Chapter 8: Something Deeper

As expected, Aubrey experienced a rush of unwanted popularity after the chemistry class. Everyone wanted to know how it was like to be paired with Rhyland Darling.

If Aubrey had to answer with one word… Torture.

The man was super attentive and surprisingly smart. He wasn't what Aubrey was expecting. She thought that the man wouldn't pay attention to class and slack off during the lab but it wasn't the case.

In fact, Rhyland took the lead during the lab work and it was Aubrey's turn to be embarrassed because she was making so many mistakes around the guy.

"Bree." The man naturally called Aubrey by her nickname. "The acid needs to be neutralized before it goes down the sink.

"Bree, careful. You spilled something over there."

"Bree, it's 10 ml not 1 ml." Rhyland gently corrected.

Aubrey couldn't wait for class to be over so that she can regain her composure. She doesn't know why she is so clumsy around Rhyland. It's like the guy has some hold over her. She sure hopes that she wouldn't be this way for the entire semester.

The girl was so focused on escaping the man that she didn't realize he had been calling her by her pet name the entire class. Since when did they become so close?

...

During lunchtime, Natalie Jenkins, the school's resident gossip girl, daringly approached Aubrey.

"I heard you got paired up with Rhyland Darling. Spill the deets girl!"

Surprised Aubrey looked up from her chicken katsu bento with a confused look on her face. A small group of students began to surround her from where she sat at the mess hall.

"What does he smell like?"

"Is his voice as dreamy as people say?"

"Do you have his number?"

"I heard he helped you carry your books! Can I touch them for a few minutes!?"

The students did not wait for Aubrey to respond before they fired off one question after another. No one seemed to notice Aubrey's increasing discomfort from being the center of attention.

"Well?" Natalie prodded. "Come on, tell us!"

Aubrey scrunched up her forehead. What kind of questions were these and how exactly was she supposed to answer them?

"I don't know?"

"What do you mean you dont know?" Natalie exclaimed looking aghast and the little posse of boys and girls around her nodded.

"I… I don't know." Aubrey stuttered. Was she the weird one?

"You don't know what he smells like? You were just with him an hour ago. Is it sandalwood? Musk? Rosewood? Sage? Don't keep it to yourself. Tell us!" The self professed queen of gossip insisted.

"I don't know. I can't tell."

"What about his voice? Can you record it?" A girl piped up.

"And tell us his number!" Another one added.

"I dont have his number. I can't record his voice, that's an invasion of privacy." Aubrey said almost immediately. Are these kids okay?

"Don't be silly. Rhyland is basically a celebrity. Right?" Natalie scoffed.

"Yes that's right!" The group nodded in affirmative.

Aubrey was at a loss. She can barely keep down her food with all the attention she was getting. It's almost as bad as what she had experienced at the chemistry lab with Rhyland.

Thankfully, Beverly and Ricky arrived at that moment to "save" the day.

"Guys stop bothering, Aubrey."

"Yeah, give her some space will you." Ricky added with a look of sympathy.

"Sheesh fine. We were just asking a few questions. You make it seem like we're harassing her or something."

'It feels like harassment.' Aubrey thought to herself although she didnt voice her feelings aloud.

"Well it certainly looks that way." Beverly said pointedly with her arms akimbo.

"Ugh fine. Let's go guys." Natalie declared before leaving the trio.

......

"You've been smiling since earlier."Lucas, Ryland's best friend, commented. "Are you seeing a new girl?" The pair had just won a friendly game of basketball against the rival university. Sweat dripped off their bodies in the warm afternoon sun.

"Stupid ass. It's not like that." Rhyland responded, looking away as he wiped the sweat off his face. However, he was unable to avoid the prying eyes of his friend.

"So it IS a girl."

"Who is it? Is she prettier than Natasha?"

Rhyland only rolled his eyes and continued drinking from his water bottle. There's no competition there. There's no way for a normal human to be prettier than a Lycan. However, that girl Aubrey did have the prettiest brown eyes he has seen. But he didn't like her romantically; he was just interested in her because of the unique scent she had. And speaking of scents he hasn't smelled it on her for the whole day. Rhyland was beginning to doubt himself that he even smelled it in the first place.

No. He was certain. The hunger had dissipated then and still hasn't returned. This was rare as usually he needed to hunt every night unlike the rest of the wolves in his clan who would hunt once a week. This was proof that it was real.

So no it wasn't romantic at all. It was something deeper…

"IS SHE PRETTIER THAN NATASHA?!" Lucas exclaimed once again. "Damn! I want to meet her now."

Natasha Kaminski is a well known beauty around campus and a werewolf like Rhyland. The pair were childhood friends. But that's all there was to it. Everyone knows that Rhyland Leslie Darling is not the type to settle down. It didn't matter who the other party was. Rhyland doesn't intend to fall in love. Love will only bring ruin to himself and the other party involved.

As for Aubrey, he just needs to figure out how to keep her by his side.

"Who's prettier than Natasha? Beverly?" Asked Timothy, the other student who had just played a game with Rhyland and Lucas.

"Ohhh yea Beverly Taylor! She's a looker too! Rhyland has a new girl and he's being secretive." Lucas responded with an approving nod of his head.

"Another one? How long did the previous one last?" Timothy inquired.

"Three months." Lucas automatically replied in place of Rhyland.

"You guys are noisy. I already told you, it's not like that." Rhyland slapped the backs of Timothy and Lucas, careful to control his strength. His friends are human after all.