Haze

The smell was coming from the large figure seated next to me in the front row. He had short cropped dark hair, a tight fitted grey hoodie, and dark jeans that hugged his muscled figure perfectly. Each muscle stood out from the tight fitted hoodie and jeans in such stark context I wondered how often he hit the gym to be a college freshmen with arms and legs that huge. To fishing the look, tattoos snaked down both of his forearms, which were visible past his casually pushed back sleeves of his hoodie. Still frozen, my eyes traveled to his face. Hard lines and a firm expression greeted my stare. His skin was pale white and he had a light dark stubble shading along a strong jawline. The last thing I noticed were his eyes. Bright green like the stone jade and depthless like an ocean with no bottom.

After staring transfixed for another second at the stranger next to me I took a deep breath and ripped my gaze away. Shaking my head a little again I quickly turned back to my notebook letting my hair swing down on my right side to block the view of him. Jeez, get it together I thought. Capping my highlighter again, I grabbed my pen and decided to doodle in the corner of the page. Anything to get my mind back on track and listening to the professor. I slowly drew vines of ivy around the corners of my syllabus until they morphed into my favorite doodle monster, the dragon.

Ever since I was a kid I had loved the winged creatures of fantasy that raced across pages to save and destroy. In every book I got my hands on, the creatures has stood by the characters sides either thwarting their best efforts to overcome trials and seize treasure, or aiding them in their many quests and adventures. I finished the curve of the dragons wing and felt my normal calm sweep through me at my own familiar ritual. Uncapping my highlighter again, I began highlighting the dates the professor at the front was telling us the first few assignments were due on. As I finished, I noticed the sweet smell drifting through my curtain of hair again. I ignored it and continued listening to the rest of the information on the syllabus.

As the professor wrapped up I figured I better clean my things up so I could hurry out before I had to deal with being stuck behind the slow moving drunks at the back of the room. Pulling myself back in my seat I turned to put my things into my satchel when I noticed the stranger next to me again. He still sat rigid and straight, listening to the last few sentences of the professor. His scent was overwhelming me. I couldn't wait to leave.

Before I could turn back to the board his gaze suddenly shifted to me. Immediately ever hair on my body stood on end. I froze with my satchel strap still halfway shut. His green eyes fixed on the strap, then slowly traveled upward to my face. His eyes met mine and I gasped in a quick breath. He didn't remove his stair and I remained frozen holding his gaze. I thought only a moment had passed but suddenly I became aware of people moving around us. Class must have ended.

I finally broke his stare and quickly finished shutting the straps on satchel and stood. Taking one more quick glance at him, I notice he had picked up his lone notebook but still looked at me. He didn't say anything so I gave him a brief nodd and began walking towards the door.

Of course.

I got stuck behind the drunks. I tried to hurry past them but ended up sandwiched in the middle of them. Slowly inching towards the exit the group and me made it to the small doorway where we were forced to go single file through the exit. Somehow I found myself pushed to the back again and felt like a laser beam was drilling into my back as I waited to exit. I felt his eyes on me. I don't know how, but I knew if I turned I would find those green eyes fixed on my retreating figure.

Finally it was my turn to squeeze through the narrow doorway. I pushed my way through and broke into a brisk walk towards the back side of campus. I popped through a small pathway skipped across a street and ducked behind a building. I guess that's one nice thing about college in the city, lots of traffic and buildings to hide behind. As I reached the corner where my favorite coffee shop was I dared to glance back over my shoulder. Nothing. Thank goodness. The stranger made me nervous. Hurrying down the last few blocks I breezed through the door and grabbed my favorite table by the window. Taking out my phone I check the time of my next class. 12:50. Great I had a little more than an hour before I needed to leave.

Settling into the chair I grabbed out a book I had been reading before class and prepared to read. Just as I was about to begin that scent hit me again. I looked around in alarm only to see.... nothing. Gosh I have the get out of my head. Never before has a scent left me in such a haze. Rolling my eyes at myself I opened my book and froze. There nestled between the pages was a single green eucalyptus leaf.