Ch. 6 Lothario

Lothario

- a man whose chief interest is seducing women

Origin: English

6

"Savannah right?" He asks. 

I nod. "Yeah."

"I'm Aries. As much I want to shake your hand for formal introduction, I can't cos I'm driving right now." He said smilingly.

"Yeah I don't want to be on the headlines of the newspaper tomorrow for car crash."

He laughs deeply.

"So what's up with you and Nick?" Aries ask while he was busy driving me back to the dorm.

"Nothing's up with me and Nick. There's no me and Nick anyways." I snorted.

He chuckles while he turns to the left. He was holding the stirring wheel with one hand, I could see the muscles on his biceps flexing with the other hand holding an energy drink. He's handsome, okay. He's pretty hot as well and his jawline is making him so sexy. He's blond, so I'm thinking he's blue-eyed too. That's usually the combination on hot guys, as far as I know.

"He's hard to deal with." He says. 

"You're not the only one I heard saying that. And believe me, I think so too." I said.

He cocked his head back while grinning. "But Nick's a nice guy as well. He's just distant sometimes and moody most of the times."

I smiled. "He sure is goddamn moody."

The car stops. "You're here."

I looked out and I was finally here in front of the dorm. He suddenly stepped out of the car and walked around to the passenger door and opened it for me. He was smiling. Oh god he's so good looking. "It's the least I could do." He says while extending his hand out.

I was smiling sheepishly while I accepted his hand. Aries helped me get off his car as he closes the door behind me. I pulled my hand away and he was pretty nice as well. "Thanks."

"Anytime angel. Go inside now, I wanna make sure you're safe in." 

"Thanks." I repeated, I'm mesmerized by his smile.

"You've thanked me twice." He laughs softly.

I joined him laughing as well realizing how I'm being so clumsy right now and I was obviously acting awkward in front of him but he was just so cool about it.

"Goodnight angel." He says. 

I kept cringing inwardly when I hear him calling me angel and I don't seem to bother about it at all. I think it's cute and it's weird at the same time cos I don't even know him but I can tell he's already nice and not as badass and coldhearted like Nick. Nobody ever tried to call me cute names. Not even my ex.

"Goodnight. And thanks." What the hell is wrong with me? I'm always thanking him.

He pulls out his hand with three fingers popping out while smiling. "Thrice."

I smiled. "Drive safely."

He nods. 

I started walking away from him and headed to the dorm. I didn't take it really personally that he was being cute and all that but I just can't stop smiling and I don't know why I was smiling. I just wish Nick was as nice and as polite as Aries. But then I know he won't be.

•••••

Crap. 

Crap. 

Crap. 

I'm running late for my first class, well I still have thirty minutes to look for my room but then I'm always used to being arriving in class one hour before the time. I'm not used to waking up not on the exact time I set my alarm clock. I shouldn't have gone out late last night. Damn it I don't know where I'm going either! I'm lost! I kept looking at the brochure and I just don't get it at all. Then all of a sudden this random guy bumped to me! Goodness can't this day get any worst than ever?! 

Then I notice that a lot of stuff were scattered on the floor and it was mostly his things. I looked up to him and this semi-bald raven haired dude wore the baggiest shirt and pants ever! He was scared of something and he was in a hurry while picking up the tons of books, foods, bottled waters, soda cans, and bags on the ground. How come he's carrying a lot when he's also bringing a backpack behind him? How come he's got a lot of foods when he's actually skinny. 

"Sorry miss. I'm terribly sorry." He said while fixing his glasses. 

I tried to help him on picking up some books. I noticed some had same covers but of different names. I look at him and he was sweating, panting, and scared. It was obvious from his eyes that he was scared of something and bumping into me was making him late or as if someone was chasing him. We both stand and I handed him the books. The skinny man had tons of books, foods and drinks on his grasps while a few black duffel bags were hanging on his arms. I see the Phi Delta Theta logo on one bag and he doesn't look like a frat guy to me. 

"What the fuck is taking you so long?!"

I notice his hands were shaking and his eyes narrowed when he heard that voice. I moved my head to where he was looking and a group of five guys walked towards us. 

Gasp. They're bullying him!

"Aries?" I called out. I don't know if he was the one who said those words but I can't believe he's bullying such a weak guy. It doesn't look like he could do this. 

But then he's a frat guy, he'll always going to bully anyone he wants to. 

"Oh hey angel." He smiled, he wore a baseball cap that was backwards and a few of his blond hair peaked through the cap's hole while he's chewing a gum. I still see that little cut on his lip. 

"What are you doing to him?" I asked. 

"He's on I-Week babe." One guy answered. 

Babe my ass. 

What the hell does that even mean?

"You're bullying him." I spit. 

They laughed softly and this skinny dude bent his head down low in embarrassment. 

"No we're not angel. It's what he asked and signed for. Right Billy?" Aries hooks his arm around the skinny dude's shoulders. 

He just nod. "Yeah. I'm under initiation. I'm fine." He smiled at me. 

That's why. But he doesn't look fine to me. He looked like he needs help on carrying all those stuff for a skinny man like him. They're all so buff but they cant even bring their own things. I know it's initiation and I'm not anywhere near close to be giving a care about this cos it's not suppose to be my thing, but I really pity Billy. 

All of a sudden another guy hit the back of the head of this skinny dude right in front of me. I was surprised. "You messed up my tacos dude! The fuck!"

But Billy didn't do anything about it and just smiled like it didn't affect him. "I'm sorry Mike. I'm so sorry. I'll get you another one then."

Aries gazed at that guy who hit Billy's head and he sort of looked sorry he did that. 

"You're on your way to class angel?" Aries asked me with a smile. 

I was expecting him to be a regular blond dude with blue eyes but now that I look at him eagerly, his eyes were a pair of bright metallic grey. I'm surprised! Goodness, I've never seen a guy with grey eyes and it really suits him.

"Yeah. Kind of lost actually." I muffled shyly, recovering from his tantalizing steel-colored eyes. 

Aries pulled his arm off Billy. "Why don't you guys go ahead, I'll catch up."

Aries' friends started walking away with Billy walking right behind him. "You pity him don't you?"

I stared at Aries. "Don't you?"

He smiled. "Freshmen recruits always gets through that phase."

Both of us started walking together. "Did you go through that too?"

"Yeah. All of the senior guys in any fraternity went through the I-Week."

"So it's like you're getting back at him?"

"Yeah. Maybe. Let's not talk about it, I don't want you to think I'm a bad guy." He smiled at me. 

"So, where's your room angel?"

I showed him my schedule and he started pointing. "We take that stairs."

We walked together along the hallways while women were eyeing on me. 

"There's campus tour sessions usually here. I just don't know when and what time." I hear Aries say. 

"Thanks for telling. I think I really need that tour." I smiled. 

We headed up the stairs. "So what are you taking up?" I asked. 

"Finance. You?"

"English literature."

His eyes narrowed. "Wow. So you're a writer or reader something?"

"I guess you could call it that.

He chuckles. "It suits you."

We continued walking together silently and my eyes were wandering around the signs that I passed by so I won't get lost next time. 

"Are you free tonight?" He asked while we halted on this door. 

I looked at him. "Yeah. I think."

"I'll pick you up then."

"We're not going to a frat party right?"

"Just some dinner. Will seven be okay?" He said while opening the door for me. 

"Yeah. See you."

"Here's your room angel." He smirked at me before leaving.

Gosh he's like a smooth criminal. 

•••••

By four in the afternoon, I headed out of the library when I saw Billy again. He was alone and he was panting and still sweating. So I decided to walk near him. 

"Hi." I greeted. 

He looked up at me. "Why are you talking to me?"

I slightly gaped. 

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. It's just that other students aren't as friendly as you."

I snorted."Oh. Uh, I didn't get to say my apologies to you. Did you get in trouble after what happened a while ago?"

"No. Aries let me go after he walked you to your classroom." He said. 

"I should thank you to whatever things you said to him." He added. 

I laughed softly. "I didn't say anything to him. Wait, why are you so scared of Aries?"

"Didn't you know?"

"Know what?"

"He's the vice-president of Phi Delta Theta. He's a smug. People are scared of him. But they're more scared of Nick. Please don't say that to him that I called him a smug."

I smiled. "I won't. What happened to your lip? Did someone hit you?"

"One of Aries' friends did. But it's fine."

"Oh. Uhh, I hope you'll be okay. I'll see you around Billy." I said as I started leaving him. 

As soon as I headed out of the building, I grabbed my books and decided to head back to the dorm. I wanted to look nice in front of Aries cos he's the first guy who asked me out for dinner as college student. All of a sudden a red Chevy pick up truck with an all black tinted windows stopped right in front of me. The driver's door opened and Nick was the one who got off the car. He looked at me and quickly walked right next to where I was. 

"Here." He handed me my clothes from last night. 

Oh gosh I almost forgot that I left my clothes in his frat house. I grabbed it from his hand without saying a word to him and I quickly looked away before I throw a fit on him again. I think he waited for me to say a thank you. 

"My shirt?" He asked me while eyebrow arching. 

"I'll hand it to Tracy." I left him. 

"Hey!" I hear him calling out to me. 

I halted and gazed at him over my shoulder.

"Don't I get to hear a thank you from you? I washed that." He said. 

My eyes travelled to my clothes on my hand. I don't know if he's joking or not but I quickly sniffed my clothes. He's not lying. It does smell good! I hear him chuckling deeply on his throat from behind me and I could see his biggest smirk on his face from here even though I'm not looking at him so I quickly fixed myself. 

"Thanks." I said monotone and continued walking away from him. 

•••••

Suddenly a knock came by the door at exactly 7PM and I know it was Aries. I haven't seen Tracy today either, I think she's with Clyde. I swing the door open, and it was Aries and his brightest smile with his baseball cap placed backwards on top of his head.

"Ready?" He asked. 

"Yeah, let me grab my phone." I rushed to the drawer and grabbed it then both if us headed out of the dormitory. 

He opened the passenger door for me and I hopped inside right away. He walked around the car and got in too then we left the dorm. On our way, he asked how my first day went and told me the schedule for the tour session he said to me a while ago. Finally, we arrived on this diner, just nearby the campus. We got inside and settled on one table, he ordered for us and said I should try this and that. He really knows what he was doing right now.

When the foods were served to us, we started eating and he talked about his embarrassing moments when he was a freshman. It was hilarious and how he said he was a sore loser before, I almost didn't believe it but he showed me a photo of him. He was a loser with braces, just like how he described himself. Until he joined the fraternity, he became cool. He changed. Aries wasn't boastful about himself and he's really a great talker. We kept laughing and I kept smiling at my seat. I think we were the only ones noisy on the diner right now.

He told me about the other frat guys and how he described them as pain in the ass cos of course, he was the vice-president and he needs to look after his straying men. He didn't mention much about Nick, which was totally fine by me cos he's not worth to talk about anyways. And until I didn't even know we finished what we ate. 

"Savannah!" 

I pulled my head up and it was Tracy with Clyde walking up to me. She hugs me right away. "Hi. I didn't see you around the campus today."

"I was busy getting lost around the campus." I pulled myself away.

She laughs, "Always in first week. I had my days too." and then gazes at Aries. "Oh, you're with Aries."

Clyde's arm creeps out of her waist. 

Aries smiled at her. "Hey Trace. Clyde."

"Hey." Clyde nods at him once. 

"Well we just got inside cos I saw you and guess what? Nick told me to invite you over for tonight's party." She smiled happily. 

Wait, what? Did I hear that right?

"Nick? Nick did that?" Aries asked in disbelief on his eyes. 

Tracy nodded with a smile. 

My mouth dropped. "Nick? Invited me?"

She nods again. "Yes. So are you going then? Oh please go. I'm begging you."

"Well, I told you parties aren't really my thing. I think I'll pass Trace."

She pouts. "But you have to go, he never invites girls over frat parties, just me. And I was shocked cos he invited you."

"Tracy, I'll pass this one out. I really need sleep." I smiled ruefully. 

She sighs. "Alright. If you say so. But if you change your mind, text me okay? I can always tell Romeo to pick you up."

I nod. "Thanks."

I wouldn't change my mind. I'm not going to that party even if Nick invited me.

__________

SFTC:

Heartbeat - Mat Kearney