Bambi

By the time the lecture ended, Clip's mind was a buzz with new information. Ringo's unrelenting lecture ran far longer than any class should reasonably run. But Clip didn't mind. He thrived on the challenge, and was eager to soak in every bit of knowledge the professor threw at him.

As the other students drained out of the lecture hall, Clip casually gathered his things, his eyes meandering around the room catching the clock on the wall. It was late—much later than he'd expected. "I should probably pick up the pace," Clip said with a sigh to himself. He hurriedly solved the equations Ringo had handed out at the end of class and made his way to the professor's desk.

"I finished the problems," Clip said, handing Ringo the papers.

As Ringo looked them over, a microscopic smile played at his lips. "You're correct," he said simply. "Well done, Clip."

"Thanks," Clip replied, puffing his chest with satisfaction. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Ringo nodded, already distracted by something else as Clip made his way out of the room.

Outside, the campus was glazed in the golden amber light of the setting sun. Clip's mind was still busy sorting through the day's events as he walked, his thoughts wandering back to Kattie. He had promised her ice cream, and he knew she'd hold him to it.

But as he walked through the park, his footsteps slowed. Something about the peaceful scenery calmed his mind, giving him a moment to reflect. He glanced around, admiring the way the light filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the grass.

The thought of the girl from earlier lingered at the edges of his thoughts. Who was she? Why did she seem so familiar?

Shaking his head, Clip pushed the thoughts aside and continued wandering until he happened upon the Mixed Martial Arts club room. As he approached the room, he saw it was mostly empty, the members already gone for the day. But one person remained—a girl, her back turned to him, her movements were like a mace bludgeoning as she practiced her martial arts.

Clip watched, mesmerized by her skill. She moved with grace but wild. Her power captivated him, her dark brown skin glistening with sweat under the fluorescent lights. He hadn't seen anyone move like that before.

The girl stopped abruptly, turning to face him. For a moment, Clip's breath caught in his throat. It's Ariana! Clip thought to himself as she smiled at him, a quiet, knowing smile that trapped him like prey. Clip's heart raced as she held his gaze, the room suddenly feeling far too small for the two of them.

He cleared his throat, trying to regain some composure. "Uh, hey. I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just passing by."

"You weren't interrupting," she said softly, her voice carrying a quiet confidence. "I like to get some extra practice in after everyone leaves. But it does get a little hard to stretch on my own…"

Her words trailed off as she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, her movements mesmerizing. Her movements were mesmerizing, and Clip's eyes followed the trail of her hand before quickly snapping back up to her face.

He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "Oh, right. Well, uh... you're really good," he said.

She let out a small laugh, walking toward him with a confidence that belied her combat instincts. Her steps were light, her presence somehow both calming and unnerving.

"Thanks," she said, stopping just inches from him. Clip could feel the warmth of her skin in the air between them, the sweet scent of her sweat mingling with the faint perfume she wore. "You seem flustered, little rabbit."

Clip blinked. "Flustered? Me? No, I'm not—"

Before he could finish, her hand blitzed up and gently rested on his chest. She could fill every thump of his heart. Her touch was soft, tender even, but there was an underlying strength in her grip.

Her eyes—those intense, lavender eyes—narrowed slightly as she looked up at him. "Are you sure you're not flustered? Because you've been staring for a while." She said, running her tongue across her lips.

Clip tried to take a step back, but his legs refused to move. He was rooted to the spot, his mind swirling with thoughts he couldn't control. The scent of hunger filled the air, and he knew he was going to be devoured.

Her hand ran down his chest like water, pooling at his waist as she leaned in closer. Clip's breath caught in his throat, his instincts screaming at him to move, to say something—anything—but he was completely paralyzed.

"Do you mind if I touch you?" She asked, her voice a soft purr.

Clip's mind went blank. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. His body felt like it was on fire, every nerve ending on high alert as she pressed herself closer to him. He could feel her breath on his skin, her fingers curling gently around his waist.

"Your heart's beating so fast, and . ." she whispered, her lips brushing against his ear. " . . I can feel it getting–"

Just as the tension reached its breaking point, another voice cut through the air, sliced the moment like paper.

"Shrow, we have to go."

Clip's head snapped toward the door, his heart skipping a beat. A second girl stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face. She had the same dark brown skin as the girl he was ensnared by, but her hair was cut into a sharp bob, a white streak running down the middle. Her dark lavender eyes held back her irritation as she glared past Clip.

Clip hadn't even realized the girl he was talking to wasn't Ariana. His face flushed with embarrassment as the realization hit him.

Shrow sighed dramatically, her eyes narrowing at Clip. "Geez, Ari. You're ruining all the fun. Thumper here was getting a hard-on thinking I was you."

Clip's face turned bright red. "My name's not Thumper!" Shrow burst out laughing, her voice overwhelmed with amusement. "Yeah, whatever you say."

The real Ariana stepped forward, her expression calm as ever. "Let's go, Shrow."

Shrow rolled her eyes, but gave Clip one last wink before following her sister out of the room. "Catchya later."

Clip stood for a moment, still trying to comprehend everything that had just happened. His mind keeping pace with his racing heart, embarrassment draped over him as he replayed the last few minutes in his head. 

"I want to die," he muttered to himself as he turned to leave the MMA room.