The Right Kind of Wrong

Navigating her way through the school like it really was her senior year there and not just her first year as a senior, Emily skipped down the stairs in the entrance hall of one of the building, her messenger bag slamming against the back of her thigh as she did. Her last class had run late after a rather heated discussion during a group exercise and she was late to a meeting in the library.

Ever since the BBQ at Pony’s house, which Chay had insisted she’d go to, she’d felt more and more at home at UND as well as in Grand Forks. Or rather, she hadn’t realized something was missing before, but now looking back at it, something probably had been missing, and she was happy it wasn't any longer. She wasn't looking to throw herself into the dating scene again, and especially not with a hockey player, but that didn’t mean it didn’t feel nice to be around the same sort of people again.

Sending a slight wave in the direction of a girl who lived on the same floor as her and who shared her slight obsession with the soccer club FC Barcelona, she headed down the few steps leading into the vast library and pushed the glass door open with her hip. Slowing down to a stroll, she ignored the way her high heels clicked against the hardwood flooring and continued down the rows of bookshelves, all filled to the brink with books for every imaginable subject.

Her hand following the curve of the wooden/metal railing, she jogged up the first flight of stairs and scanned the area in search for a certain tall brunette. Finding him on the next level up, she walked through the maze of tables, computer stations and bookshelves before jogging up the last flight of stairs, happy that she was still doing cardio workouts at least three times a week.

A soft smile across her lips, she rounded a large pillar and walked over to the sofa group where he was sitting, looking awfully comfortable and a bit like he just stepped out of some sort of fashion magazine, despite the baggy jeans and sweatshirt he was wearing.

“Sorry,” she announced herself. “Class ran late,” she told him as she dropped her bag in one of the armchairs and plunked herself down in another.

“Excuses,” Chris shook his head at her.

“Shut up,” she retorted, throwing a piece of paper at him as she pulled her books from her bag and spread them out on the table next to his.

“You talk to your mother with that foul mouth?” he smirked at her.

Not replying, she simply glared at him as she crossed her legs and flipped her books open. They had a great time at the BBQ as well as the after following party where they’d joined forces to win a beer pong tournament over some of his teammates and then they had met up for lunch the following day, which ultimately resulted in them organizing their own little study group.

He was a recreation and tourism major whilst she was working on a business one and finding that she’d been traveling a lot during her years growing up – still did actually – he’d recruited her to help him with one of the projects he had to do for his senior year. And she wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to have an unbiased opinion on both her assignments as well the ideas she needed to come up with for her marketing classes.

“No, actually the class ran late due to some near fights breaking out in the back rows,” she said honestly, smiling slightly as she saw the surprised look on his face.

“Really?” he asked amazed.

“Yeah, apparently you should think twice before you totally crush your opponents’ thoughts and ideas,” she shrugged. “Especially when two of them are on the football team as well as baseball team.”

“You know, you’ve been here a few weeks and has already seen an almost fight in a classroom, I’ve been here for three years and the last time I saw a fight that wasn't on the ice, it was in the line for Frozen Four tickets a few years ago,” he shook his head slowly. “I never get to see anything fun,” he complained frowning.

“I wouldn’t classify it as fun, but whatever floats your boat,” she shook her head as she leaned further back in the seat and look over at him.

“But then again, you are a girl,” he pointed out frankly.

“Want to say that again after you see the after pictures of the girl who’s nose I broke during a soccer game in high school?” she retorted evenly, a slightly cold look in her eyes.

“You broke someone’s nose?” he asked surprised.

“Well, my elbow did,” she shrugged. “Three game suspension and a $500 fine to the football association,” she added.

“You're badass,” he commented appreciatively, nodding slightly.

“Those are not the words my coach used after that game…” she trailed off slowly, remembering the ‘scandal’ it had been back then.

“It was a big deal?” he asked carefully.

“Yeah,” she nodded, looking back at him. “They thought it was premeditated, which it might have been and they didn’t really like that,” she said obviously. “But it’s a story I can tell the grandchildren about anyway, and we ended up winning the game,” she smiled softly.

“You're different, definitely different,” he nodded slowly as he observed her, watching as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, giving him a slight view of the words tattooed on the underside of her right forearm.

“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” she questioned smiling coyly.

“A good thing, definitely a good thing,” he assured her, a comfortable silence spreading between them as they simply looked at each other.

There wasn't a doubt in her mind that the man before her was trouble, nothing but trouble…

Sitting curled up in the seat, her hair pulled up in a messy bun, Emily laughed softly as the story Chris was telling her about one of their away trips to Alaska the previous season. They’d studied for a few hours, but had moved on to simply getting to know each other and they were getting along splendidly.

Her eyes landing on a familiar form heading straight for them from the other end of the top floor ‘balcony’, she frowned slightly. Something about the look on his face told her that it wasn't going to be just a friendly visit.

“Can I talk to you?” Taylor interrupted Chris’ story as he reached them, not even sparing the tall hockey player a look.

“Excuse me,” she mumbled softly as she looked over at Chris who looked slightly concerned.

“Everything alright?” Chris asked as he looked up at him, not missing the way Taylor rolled his eyes at his questioned.

“Yeah,” she nodded slightly. “I’ll be right back,” she promised as she stood up and literally pulled Taylor with her as she stalked away from the sofa groups and towards a quiet and somewhat secluded corner.

“What are you doing with him?” Taylor asked accusingly.

“I'm studying,” Emily retorted quickly, turning around sharply, her eyes blazing as she glared up at him.

“With that guy?! After everything I told you about him and the other knuckle heads?” he questioned annoyed, a slight pitch to his tone.

“Last time I checked, I didn’t know you very well and not to mention the fact that I'm a grown woman who is perfectly capable of making her own decisions,” she stated frankly. “You don’t know me, you don’t know what I'm like,” she pointed out. “And no matter what you think, I find him to be a good guy no matter if he plays a tuff sport or not.”

“He’s a player,” he pointed out frustrated, running his fingers through his hair.

“Good thing I'm not dating him then,” she retorted, noticing the immediate light that appeared in his eyes as some of the tension in his shoulders disappeared. “You're jealous,” she stated frankly, calling him out.

“Of course I'm not,” he tried to disagree, failing miserably.

“Yeah, and I am an American,” she rolled her eyes. “I'm not attracted to you,” she said flatly. “You're a nice guy and you're probably a great boyfriend, but I don’t like you and I do not want you to even think that that’s going to change, you’re not my type.”

“But he is?” he frowned accusingly.

“I didn’t say that,” she pointed out. “You're not my type, and whoever I do or do not date, hook up with, sleep with, make out with or whatever, is none of your business,” she decided frankly.

“I'm trying to look out for you,” he sighed heavily.

“No,” she shook her head. “Looking out for me would be warn me about him, let me make whatever mistake I want and then be there to pick up the pieces when it all falls apart,” she clarified. “What you're doing is acting like a jealous boyfriend and I've had enough of those to last me a lifetime,” she revealed honestly.

“He’s not good enough for you,” he tired to plead with her.

“And that would be up to me to decide,” she replied. “He’s a friend,” she stated. “I like having many friends, and you don’t get to decide who my friends are.”

“Emmy…”

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped at him darkly. “You're on real thin ice right now,” she told him coldly. “Don’t push me on this. I like you as a friend, and I don’t want to lose that, but if you keep this up, I'm not going to be able to be your friend,” she said seriously.

“But…” he tried.

“Tay…” she sighed. “My life hasn’t been my own for a long time, and I like having it back again,” she slipped. “I don’t need more people trying to influence me, decide what I do or who I meet, and if you can’t accept that, this friendship don’t have much of a future,” she said evenly, silence spreading between them. “I have to…” she mumbled, motioning back over her shoulder before she turned and walked back to where Chris was sitting.

“Everything alright?” he asked worriedly, seeing the look on her face.

“Yeah,” she nodded stiffly. “Just…just old demons,” she admitted softly.

“Did he do something to you?” he asked seriously.

“No,” she shook her head quickly, smiling slightly at him. “He said some things that brought back some old, unpleasant memories,” she admitted as she collected her books and stuffed them in her bag.

“You sure you're okay?” he asked, reaching out and stopping her frantic movements.

“I will be,” she promised. “I just need to get out of here,” she admitted.

“We can go grab something to eat,” he suggested as he collected his own books.

“I don’t want you to…” she said only to be interrupted.

“I asked, didn’t I?” he asked smiling softly.

“Yeah, you did,” she agreed. “Why not,” she nodded slightly as they both stood up, picking up their respective bags.

Making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything, she followed him towards the stairs and smiled softly as he waited for her and they descended them together. Glancing back up on the balcony as she went, her eyes landed on Taylor for a moment, and she didn’t like the annoyed look on his face. But she was a grown woman, and being as hardheaded as she had been since she was a young girl, she wasn't going to let a boy with a crush stop her from living her life the way she wanted.

Feeling a hand in her lower back, guiding her slightly, she smiled softly as she glanced over at Chris. She hated herself for it, but she really couldn’t help but feel attracted to him, and it had nothing to do with his good looks…well, maybe a little…