Smack, pant, smack, pant, TWACK- "Shit!" I wailed as the pain radiated up through my healing arm. The guy barely spared me a glance through the thick mass of students, all of whom dashing in different directions. Even a jostle in a crowd resulted in my arm yelping as though it was being deliberately slammed off Xav's skinny boy abs. It was the start of October and my arm was nearly healed thanks to Xav. Even with surgery, it had been pretty messed up but it was nearly ok again. Just not quite. All so we would not freak out doctors too much.

"Gotta act human princess," Xav had murmured not so long ago as he healed my arm a little. The corner of his mouth had twitched up in amusement. "But even a human would walk upstairs once in a while to be healed and save their buddy a trip."

"Oh puh-lease," Tulip had said not even looking up from the medical terminology book she was studying. "She is avoiding your brother like a Kardashian avoiding an education."

And so as I gently tried to nurse my arm, I began thinking of Will again. I barely registered the slap of my pumps as I flew down corridors, bright and cheerful posters slapped on notice boards at every turn. The air grew faintly mustier as I clambered up the steep flights of stairs, their rock shining brilliantly in the morning sun. The sound of my shoes echoed, little to disturb the sound in this part of the building. This was because the class was number one optional, number two on the history of Abrahamic religions and most importantly was on at the cheery hour of eight on a Monday morning. Next to no one had signed up for it but being here on Erasmus, I figured it would be best to suck up a little and sign up for extras.

"Extras my ass." I muttered miserably. Who was I kidding? I thought a class with a description like this would involve a heavy course load or at least a lot of reading as an added 'bonus' so I had an excuse for hiding from Will in the apartment. But nope. Marks were for attendance and reading was minimal. I finally shoved open a varnished wooden door with an old-fashioned shiny metal handle after the fourth flight of stairs to an even mustier hall lined with similar doors. Through the third on the left I was greeted with about twenty even blearier eyed students cursing the day they signed up for this.

I pulled over a seat into the semi-circle, dragging it awkwardly and loudly into place. No more than a minute had passed before I looked longingly out the smeared windows. No way would I be able to pull up one of those ancient things with one arm. I was still thinking about the fresh air when the teacher came in, far too alive looking. Even her cropped curly hair had a perky air to it. She plonked her stuff down with an audible thunk. It shook precariously under the weight.

"How are we today?" she said brightly. Silence. She smiled and nodded. "I am Dr. Senna Caranther," she said with a loud clap of her hands. "Now let's not waste time and get to it. We are going to use the most frequently encountered classificatory schema to look at what constitutes Abrahamic religions but also Dharmic and East Asian religions! Now we know all Abrahamic religions are monotheistic, prophetic and-"

"Psst," someone hissed and I glanced to my right at the haggard guy beside me. His eyes were a little glassy and he badly needed a shave. I glanced at Dr. Caranther who was bent down tapping at her laptop while keeping a constant stream of chat going. I looked back to him and nodded. "Do ya have a pen? And, um, a sheet?"

I decided not to judge since I had walked out of the apartment without shoes this morning. "Yeah sure," I said passing him a pen and ripping a sheet out of my refill. Curious, based solely on the fact he looked like the type to sleep through mandatory classes, I decided to ask, "So why are you here?"

He gave me an incredulous look, more animation than I ever expected to get out of anyone here except Dr. Perky McPerkypants. "This is the class they set ya up with so ya get enough credits to pass the year. Everyone here is as close as fuck to failing." He said like I lost my brain on the four flights up. I sighed in realisation and had a quick look through a sheet of blonde hair at the other "inmates".

On a second look around I had to admit more than three quarters of them looked liked my new "friend". With a resigned sigh I settled in and spent the next half hour dutifully taking notes, shoving thoughts of Will out of my mind every two minutes. But trying to convince myself the Lachrymose conception of Jewish history was terribly fascinating was difficult. Ok, try impossible.

As Dr. Whateverhernameis continued on with the same enthusiastic energy she started with I let my eyes drift. I deduced after a minute that the two guys nearly straight opposite were watching something funny on Youtube and the girl with the seriously blonde hair and an inch of brown roots to their left was taking selfies.

I looked at each slide to memorise it but as soon as I had that done I found myself tracing the doodles that years of students had drawn on my little desk connected to my chair. Since Dr. Something was spending an inexorable amount of time on the current slide I had time to notice a small, newer looking piece of doodling. D.C and a phone number. The ink in the grooves was so new when I applied enough pressure it stained my fingertip. Noticing my preoccupation, I saw my "buddy" turn and grin at me.

"You thinking about hooking up with D.C," he whispered to me.

"Who?" I said frowning. "Is it someone's initials?"

He was already shaking his head. "Nah, Dr. Cray Cray, the man for my every need." He probably saw the look of disgust on my face. "Not what ya thinking. He can hook ya up with nymphies, astros but better yet spoofers. Best high out there yet. Pretty damn awesome he got 'em in here. Trying to get rid of 'em with months in some places."

I forced on a poker face. Was this what Rydian had warned me about? "Ah," I said politely. "And he leaves his number wherever to get people?"

"Nah, just some places. Most hear through word of mouth. I heard of him through Ethan over there," he said nodding to one of the duo watching videos. "And he heard through Carter." He nodded towards a hulk of a guy staring vacantly at the powerpoint.

"I see." I said back quietly. I let my eyes flicker back to the number. Who knows? It might be the guys Rydian was worried about. I returned mentally to the class. "The area we now know called Iraq, then called Babylon…"

"So are you going to talk?" Crystal said as I made it up the last flight of stairs. She was perched on the last step to the landing blocking my way. To my apartment. And more importantly to my bed.

I started before collecting myself. "Whatever about?" I asked innocently, wondering whether I could climb over her. She had her shoulder bag and some rolls of cloth beside her so she ultimately forced me to stand several steps below her. She narrowed her eyes at me but her mad hair made it difficult to take her seriously. I swear some of it was horizontal to the step she sat on.

"You know what. You avoid my apartment like the plague and any time the five of us go out you act like Will has a contagious disease you would catch if you just so much as looked at him!" she said, her annoyance becoming clearer by the second. She got up off the step and came down to me. "What happened with you too? Ever since the crash you both have been acting strange."

I remained silent for a few seconds, looking down at the scratched wooden step. She sighed. "I never know what to think with you two," she said shaking her head. "I really have no clue. Were you guys on a…" she paused, grimacing in reluctance to speak. "… Date?"

I immediately open my mouth to start vehemently denying this but Crystal rushes to speak. "Hold up, hold up," she said, actually holding up her hands in defence. "It was only the two of you out and you guys told like no one what you were getting up to. Did it go badly?"

I burst out laughing. "We ended up in hospital Crystal! I think that counts as a bad first date!"

"Aha!" she cried, jabbing a finger excitedly to my chest. I mentally swore when I realised my mistake and she noticed it written across my face. "I knew it! Tulip owes me a tenner now." She finished triumphantly.

"Wait, what!" I snapped, causing Crystal to flinch.

"We have been trying to figure it out for ages and I deduced it was probably a date. And now I have my proof from the horse's mouth!" Crystal did not even have the grace to look guilty. Just ridiculously delighted with herself. After another few seconds of joy she notices me again and becomes more serious.

"Really though," she said, pulling me down to sit on the step with her. "Did something happen during the date?" she asked, concern filtering into her features. She reached to take both of my hands in hers when we become aware of footsteps coming down the flight of stairs above us. Crystal gets up to grab her stuff and straightens just in time to see Will freeze in front of her, his eyes staring straight past her. Eyes fixated on me.

I hear Crystal suck in a breath as she spots Will. Giving me a pat she leaned in and whispered "Sort it out Willow. Whatever it was, fix it." Turning to Will she snapped "Be a good boy. I want this," she said waving a hand down to me and back up to him. "Sorted." Without another word she headed up to her apartment.

But as she did Will was already shaking his head. He wore his heart on his sleeve and his broad shoulders were un-naturally stiff. Any tense, sad or angry emotion was un-natural on him but that was all I ever elicited in my… Soulfinder. "No," he coughed out, loud enough for Crystal to come down a few steps. "Nothing can fix what you," he spat nearly glaring at me. "Insist remains broken."

Like a hound, I felt my hackles raise in defence. I climbed a few steps so I was nearly looking him in the eye. "With very good reasons," I hissed on the last s. "That you might do good remembering."

I could see Will begin to open his mouth, the slight angry set to it preparing a retort. Crystal came back down the steps to probably break this up but there was no need. Will's anger crumbled as quickly as it had come. His more relaxed stance came back but with an undeniable heaviness to it. "Just stay away from me Willow," he said, his eyes glistening brightly. "I never want to see you again." He looked away and jogged down the stairs, not even looking back at me or Crystal who I could feel staring holes into my back. Before she could pester, I turned and fled into my apartment. For once I was relieved Tulip left the door un-locked. I could not say I felt any other relief though.

Author person here,

taking a break from "Giving Gold" to focus more on this story. Enjoying writing about Willow and I cannot wait to share some more stuff!

Follow or favourite or review as it does motivate me to plan/ write/ edit quicker! Shoutout to the 22 lovely individuals who are following this story(it was 23 so we lost one little angel) and the 11 favouriters! I wanted to have this chapter uploaded a week ago (it has been sitting in Doc Manager chillin') but zero time to edit it until now. Arghafuffle!

Btw. "Angel Dares" release date in October. If that could be moved to say June Joss that would be great. Need. More. ASAP.