Chapter Two

"Didn't you insist on him seeing me?" Darina whined.

"Of course I did." Her mother said. "You know how Ethan is."

Darina huffed and turned her head. She knew exactly how Ethan Delnoi was. He didn't care about anyone but himself and if not that she'd heard his heart beating in his chest a couple of times, she could have said he didn't have a heart.

Ethan Delnoi was an untamable animal, gorgeous and dangerous when provoked and he was exactly her type of man which was why she couldn't seem to let go of him.

"When can I go home already?" She asked, irritably 

"Tomorrow." Flora replied.

"I can't wait for that long." Darina said. "Ethan is ready to forget about me but I won't give him that pleasure. Please have a nurse come and remove this IV." 

"Darling..."

"Now mother." Darina snapped.

"Fine." Her mother grumbled and went to do as she ordered.

Thirty minutes later, Darina got into the car with her mother and ordered the driver to take her to school.

"Are you sure about this?" Her mother asked, concerned.

"Don't ask me again Mom." She said, "Ethan is mine. God forbid that I let another useless girl take my man from me."

"Suit yourself honey. Make sure you eat something." 

"Whatever." She muttered and began to type on her phone. "What!" She suddenly exclaimed.

"What happened?" Her mother's eyes widened in fright.

"Amanda. Amanda slept with Ethan!" Darina shrieked. 

"So?" Flora raised a brow. "It's not the first time or the last." She shook her head and sighed, wondering why her daughter was shocked by the fact that another girl had slept with her boyfriend. Everyone in town knew how loose Ethan Delnoi was but it was only Darina who didn't want to see him for who he really was - a manwhore.

"Mother!" Darina exclaimed.

"Look Dar, you either take him the way he is or you leave him. He's a playboy and that's all he'll ever be." Flora told her. "Only a miracle and if he meets the right woman that will make him change."

"Are you saying that I am not the right one for him?" She fired.

"I didn't say that and don't raise your voice at me young lady." Her mother chided.

"Stop this car." She ordered the driver. "I'll take an Uber to school."

"Be my guest honey." Her mother sneered. "You and your father are so very much alike… it's annoying."

The driver stopped the car and Darina alighted and slammed the door shut.

"Do you have cash on you?" Flora asked after the window rolled down.

"What do you care?" Darina hissed and walked away.

"Please take me back home Fred." Flora pressed a button and the window rolled up. "I can't handle an immature 21 year old right now."

"Yes ma'am." Fred drove off.

*******

Ethan stood on the third step outside the business administration building, talking to his friends when a car pulled up and he snickered as Daniel alighted from the car, rounded the hood and opened the passenger side door for someone.

"This your bro is one lucky bastard." One of his friends commented. "This babe must be blind to date someone like him."

Ethan realized that it was the same girl he'd seen at his house this morning. He'd spared her a glance and never really got a good look at her until now.

"What's her name?" He asked.

"Saira Anderson. She's the most brilliant student in the whole school. First class honours." George said, sounding impressed.

Ethan looked back at the girl and felt a flicker of admiration for her. She was beautiful and a genius but definitely dull when it came to dating. She could have boys beating themselves up just to date her but she chose to be with someone like Daniel Davis.

"I hate public displays of affection." He snorted as Saira and Daniel were still locked in a passionate embrace.

"I wouldn't mind kissing her everywhere and anywhere." Harry grinned.

"You'd kiss a frog if it was put in front of you." Ethan pushed his head. He looked back at the two love birds and saw Saira waving at Daniel's car as he drove away.

Saira started up the steps and paused when she saw Ethan and his friends. It took a second before she continued up and stopped a step below them.

Ethan felt like the wind had been knocked out of him as he came face to face with her. It was the first time in his entire life that he was experiencing such a strange thing and for the life of him, he couldn't exactly explain what was happening. She was like every other beautiful girl but at the same time, she felt different.

"Good morning." She greeted. "I need my notes back, Harry."

"What notes?" Harry frowned.

"My notes for economics." She said, "You promised to return it today. I have a test tomorrow and I have to read for it."

"Oh. Well... you'll have to write another one." Harry told her. "My dog ate it."

"What?" Tears pooled in her eyes. "I've had those notes since the first year and this is the third year."

Harry shrugged, not caring for the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. 

"I only jot down whatever the professor says. I can't..." She sighed and pressed her fingers to her eyes. "Fine. I'll see what I can do so I don't fail the test. Excuse me." She hurried up the stairs and out of sight.

"Your dog ate it?" Ethan growled at Harry. "How could you have let that happen?".

Harry and George were surprised by the underlying fury they heard in his voice. He'd never spoken to Harry like that before. It was like he wanted to put a bullet into Harry's head for losing her notes.

"I put it on the..."

"I want to see those notes tomorrow." Ethan cut him off. "No excuses Harry."

"Um... sure." Harry nodded.

Ethan checked his wrist watch, muttered a curse under his breath and hurried off in the same direction Saira went.

"That's... new." George remarked. "He's never, ever defended a girl before."

"I don't know how I'm going to get those notes by tomorrow man." Harry said.

"You're fried. Ethan will have your balls." George guffawed.

"He wasn't serious, was he?" Harry inquired.

"Oh, he was serious." George said. "I think we're late for class."

"I don't feel like learning anything. Do you know anybody whose CGPA is a little below hers? Maybe 4.00?"

"I know a girl who has 4.50." George shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"I need her notes."

"Not gonna be easy. She's stingy as fuck."

"Bribe her with your body or something." Harry grumbled.

"She's a Christian. The type that waits until marriage before sleeping with a man." George rolled his eyes.

"Let me guess..." His voice trailed off knowingly.

"Rachel." George shuddered.

"I'm toast." Harry groaned. "I'll see you around." He jogged down the steps and walked away towards the parking lot.

Ethan slipped into class as the professor was speaking and though he'd been quiet but everyone turned to stare at him in surprise and watched as he took a seat at the back.

"Nice of you to join us, Mr Delnoi." Professor Peters' voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Thank you sir." Ethan said, slipping into a random seat.

He normally didn't attend classes but he always turned in his assignments and aced every test. Fortunately, his CGPA was high so he had nothing to worry about.

He looked around the hall searching for Saira and found her seated three rows ahead. Her black hair was now in a ponytail and she'd taken off her hideous sweater... thankfully.

He wondered how he'd been classmates with this girl for a few years and had never really noticed her. She didn't look African and her name certainly wasn't one.

"Saira." Ethan thought. That name was of Hebrew origin meaning princess. So, could it mean that gorgeous was Jewish?

"Hey Ethan, want to come study for a while in my room later?" Karina Yousef sent him a sultry glance.

"I'll take a raincheck." He answered.

"Raincheck." Karina looked shocked.

"That's what I said." He replied.

"You sure?"

Ethan leveled her with a look and said nothing. It was a shocker that he'd turned her down but he didn't feel like burning up the sheets with Karina. She was even worse than he was and he loved his dick very much, thank you.

The class ended at exactly 11am and after the professor reminded them about the test, he walked out of the hall. 

Ethan immediately stood up and headed down the aisle to try and talk to Saira but some guys blocked him and they began to talk. By the time he excused himself and looked around for Saira, she was gone.

"I can lend you my notes if you want Ethan." Another airhead offered. "Or I could teach you all you need to know about tomorrow's test."

"No thanks." Ethan said. "Do you know which way Saira went?"

"Who is Sara?" The girl looked confused.

"Never mind." He grunted and hurried out of the hall.

Ethan searched for her in the cafeteria later that day but couldn't find her and it seemed as if she'd disappeared into thin air, which made him annoyed and then wondered why he was even looking for her. 

She was not his type. She was beautiful, brilliant and he was sure she had a gorgeous body underneath the drab clothing she had on but she was like a lamb whereas he preferred tigresses. He turned to leave when he heard the dreadful voice of his ex-girlfriend.

"Ethan Davion Delnoi!" Darina's voice called out from the entrance of the cafeteria.

"Fuck." He muttered a curse. "So close."