Chapter Seven

s.

"Selah!"

I jump when I hear my name yelled by a multitude of people, and relax when I see it's just the group from my lunch table. I hold up a finger to let them know that I'll be a minute while I get lunch, but they get up and head over to stand in line with me.

I was over thirty minutes late since I had to head back to my room for lunch and shower all of the dance sweat away.

"We looked for you everywhere. Where did you go?" Elliana asks, pulling me into a hug. I pat her back reassuredly, since she seemed pretty worried.

"I was only in the dance gym" I inform the group, letting Ken pull me into a hug next.

Damien and Gray throw their arms over my shoulder, walking to the front of the line and sliding me in behind a guy who's paying.

"Rude" I tell them and they shrug, both wearing lazy grins on pretty faces.

"They shouldn't have been so late to lunch" Damien remarks and I laugh, bumping my hip against his leg. He was too tall for me to actually hip check him.

After I grab my lunch, which Gray pays for, we head back to our table where a guy is sitting. The first thing I notice is his hair shaved low on the sides and the top in curls which adorably fall into his face. And he was beautiful.

Perfectly carved chestnut that, as a statue, would be the build of Herculus. He has low, bedroom eyes and sexy, full, kissable lips. A strong nose and jaw, thick brows and long lashes completed his face.

"Armani!" Damien says excitedly as the boy named stands, pulling him into one of those special, guy hugs. And wow, he's tall. Probably around six foot five, which is good since I'm five foot eleven. Not that I was interested in dating him or anything.

"Coming to do what I think you are?" Gray asks, hugging him as well. Elliana and Kennedi seem like they're in awe of his presence, which makes me giggle. I go to step around him with my tray and he grabs my arm.

My entire body instantly feels hot and tingly. "Yes?" I ask, letting him pull me back in front of him.

"I'll be taking this" Gray says, taking my tray and placing it on the table. They all sit, Kennedi flashing me a thumbs up.

"I'm Armani. Armani Hendrix" he says, holding a large hand out to me. I briefly imagine it wrapped around my neck. But no, because I remember earlier that day, hearing the name come from Nastassia's lips. Apparently, he was hers. Or she wanted him to be.

"Armani, I'm Selah. But you know that, I guess, since you're here talking to me right now". I shake his hand, ignoring all of the cliché feelings I've ever read about in those stupid romance books flare up inside of me. And why can't I stop looking at his lips?

"I do know that. And I've known about you for a while, actually. Ever since I saw a video of you doing a backflip off of a crumbling wall some years ago. That video was MY cat video".

I grin, flashing back to that moment before Freshman year when I had just got to London. Before my family left, we spent the entire day together.

My dad and I always played a game where he dared me to do flips off of any structure around us at any point. He thought that that would be the day I turned down one of his dares. But it wasn't, because I never back down from a challenge.

"I forgot about that video. You just brought back a memory that I had forgotten about entirely. And reminded me that I need to call my dad. So, thank you. Do you need something?".

"No problem. And yes, I do, actually. I was hoping to fulfill a dream that fourteen year old me had, and ask you to go out on a date with me".

My mind had never screamed mission abort louder than in that moment. "I'm sorry, but I can't-". I stop when I notice how quiet the entire DC had gone. Everyone seemed like they were frozen in shock.

"You don't have to be sorry. It's okay, really. I just thought I'd give it a shot". ABORT! He's a good guy. ABORT! "I...can we talk some other time? This feels like I'm being broadcast in 8K with subtitles".

He chuckles, nodding his head in agreement. "Later. Text me?". "Yes, please". I pull out my phone and save his number into it. Why did I feel so bad for turning him down? I knew that I'd self sabotage until he hated me. And for some reason, I didn't want him to.

"Stay?" I ask hopefully, grabbing his arm as he goes to walk away. "I'd like that". He takes the seat next to me and Elliana claps excitedly. "Our little group is growing! I'm so excited". "Me too" Kennedi agrees, pulling out her tablet.

"In other news, I have a list of the students who are coming here and somehow Peony Donovan and Taylor Wainwright are on that list" she informs us. Damien and Gray seem excited about that for some reason.

"There's this blog by someone named Skylar and the stories that she tells about them are PRETTY scandalous" Ell informs me. "In other words, the two of them think they're finally about to get laid" Armani practically purrs in his husky voice.

"And don't forget about Rhys. I saw a picture of him, and it made my mouth water" Kennedi says dreamily. "Armani and I have known him since forever. It'll be nice to have the three of us together again" Damien says. "And me" Gray adds. "Always you, Grayson" Damien chuckles.

Later that day, while helping Elliana move her stuff into Kennedi's room, Nastassia comes by and asks if the twins want to watch a movie with their group. "Why isn't Selah invited? You said you'd let go of everything, but obviously you haven't, Nastassia. Even when she turned down Armani for you".

It was actually for his well-being, but I'd let her spin that sweet, cotton candy tale as long as she wanted. "That's not the CASE, Kennedi. I just want to hang out with my friend's. Let's not make a big deal out of it".

"Guy's it's fine. I have to meet with the Dean in ten minutes, anyway. You guys should go and have fun". They begrudgingly agree to go to the movie and we part ways, me heading up to my room since I lied about the meeting. I just didn't want anyone's plans to be messed up because of me.

Instead I create a little spa day for myself, with a hot bath filled with rose petals and bath melts and salts. I don a face mask and an eye mask, with fake candles placed aesthetically all over the bath room. And when I'm done with the bath, I dry brush my skin and rub on some oil to leave my skin all glowy and soft.

I'd had a mani-pedi pretty recently, so I only need to rub on a bit of cuticle oil for the nails. I do my edges to neaten up my hair and spray a little hair mist that matches my perfume. It's a seductive scent that I've been wearing since forever.

I apply some eyebrow gel, mascara and a chocolate-y nude gloss, before deciding on my outfit. It's a bit chilly outside, so I choose a black oversized suit shirt, on top of a bodysuit that perfectly matches my skin tone, and thigh high black boots.

It was warm enough for me with the bodysuit, and I always choose fashion over comfort, anyway. I pack up a thick blanket in a tote bag and head outside. A lonely picnic beside the fountain seemed like a perfect way to end my free part of the day.

The sun was still out, so it was more than warm enough for me. There's nobody else by the fountain, so I lay my blanket out and make a stop at several of the food stalls to bring together a collective picnic meal.

It takes about twenty minutes, but soon I'm surrounded by a fresh garden salad, a tray of vegetable sushi, spring rolls, a huge bowl of fresh fruit and a large cup of apple cider.

"Room for a second?" someone asks as I'm shoving three-fourths of a spring roll into my mouth. I look up to see Armani standing over me, in a nude sweatsuit and matching Air Jordan 1's. "Sure. I have more than enough food for it" I say, moving over the tray of sushi to make some room.

"Why are you out here all alone? Everyone else is in the theater watching some scary movies. They got the curfew extended until eleven for today. Sometimes the Dean is pretty cool" He says, taking his spot beside me.

I shrug, popping a chunk of watermelon into my mouth. "It was a friends only kind of thing. And you're a friend, so why aren't you?".

"I'm a friend of Damien and Gray, Selah. Everyone else is kind of a one off. I was gonna go out and ride my motorcycle, but then I saw you sitting all alone. You looked so peaceful that I wanted to take a picture. I haven't had any worthy subjects in a while, but you inspire me to take photos and crave the lens again".

It was a beautiful day today, the sun seemingly shining directly on me. And after my spa day, I felt great on the outside. It had been a while, two years at least, since I'd taken a picture. The last one I'd taken, I had to delete immediately, noticing just how haunted my eyes looked.

It was the first I'd attempted to take since everything happened and at the time, I never wanted to see them photographed again. I'd even become accustomed to living my life without mirrors, a reason why I've never gotten into real makeup.

"I've never been someone's muse. And a great photographer can make a Canon out of a phone camera. Make me feel like I primped for a reason" I tell him, feeling ready all of a sudden.

I wanted, more than anything, to see my progress. The food was halfway gone by the time he'd come around and now, after one more piece of sushi, I was too full to fathom. He hadn't touched a thing since he'd gotten here, apparently too shy to grab anything.

"AFTER you eat. I couldn't possibly have anymore". "Oh, thank goodness. I wasn't sure if you were food aggressive" he says and I laugh, throwing a grape at his face, which he catches in his mouth.

"Do I look like a dog to you, asshole?". "Only the most beautiful and regal of the bunch" he says with a grin, picking up the salad. He shovels what I'd left in the bowl into his mouth in only five minutes before starting on the sushi.

"Motorcycle, huh? I used to ride a Vespa around London, so I'm pretty sure I can handle one of those". He chuckles, tucking a braid hanging in my face behind my ear.

He doesn't speak for two entire minutes, deciding to stare into my eyes instead. I force myself not to look away, out of pride more than anything. I felt more seduced than I ever have watching someone undress in front of me. When he finally looks away I let out a quiet, shaky breath.

"Yes, because a vespa and a motorcycle are exactly the same, sunshine. Would you like to go on a ride with me after the photo shoot we've planned?". "I've always wanted to hitch a bike ride with a hot muscular guy like in the movies. I guess you'll do". "Baby, I'll more than do".

I suck in a small breath, focusing my attention on a leaf being carried away on a light wind. I couldn't be more sure that he would.