Her eyes

Chapter 2

He stopped just in time before he collided with a pretty blonde girl, I had seen her around.

She was always holding court with her friends, a group of equally pretty girls, and guys that looked like they ate three steaks for breakfast where always close by. Fawning over said group. Her in particular.

"Hi, I'm McKenzie Johnson. I bet you're new here. Welcome!" She exclaimed quite loudly If I do say so myself, but I was biased. Because I didn't get to hear whatever Archer was going to say.

"Hey, yes I am" I noticed that Archer hadn't offered his name. Instead he sounded quite clipped.

"I could show you around if you haven't yet had a tour. I know all the best places. And I wouldn't mind!" She wore a sultry smile, even a blind man could see that she was flirting with him, I excepted Archer to just ditch me right then and there. And take her up on her offer. And I wouldn't have blamed him.

He glanced at me and I thought I could see a glimmer of amusement in his cerulean eyes. "Actually, Layla has already offered to do that."

Her eyes rounded a little, as if the last thing she expected was for him to turn down her offer. And I was right there with her. "Who's Layla?".

And que the visible blush "That's Layla." Archer gave a nod towards me with his strong chin. Her eyes scanned me from top to toe. And she did not seem impressed.

I I weighed my options, ultimately thinking it would be more awkward not to say anything, and I couldn't let him continue to speak for me. I was a grown woman and it was time I started acting like it.

"Hi." I gave her a small smile with a wave of my fingers.

She cleared her throat giving me a glare and flat out ignored me before facing Archer once again. "Right, well maybe if you want a tour of the city. You can hit me up." She smiled.

If Archer had been clipped with her earlier, now he looked outwardly annoyed. His eyes had narrowed and his sharp jaw was clenched.

"I'm sure Layla wouldn't mind showing me around the city either. And you're being quite rude by ignoring my company. Maybe I would've been more inclined to take you up on your offer, had you not been as dismissive. Just a heads up." He said.

Archer grabbed my hand that had been hanging loosely by my side. "We'll be going now, goodbye", he pulled me along, and continued walking down the hallway. I was to shocked to say anything. My palms were starting to sweat out of nerves, so I tugged my hand out of his. That seemed to get him out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to put you in that position. But I just can't stand rude and condescending people like her." He sounded sincere. "She would make a great professor at least"

That got a small laugh out of me, "It's okay, I didn't need you to stick up for me. But I appreciate it" this time my smile directed at him wasn't small or practiced.

His eyes brightened, "and I hoped you wouldn't mind actually showing me around the city, that was what I wanted to ask you before we got interrupted."

I myself hadn't seen many parts of the city, with only my anxiety for company I didn't think it would've been a fun outing. But now that I had someone to hang out with, perhaps we could explore together.

"Yeah, that sounds good. But I haven't seen much of it myself. Just so know, so don't be surprised if we end up lost" I smiled.

"Trust me, I wouldn't mind." He chuckled. It sounded like an inside joke, and for a second I thought it may be on my expense. But I decided to ignore that thought.

We finally made our way to the reception and Archer received the help he needed to correctly register to his classes. When that was done, I showed him where those classes were, except for English we didn't have anymore classes together. He told me he was getting a bachelors degree in English because he'd always enjoyed reading and writing. When I had asked him what he liked to write, his cheeks bloomed with color and he muttered out "poetry".

Because he seemed embarrassed I didn't push the subject. But I thought it was interesting that a man like him enjoyed the written words of dreamers and hopeless romantics. I had an idea of what guys that liked poetry usually looked like. And he was the opposite of what I had in mind.

I also showed him where the library was and the cafeteria, where I warned him about the shit sandwiches and burnt coffee. I also told him about the how the university was founded in year 1836, and how it was the first university in the world to open their doors to all students no matter gender, race or religion.

Somewhere along the line of the showcasing of the campus, I had gotten more comfortable around him, he didn't interrupt my little history lesson and seemed to be immersed in it. I worried that I was talking to much and tried to pause as much as I could to give him the time to ask any questions. But he seemed to enjoy my prattling. At least I hope so, I wasn't very good at reading faces, but his face seemed to mirror everything he was thinking. At the end of the tour, when we were on our way to the exits. He glanced at me.

"You'd be a great historian."

I gave a small chuckle, " I would hope so, I am studying history and English after all."

"Does that mean you want to be a teacher? Or perhaps a historian?"

"No... I don't know if I want to work with kids. I haven't decided yet. What do you want to be?"

He cleared his throat and glanced away. " I haven't decided yet either".

When we were out in the open air, I glanced up at the gathering clouds.

"We-"

"Can-"

We spoke at the same time, my cheeks heated, I glanced away from his blue eyes that currently didn't mirror the sky.

"You first" I said.

This time his cheeks heated. " I was just wondering if I could maybe have your number? You're the only friend I've made so far"

My cheeks involuntarily stretched into a wide smile, and I wanted to slap my muscles for not listening to me. But I couldn't stop myself even if I wanted to. He said friend. My first friend I'd made in years. I was overjoyed. I knew I had to tone it down because I didn't want him to see how desperate I was to hear those words. His eyes had widened a little, so I told myself to stop smiling like a fool, lest I scare him of and he changes his mind.

"Okay, give me your phone."

He unlocked it and didn't even try to hide his password, afterwards he passed it over and I entered his contacts and wrote down my number. I know friends usually saved numbers with an emoji by their name, but I didn't want to overdo it and simply entered my name foregoing the emojis.

"Here" I passed the phone over to him and our hands brushed, I looked up at him, but he was already starting at me with an indescribable emotion.

"We better get going before it starts raining." I glanced at the ominous clouds again.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll write to you." He said.

I nodded and gave him a small wave before turning around heading in the directions of the dorms.