I felt Henry wrap his arms around me from behind. His lips pressed into my hair. "How's it going?" He asked, sitting back on the bed.

"Good, just have to work more with the actual bones." I took my glasses off and rubbed my eyes. I decided to take a break now that Henry was home. He must've been starving and so was I. I stood up, taking his heavy backpack and hung it up while he changed into comfy clothes.

"How's your studying going?" I smiled. He grabbed me by the waist bringing me over to him. In a second I was straddling his lap. His lips pecked my neck.

"Good. Hard." He whispered, "I miss you." He hugged me tighter to him.

I hugged him back, rubbing my hands gently against his back. Even though we lived together, I knew what he meant. We spent so much time at school, working shifts, and studying that we really only had a couple minutes to ourselves at night. "I know. I miss you too, but this will all be worth it when we're done." I reassured him.

He nuzzled into my neck and I giggled. "You need a shave." I stroked his growing beard.

"I kinda like it." He rubbed it against my skin. I backed away, laughing. "Let's eat?"

I nodded, standing off his lap. "I made pasta. Your favorite."

"God I love you." He whispered.

We ate at the table. Talking to each other about our day. Relieving our stresses. After the dishes were put away, we brushed our teeth together and prepared for bed. The television was on, but you could barely hear it. We'd probably fall asleep with it on. I knew I could. His hands softly stroked through my hair, massaging my scalp, lulling me to sleep. His steady breaths, while my head lay on his chest were the last thing I remembered.

I was choking. Pressed down by a heavy weight. My heart started beating erratically, as if it didn't know how to beat but it was trying its hardest and it only made it worse. My throat started to close up, painful from the sudden rise of my blood pressure. I only had minutes. Seconds, before my heart would fail. I had to get up. I had to wake up, but my body wasn't budging.

I wanted to cry. This was going to kill me, I was sure of it. I shot up from bed heaving. My hand going to my throat as I began to cough.

"Alix?" Henry shot up. Sleep still heavy in his eyes until he really saw me. Immediately his arms wrapped around me, pulling me to him. "Shh, you're okay baby. It's okay now." He pulled me back down with him, allowing me to cry on his chest.

"Deep breaths baby." He repeated. I did as he told me. Slowly feeling my heart return to a steady rhythm. "I won't let you go baby. I promise." He adjusted himself so that I could wrap myself around his body and he could hug me all night.

The pain of what had just happened was fresh, but I was too exhausted to stay up another night afraid of it happening again. I needed sleep. My brain rationalized that Henry's arms were my safe place and as long as I stayed there, nothing could hurt me.

~

"Well, Well, look who finally shows up." Idris smirked at me. He was at the very back of the room, helping a group of students.

I smiled meekly at him. "Nice to see you too."

Camilla was already there, with various parts of the skull. When she saw me her eyes lit up. "Alix I'm so glad you're back! Idris was driving me insane. He wouldn't shut up about setting me up with his friend Benjamin."

"Benjamin?" I took the seat beside her. "Who's that?" I had only been gone a week and yet I felt I had missed so much.

"Oh girl I have to tell you everything!" She beamed, turning in her seat to look at me with a wide giddy smile. "So here I sat Friday, lonely without you,"

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"I forgive you, because now you owe me one for leaving me."

"What?" I chuckled. "What do I owe you?"

"Well let me finish my story."

I giggled at Camilla. Rolling my eyes at her. "Continue."

"Thanks," she smiled. "Okay so here I sat Friday. Idris was helping me with the fetal skull models when the hottest man I have ever seen in my life, beside Idris but he's too moody for my liking, walks in to talk to Idris. And Alix, dear god I don't believe in heaven or angels but this man had to be one because he looked sculpted by God himself. I was completely taken by him. Shit, enthralled even! Then his beautiful sky blue eyes landed on me and Alixandria-" she shook my hand, a look of discomfort and pain crossed her face. "His look was burning all kinds of naughty images into my brain and you know what I said to him in that moment?" She shook her head, as if just remembering that moment made her cringe. "I asked what the hell he was staring at and left the room."

I started laughing hysterically. Seriously, only Camilla would tell a guy she like to practically go fuck himself.

"Alixandria that's not funny!" She whined but she was having a hard time not laughing herself. "Because Idris saw the whole thing happen he wants me to go on a date with Benjamin this Friday, because Idris is out of his goddamned mind and insists we're a good match."

"You guys are a good match." Idris appeared beside me. How the hell was he so good at sneaking up on people?

His scent filled my nostrils and I hated how good he smelt.

"Just go on a date with the guy!" He begged Camilla.

Camilla shook her head. "Uh-uh no way! And risk messing it up all over again!"

"You won't mess it up Camilla." I rolled my eyes at her stubbornness.

A mischievous smile painted her face as she looked at me. It gave my gut a bad feeling. "I know I won't this time because I have a plan. You my dear friend. The one I help study. Give my notes to when she misses class. The one who ditches class so often I was forced to be lab partners with Lacy who likes to take off her flats in class. You are coming with me." She poked my shoulder.

"What? No no no no. No way! I can't just tag along on your date." I practically rolled off my chair.

"You can and you will. Just bring Henry and we'll double date!" She said with a resilient look on her face.

Oh Camilla. Out of all the favors she could ask me for, it had to be this.

"You have a boyfriend?" Idris growled beside me. I turned to find him staring down at me with piercing green eyes. His mood had shifted again. I was keenly aware of that.

"Yes." I nodded, shocked by his jaw clenching. I decided to ignore it and turned my attention back to Camilla. "But he's working late this weekend. He couldn't come."

"So then take Idris." She blurted, looking at him with pleading eyes. "What do you say, Idris? It's my one condition if you want me to go on a date with your friend." She metaphorically set her foot down. Her chin held high.

Idris arched a brow, shrugging with a little smirk on his face. "Anything for Ben." His eyes fell to me- small and slit. "How about it princess? You game?"

"Uhhhh." I groaned. Looking for anyway out of this.

Camilla puckered her lip, mastering a sad face. "Come on Alix, you owe me. Please don't bail on me cause I need you." She begged.

Henry was not gonna like this. "Fine." I sighed. "But only cause I owe you."

"Yeah right! You know it's cause I'm your best friend."

I laughed. She wasn't wrong. Camilla had quickly become one of my closest friends. She'd made moving a hundred miles from home easier. Other than her, I only knew Henry.

We spent the rest of our time studying religiously. Our exam was a week away and I felt a bit nervous. I really wanted to do good. Camilla had left long ago, she had a night class on Tuesdays. I stayed behind.

Idris had been helping me memorize the parts of each model we took out. We did worksheets, mock exams, and fill-ins. He really did know what he was doing. I admired that, because anatomy wasn't the easiest. He must study hard.

My phone buzzed beside me and I took it in my hand. It was a message from Henry. I opened it to find an image of him with a plate of lasagna and asparagus that read 'your plates getting cold'

Crap! I looked at the time to realize it was almost eleven. Idris must have stayed way past his paid hours to help me. I turned around to find there was no one else in this section but me and him.

"Idris! Why didn't you tell me it was so late? I must've been holding you back from going home." I nervously began to put my items back into my backpack.

Idris chuckled, "It's not a big deal, Alixandria. I'm more than happy to help you." He rolled up the ends of his sleeves, watching me pack.

It made me nervous every time he stared at me like that. It reminded me of the males in my books, when the females would describe them with hungry eyes. Yes. It was exactly that. It was a hungry, deeply penetrating, stare. As if he were studying all my movements. It made my body feel warm.

Not that I hadn't felt it before, but when we were studying and my mind was preoccupied, it was easier to ignore, but now, as we stood so close with no one else around, the warmth I felt turned into an inexplicable heat tingling up my arms, and deep into my belly.

Whatever this sensation was, I had to put a stop to it.

I avoided Idris's stare, pulled my backpack over my shoulder, and pushed in my chair.

"I'll walk you." He leaned off the table.

I shook my head. Idris had already stayed so late to help me. "N-no, it's okay really, Idris. I didn't park too far."

"It's dark as hell out there. This area isn't the best this time of night. I'm not letting you walk out there alone." He cocked a brow. "Let me just put the models away.

I rolled my eyes, giving in. Idris and Camilla could both be so stubborn. Or maybe I was just a push over?

~

As Idris walked beside me silently, I felt safe. I was glad he had walked with me, because truth be told, as much as I loved the way campus looked and felt at night, I was also slightly afraid to walk alone.

"Where'd you park?" He asked.

I pointed towards the lot we were coming up on. "That's my car right there."

"Dear God, please tell me you meant to point at that car and not the one headed for the junkyard." He pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

"Whaaat, you're not a fan of the classics?" I giggled.

My car wasn't that old, but it definitely wasn't brand new.

"That's not a classic, that's... umm ancient, decrepit, old as fu-"

"Okay, okay!" I punched his arm. "I get it. My car's old, but it's mine... and I earned it." I looked towards my beat up little black car, sighing. To me that car was far better than any of the new cars out there. She was my lucky girl, saved me from a few accidents by randomly 'stalling'. I'd refused to sell it.

Idris held open the door as I put my things inside. I turned to him, finding him a bit closer than I thought. "Thanks for walking me Idris." I smiled shyly. I wanted to chuckle at how much taller Idris was to me. Every time I turned to talk to him, I was met face to face with the bottom of his chest.

"No problem short stack." He smirked.

I smiled, jumping into my car. "Oh and short stack," he murmured before I could close the door. "Don't forget to tell your boyfriend about our date on Friday." He chuckled walking away.