Erin

"Fuck.", I mutter, my books spilling on the ground. This is what I get for taking so many classes, I guess. But it'll be worth it when I can graduate early, I keep telling myself.  Suddenly, a pair of hands appear next to mine, helping me pick up my fallen books.  "Thanks.", I say gratefully, not knowing who it was.  Looking up however, I almost dropped them again.
 
"No problem.", he says, giving me a crooked smile. "That's a lot of books you got there."
 
Smiling shyly, I reply, "Yea. I'm trying to graduate."
 
"Well," he says holding out his hand. "I'm Martin. And you are..?"
 
"I know.", I say quietly. "And I'm Erin."
 
"You know me?", he questions.
 
"Yea. Boys Like Girls is the biggest online fever right now!", I say.
 
"Really?", he asks. "Well, I'm here with the boys for a small gig."
 
"That is so totally awesome! I wish I could go."
 
"Well, why not?", he asks curiously.
 
Gesturing at my books, I give him a look. "And I'm totally broke."
 
"Come on!", he begs. "You can spare one night!"
 
"No. I really can't actually.", I say frowning.
 
"Fine.", he says acquiescing. "Let me at least carry your stuff.  A girl like you shouldn't have to carry all of those.
 
A girl like me? What does that mean? But I hand them over willingly, not really wanting to hold them myself either.  However, as soon as I give him the books, he starts walking away.
 
"Wait!", I shout. "Where are you going? My dorm is the other way!"
 
"Oh. Is it?", he asks, but continues to walk in the same direction.
 
Weaving through people to catch up to him, I groan to myself.  I need to study, and really don't have time for this.  Soon, I realize that he is walking towards a popular, but small, venue that often features live music.  Oh.  I guess that's where they're performing.
 
"But I'm broke!", I try one more time.
 
"I never said you had to follow me.", he says with a wicked smile.
 
"But you have my books! And I seriously have no money on me."
 
He shrugs, "And you're with me, so don't worry about the money."
 
Giving up, I follow him into the venue.  "Wait here.", he says, while sitting me down on a couch.  Taking my books, he walked out the back door.  When he came back, the books seem to have disappeared.
 
"Please tell me that those books are safe.", I say.
 
"Don't worry. They're just locked in my car so you can't get them."
 
Groaning again, I slouch back down on the couch.  Sitting down next to me, Martin casually throws his arms around me.  "Lighten up.", he urges. "And enjoy our show." Seeing that I wasn't responding to him, he tilts my head towards him. "C'mon. Look at me for a second.", he says when he says my eyes were still averted.
 
As soon as I stare into his blue eyes, he pulls my face closer to his.  As his lips move against mine, I close my eyes and lean into it. Damn, he's fantastic, I think as a sigh slips out.  "Are you relaxed now?", he asks with a smirk.
 
My eyes go wide.  "You did that to relax me?"
 
"And because I wanted to since I saw you with all those books. So will you stay willingly now?"
 
This time, I allow him take my hand and pull me up.  What the hell.  I've been buried in books since getting into college.  Maybe it's time to live a little.  And so I let myself follow the confident blue-eyed boy I'd met only an hour ago backstage to see their performance.