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Nataliya Pradhan
—Age 19
You want to know how to get on someone’s shit list? Show up at the wrong place at the wrong time. Well, technically, I was at the right place because I was doing my job. The part-time job I had at Hillside’s main library on campus.
The sprawling, grayish building was goth-like, with its pointed arches and ginormous stained-glass windows that stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the more modern buildings on this central Texas campus nestled between vast hills of limestone and live oak trees. Actually, Anderson Library was a historical landmark, which had been in existence for over one hundred years. It was the first building ever constructed at Hillside University.
What was I doing? Brain babbling about meaningless facts again. I did this when I was in an awkward position and tried to make myself feel not so awkward. Because I was standing in this very library, in the American History aisle, catching a show I certainly didn’t buy a ticket for when I went in search of a book. Unfortunately, I was watching a couple a few feet away, making their own history.
A beautiful, leggy brunette was standing in a plaid miniskirt, unbuttoning her shirt until she parted it wide—braless. Her more-than-generous breasts were on display to the tall, muscular guy who had his back to me, leaning against the bookcase. The very spot where I needed to be to get the stupid memoir my manager had asked for.
Then the girl slipped off her panties, kicking them aside in her heels, before she threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. “Just admit it. You missed this,” she breathed seductively as she started gyrating against him.
Realization slapped me in the face. They were going to fuck in the library, right in front of the Alexander Hamilton section. The section where my manager had asked me to retrieve a rare book because one of Hillside’s most respected and tenured professors had requested it. The book was buried behind the hip of this brick wall of a guy, who was still leaning casually against the bookshelf, unmoving, as pink heels dug into his ass, and brunette Barbie with the perfect boobs continued sliding up and down his body like he was a stripper pole.
Her hands slid down his wide back, tightening his already fitted T-shirt, accentuating the bulk of muscle underneath. With his build, he must be some sort of athlete. Probably one of the football players on campus.
“God, I’ve missed you,” she moaned, leaning in to kiss him, but he turned his head to the side. When he did that, I could see the profile of her face. Her eyes opened and quickly narrowed as she was now glaring at me over his shoulder. “What the hell are you looking at? Get the fuck out of here, you freak!”
My heart seemed to stop, and I tried to gather my wits and force my feet to step back and get away. Then, the brick wall of a man twisted his head over his shoulder to look, too. And, oh, boy, was I off the mark. Yes, he was an athlete at Hillside. I just didn’t know before that he wastheathlete. One of the most well-known athletes on campus. The big football star here at Hillside. Not only was his play on the field acknowledged, but so were his extracurricular activities. Even I, whose social life was nearing less than zero, had heard about what a player he was.
Axel Thomas. National champion. Future NFL baller. Rumor had it he was going to forego his senior year at Hillside next season, but he’d changed his mind a few months ago. Rumor also had it that he’d left a trail of broken hearts the size of the Hillside campus. I’d also heard that he’d had a liaison with one of his professors last year, a married professor who taught British Lit and who was one of the most widely known professors on campus because everyone signed up for her class. But after the so-called affair, she didn’t return to Hillside this year.
There were other things about him that seemed to be spread around as fact, and everyone seemed to know about it. In a nutshell, every move he made seemed to be common knowledge among the masses in this college town. He was that popular. He was also in one of my classes, Genetics, but he probably didn’t know it.
However, his deep brown eyes were still locked on me, mesmerizing as they were, and I forgot the reason why I needed to step away and not voyeurize these people.Jeez, I truly must be a freak. His full lips curved up a smidge, bearing a small flash of glossy white teeth, and I could almost see why a professor might throw away her ethics, risk her job, and have an affair. Then I remembered where I was and who he was, and then brunette Barbie clarified any other reservations I might’ve had. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Go away!”
Finally sinking in, I stumbled backward and took off, hooking a right to the main desk. Before I went far, I pulled up short, nearly crashing into my manager.
“What took you so long?”
“Sorry,” I mumbled, feeling like I’d just finished a grueling workout.
“What’s this?” His bushy gray brows furrowed into a V under his horn-rimmed glasses at my empty hands. “Do you not understand how to find a book?”
Mr. Wilson was a crusty old man who’d almost worked in this library as long as it had been around. He took his work seriously and always came across as grumpy and condescending.
“Yes. I know where it—”
He cut me off, whisking by me with a grumble in his voice. “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.”
Then he turned down that aisle.Oh, no. Like someone who couldn’t turn away from an accident, I followed him.
“Hey!” His gruff words were jarring amidst the near silence surrounding us. “What in the hell is going on in my library?” He hobble-stomped toward them while brunette Barbie dropped to her feet, hastily fumbling with the buttons on her shirt.
Tugging on the hem of her blouse, she managed to throw a dark glance my way, and if looks could kill, I’d be dead. “Don’t worry, we’re leaving.”
“You’re damn right, you are. I should file a complaint with campus police for public lewdness,” Mr. Wilson said, pulling out his cell phone.
Axel, who was casually leaning against the bookcase, watching this as though mildly amused and definitely not worried about his threat, shoved off the bookcase with his hands in his pockets. “Now, I don’t think we need to do all that. It was just a misunderstanding, that’s all.”
Recognition settled over the old man’s face. “Oh, Mr. Thomas. I didn’t know it was you.” Even Mr. Wilson, who was a stickler for rules and proper conduct, backed down when he realized who graced his library. Seriously?
Axel shrugged carelessly, walking over to Mr. Wilson. “No harm, no foul.” He reached out and shook my manager’s hand.
“We gonna win another championship next season, son?”
“Gonna do my best to make it happen, sir.” Axel peered down at me, and mischief flashed in his eyes before he drew his attention back to the old man. “I’ll make sure to have some platinum seat tickets for you to all the home games.”
