap! I should not have bothered to wear blush. I knew my cheeks had turned beet red, now matching my t-shirt.

Not only was everyone staring at me, the tardy student, but this classroom was set up in levels, in a sharp inclined theatre-style over my left shoulder, making me center stage. What was I thinking wearing red. I should have worn gray to blend in with the room. I might as well have strapped on a target for school today.

The female professor, who looked to be in her early forties, was standing behind a muted gray desk in front of the expansive chalk board that lined the wall opposite the students, who were, by the way, still staring at ME! Thankfully she gave me a sympathetic smile.

“Welcome, we were just about to begin roll call. Please find an open seat.” She gestured her hand toward the students, and I set my eyes on the floor, nodding obediently.

I lifted my eyes reluctantly as I climbed the levels, trying to find a spot. The room was not very big compared to the massive lecture halls in other buildings, but I was feeling anxious, and I felt eyes burning through me as I scanned the room. I struggled to find an empty chair. The class seemed to be full from end to end.

As I walked up the steps scanning the aisles, the knot tightened in my already twisted stomach. If I had to call out to the teacher in front of everyone that I could not find a seat, the heat from their stares would surely burn me to ashes from the inside out.

I slowly turned to the front to face the professor. My tongue felt dry in my mouth. I swallowed hard, and just as I was about to cave, I heard someone from behind.

“Psst. Psst.” It was a low tone, but it caught my attention enough to look back. In the very last row on the back wall, an extremely good looking guy was discreetly waving me over. He looked as though he had all the time in the world to get ready this morning.

A bashful smile spread over my face, and once again I bowed my head down concentrating on the steps. If I tripped on the stairs in front of all these peers, at that point, I would have no choice but to drop the class.

When I reached the top row, he was sitting in the aisle seat with his backpack occupying the chair next to him. Keeping his attention forward, he picked up the backpack as he moved into its place and gestured his hand to take his aisle seat.

I realized I had been holding my breath staring at him. I relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. Thank god he was saving me the embarrassment of trying to climb over him in a skirt. As quietly as I could I sat down, letting my backpack lean against the chair in front of me. I turned and mouthed “thank you” to my hero of the day.

With that, he looked at me and mouthed back “you’re welcome,” flashing a gorgeous white smile. My breath caught in my throat. He quickly redirected his attention forward, but I was frozen, staring at him. He was even more handsome up close.

“Aria Darwin…do we have an Aria Darwin here?” The professor called out my name from below. I was so distracted by my neighbor I had barely heard her.

“Hmm, sorry what?” I said, abruptly turning my head forward reacting to my name. Our eyes met and she squinted at me confused.

“Does that mean you are Aria Darwin?” Her tone had turned slightly annoyed.

Great, she was already on the D’s in roll call, and my space cadet behavior had become evident on the first day. In my experience teachers did not like it when their students daydreamed during class instead of listening.

“Oh. Yes, present.” Trying to recover too quickly, the words had come bumbling out of my mouth and low snickers echoed through the lecture hall. The professor moved on and I sunk into my seat hoping I could disappear into it altogether.

When I leaned back, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed my breathtaking neighbor was failing to suppress a grin. He must have realized that he was the reason I had been mentally preoccupied. I had officially hit my humiliation threshold for the day and the next forty seven minutes dragged on into an eternity.

Chapter 8: Tongue-Tied

The first day of school had gotten off to a rocky start. On Tuesday I made sure not to hit the snooze button again. My classes on Tuesday were all dance classes which went much more smoothly than my embarrassing catastrophe in Music Appreciation.

I waited anxiously for my second chance, and today I made the extra effort to get up early, blow dry and straighten my hair. I did not want to look like I was trying too hard, so I kept my make-up simple. I argued in my head that I wanted to look nice in order to make up for my poor first impression with the class. If I was being honest with myself, it was all for one particular classmate, but I preferred denial.

What was I doing? It had only been a few days since I made the pact with the girls and I was already getting glammed up for some random guy. I need therapy. I told myself it would only be for today; it was consistent with my growing denial. I arrived at the lecture hall early. There was hardly anyone there. I took a seat in the same spot as Monday and waited anxiously.

After our initial roll call on Monday, Professor Barklin passed around a seating chart to fill in and told us that we would remain in those seats for the rest of the semester. That announcement had given me an excited rush of butterflies. I remained in denial about why I had that reaction.

Consumed by my thoughts, I was suddenly jerked back to reality by someone tapping on my shoulder. Ouch, I winced; my bruises still hurt. I scrunched up my face and clutched my shoulder as I looked up. Meeting his gaze, there he stood, Liam McKenna.

When the seating chart was passed around, I had made a mental note of his name while kicking myself for doing so. He was not smiling at me today. His dark eyes were filled with confusion as he spoke to me for the first time.

“My apologies. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just trying to get your attention. I am sor--” “Oh, no, no.” I cut him off before he could finish.

“You didn’t hurt me. My shoulder is just sore. Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.” I shrugged it off and gave him a small smile to hide my inner frown.

Great, I think I am officially zero for two on making a good impression. He was staring at me in silence as if trying to communicate a non-verbal message. After standing over me for few moments, the air became awkward but I couldn’t think of anything to say. I just sat there staring at him like an idiot as my whole body buzzed with nervous butterflies. Finally Liam broke the tension.

“Do you mind if I take a seat then?” Liam asked as he looked at my knees blocking the path to his seat.

Duh, that is what he was getting at, “Of course, sorry, go ahead!” My apology came out too loud echoing in the room, drawing some eyes in our direction. Zero for three.

I hugged my knees up to my chest and shook my head, mentally chastising myself for not picking up on a simple social queue. Quick, I needed to recover.

“I’m just a little out of sorts today. Sorry.” That was lame. I should have just kept my mouth shut for the rest of the semester. I tried to ignore the tingling sensation that shot through my body as his legs lightly brushed the ends of my toes when he passed. As he sat down, he looked at me with a crooked grin.

“Aye, from what I have seen, I guess most days you’re out of sorts.”

It was the first time I realized he had a light Irish accent. I was so engulfed in my shame that I had not even noticed he had an accent. He caught me off guard, and I did not know how to respond to his sarcasm.

I bit my lower lip, shrugged my shoulders, and looked at him with a nervous expression that was not hard to fake at this point. His pearly white smile gleamed at me. Could I have possibly come off as charming, or was his smile mocking me?

The room had filled and Professor Barklin began her lecture on music scales. I made it a point to pay attention during class. I could not have another day like Monday.

The task proved difficult. My mind was very aware that there was a handsome Irish guy with a sense of humor merely inches away. My stomach churned with nervous butterflies. I could not believe this was happening. I couldn’t have a crush already! As the lecture wrapped up, I quickly gathered my things and rushed out the door without looking back.

When I got outside, I took in several gulps of air, as if I had just come up from holding my breath under water. If Liam had this effect on me while sitting in silence a few inches away, I was in serious trouble.

I started walking toward my dorm. I needed some breakfast to settle my stomach. I was taking my time walking since I had a few hours until my English class. It was a bright sunny day, but my mood was gloomy. I felt frustrated with myself and my pathetically weak will power.

I stopped on the sidewalk taking in my surroundings, looking for breakfast places. I turned to face the store fronts, and in my peripheral vision I could see someone running toward me waving something in the air.

I immediately recognized the handsome face. Liam was half a block away coming right for me. I looked at him wide eyed as he approached. My stomach dipped when a warm smile crossed his face.

“I believe this belongs to you lass?” He held out his hand. In his palm was my cell phone.

“Oh my god. Thank you so much. My Mom would have killed me. This would have been the third phone I lost this year. Where did you find this?” I groaned in my head.

Why did I admit to that? He already thought I was an unfocused mess, but I didn’t know what else to say. He made me tongue-tied. The corner of his dark grey eyes creased upward. I think he knew he made me nervous.

“Well Aria, I happened to find it on the floor under your seat as I was gathering my things. You must have dropped it when you bolted from class.”

I took the phone out of his hand and intensely studied the sidewalk, afraid to meet his gaze. He remembered my name. I was feeling dizzy trying hard to keep my breath even.

“I didn’t bolt. I was just hungry for breakfast and I have blood sugar issues.” The lie did not sound at all convincing, even to me. Blood sugar issues, what was I talking about? I needed to end this uncomfortable exchange. I had become more unglued than usual.

His grin turned crooked again, “Ah, blood sugar issues, that explains it.” He was mocking my sorry attempt at lying.

“May I buy you breakfast then? If you faint on me I would feel responsible for making you tardy for your next class. Although…I would not mind seeing some rose return to your cheeks.” He chided playfully with an undercurrent of concern.

He was probably right about my cheeks. The moment he suggested we dine together, I felt all the blood drain from my face. I thought I might faint, not from hunger but from the shocking turn this conversation has taken.

I looked at him blinking rapidly in surprise. Was he serious? I had made such a fool of myself. I instantly wanted to vigorously nod yes to his proposition, however, I thought a guy buying me breakfast would definitely breach my pact with the girls.

“Um, that is really sweet, but I can buy my own breakfast. You could join me if you want.” It just fell out of my mouth. I clenched my lips shut trying to hide the surprise of my own words. I could not have breakfast with him. Quick, say something clever. I willed my brain to think but nothing materialized.

“You know, just as friends, not like a date or anything.” Shut up, shut up, shut up! I screamed in my head.

I decided that if I said one more stupid thing, I would jump into the manhole I had been eyeing in the street and escape underground forever. I was stunned when he started to laugh and then looked down at me with a flirtatious grin.

“Alright friend, how about we pop in the café over there.” Liam said pointing across the street to a coffee shop.

I simply nodded and started walking. If I looked at him now, the little will power I had left would be shattered. He probably just wanted to know what it is like to dine with a crazy person.

Chapter 9: New Energy

We sat at a table for two next to the window and a waitress sporting a short green apron took our order. The menu was minimal, so I chose scrambled eggs with a fruit cup and toast. Liam ordered a cheese omelet.

“I’ll be right back with your lattes,” she muttered as she scribbled our orders on her pad and disappeared into the kitchen. We were alone.

I looked out the window not knowing how to begin. Thankfully he made the first move. The flirtatious grin reappeared on his face as he leaned forward and stuck out his hand.

“How rude of me. I have not formally introduced myself to my new friend. Hello, I am Liam McKenna.”

I decided to play along, “Hi, Aria Darwin, pleased to meet you.” I took his hand in mine, and gave it a firm shake.

The moment our palms touched, a pulse of energy coursed through me so intensely I almost gasped. My eyes went wide with shock, and he looked down at our hands with an expression I didn’t understand.

Trying to hide the astonishment on my face over the sensation of his touch, I pulled away gently, hopefully coming off as casual and attempting to ignore what his contact had done to my stomach. My whole body buzzed and I was feeling faint.

What the hell was that? I had never felt anything like that before in my life, not even when I had levitated. I gulped hard wondering if he felt it too. My breathing had become irregular when he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, watching me. He looked at me slowly from head to toe and I fidgeted in my seat.

A cloud of dread steamed over me now, dripping soggy drops down my spine as the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. This poor, regular Joe, had no idea what was going on. He unknowingly was having breakfast with a freak of nature who could defy gravity, and apparently, could pulse energy through other people, or whatever that was…

After what felt like a lifetime of silence, Liam leaned onto the table and laced his fingers together, “So, tell me Aria...” Oh no. He’s going to ask what just happened, and I didn’t have a clue. I eyed the door ready to bolt.