The Elemental Lovers [Completed]

Chapter 9: The Familiarity

Barbara Brown's POV

The weekend was pretty fast. I cannot think of any way that I was spending most of my time in the house and do nothing. It was bliss and now it was Monday. The Monday blues were real and I felt it on my brain right now.

"Ugh," I said as I was filling the coffee from the pantry. I was back at University as it was Summer. I did not tell you this but most of the students, the undergrads would be spending some time with me in the labs but that was it.

I think my head was breaking.

"Woah, who died last night?" Adam asked me as I was sipping on my coffee before I turned to look at him.

"What?"

"You're a mess. Did someone die or did you just forget to tell me that you hate Mondays?" He asked as he was sipping on his coffee with a gleam in his eyes. I rolled my eyes as I went to my cubicle.

"Oh, come on. You don't have to be the party popper," Adam said as he took his seat next to me. And of course, his desk was next to mine. I groaned.

"I cannot think and I cannot do anything when I cannot think," I mumbled before I stood up as I was looking at the door. Adam looked at me with his seriousness.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to get out. I think I might die in here if I stay for another minute," I said as I was taking my leave. I cannot think right now and I think fresh air will do me good. I sighed as I was taking in the sunshine into my skin. It was nice before I looked and saw the familiar car that was parking in the parking lot. My smile was on the lips as I went to the car.

However, it soon died when I saw who was it. It was Silas, Lea's ex. And I think I don't like it when he was running around when Lea was crying over the breakup. And he had the decency to come with his girlfriend from the Chemistry department. Maya, I think the name.

"One of the reasons to get out even more. I'm out of here," I spoke to no one when I went out of the department building as I think I was famished for some reason now.

I was looking at the menu of the pho that I wanted to eat. It was all good with chicken, beef and tofu. I think I might have beef pho today.

"Hi, one beef pho please," I said to the student helper as she prepared the pho. I think I was drooling at the sight of the meal before I thanked her and I went to pay at the cashier. It was nice and I think I can think about this.

"Argh. This is life," I said as I was taking in the sight of the sight for the quad. I never thought that I will be looking at this right now since I was busy with my proposal and funding and all that shit that I have to deal with.

"May I join you?" Someone asked me and when I turned to look who was it, I was surprised to see her.

"Ella!" I said as I was hugging my best friend, other than Lea. We were 4 of a kind. There were Lea, Ella, and Daisy. And of course, me. We met during our undergraduate years and it still going strong until now.

"Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?" I asked her as she was taking a seat in front of me at the table. I was amazed to see my best friend when I don't even see where Lea was. She was supposed to be at the department but I think she was out or something.

"Well, I was visiting," Ella said as she was smiling at me. I arched my eyebrow.

"Visiting or you were touring to see if this uni was the perfect fit for your graduate school?" I asked her as she was shocked to see that I can guess her reason.

"Because I can read minds,"

"Ugh, enough with The Sorceress' Apprentice reference already. That movie was in 2010. A decade ago. Get a life, Barb," she said as I was sipping on my water. She was looking around as I put the bottle down.

"So, how did it go? Have you choose your advisor yet?" I asked her as she shrugged.

"I don't know, girl. The prospect to be here was nice but I think I might have to hold off for one semester,"

"Why?"

"I have something that I need to take care off,"

"Like?"

"Hmm, let see. I have to get some money to pay for my tuition fees, trying to maintain a job while trying to apply for graduate school and my expenses during the whole semesters. So I think.i have given you the general overview of my putting off one semester," she said as she was trying to be mean but I just ended up laughing at her.

"Oh come on. I was trying to be serious," Ella said as she was crossing her arms in front of her chest. I held out my hands as I was trying to control my laughter.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I will not laugh at you again. But I do have a solution to your dilemma. Why not you be a TA?" I asked her as I was putting off my pho since my friend was here. She arched her eyebrow.

"What's a TA?"

"Teaching assistant? Have you forgot our undergraduate days where you were having a little crush on some TA name D—"

"Okay, I see the point. I might consider that but I don't know how to apply," she said as she was looking at me. I smiled at her.

"Don't worry, that's why you have me as a friend," I said as we went over to apply to be a TA and the time just flew by as nothing happened.

Later that evening, I was nervous. I know, I was always nervous for no reason. I have to get my nerves under control. I was putting on my best black dress and my one coat that fits all. I sighed as I was looking st my minimal effort to look flawless for this dinner.

"It's okay, Barb. You can do this. You just have to play the doting fiancée that Mr. Cornwall needs," I said as I was smacking myself for calling my fiancé with a formal name. I have to stop doing that.

"Brad. Brandon. Ugh!" I said as I was throwing my hands out in the air as I was trying to calm down. I was pacing back and forth in the living room before the doorbell was ringing. I turned to look at them and I took a deep breath before I went to greet my guest.

I was opening the door when I was taking a sharp breath. There he was, the man of my wet dreams. I don't even know why I was dreaming of him at night. I guess I was lonely and desperate to get the spot that I have to charm him even in my dream.

"Hi," he said as I was blinking a few times at him. I smiled before I was opening the door even more.

"Hi, yourself," I said as I stepped aside when he entered my one-bedroom apartment. I was nervous as he was taking in my minimalist apartment before I was standing behind him.

"Are you ready?" Brandon asked me when he was taking his fill of me. I can sense that he was undressing me with his eyes only. Now I felt even more conscious of my dressing.

"Yeah, let me get my handbag," I said as I was going to the drawer near my bedroom where I put some of my things in the drawer. I took my handbag as I turned to look at him and went to his side.

"Shall we?" I asked as he was urging me to go first. I went to wait outside as I was waiting for Brandon to get out. I was holding my keys before I put it in the keyhole and locked the apartment. I turned to look at him before we were down the pavement.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he said as he turned to look at me when we were standing beside the car.

"What?" I asked him before he drew me closer with his hand on my nape and we were kissing.

Kissing as in my lips was on his lips.

I have been waiting for the whole weekend for Monday to come as I know that I will feel his lips on mine. But I don't think that he would be bold enough to do it when there was no one after all around us. I pushed him to break the kiss as I was glaring at him. He just smirked at me.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked as I was gritting my teeth.

"No, it's not that. I don't know why you are getting familiar with me right now," I said as I was trying to control my anger to him. He just smirked even more.

"Barbara, we need to get familiar with our kisses or my parents will not believe that you had fallen in love with me,"

"What do you mean?" I asked him as I don't understand what he was referring to.

"Besides your parents, my parents believe in one true love," he said as he opened the door for me to get inside the car.

"Shall we?" He said as he offered his hand.

And right now, I think I wanted to crush that hand under something heavy so that he will not lifting it again toward me.