Leaves in the gutter

I stared down dumbfounded at the leaf. What on earth!? Well at least that explains the smell now. I tossed the leaf on to the table and tried reading my book. I can't believe I thought the smell was coming from that guy. No wonder it was so strong. The leaf was right next to me. Rolling my eyes at myself I picked up the leaf in question. Rolling it between my fingers I brought it to my nose and sniffed. Hmmmm definitely eucalyptus but not the smell I had smelled earlier during class today. Strange.

Giving up on reading I flicked through social media until it was time to go to my next class. Standing up, I was about to leave when I spotted the leaf on the table. Picking it up I tucked it back into my bag and hurried to my next class. The rest of the first day passed without event. All of my classes were nothing but obnoxious college students who had drank the night before or people walking in late and not respecting the professors because they knew it was only a syllabus day. Tired from my busy schedule I rushed back to my dorm only to find the door locked. Pulling out my keys I opened the door and let myself in. The speaker was still playing music and all the lights had been left on. My roommate Beth must have just left I thought. She being more of a night person, had scheduled all afternoon and night classes. This worked out perfectly for me as I finished most of my classes by mid afternoon I could spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening studying in our quiet dorm.

Closing up for the night I turned out the lights and plugged in my laptop for the next day of classes. My roommate Beth had still not returned for the night. This was not unusual for her, she was probably at some housewarming party or another even though it was only the first night of college our second year. Beth had spent a lot of time socializing last year and had managed to drag me out a few Times last year however frat parties were just not my scene. Through her many friends she always had the latest invites and often left me with the room to myself. Curling up I quickly fell asleep after the long first day of classes.

That night I dreamed of my stranger. The haze of his smell wafted around me until it cocooned me like a warm hug. I kept seeing his eyes dart in and out of my dreams which were confusing and made little sense. Flashes of the forest and my college classes blurred together until I found myself walking down a forested hallway. The trees grew so close together that they formed a long passageway through the forest. I kept walking but as I went, there was no end in sight. Turning around I saw nothing but emptiness behind me. Turning back to the path I suddenly froze. There was my stranger. Standing before me in the woods. His jade eyes bored into mine and he gave a me a wicked smile as giant splintered silvery wings sprung from behind his back. Hey was Fae!

I woke up with a start. I was breathing heavily and my heart was pounding. The imprint of those jade eyes was still visible to me in the darkness. I blinked a few times and the image began to fade. What a dream I thought to myself, rolling over and pulling the blankets back on. I thought back to the wandering path and my thoughts settled on the stranger again. Magnificent again, even in my dreams he was hauntingly beautiful, even with the terrifying wings of a Fae. Just as I was drifting off to sleep I smelled it again. That scent that had been with me all day. Sitting up I turned on my light and started around the room. Nothing?

I glanced toward the open window where a slight breeze was blowing in. There next to the window was the tiny eucalyptus leaf I had tucked into my bag. Stupid thing was giving me nightmares now. I swept it off the sill and into the trash and climbed back into my bed.