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  Oh god. Had I misjudged her so badly? I just jumped to conclusions. She took on three guys? I caught myself smiling. That sounded like something my mum or Aunt Blake would do. I felt myself blushing again. “I feel like a bloody git. I thought she was bullying you and the others. I misread the whole situation.”

  Then I realized how rude I had been and offered the hand I had rested on Brent's shoulder. “Samantha. Samantha Roth.” Then I paused and looked up at a blushing Brent. “You may want to breathe at some point you silly boy.” I giggled as he exhaled the breath he had been holding since I put my hand on his shoulder.

  The other bloke shook my hand. “Pleased to meet you Samantha. I'm Rigel.” I smiled and nodded at him, then I looked between the boys and then down at the party. “So men, anything interesting happen down there yet?”

  I spent a few minutes up there chatting with them, then I noticed Abbey walk in. What was she doing here? She was a freshman too. Then June answered that question when she moved off the dance floor to greet her then pointed back to the drinks at the far wall. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her, but I felt odd. I was relived that she wasn't a bigot or bully, but that didn't explain the way she pawned off her assignment in class. But good lord was she dishy!

  I shook myself out of my thoughts and grabbed Brent's hand when Who Me?, by Miranda Keys started blasting from the speakers. OMG, I love this song! “Come on stretch, were dancing!”

  He tried to protest that he wasn't allowed, but I wasn't having any of that. I pulled him down the stairs and into the middle of the dancing throng and started dancing, it didn't take much more prodding by me before we were dancing and having a great time to the music.

  Someone bumped into me from behind, I looked back to see a super smiley June. “You're going to break the poor boy again.” Then she yelled over to Brent. “Red! Breathe!” She left with a giggle. The wicked woman! I grinned at Brent and finished our dance.

  I almost tripped walking off the dance floor when I saw Abbey leaning against a wall with a can of cola, smiling as she watched me. Oh gawd. I was blushing now. Brent made his way back up the stairs.

  I started moving through the room and then I saw the cute redhead again. Oh lord, I'm so bad. I walked up to her. “Hi. Marie is it? I'm Sam, I ummm... was wondering if you'd like to dance?”

  Her smile was genuine and her blue eyes twinkled when she said. “Gawd you're cute. Freshman? – I truly am flattered Sam, but I'm not gay. But I will dance with ya.”

  I tilted my head in acknowledgment and giggled when she grabbed my hand and playfully dragged me to the dance floor. She was pointing out a girl or two around the room who were gay as we danced. She also pointed out a couple people to stay away from because they were harsh bigots.

  I glanced up to see Brent blushing profusely as he watched us from the railing above. I waved up at him and he nervously waved back. Marie chuckled. “Equal opportunity I see.” I just grinned at her and she snorted and continued to dance sexily with me. Bloody hell, the woman is a tease! I shrugged, “What? He's cute!”

  Close to the end of the song I saw Abbey over by the wall again. Was she staring at us? The song ended and Marie grabbed my hand and gave it a friendly squeeze then released it as she said cheerily, “Thanks Sam, it was fun. I'll probably see you around campus.”

  I smiled back and nodded as I replied, “Thanks for the dance Marie.” Then I made my way through the crowd toward where I saw Abbey. Once I got to where she had been standing, she was gone.

  I looked around and saw her arguing in the back hall with the big guy from the other day. What was his name? Nash? I saw June and made my way over and tugged on her sleeve then pointed at the back hall. She nodded and pulled William along with us as we made our way back. They had exited the back door and we followed a minute later.

  I caught the tail end of the jackass's tirade. “...fucking dyke like you. You and your kind need to get the fuck out of the academy.” I looked around, his two buddies were on either side of Abbey as she glared at the guy.

  It was bloody intimidating and I noticed the way she was standing was a bit strange too, with one foot back. It reminded me of people telling me how intimidating Mumsy can be. I have never seen it, she has been nothing but loving toward me. Maybe it is her height or her exotic Native American features. I've always thought they made her look like a mythical Amazon.

  Abbey's voice was cold as ice as she hissed. “And who is going to make me, hater? You and these little boys?” Oh lord woman, don't egg them on! I found myself afraid for her, but she didn't seem to have any fear at all. I could hear someone behind me on their mobile, calling the police.

  I covered my mouth as the big guy lunged at her. William was starting to move forward to defend Abbey, but it was immediately apparent he wouldn't be needed. Faster than I could follow, Abbey had sidestepped the clumsy blow and tugged hard on Nash's jacket sending him unceremoniously crashing face first into the side of the frat house under his own momentum. I was shocked that the guy would even try to hit a girl, isn't that like, against the guy code or something?

  She turned and stomped once toward a second guy with her foot, he took one step back and held his hands up. She started to look toward the third when Nash charged at her back. She sort of quickly leaned down toward the side in a three point stance and the big guy tripped over her extended leg and face planted in the dirt.

  She quickly stood and took one graceful step and put her foot on the side of his head, grinding his face into the ground. I could hear sirens approaching. She hissed down at the guy, “Now you and your bigoted assholes need to clear out before I let the police haul your ass in for assaulting me!” She gave his head one last bit of pressure with her foot then stepped back. The other two guys picked him up and they all ran off as the police cars were arriving out front.

  Her eyes were nothing but rage as she looked around. But when her eyes swept past me, they softened as she froze for a second and looked... ashamed? Frightened... of me? Then she said in a hoarse voice, “Sorry.” I watched as she ran off into the night.

  I went to follow, but June had a firm hand on my arm. I looked at her and she was shaking her head. “Let her go. She needs a cool down time.” I nodded, but I was staring back into the dark as the police came out the back door. I was grinning with pride for some reason and I don't know why. I caught myself biting my lower lip.

  The police started asking questions. I followed everybody's lead when they described the three guys to a T but gave no names and completely bogus description of the victim, the 'girl that kicked their asses.' It was sort of sexy. Bloody hell, what is wrong with me? Perspective Sammie, perspective!

  Later that night I asked June why nobody told them about Abbey, she was just defending herself and doing it in quite a handy manner. Maybe they could get the guys thrown in jail or expelled from the Academy.

  She simply said, “Because we only saw the tail end of what happened. It would be their word against hers except the self defense part, we all saw it. But the Academy is zero tolerance and if her name came up, she'd get expelled too. Everyone was protecting her. AJ is a pretty kick ass woman.”

  I'm not sure if any of that made sense. Why would the college punish her for what those plonkers did? But I didn't argue. I found myself wondering if Abbey was OK. I hope she isn't alone right now.

  I sketched a bit then went to sleep, replaying the fight, or lack there of, in my head. I realized she hadn't landed a single blow. It was basically the big tosser beating himself up. She just made sure she wasn't where his fists were. For some reason, this made me smile. She never hit him once. I sighed and let my exhaustion claim me.

  Chapter 4 – Distractions

  Saturday I made my way to the library to study, I found myself too distracted in my dorm room thinking about last night. First the revelation that I was completely wrong about Abbey being a bully, then her confrontation with those boys. I was wondering if I was also wrong about her reasons for sloughing off the
Mia Jacobs assignment on me.

  I found a workstation by a window with a good view of the Academy courtyard. I worked on my calculus and Japanese. I got distracted and found myself sketching. I forced myself back to my studies. I wound up taking out my iPad because I couldn't concentrate. So I searched 'Mia Jacobs' for the hundredth time. Maybe I can get a good start on the project before I meet with Abbey tonight.

  Just like before, I found the same ten news and magazine articles that had short 'ambush' interviews with her, and the same three grainy photos. I did find an old news article that I hadn't found before because I accidentally misspelled her name. It was about her surviving some sort of hate crime while protecting a friend. It was from almost two decades ago, back when she was younger, in college, before she took the world by storm.

  My eyes widened when I read it. This was new and bloody exciting information, not the attack, but the fact that she was gay. I have never heard that about her before! My respect-o-meter just went up for her again if that is possible. I cringed when I saw the picture of her in a hospital bed. Her face was not recognizable through the bruises, cuts and bandages. How could human beings do that to another person?

  Then there were thousands of articles about her artwork and the remote viewing style she shook the artistic world with, the Jacobs Effect. Most were based on supposition and conjecture. The two words that came up most frequently about her were 'reclusive' and 'visionary.' All of her work looked like a patchwork of objects up close until you stepped back from the pieces then suddenly it would all snap into focus, revealing spectacular photo-realistic scenes.

  I absently paged through the hundreds of various works she had created. I smiled. I had seen some of them firsthand in the museums and art galleries in Seattle and London with my parents. Aunt Bobbie had even commissioned a carving of hers for Aunt Jane. Words do not do the Jacobs Effect justice. When you see it you seriously forget to breathe, not wanting to break the spell of the amazing impossibility of how clearly you can see what she wants to show you.

  I looked outside as I wondered what to do. My first assignment in college and I was going to fail. Wait! I had an epiphany, and did a public records search. Only three records came up. Hmm... she had a lake house in the Seattle area. I knew that. Oh, a marriage certificate! She's married to a woman named Valhalla! I just learned something about the artist! But I felt kind of like a creeper running a search like this. I closed the browser before I looked at the last record, a birth certificate. She had a child and I really felt almost like a bloody stalker now. I didn't need to get into her personal life without her permission like this.

  Maybe I could send her a message and interview her. Yeah right Sammie, just like all the other people who have requested interviews and been denied. The few out there that succeeded had ambushed her at gallery openings. I thought briefly of asking my parents or Aunt Bobbie to contact her to ask for me, but I wanted to do this on my own, I don't need to use them as a crutch.

  I turned away from the workstation in frustration and my breath hitched as I saw Abbey confidently striding across the courtyard through the window. Just about everyone was smiling, waving, or speaking to her. I caught myself smiling, as well. She was a popular bird wasn't she? And not for the nefarious reasons I originally thought. I wondered why so many people seemed to know her.

  I looked down at my assignments. I took a deep breath and made a decision. I started gathering my things and looked back into the courtyard then stopped. Where did she go? I sighed and settled back in and opened my calculus book again. Either I will defeat these numbers or they will be my downfall.

  Around noon my mobile buzzed. I looked at the screen and stopped a snort. I received a text from June. “Yo, Hank. At the coffee house, where you be?”

  I responded with, “Bloody assignments are holding me hostage in library, I will barter for my freedom and be there in a minute.”

  She immediately responded with, “Weirdo.” This time I did snort, loudly, then quickly covered my mouth and looked around the library. Whew, nobody heard... except the bloke over there... and that girl by the front desk... and that group by the... bloody hell! I rushed out of the library with the burn of a blush on my cheeks.

  Before I knew it I was walking into Campus Grounds. June was sitting with William and Kathleen. Kat had become one of our inner circle and joined us here on her days off. I gave them a little wave as I scurried over to our U shaped booth. Kat playfully bounced on the seat toward June to make room for me. I slid in and spoke to them, making sure my head was turned enough for Kathleen to see my lips as I spoke, “Sorry, I was doing battle with those number things in the library. Digits will be my end, I just know it.”

  This got some chuckles and eye rolling from the group. June crooked an eyebrow accusingly and said as she signed with her hands. “Rumor has it you are a four point student.”

  I lowered my head. And June chuckled and teased as she signed, “And apparently a drama queen.”

  I tried to defend myself. “Hey JW that's not... well... it's sorta... fine, whatever you evil woman.” This got more chuckles.

  We all ordered sandwiches and coffee and started discussing current events and embarrassing moments in our childhoods. It was obvious that the party last night was off limits in our discussions.

  I glanced over and saw Marie getting a coffee then heading for the door. She glance over at us and smiled and walked over. “Hey JW, Will, Sam...”

  She paused to look at Kat who grinned and said and signed, “Kathleen.”

  Marie nodded once. “Marie.” Then she looked around. “You all look like you are up to no good.”

  June was bumping Williams hip and we all got the message and started scooting around the table. June said, “Join us. We could use your wicked sense of humor.”

  She smiled and sat next to me, still cute as ever. Damn you June! Marie looked at me. “So did you hear about all the excitement at the party after our little lesbian tryst?”

  June looked at me and cocked an eyebrow with an evil grin. I sputtered out, “I just asked her to dance, get your mind out of the gutter JW.”

  She grinned like she had won some sort of battle. “Whatever you say Hank.” She exchanged teasing grins with Marie.

  I shook my head with a small smile. “What is this? Pick on Sam day?”

  Without missing a beat, Marie nodded and said, “Pretty much. But blushing like that just makes you a target.”

  Kat was nodding as if she were in thought. “It's true.” I shot a death ray from my eyes, but nobody keeled over. Sigh. So I just giggled at their playfulness instead.

  June mentioned that the party topic was off the table and we folded Marie into our 'most embarrassing moments' conversation. I sat back and smiled, looking around the table. I had only been here a week and I was thrilled with the pool of friends I was accumulating. I was positive it was just my association with June. Now if only Brent and... Abbey... were in the group.

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts and started sketching the group as we laughed and talked. It was feeling more like home now. Tension I hadn't realized I felt this past week was relaxing its hold on me.

  After lunch, I retired back to the library. For hours, I tried to concentrate on my schoolwork but I kept getting distracted. More often than not, I caught myself sketching on my pad. Come on Sammie, hunker down and get serious. You can't slack off, this is college.

  I took a deep breath and redoubled my efforts. For what it was worth, I did get through my Japanese. I nodded to myself in satisfaction and packed my stuff up since it was late afternoon and headed back to my dorm room. I promised myself I'd work on my math there.

  Chapter 5 – Abbey Friggin Jacobs!

  I was laying on my bed doing my calculus with my iPad playing my music over my Bluetooth speakers. Math and I are not friends and I do not ever plan on asking math to come to my Christmas party or even over just to hang out. I chuckled at my inner voice and started doing the problems at the e
nd of chapter one when my mobile buzzed. I looked down and 'Super Abbey' was displayed on caller ID. I snorted with a smile in spite of myself, and answered, “Hello? Yes, hi. OK, Schubert Hall, room 301. Really? Oh, that would be brill Abbey. OK, see you in a few then.” I had a goofy grin on my face after I rang off with her. Then I hunkered in to try to understand these bizarre torture devices they call 'numbers' until she arrived.

  I was ready to throw my calculus book out the window into the courtyard below, and let the villagers with their pitchforks and torches have at the monster, when there was a light knocking on the door. I called out, “Come in, it's open.”

  Abbey walked in with a smile on her face and the bag of Chinese takeout she had said she'd bring. I noticed she didn't have any research materials or even a computer with her. How was she supposed to help me on my project? Wasn't she taking this seriously?

  She veered off and set the bag on the long, multipurpose, counter along one wall of the room that doubled as desk and work space. “Hi.” She called over her shoulder as she started taking all the little boxes of food out of the bag.

  I replied, with my own, “Hi.” as I watched with curiosity as she meticulously placed each box on the counter in line with the others. She lined up the napkins carefully and laid the chopsticks and forks on each napkin tilting her head and making sure each was perfectly straight. Then she took out the two cans of cola from the bags and placed them directly above the napkins, looking side to side to be sure they were perfectly in line. Then she turned to me with a smile.

  “Dinner is...” She paused looking at the curious look on my face then back at the food. She blushed slightly, and I will not admit how good that looked on her face before she explained, “Sorry, I'm so used to doing it I don't even realize it anymore. My mom has OCD and everything has to be aligned perfectly or it agitates her. I'm just used to making things perfect for her so she doesn't have to do it...”