My Dreams Are Not My Own
Chapter One... My Dreams Are Not My Own
"I have put up with your ballet lessons and dance classes long enough, it's time to get serious and put all of this silly nonsense behind you Amelia, You're a Woodrow I will not have you disgracing our family name, so I called my friends at Oxford University and got you in. You leave in 2 weeks." This 'conversation' if you want to call it had happened 4 weeks ago and to this day was still the only thing running through my mind as I walked on the grounds around Oxford university on this ice cold "summer" day, thinking back and remembering summers in California that I had spent on the beach with friends or in my dance classes that I loved oh so much and now, here I am under my father's 'guidance' forced to study for my law degree that I don't even want.
All I've ever wanted from the time I was growing up was to be a dancer and now here I am, living the dream, note the sarcasm but I'm here anyway whether I want to be or not, sitting through lectures where all you hear are incoherent sentences that I'm sure I wouldn't understand even if he was speaking clearly.
I've been walking around campus for the last 45 minutes, my classes for the day ended and hour ago and I don't have anything else to do since I don't have any friends here, I decided I might as well go to the library and find some more study aids since I'm stuck here. Walking to the library was cold and lonely, nobody wants to talk to the American Girl whose father just had to make a call to get her in to Oxford University, I saw students laughing with friends and some with their boyfriends or girlfriends on benches and in cafés just being with each other.
After walking for what seemed like 20 minutes I reached the rather large and unnecessarily over-sized campus library, I had been here many times in the last week because I've had nothing better to do or anywhere to go, truthfully I loved the smell of the old books in here most of the students just got their research books on kindle or something so it was fairly empty except for one guy that was here a lot too, walking up the steps to the old library I put my phone on silent, as if anyone would phone me, and walk through the large wooden doors greeting the old librarian who over the past week is the only person who cared to remember my name. "Hello, Mrs. Rogers." I whisper walking into the large hall. "Amelia how many times do I have to tell you to call me Elaine?" She says back sternly with a small smile nodding to me and once again there are only 3 people in the library so I decided to go and fetch a couple, okay 20, research books (bitch, don't judge me acting like you ain't never came to the library to get 20 books!) seeing the all too familiar face of the unnamed guy on the other end of the hall as he slightly raises his head to see who has entered the library but never enough to see his face. I must say his thick rimmed glasses and stubble intrigued me and the way he was sitting in an almost slouched position likehe was about to stand up and take me at any second almost drew me towards him. But I came here for a reason and that reason was not to get laid by a mysterious guy in a public university library.
I walked through the rows pulling out dozens of books and slowly walking back to a spot at the long table in the middle of the library, what I hadn't noticed though was the fact that I had dropped a few books that were now on the floor in-front of me out of view causing me to stumble as I tripped over one dropping all of my books and almost falling to the floor, key word here is almost, as I felt strong arms wrap around my waist pulling me back up so that my back was against his strong chest feeling his warm minty breath on the back of my neck as I struggled to control my breathing and my rapidly increasing heart beat, as my heartbeat regulated I turned round to see my hero and looked back into beautiful hazel/brown eyes that made my knees go week. "Um thank you for saving me I could have really gotten hurt, I'm Amelia by the way." I say thanking mystery guy. "That's nice, it was no big deal." He says in the sexiest voice I've ever heard in my life as he turns around and simply sits back in his seat in that same slumped over position. After another hour he got up and left still not telling me his name. "Elaine, do you perhaps know who that young man was?" I asked her seeing as he was here just as much as I was. "I'm sorry love but he just comes in here and he never says much, unless his asking for the reference book." She states with sympathy in her eyes.
Needless to say I came back to the library for the next 3 days hoping to see him but he was never there. Until one day that was actually kind of warm I went to my lecture since it was time for criminal law and I took my usual seat in the middle of the lecture hall waiting for everyone else to come inside and take their seats. I saw the shadow of those familiar glasses pass behind me and heard him take a seat while our lecturer entered. I heard a pencil going crazy behind me as the lecturer spoke words I could not understand until he asked out loud. "Mr. Hale, Can you answer the question?" He asked looking over his glasses and the mystery guy behind me.
"Second Degree Murder: Definition Second-degree murder is ordinarily defined as: 1) an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable 'heat of passion'; or 2) a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender's obvious lack of concern for human life. Second-degree murder may best be viewed as the middle ground between first-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter." He said in that sexy raspy voice that makes my knees oh so weak. "Thank you Daniel you are correct again!" The lecturer stated sounding kind of disappointed. Oh how I love a smart guy! I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see mystery guy. "Yeah?" I asked confused as to why he tapped me. "By the way I'm Daniel, Daniel Isaac Hale" he said and I swear I saw a smirk on his beautiful lips.
I turn around to take down my notes as the bell rings signaling the end of the lecture. I pick up my books and look to the door to see Daniel speed walking out of it, making my way down the stairs I break into a run chasing after him and following him into the field, he walks unbelievably fast so in attempt to catch him I jump onto his back causing us to tumble to the ground . Don't act like you ain't never chased a guy and tackled him to the ground before.
"Um, I'm not saying that I don't like this but could you get off of me please because people are beginning to stare at us!" He sort of whisper/shouts at me back at me, trying to get me off of him, I roll onto my back and sit up as he shoves his hand at me to help me up, he pulls me up and I hit his chest with my face, looking up into his hazel/brown eyes. "So, why did you follow me? And chase me? And tackle me to the ground?" he asks in his thick British accent. "Wait, why did I do that?" I whisper to myself. "So are you going to answer me or just stand there staring at me awkwardly?" He asks again scratching the back of his neck. "Can I choose the latter, the view is kind of amazing!" I say laughing at my own stupidity after realizing what I just said, Daniel laughs and picks up his bag turning to walk away. "Wait, Daniel!" I shout stopping him in his tracks he turns his head and I swear I saw a smirk on those perfect lips. "Yeah?" he asked putting his hands in his pockets. "I was wondering if I could walk with you to our next class. I tend to get lost around here at times and well you've been here longer and I don't have any friends here except my roommate so I thought I would just, you know, seize the moment what do you say?" I ask as he laughs nodding his head as I run to catch up to Daniel smiling like an absolute idiot and we start our way to class.
"What's her name?" He asks out of absolutely nowhere. "Huh?" I mutter not paying attention to what he was saying. "Your room mate! What is her name?" He asks in an obvious 'duh' tone. "Oh, her name is Ingrid, very beautiful but plain girl, she is studying..." "Literary English, she wants to be a writer." He cuts me off laughing just a little bit. "Oh? And what about your roommate?" I ask stupidly thinking I am being smart. "I have no roommate love, I don't live on campus." He exclaims as we turn a corner and another and then another. Wait did he just call me love.
"That must be really nice?!" I state but more to myself as I look up at him, he is reasonably taller than me and has amazing black hair and these eyes that stare into your soul, that moment of silence was comfortable no awkwardness at all just complete and utter peace...
Until he broke it! "Here we are room 114, White collar crime law." Daniel says as he opens the door and motions for me to enter first like a true gentleman. The lecture hall was empty seeing as we were a half an hour early so we took seats next to each other right in the middle of the lecture hall and started talking.
He is 20 and an only child, studying from a criminal law degree but would much rather be studying film making. Whereas I am 19, have two older brothers, one is in the army and the other is in the navy, and I am studying for a full law degree but would much rather be studying dance. Daniel laughed at me and told me I was much too young to be studying for a full degree I nudged him and laughed at his way of stating things flat out, our conversation got cut short though when a high pitched screech came from a blonde on the other side of the room. "Danny, I haven't seen you in forever, I've missed yah so much!" she shrieked 'Erg typical blond bimbo bitch!' I think to myself but my thoughts get interrupted by Daniel putting his large hand on my leg and looking at me in an apologetic way. "Britney as you can see I am having a conversation. So? You can leave now, go." He says calmly shooing Britney away. 'Erg Britney typical blonde bimbo bitch name, how did she even get in here? She probably screwed her way in!' I thought to myself or at least that's what I thought, until Daniel started laughing and she lunged towards me luckily she was caught mid-flight. "Oh gosh did I say that out loud?" I ask Daniel who just can't seem to stop laughing. "He said walk away Brit you know what that means!" Mystery guy says pulling her away.
Class passed by in the blink of an eye and the next thing I know Daniel and I are walking to a coffee shop off of campus.