Back at it

DOMINIC’S POV

Her eyes met mine, and as she realized that she was indeed headed straight for me, her brow furrowed slightly, which, I gotta admit, kind of made her a little cute. Liz was beaming from ear to ear, her bright expression the real reason behind the introduction.

“Hii” Liz squealed. “This is my friend Aiden. And this is his friend, D.”

“Hello again.” I said with a quick smile, back to my normal face.

“Bar girl right? Didn’t expect to run into you twice in one night.”

“You too know each other?” Liz asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nope, not even close," she said, crossing her arms. "He doesn’t get the privilege of knowing me.”

“I think I’d remember you if I had that 'privilege,' I replied firmly, there was no way this girl was gonna make me feel like a jerk in front of anyone.

"Trust me, it’s not a privilege you’ll get to enjoy." Bar girl said as her she narrowed her eyes.

“Okay, so... drinks anyone? Liz cut in to our rude conversation.

“Actually Liz, I’m good, I should get going.” She replied, clearly uncomfortable, before making her exit.

ABIGAIL’S POV

Luck seemed to be on my side because I managed to avoid that jerk for the next five days. It was a relief.

I was finally starting to recover from the trauma of interacting with him.

I filled Elizabeth in on everything, explaining just how awful he was and why I reacted the way I did. She listened, but all she could focus on was how hot he was. I knew he was attractive, but I brushed it off completely.

Besides, I had better things to be worried about, like my group assignment, which this meeting was scheduled for today. And I had to cancel my coffee date with Elizabeth, so this better be worth it.

My group members were pretty laidback and didn't seem too invested in our project, but I wasn't complaining. At least they were cooperative. I handled organizing our meetings and other necessary stuffs. With just two other members, it made three of us altogether, and I liked that-fewer people meant less stress.

I picked my dorm for the meetings to be held, afterall the dorm is for all roommates, If it could host parties, it could definitely work for study sessions too.

The door bell echoed through the hallway and my phone buzzed breaking the silence.

N: We’re here.

A: Be down in a second.

I ran downstairs, putting on my ponytail and flip-flops. Opening the door revealed to me two girls whose faces were masked with thick layers of makeup,I hardly recognized them.

“Abigail,” Nancy said firmly.

“Nancy,” I replied, bracing myself for whatever was coming.

“Sorry we’re late,” Ashlyn blurted out. “We had some important things to attend to.”

“It's fine," I replied, brushing off my hand as I stepped aside to welcome them in. "Come on in."

In they walked, with Nancy already stuck to her phone.

“Here, take a seat," I gestured, taking a seat myself.

“So, shall we start?" I asked.

“ Not yet. Professor Brown assigned a new member to our group."

Great. Just what I needed—another person. As much as I dreaded the idea of adding someone else, it made sense, we were only three, and the average group size in our class was six.

"I already texted him the address. He'll be here any minute," Nancy said.

She exchanged a look with Ashlyn, the glint in their eyes a silent declaration that they were sharing something about this new guy.

It struck me right then that was why they wore so much makeup-who puts on layers of foundation for a group meeting? The guy must be seriously attractive or something. I sank into the couch, waiting, and a few moments later, I heard a knock on the door.

“He's here." Nancy said.

I stood up, stretching my back as I walked to the door.

I opened it, and was absolutely amazed to see jerkface-or whatever his name was-standing there. There was just no way this was happening. What was he doing at my dorm?

He looked great. Does it make me a hypocrite if I admit I missed his face? His tousled hair, the birthmark above his right eyebrow, his chiseled features, and his skin so smooth as glass-seriously, couldn't really blame the girls on the piling of makeup. He was just really stunning.

He was truly breathtaking.

I somehow managed to force words out of my mouth-thank God, I thought I was going to freeze up.

"What are you doing here?"

"Seriously? You again?" he said gruffly, looking down at his feet, then resuming to look back up at me.

"Can you just move? I don't have time for this right now," he said with a tone full of frustration and impatience.

“Excuse you, I live here, so unless you want me to slam this door, you better tell me what your purpose here is.

His expression shifted, a mix of exhaustion, confusion, and sudden realization flickering across his face. It hit him that this was my apartment, and for a moment, his hazel-green eyes held mine, pulling me in. I quickly snapped out of it.

Bye, then," I said, starting to close the door on his annoyingly handsome face. But before I could, his hand shot out, stopping it in its tracks.

"Professor Brown assigned me to Group E. Some girl. Nancy, I think? She texted me the address."

It suddenly clicked-he was the last member Nancy had been talking about. Is this some kind of sick joke? Why do I keep running into this idiot?

I let out a sigh and stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. He slid in with ease, and as he passed me, a wave of his cologne permeated the room, making everything just that tiny bit more intoxicating.

Ashlyn and Nancy shot up the moment he entered, like they were about to receive a life-changing award.

“Dominic... Hi,” Nancy said, her voice overly sweet.

Dominic? Great. So that was this jerk's name. Now it would haunt me every time I heard it. My stomach churned with annoyance as I rolled my eyes.

"Hey… Are you Nancy?" he asked, clearly confused, trying to place her face.

"Yes, we have literature together."

“Oh… cool, thanks for the address,” he replied casually.

“So, how was practice today?” she asked, leaning in.

“Let's get started." I cut in sharply before it could turn into a flirt-fest.

I walked to the center table, grabbed my literature textbook, and sat down, ready to push through the awkwardness.

As I got settled, their steps grew closer. Dominic sat ridiculously close to me, his leg spread wide, so that his arm was right against mine. A chill ran down my back, and I stopped for a second.

Swallowing the lump welling up in my throat, I spoke. "So, uhm… we need to pick a line from the poem. I was thinking 'Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'"

"I think 'Nameless here for evermore' fits better," he interrupted.

“Okay, why do you think so?" I asked, raising my brows.

"It offers a lot to unpack, especially in terms of themes like identity and loss."

He had a good point, but we were going with my line—it just had more depth. Dominic and I went back and forth, arguing over which line should be used, both of us bringing out points, while Nancy and Ashlyn stayed silent. In the end, I made the stronger argument, and we went with my idea.

For a douchebag, he was surprisingly smart, which only added to his appeal, I couldn't help but think how hot he sounded defending himself.

“Thanks for having us, Abigail," Ashlyn said, grabbing her books and shoving them into her bag. The moment she said my name, my stomach twisted, and I instinctively glanced at Dominic, catching the subtle raise of his eyebrows.

Now he knew my name—great, the last thing I wanted him to find out.

“See you soon Abigail.” Nancy said like she didn’t care about anything else, her attention still locked on Dominic as he stepped out. She and Ashlyn followed him out, leaving me behind.

Finally.

Everything felt right with the world again, I had my peace, even though it was a bit dull without my best friend by my side. She was away on a three-day trip for some research related to her course, but we still managed to call each other every day, sharing juicy details and keeping each other entertained despite the distance.

I needed to get out, clear my head. I'd been cooped up in my room far too long. So I decided to check out one of the oldest pubs on campus-a place I'd really never explored on my own. It was only a fifteen-minute drive from my dorm, but the only times I'd previously been there had been because of Elizabeth.

Entering through the creaking doors, I found my self enveloped by the warm atmosphere. The walls were adorned with a mix of vintage posters featuring local bands, art from students, and memorabilia from past events

One section of the wall was dedicated to memorabilia from the school's hockey team. The section had hockey trading cards, autographed player photos, team pennants, and vintage hockey sticks. There were series of jersey collections proudly displayed, each signed by players who’ve made their mark on the ice.

Down in the corner of the pub, there’s a small stage, barely raised above the floor, but it’s where the magic happens. It’s simple—a few mismatched bar stools, a mic stand, and a soft spotlight overhead. The stage had this worn, familiar feel to it, like it’s seen its fair share of impromptu jam sessions and late-night confessions.

I slid into a warm booth with a shiny wooden table, grateful for the quiet as I pulled out my books to get some reading done. Not very long afterward, several loud voices broke the silence. By the inflection, I could tell they were athletes, they always had that overly boisterous energy. I softly sighed and reached for my phone to see if Liz had finally texted me back.

Sure enough, there was a message from her, and she'd attached something. My curiosity was instantly piqued as I quickly unlocked my phone to open it. It was a screenshot of a text conversation.

L: Omg check this out.

A: What’s this?

L: Duh, it’s a screenshot, genius. I finally got Williams.

A: wait…what do you mean you got “him”?

L: Professor hottie. 

A: Wait.. NO WAY. No freaking way you got him! You slut!

L: Lol, he’s been giving me those puppy eyes all semester. And c’mon, you know he’s hot as hell.

A: Oh my god, so what now? Are you seriously about to sleep with a professor?

L: Not yet.

A: LIZZ!!

I was distracted, pulled out of my texting by a deep, masculine voice. I looked up at him, feeling as if he were a towering presence. There was Dominic, looking dashing in his black leather jacket over a white vest, paired with blue jeans.

"This is getting weird. Are you messing with me?" he asked.

“This table is taken, Move along.” I replied, my voice firm.

"It obviously isn't," he replied, glancing at the empty chair. "Besides, this is my usual spot.”

"What are you doing here?" he asked again, this time a little subtler than previously as he slipped into the booth, sitting directly opposite me.

Did he just speak to me? Like, actually ask me a question without being an asshole? Was I hallucinating? I gestured with my book, pointing out what I was doing.

Then I heard a group of guys yelling, “Walter!”—I assumed it was his last name. Great, not only do I know his first name, but now I know his last name too. Ugh, I hated this. They swarmed around him like a bunch of bees, shouting and cheering him on.

One of them shouted if I was his girl, and he just smiled gently, shaking his head. As they finally dispersed, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

As they finally left, he continued. “Do you come here more often?”

Can’t he just shut up now? "You know, you're distracting me," I snapped.

He smirked. "That's the problem with you, always too hot-headed, never wanting to chill out." He said it with a hint of anger.

“Why are you here invading my space?” I shot back.

Just then, before he could reply, some guys standing nearby interrupted him. For Heaven's sake, why do people not leave this ASS well alone? He stood up to give them one of those manly hugs, and I could not help but notice that one of them had totally blond hair while the other had brown locks.

As they exchanged hugs, they took a seat, forcing Dominic to slide over to my side to make room for them.

“This your chic?” One of the guys asked.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse.

Fantastic.