She wasn't looking for a knight,

she was looking for a sword.

-Atticus

John sat down under the shade of one of the trees on the quad, stretching his legs out in front of him with his back against the trunk and crossing his ankles before pulling his reading for this afternoon's History lecture. He glanced up as Marcos and Lorna walked up hand in hand.

"Hey John." Lorna grinned down at him, "What're you reading?"

Before he could answer she pulled the stapled stack of paper from his hand.

She frowned, returning it to him, "Boring."

He took it back from her with a smile, "I guess you didn't do your homework again?"

She flipped him off.

John shook his head with a laugh.

Marcos sat next to him and leaned back on his elbows, tilting his face into the sun and smiling when Lorna laid her head on his lap. His fingers immediately began carding through her bright green hair…

The image reminded him too much of him and Sonya, John quick returning his attention to the academic article staring back up at him. The last thing he need was thoughts of his ex clouding his mind right now…

A flash of color caught his eye and he looked up as a wolf whistle reached his ears, clenching his jaw and trying to focus on the words in his hand instead of the purple-haired girl walking by and how badly he wanted to punch the asshole who was blatantly eyeing her.

This probably hadn't been the first time it had happened to her given that she completely ignored him and continued on her way. She paused, though, when the idiot decided to make it worse by opening his mouth.

"Come on, babe. I'll make it worth your while."

She scoffed, "I'll pass, thanks."

Marcos' hand stopped him from lunging to his feet when the man wrapped a hand around her arm and pulled her back, fingers digging into his bicep. "Don't do it man." Dark eyes pleaded with him, "Besides, it looks like she has this handled."

John barely registered the words, but remained where he was.

The girl's expression hardened and she ripped her arm from his hold to glare at him, muttering words too low for John to hear. Her jaw tightened as the guy laughed, clearly not taking whatever she'd told him seriously.

"Come on Clarice, don't play so hard to get."

The girl, Clarice, narrowed her eyes, "I'm not exactly sure what Aaron told you-"

He chuckled, lewdly running his eyes over her cut-offs and tank top, "Plenty."

"Then I suggest leaving me alone." She turned to leave, "if you don't mind."

"Where do you think you're going?" His hand curled over her hip…

John's vision flashed red…

Clarice spun, grabbing his shoulders and ramming her knee up into his groin in one swift movement, shouldering her bag as the guy fell to the ground with a pained groan. She smiled down at him with amusement, turning to the liberal arts building and walking through the clear double doors.

Marcos looked at John, "Told you she had it handled."

Lorna grinned, poking him in the shoulder, "You liiike her."

He raised an eyebrow at the singsong tone.

Marcos shrugged, "You do have a type, man."

John glanced at his watch, stuffing the papers into his bag. He stood and slung his backpack onto his shoulder. He combed dark hair back from his face, "And what type would that be Marcos…Lorna?"

Lorna answered, "The type of girl that can kick the great John Proudstar's ass."

John chuckled, "I have to go to class…Lorna?"

"Text me the notes?"

He smiled fondly, "Alright, see you guys later then."

The couple left.

John hated how Lorna's words had burned themselves in his head, repeating themselves over and over again. He was tempted to follow Clarice, talk to her, but he shook his head and continued to the lecture hall. All that would accomplish was her putting him on the ground as well…

The fact that he wasn't completely adverse to that idea had him irritated at Lorna for many reasons. She, more than Marcos, knew how the women he'd ever been with had only caused him heartbreak and how his penchant from attracting trouble never ended well for any relationship. Hell, she'd called him a masochist on occasion because of it…

So why had she pointed out this girl to him? Lorna was many things: impulsive, stubborn, loyal to name a few…but she wouldn't just throw him back into the fire so soon after him and Sonya split. Maybe she was seeing something he wasn't…

Maybe this time would be different…