Chapter 2: 15 Car Pile-Up

As Suiren and Eros made their way to their literature class she noticed his uneasiness.

"Okay, what's up?" Suiren asked linking her arm around his coming to a stop.

Eros chuckled nervously, "What do you mean?"

She slit her eyes at him, "You know there's no hiding things from me. Buying me a latte and a croissant before class, coming in to my room and telling me to wear the light pink sweater because it's cuter. " She unlinked her arm and turned to face him pointing at him with an accusing index finger, "I know something is up! You can't keep secrets, and there's that constant looking around of yours accompanying your unusual quietness."

Eros smiled down at her, either she was perceptive or he was doing a piss poor job of "playing it cool". Still he made an attempt to distract her. "What sorcery you use on me dear goddess?!" He beamed, dimples on full display.

She was determined, "Hey stop joking and tell me what's going on," Suiren demanded.

Eros looked down at her, scratching the back of his head. He knew there was no way she'd let this go without some kind of answer. He felt like an idiot for not playing it off a little better. Who did he fear upsetting more, Achilles or Suiren?

"Okay, okay," he sighed, "soooo I kind of know who the new lit professor is." Eros said shutting his eyes not wanting to see the look she might be giving him.

"Oh! Who is it?" She asked shrugging a shoulder

Eros gave her a sympathetic look.

Suiren's eyes narrowed, "Eros, who is it?"

"He asked-"

Suiren interrupted, "He?" She questioned drawing her eyebrows down. Eros couldn't tell if she was upset or just thinking.

She didn't find it strange that Eros might know who the professor is since his mom was an archeology professor, in fact she suspected he probably had known for some time. However for him to not share this with her and his cautious demeanor made Suiren feel her heart pounding in her throat as she nervously cracked her knuckles, a habit she'd fallen into as a child. Scared to know she was going to ask anyways. "And I gather HE is someone I know?" She asked.

Eros gave her a wryly smile shrugging.

Suiren shook her head. There was only one person Eros would avoid to mention, although ignorant to the details Eros knew enough not to bring him up around her. In fact it had been three years since they had an actual conversation about him. She shivered suddenly feeling a chill before she turned and began speed walking toward class.

"Ren!" Eros called after her, "Ren wait!"

Navigating her way through a current of students she stood at the already open door. Suiren stepped inside only to find a group of girls surrounding the professor's desk making it almost impossible to catch a good look at him. She scrunched up her face, was that it? Was Eros withholding information on the new professor because he wasn't here to be serious?

Pffft!

Her bemused expression fading into a half smile, as upsetting as it was to have a flirt as a professor she couldn't help feeling a little relief. Nothing to worry about, by the way Eros behaved she almost thought the new professor was Achilles. Still he had said it was someone she knew... She kept watching by the door and just as she felt her body relax Suiren felt every muscles in her body tense.

Why? Why was it him?

He was suppose to be in Spain, she was suppose to be in Spain. Suddenly the group of girls surrounding him that otherwise meant absolutely nothing to her seem to drape over him like an expensive mink coat.

Achilles Avenzzano. There was no mistaking him or that imperious atmosphere he exuded. No mistaking the dark eyebrows that perfectly framed a pair of arresting eyes the color of smoke, or the slight deviation of his Romanesque nose giving him the air of some sort of conquistador. Certainly no mistaking the only flaw Suiren ever found on his impossibly handsome face, a scar above his left eyebrow messing with the otherwise perfect shape of his brow. Not that it worked against him in any way if anything it did nothing but add character to his already blessed face. Achilles was as she remembered tall, broad-shouldered, strapping and well defined; rightly so of a man well instructed in Muay Thai.

Suiren wanted to tuck tail and run away but felt her feet glued to the floor. She was snapped into action when she felt the weight of Eros' hand gently on her shoulder. She commanded her legs to move further entering the classroom and find their usual seats.

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Achilles had been keeping an eye on the door but the more girls surrounded his desk the harder it became, Annoyed he leaned off his desk standing at his full height. As he half heartedly listened to the crowd of girls in front of him he glanced towards the door waiting for Suiren. He sighed growing impatient and leaned back on his desk. Achilles tuned back to the conversation the flock of girls were having.

"So what it is Professor?" One of the girls asked.

"Huhm?" Achilles asked looking down at the lollipop eyes staring up at him.

"Your favorite book?" She asked again with a small expectant wiggle.

He looked up and saw Suiren walking in with Eros. "The Iliad," Achilles smirked giving the book he had on his desk a pat.

His heartstrings pulled mercilessly. Pink, she was wearing pink! His little delinquent was out of the oversized black clothing and in pink. The blush on her cheeks highlighted by the sweater she wore emphasizing her already youthful glow. Achilles had never seen her look so healthy. Tearing his gaze from her he looked back to the girls around him. "And if you ladies would take a seat I'll tell you why," he winked as they giggled and dispersed towards the empty seats.

As soon as everyone had taken their seats he began discussing the Iliad with publishing of that time being his focus. "This copy here is of extreme value..." he paused to look straight at Suiren as he held up his copy, "...for sentimental reasons." He saw her squirm in her seat and begin to crack her knuckles. She was nervous and uneasy, he was unable to suppress the wolfish grin that spread from that realization.

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As he flashed that perfect canine baring grin looking straight at her Suiren wanted to look away, give him the finger and walk out of class. However much to her dismay she felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. She heard it shatter and felt it flutter. Now she was just nauseous and her knuckles wouldn't give her the satisfaction of their cracking sound.

That copy of the Iliad had once belonged to her.

How cruel! Had he come back to torment her memories. What was he playing at saying it had value for sentimental reasons?! Suiren groaned as she began to bounce her right knee under the table. She felt her chest tighten and her throat closing up. The room seemed to shrink around her and the air seemed thin.

Air! Why wasn't there enough air?! Crack a window for God's sake!

"I have to go," she mumbled through her teeth.

Eros looked at her to notice the heavy rise and fall of her chest. "Ren, are you-"

Suiren grabbed his hand and turned to look at him. Her eyes were wide pleading and filling quickly with tears.

"Shit!" Eros cursed under his breath. He immediately made eye contact with his brother and signaled for him to wrap up the class.

"You are all dismissed early on account of there being 24 books to get through and you all need to find a copy electronically or otherwise I don't care just get it done. Now go," he dismissed the students with a wave of his hand turning his back to them.

Suiren was quick to shoot up from her seat and maneuver her way out the door with Eros close behind.

When Achilles turned to look for them they were already gone. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a breath. He had no idea what that had been about.

Suiren released Eros' hand once they were outside as she inhaled.

"Exhale Ren, exhale," Eros gently reminded her. The small circles he drew on her back providing comfort.

She looked up, commanding the tears that filled her eyes to disappear.

"That can't be good for you," Eros commented.

She responded with a glare in his direction.

Eros sighed, "I didn't think seeing him again would trigger an anxiety attack, I should've told you I'm sorry."

Suiren watched as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger.

"But then again Achilles asked not to tell and he is my brother... I don't know what exactly happened between you guys-" Eros rambled on. His eyes squeezed tightly while he was scrunching up his face.

Suiren sighed, she couldn't be angry at Eros for not telling her Achilles had come back. He was his older brother after all and she knew Eros looked up to him. Achilles had been a brother and father to him since Eros' own father had died when he was just a kid. She personally couldn't understand the notion of sibling devotion or fatherly devotion for that. Suiren had neither, she could only imagine; however she recalled the saying blood being thicker than water.

She steadied her breathing and waved her hand dismissively, "It's fine Eros."

His worried expression melted.

"To be honest it wasn't really him...I think it was more thinking about that day which made me lose my shit," she shrugged her shoulder. "I suppose however seeing my first love and heartbreak as our lit. professor may have caused... certain stressors." She admitted with a small wryly laugh.

Eros wrapped his arms around her shoulders pulling her into him. "I'm still sorry," he whispered into the top of her head.

The gesture and his sweetness created a pang in her heart and her throat began to ache once again. "You'll make me cry," she admitted in a croaked whisper against his chest. She took in a breath. Citrus and cedar, Eros was the first whiffs of morning air by the sea side. "You really are an angel," she said muffled into him.

Eros' laugh reverberated through her. "Only you and mom think so." He kissed the top of her head before releasing her. "But thank you for saying so." Looking intently at her added, "You should cry you know, might make you feel better."

"Ugh no, I doubt it will," Suiren dabbed the corners of her eyes taking the forming tears with her. "Besides my mascara is expensive."

Eros frowned at her comment as he pulled out his phone. The furrows on his forehead getting deeper.

"Oh god what is it?" Suiren asked. "You're making that face like something happened or is about to happen."

Eros smiled at her, a small smile just enough to make the dimples on his cheeks apparent.

"No, oh no! Do not make that face and just tell me what it is," Suiren demanded looking away.

"I left my books back in class so I have to go get them, come with me?" Eros slowly asked.

Suiren scrunched up her face, "No way!"

"Awe c'mon! Achilles won't even be there, he just told me my books are on his desk, he's leaving."

Suiren looked back at Eros and sighed. She nodded with a shrug of her shoulder. It was true she felt a bitter indignation toward Achilles, but it was also truth that she secretly wished somehow they'd run into him even if it was no more than a brief moment. It had been three years since she'd seen him and there was no denying Achilles Avenzzano was still a fifteen car pile-up of sexy and charm.