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Sue's Will Ch. 01

By: losthead57



Sue allowed the people around her to stare, but she did not smile or look at them. Breezing past everybody with as much nonchalance as she could, she finally allowed herself to breathe when she finally reached the classroom. Without looking at any one of her classmates, she chose a seat at the last row and got ready to be invisible. Her fingers were shaking. 

'I am such a hypocrite.' She mused. 

Sure, she makes the effort to look good whenever she goes out. With hair as red as the darkest rose you can find; and cropped as short as a boy's, she definitely stood out. It was not her beauty that captivated people, for she was not considered as conventionally beautiful. But, she had something, a sort of alluring aura that made people take notice of her presence. The sort of aura which made people stay away from her, as well. 

Although she looked like a typical wild child (with the not-so-normal hair), Sue was an exceptionally shy person. She was so shy of people and crowds that literally, she starts to break out in sweat in crowded places. 

And in college, you do not advance in the social hierarchy if you are shy. 

So, she hid her 'disease' by dressing up, to appear confident. And boy, could she pull those clothes off. Having a fashion sense of her own did not endear her to the popular girls. And while girls were mulling about the latest designer togs to buy, Sue nurtured her fashion sense at local clothing malls. Mixing and matching, she carried clothes off with simple ease.

While waiting for the lecturer to show up, she watched and observed her classmates. She enjoys people watching immensely, but cringes when it happens the other way round. Watching strangers, Sue usually makes up stories about their background, wondering where they would go to after classes, what were they thinking, and so on. Sue's eyes sifted through the sea of 200 students, settling on a mousy- looking girl. 

The girl was alone, too, and she looked like the kind of girl who got picked on often. However, her eyes were cold, like black marbles. Confidently stacking her notes in front her, she seemed to challenge anybody who dared to be smarter than her. 

'She looks so fragile. Yet, her eyes... I wonder if I look like that too.' Sue thought, and frowned.

Among the chattering of the students, Sue's thoughts wandered. Her shyness frequently let people confuse it for snobbishness. By keeping to herself, she often got mistaken by being aloof, cold, and unfriendly. She knew what they were thinking of her, but try as she might, the mere thought of talking in front of a large group was nauseating. The very thought of being in the limelight makes her foam the mouth. 

The sound of the chair next to hers being scraped back startled her. She looked up, up and up, locking eyes with a pair of bright green ones. Oh dear, sitting in such close proximity to a stranger for two whole hours? Not good. She considered getting up and changing places. But changed her mind, as that might make it seem rude. 

However, the guy took no notice of her; instead, he chose to pay attention elsewhere. She stole a glance at him. Tall, checked. Broad shoulders, checked. Sharp cheekbones, checked. Nice hair, checked. 

Not bad. Not bad at all. 

Sue has definitely mastered the art of checking people out in a matter of nanoseconds.

Class soon commenced, and ended two hours later. The whole time, the good looking guy did not say a single word to her. As she was diligently taking down notes, she soon forgot about his presence. The moment the bell rang, she gathered her things up to leave. As she was busy stuffing her bag, she looked up to find him staring at her. He looked surprised when their eyes met each other's. Sue immediately began to feel nauseous. He could see right through her, she inwardly screamed. Run, run, run! And run from the classroom, she did. 

.....

Now what was that all about? Will got up to leave too. But he did not run like the wind. Unlike that girl. Did he look that scary? He has got to start looking less intimidating, like his friends told him so. Or more girls would start running away from him as well. However, he seemed to find the part where girls running away from him quite laughable. There was never a girl who fled from him before; usually, he was the one who was trying to escape. 

Until now. 

That girl has definitely caught his attention now. 

When he first stepped into the classroom, he chose the first seat he would find. And then he saw her. 

She was frowning, deep in thought. Her eyebrows were knitted, as if she was fighting an inner battle. He was suddenly struck with the need to ask her what she was thinking. But he caught himself immediately, afraid of intruding a person's private thinking session. 

Then, their eyes met. Those eyes! Almond- shaped, and brown in colour, stared right into his. He spotted a momentary flash of fear in them, then no more. She looked away, frowning harder than ever. Cute. 

Hoping he was not the seed of her internal battle, he decided to mind his own business. 

Will just could not get over the part where she fled from him. Deciding that it was her problem, not his, Will made his way to the next class. One more class and he was free for the day. He made up his mind to head on down to the studio after class. Deep in thought on his next photography subject, before he knew it he was already in front of the classroom. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door.

And there she was, writing in her book. That red hair is too outstanding for her own good. It was blood red, and so short. 

A breath of fresh air from the typical, blonde, long- haired girls. They probably use extensions, he thought.

This is going to be fun. Deciding to amuse himself, Will chose to sit next to her, again. And he got the same expression. The widening of the eyes, brief flash of fear, and frown. Her hands were fiddling with her book. He noticed that her fingers were quivering.

Now this cannot be real. Was she that genuinely terrified of his presence? This is the first day of the semester, and people were new to each other, making friends and all that. But this is completely different. She seemed ready to flee all over again. Girls were usually NOT this shy. Or genuinely this shy. He laughed inwardly, and introduced himself.

"Hey, my name is Will. Are you new around here?"

.....

Oh good god. What am I going to do?? Sue was absolutely out of her mind. The stranger was in her Accounting class as well. And he has just placed himself next to her, again. Sue forced herself to calm down. I'm being stupid. Stop it! Why can't I be cool and friendly like the other girls?! So, she took a mighty deep breath, and another one, and another one after that. 

Then he spoke to her. 

People do not usually talk to her. They ignore her. Heck, what the deuce was a good looking guy doing introducing himself to her in the first place?

"Hey, my name is Will. Are you new around here?"

Will... The name fits his profile perfectly. A body belonging to the lean but muscular category. He looks intelligent and thoughtful. Probably comes from a well- to- do family. And, he must be quite popular with the girls. 

Sue braved a smile and replied- "Yup. Quite new, this is my second semester. Name is Sue." 

"Sue... Nice name. I have never seen you before. Probably due to the classes I missed last semester." He chuckled. He brought his hand out to shake hers, and she shook it, wishing to God to not let him notice how sweaty her palm is. 

He laid out her hand on his palm, "Wow, you have got really chubby fingers. Very cute."

Did he just say that her fingers were chubby, and cute? Now, he is way worse than her in the conversation department.

Will himself could not believe that he has just said that. What. The. Hell? Chubby fingers?

Sue laughed, "Ah. All in the family. My sister has got the fingers the size of a salami." 

Will recovered and replied, "Awesome. Just do not get too hungry at night. Or else I am afraid your sister's physical assets will not be safe. So, what are you majoring in?"

She was rudely distracted and interrupted by the smell of an intoxicating air of perfume. Sue's eyes followed the smell and came face-to-face with a leggy blonde. The Blonde stood in front of Will, and pouted:

"Hey Will, don't forget our date this Friday night." Her voice was so seductive. 

And she was practically undressing him with her eyes. 

The Blonde then turned to smile at Sue. More like a snarl. Sue returned the smile good naturedly, packed up her things and said- "Why don't you sit here? I don't mind." Without waiting for a reply, she turned to smile at Will, "Nice meeting you. Bye." And she left to sit at the last row. 

It was not as if Sue is a doormat. She is not. Getting tangled up in Junior High Drama is not her style. Preferring to take the high road, she would never, ever choose to stoop at levels as low as that Blonde. She was secretly proud at herself; she did not let the Blonde get to her. The Blonde was waiting for her to lose control, but Sue instead remained calm and collected. Of course, getting a good looking guy to notice me was petrifying, but pleasant at the same time. But Sue knew it was too good to be true. Plus, if a guy is really interested, he will come. 

Sue sighed to herself. Will is a nice guy, with a sense of humour too. She actually marvelled at the way the two of them could carry on a normal conversation like other students. Maybe, she was not that weird after all. Or he has a way of easing the tension within her. With those looks, he definitely has a way with the ladies, she smirked. 

She noticed that her fingers were no longer shaking from the small confrontation. 

Maybe, the shyness was gone. 

Sue prayed.

.....

Sue's Will Ch. 02



After class, Sue took the commute over to the state library. 

Working as a part-time librarian, Sue got the best of both worlds: reading and being invisible. Reading was the love of her life. The library consisted of people who were too immersed in their work to notice her, or they were too distracted by the sheer volume of books to look at her. 

She was contented. 

Stepping across the tiles to put her things in the locker, she tidied up herself and got started. Today, she was in charged of re-arranging the books in the Fiction section, as there was a whole new batch of fiction books which has just arrived earlier. Starting work almost immediately, she soon lost herself in the world of fiction. 

Sorting out almost half of the batch, she realized that almost two hours have flown by. Now, that was fast. Sue decided to head out for a lunch-break, as she did not have anything to eat earlier. Trotting down to the local deli, her mind was still foggy from all the fiction titles and their intriguing story lines. Debating inwardly on which books to borrow home, and not really seeing where she was walking, she collided right into a wall. 

Hugely embarrassed, her face grew brick red when it was not a wall she crashed right into. 

It was Will. 

Great. Excellent timing. He was on the floor, picking up pieces of his stuff which she had just knocked over. She quickly kneeled down to help him. Will did not even take notice of her; he was too busy picking up his tools. 

Muttering repeated apologies, Sue was convinced that he was going to kill her. Sure enough, when he looked up, he looked absolutely capable of murder. But then his expression soften into one of amusement, when he recognized who it was who collided into him.

"Mind ran astray?" His soft- spoken voice nearly inaudible among the street-walkers.

Sue felt the heat spread on her cheeks. Of all the people she could collide with, it had to be him. 

"I am really sorry, here are your things." She finally looked at the stuff she was handing over to Will. They were photography gadgets. Tiny tools capable of producing timeless snapshots. She stood muted, staring at the tools. 

Big hands reached over to take away the gadgets. Flashing an uncertain smile, Will inquired, "What are you doing in this area?"

"Umm... work.. you?"

Will laughed softly, "Duty calls. I have got work too. Where are you heading?"

Sue smiled back, and replied that she was heading down to the deli. She clenched her hands in order to stop them from shaking. 

Shyness, gone. My arse!

She gave a wave, apologized again, and walked away from Will. Hoping to shake that incident off, she could all but stop herself from running away.

Suddenly she found a hand on her shoulder. Already knowing who it was, she turned around to find those green eyes staring back at her. Although Will was very tall, Sue could still make out what colour his eyes were. They were now flecked with golden specks.

"I was hoping you would buy me lunch. You know, since you caused me a minor heart attack."

Sue narrowed her eyes at him, "Hey you weren't exactly paying full attention to where you were heading either."

Will held up his hands, in the act of surrender. "Easy, easy. I was just kidding. Can I join you?"

Panicking, Sue did not know how to respond. Why would he want to have lunch with her? 

"Why?"

Startled by her question, Will gave first answer that came to his mind. "Well, I find you extremely interesting and it would be an honour to get to know you better."

Sue's heart nearly came out of her chest. Yes, she was this scared. She knew she was being ridiculous and she was over- thinking. 

She was 21 years of age now. It was time to act like a grown up. No more silly girl acts of childishness.

An eternity seemed to have passed between them before she made up her mind with an "Ok."

.....

The two of them walked together in silence, his towering frame next to her tiny one. He was afraid his long legs might be too fast for her, so he slowed down. He looked at her, but she did not seem to notice his presence. She was deep in thought.

So he broke the silence by saying, "You know, you being deep in thought like this are the cause of collisions such as that. What are you thinking about?"

She looked up at him, her almond- shaped eyes looking flittingly into his before staring straight ahead, "I could say the same for you. But we always blame others first, while overlooking our own mistakes." She replied, her expression deadpan. 

Will looked positively offended, albeit jokingly, "And you conveniently avoided my question while giving me a self-help lesson."

"But it is true. Isn't it? Anyway, I was thinking about work. What about you? What were you so wrapped up about?"

Will gazed over at her, smiling, "A girl need not be so mysterious..."

Sue readily parried, "And you have conveniently side-stepped my question."

The corners of Will's lips curled upwards. This is going to harder than he thought...

They soon reached the deli, and after gotten their sandwiches (Which Sue insisted on paying, since it was 'her fault' for crashing into him), they settled at a table in the corner. 

The deli has been Will's favourite sandwich haunt ever since he was in high school. The layout was spacious, yet cosy. The owner has been mastering the art of sandwich making since the 1980s. In fact, his sandwiches were so delicious; his deli has appeared on national television several times.

Will could tell that Sue loved this place as well, her eyes were practically smiling. She looked around, looking at the people, drinking in the atmosphere. She was like a sponge, absorbing and appreciating every moment. Will was amazed. 

In fact, he suddenly remembered seeing her here, right in this deli before. She was with a guy. He drove back in his memories to recall further. But it all stopped there. 

He mentioned his memory out loud before he could stop himself, "You know what, I vaguely remembered seeing you here before. You were with a guy."

Uh oh... that did not come out right.

Sue, in turn, looked surprised. Then her expression became one of cheekiness.

"Really? I have been here with a lot of guys before." Then she burst out laughing.

She smoothed over by saying, "Nah, not in a million years. The guy was my fellow-" Then she caught herself, reddening slightly in the face, struck by a sudden thought.

Will raised his eyebrows, urging her to go on.

"Err... So you see.. Ummm.. I am working as a librarian." Sue looked ready to jump off a cliff, but there was another part of her, willing her to tell the truth.

Will's eyebrows went up even further. "You? A part- time librarian? You've got to be joking." The disbelief in his voice was apparent.

Sue blushed, but her eyes remained defiant. "Yes I am. I love books, and I love taking care of books. So why not learn the tricks and skills of a librarian?" She smiled and switched the topic, "Mind if I ask about the hands?" She nodded at his hands, which were calloused and rough, and adorned with visible scars. Will turned his hands over, looking at them.

"Furniture building."

Sue's mouth was agape with intrigue. Intrigued enough to stop worrying about being shy.

"I like to design and make furniture. I try to make my own furniture, this way I have got absolute control over the design, make, and polish." He smiled sheepishly.

"Just a hobby? Along with your photography?" Now Sue was way too interested and curious.

Will's soft voice floated around her. "Well at first it was a hobby. Both of them actually. But I grew to love the two skills unconditionally. Whenever I feel stressed or low, I just take out my instruments and get lost in them. Making furniture. Or taking pictures."

He gave a small smile and shrugged, afraid of sharing too much. After all, this is the first day that they have met and he did not want to spook her out. Furthermore, he felt as if he had already said more than he meant to. 

Sue smiled back, but said nothing. She completely understood him. The uncertainty of things is the woe of us all. 

Will interjected her thoughts, "So you want to tell me about the guy you were with? Your fellow librarian boyfriend? Now this is too cute!" 

Sue laughed along with him, but Will was quick to notice the great pool of sadness gathering in her eyes. He stopped laughing, and so did she. She looked away to recollect herself. When she turned back to smile at him, her smile was a watery one. Her eyes were sparkly and glittering from unshed tears. 

"Hey, I am running late. The books are calling me and I should be going." She mumbled, flashing a smile at Will as bright as she could fake and dashed out the door.

And within seconds, Will was left alone by Sue, for the third time. Of the day.

.....

Will was positively mortified by his lack of tact. What he would give to turn back the hands of time... He mentally punched himself, cursing himself for not running after her to apologize.

'Must have been a bad breakup', he thought. 

Will always took pride in his capabilities of understanding the opposite sex. His soft, gentle and mysterious ways were a female magnet. Never taking advantage of them, unless they begged him to, he always tried to only get involved with a girl unless he was committed to. Recently, he just could not commit. The reason why he agreed to the date with Blondie was because she texted, and called him repeatedly.

But Sue was so different. She was a myriad of emotions and expressions. And she was completely incapable of covering them up. In one day, Will has witnessed the whole, complete range of Sue's internal struggle. And he was longing to know more. 

It was almost like an urge to reach out to help her. He felt so much compassion and empathy for the girl. Maybe it was because Sue did not want him like how the other girls *want* him. Sue was a girl of dignity and strength. 

But right now, Will could sense that the strength in her was failing.

He picked up his camera bag and left for the studio. 

Upon reaching the studio, he found his mind all wrapped up around Sue. He could not get over the fact that someone like her could have gone through that much hardship. Whatever the hardship was. 

Will, on the other hand, has experience no such thing. He came from a decent family of four, with blissfully satisfying relations with all of his family members. Whatever he wanted to do, his parents encouraged him to. So at the age of 18, he decided to move out. Wanting to grow, body and soul, he chose a college approximately 150 miles from home. Always hated to be thought as naïve, he desired to experience life away from the nest, to witness the world and its natural beauty.

Things have gone pretty well for about almost three years now. He dearly misses his family and tries to fly home every semester break or so. His younger brother, Jake, is 10 years younger than him. The age gap between them made Will all the more protective of his younger brother.

Sue made him want to do that. The need to protect her from the ugly side of the world grew by the minute. 

Shaking his head at the incredulity of it all, he chided himself for being ridiculous. This is not the way to react after the first day of meeting a stranger. 

He was already not doing well in his classes, for being too immersed in his other activities. A distraction like this would be the end of him. Often, the owner of the studio, Mr. Jensen, would send him overseas for international photography conferences and competitions. The result of all this pays for his participation in the college. Will was a busy person, and a change of routine would cause much upheaval in his life. 

Or maybe he could work things out.

In the studio, he found himself at a loss. All he could think of was cataloguing the sadness in Sue's eyes. Giving himself a slap in the face, literally, he decided to take a break from photography and do some carving. Taking out a little knife, he picked up a small piece of wood and started shaving little pieces of it off. Hunched over the table, with eyes meticulously analysing every single woody detail, he was in his element. 

Gripping the knife tightly, he slowly carved and shaved the small block of wood into a little wooden figure.

It was a figure of a fragile, but beautiful girl, with short hair and almond- shaped eyes. Her smile was sweet, but sad. It was extremely cute, as Will delicately carved the figurine's hair to make it spiky, exactly like Sue's. She had on a little wooden dress, which ended at the knees. 

Complete with tiny, dainty pumps, it was a true, wooden replica of Sue.

As Will marvelled at his handiwork, he could not help but realize just how much danger he has just gotten himself into.

.....

Sue barely registered her surroundings as she stumbled back to the library. Taking slow and deep breaths, she reigned in her tears. She was not angry at Will, nor did she blame him for anything. 

Yes, she was angry at herself for losing control. But, she needed baby steps. She breathed in and out to calm herself down. It was ridiculous- the manner of how she reacted in front of Will. 

After all, Jon was long gone from her life.

It all happened four months ago, when they last sat together in the deli. 

Four months, Sue recalled painfully. She was vaguely surprised that Will could remember spotting her in the deli, even though it was so long ago.

They were so happy. Jon and Sue. She thought they were in love. At least, she thought he was in love with her. A fellow librarian, Jon was sweet, endearing and exceptionally wonderful in ways Sue could only imagine. He approached her like how he handled the books, with care and love. Showering her with attention, he showed her the meaning of life. 

After three months of courtship, she gave herself to him. She was going to marry him, the man of her dreams. He made love to her with such gentleness, and such passion. 

He was her everything. Her life. Her world. Her first love.

Then she discovered she was pregnant. Scared and lost, she told Jon about the pregnancy. His reaction was beyond amazing. He promised to love the child like he loved her. Being exceptionally brave and excited about it, he told her that he wanted to take a flight to Britain to inform his parents of the good news.

Sue offered to come along. But Jon refused, insisting that she must get all the rest she needs, and not to put any stress on the baby. They made love every night.

Before Jon boarded the plane, he showered her with kisses and made promises to write to her everyday.

Four months. And not a single letter came. Jon disappeared.

.....

Sue had enough self- worth not to hunt Jon down and kill him. When she realized with cruel horror that Jon had ran away from the responsibility of fatherhood, she was already 3 months pregnant. In a frenzy, she could not report to the police. What could she say? Her boyfriend knocked her up and fled the country? Her boyfriend raped her and she waited three months to report it?

All routes were blocked. The only help Sue could seek out was to confess to her parents. And her mother provided her with all the love and moral support that Sue desperately needed at the time. No questions asked. 

Sue was a wreck. But she did not let herself drown in depression. Terminating the baby was her choice, despite her mother's counsel and advice otherwise. 

She was still attending college, and her dream of graduating must be attained. After the abortion, she attended counselling and psychiatric sessions daily.

Heading back to college was tough, but necessary. She needed to be distracted with healthy activities. Why not academics? 

Sue made up her mind to continue working in the library when college started. She needed to face her fears. In this case, it was Jon's lingering presence in the library. Taking the bull by the horns, she told herself that no jerk was going to cause her to stop loving books.

On some days, she was ready to take on the world. 

On other days, she wanted to curl up and die. 

Seeing mothers with their children choked her, suffocated her. She had murdered her unborn child. But therapy was there to help her out of her darker moods. 

Slowly, but surely. Sue was recovering. Every single day, she told herself- There are so many other women like me. Why drown in depression and sadness when you can grow out it stronger? Be strong, Sue. You can do this. Yes, you can. 

You cannot let a fucker ruin your life.

.....



Sue's Will Ch. 03



On Friday, after class, Sue headed over to the library as usual. 

She did not see Will in class, and she was relieved. For the past few days, she did spot him in class (his height was hard not to miss), but she usually sat in the corner before his eyes met hers. 

If he did see her, he chose to ignore her.

Her white dress floated off her waif, dainty figure as she walked down the street into the building. Humming a song as she walked up the stately stairs, she gasped in surprise when she saw Will sitting on one of the steps. 

She quickly checked to see if he had spotted her. Perhaps she could turn around and walk away stealthily. And silently.

.....

Unfortunately, Will did spot Sue. He saw the look on her face, and he frowned. 

Maybe he has made a bad decision for coming here to wait for her. But to hell with it, he was already here and he wanted to do this. He came to her, for she was rooted to the spot. His long legs covered the distance between the two of them pretty quickly. 

Groaning inwardly at Sue's muted and reluctant reaction, he held out two paper bags from the deli and said, 

"Hi, I bought you lunch. Please join me?" 

It was such a cute gesture that Sue wanted to laugh. But she was still shocked by his appearance. On the library steps, waiting for her. How. Incredibly. Odd.

"Err... I do not think this is a good idea... Thank you so much for this. But I have got to work."

Sue made to turn around and leave, but Will caught her right arm as she was just about to walk away. She flinched, but did not fight his hold. His calloused hands were rough, but gentle on her skin. When she looked down at his fingers wrapped around her arm, he let go. 

Her skin tingled.

She looked into his eyes, begging him, asking him for a reason.

He stared down at her, eyes as green as the Amazon forest. "Hey, I am really sorry for what I said to have made you react the way you did that day. And I would like to apologize by buying you lunch. Please, Sue. Let me do this."

Her name came out of his mouth like a prayer.

Hesitating, she bit her lower lip.

Will's voice came out a little more than a whisper, "Sue, don't push me away."

Looking at Sue like that, Will wanted to pull her close and shield her from the harsh things that have happened to her. Her rejection of his lunch made him realize how insignificant his presence was to her. 

The nights spent thinking about her caused him to do this, to wait for her at the library steps. He simply could not get her out of his mind. Intriguing beyond measure, she was like a story book he was absolutely dying to read, to sink into the wonderful pictures and words.

Sue did not reply to Will's statement. Instead, she gave him a small smile. 

"Alright, lunch it is." She took the paper bag from him and made her way up to sit on the steps, in the shade. The summer was kind, allowing them to enjoy the weather. 

Will made a mental victory whoop of joy and followed her. Settling himself beside her on the stone steps, they took out their sandwiches from the paper bags. 

"You look nice today."

Sue's almond eyes twinkled. "Why, so do you.", nodding at his leather jacket.

"Thank you... So listen, about that day, I am really, really sorry for the way I said things. I didn't mean them to come out the way they did. I messed up... And I apologize." He was saying things so fast that he was not sure she could decipher what he was actually trying to say.

Sue's fingers were fiddling with the hem of her dress. She was looking intently at her dress, as if trying to dissect the fibre with her eyes. 

"No. no apology needed. I over-reacted. Look, the guy that was with me that last time, the one which you saw- we had some issues. Painful issues. You didn't know anything about it, so no need to say sorry, okay? It was stupid of me to react like that anyway. I should be apologizing about how I ran away and left you alone at the deli."

Her voice, soft but firm, was hypnotic. He could listen to her all day. Her chubby little fingers were still fiddling the dress. Her sandwich remained uneaten. Looking at her, he knew things must have been pretty bad between Sue and that guy. She is a level- headed and matured being, way composed beyond her age. 

In fact, she carries herself with much more poise than all the other girls he has met. He could not help comparing between Sue and the Blonde. No points to who came out top. After the first day of meeting her, Will was hooked. Maybe it was because Sue did not behave like the other girls. Sure, she has got some issues to settle, but she seems to do it with such elegance. 

He admired that about her. A lot.

"Alright then. The case is settled." He crinkled his eyes at her. "We both apologized for being crazy. So let's start afresh. Clean slate?"

She nodded and smiled in agreement. 

"So umm... I was meaning to ask you this- I was thinking if we could work on the Accounting assignment together, you know, as a group? Mr. Lee mentioned two in a group right?"

Sue blinked, completely caught off guard at the question. After a moment of silence, she laughingly replied, "Yeah sure. But I must warn you, I am not a group person."

Looking solemn, Will replied, "Really? I am not a group person either. But as it turns out, I am not doing that well in class. So I am going to need all the help I can get. So whaddya say?"

"A case such as this, hmmm... Am I supposed to be your private tutor as well?" 

"If you are up to the task of teaching a moron. But I assure you, I am exceptionally hardworking, and am completely under your command." Will made an attempt to bow.

"Alright alright. No need for flowery gestures." Sue laughed. "But tell me, if you that lousy at accounting, why would I want to work with you?"

"Because if you don't, I would be extremely crushed. And I would hold you accountable for ruining my grades. Not to mention my career, future, and life." He ticked them off his fingers.

"Ugh. So we playing hardball now huh? Well alright, we are a team. But we should get started soon, if we were to survive this workload."

Relief washed all over Will's face. Mission accomplished. 

"How about tomorrow? We could meet here, in the library."

"Saturday..." Sue pondered. "I've got some stuff to take care of in the morning. Meet here at noon?"

Suddenly, and gently, Will took her right hand in his, which was laid flat on her lap. He looked right into her eyes and his voice grew softer, "Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me."

Sue stared at him, shocked at his actions. Her eyes were wide open, staring at him. Her lips parted slightly. No response came from her mouth. 

The hand in his felt cold, and tense. 

Will continued staring into her, "Really, thank you." Then, he let her hand go. The moment passed. He picked up his bag and got ready to leave. 

She hesitated, still looking dazed. 

"So I will see you at noon tomorrow." Then Will left. 

This time, Sue was left sitting alone on the steps.

......

On Saturday morning, Sue was looking forward to being at the nursery. Clad in jeans and a white peasant top, she looked positively demure. Except for the blood- red hair, which stood on ends. It contrasted with her graceful get-up perfectly. 

On Saturdays and Sundays, she spends both mornings in the local children nursery. Volunteering on a weekly basis, she was compelled to get used to the presence of young children since the abortion. Under the advice of her psychiatrist, spending time with the children would speed up the healing, emotionally and mentally.

Upon reaching there, Sue equipped herself with a huge smile and bubbly personality. As usual, the children were squealing and screaming all over her. Her being there twice a week was not ever enough for the children. They miss her dearly. Every Sunday, Sue surely had to console a teary- eyed child or two before leaving, assuring them that she would definitely be back the next week.

Terrence, a boy of six years, eagerly asked her what they were going to do today.

Sue smiled broadly and said, "I was thinking about reading you guys a story. I've got with me an excellent book right here!"

All the children whooped and cheered, and in went the whole herd to the reading room. Sue set down her books and messenger bag in the corner. Standing up, she noticed a brand new mural on the wall. It was a picture of Earth, decorated and scattered with little drawings of every animal you can think of. The mural covered the entire wall. Sue went closer to look at the painting. It was beautiful.

After all 11 of them have settled down, Sue took out big, leather-bound book. She sat cross-legged on the floor, facing the children, and spread the book out on her lap. Then she started reading. All eyes were on her, attention rapt on Sue's voice. 

When the story ended, it was just nice for lunch time. As all the children filed out of the room, a fellow teacher came in to lead the way. Sue joined Lily, and brought the kids to the kitchen to get their food. 

Lily was about 10 years older than Sue. And often, she and Sue would meet up during weekdays at the nursery to chat while the kids were having their afternoon nap. 

Lily faced a similar situation to Sue. But Lily's case was worse- she had a miscarriage. 

After the father of the child dumped her, she made up her mind to raise the child on her own. Following the good news that her unborn child was a girl, Lily excitedly went shopping for baby clothes. Too distracted with her own ideas to decorate the room, she did not notice the approach of a drunk driver speeding in his car. Crossing the road, the car slammed right into her. 

Miraculously surviving the accident, Lily wished she had died instead upon receiving the news of her miscarriage.

That happened five years ago, and the worst phase was over. Now, taking Sue under her wing, Lily vowed never to let Sue drive herself into the ground like how she did. 

But she had to admit, Sue was a stronger person than her.

Leaving the kids to the care of a younger nurse, Lilly and Sue ventured outside to the patio.

"So," Lily started, "How is everything, with college and all?"

"Things have been good so far. Being in huge classes helps, too, you know, not being given that much personal attention and stuff." Sue went over to sit on the garden bench, and Lily followed suit.

"There's one thing though," Sue bit her lip. Should she share it with Lily?

Lily acted noncommittal. "What is it?"

"There's this guy, Will..." Sue swore she saw Lily's ears twitch.

Sue laughed out loud. "Your ears give you away, you know that."

Lily cursed and both of them laughed even harder.

Catching their breaths, Lily asked, "So what is it you want to tell me about this Will?"

Sue's eyes looked up, focusing on the clear blue sky. "I don't know... He suddenly appears out of nowhere. He asked me to be his assignment mate, and we are supposed to meet in the library later. I know this is going to sound stupid, but yesterday, something happened.

Sue turned to look at Lily, her eyes tearing up, she continued, "He suddenly took my hand in his. And he just stared right into me. Right through me. And I felt something... A split-second, and I thought I was looking at Jon. It scared the shit out of me. Oh dear god, now I'm having delusions."

Muttering soothing words, Lily held Sue's quivering hands in hers. "There, there... It's alright-"

"No this is not alright." Sue interrupted, her tone suddenly tense. "I just don't get it. I know I am over that shithead. It has been four months! But what I can't get is- why Will is approaching me? I don't get what he wants from me. He seems really nice and all. But why me? I mean... And that second when I looked at him and saw Jon instead. That was really creepy."

Sue let out a huge breath, as if she was relief to let it all out.

Lily kept her hold on Sue's hand, her tone and her grip were firm, "Listen, Sue. Life moves on. You have already moved on, judging from what you said. So don't let the small stuff stress you up. 

Sue smiled. Lily was a very big fan of Don't Stress the Small Stuff.

"You have gone through the worst. Why get yourself worked up over Will? I'm sure he's a nice guy. And it looks like he's interested in you.

Sue started to object. But Lily made a stern look to cut her off.

"If you are as strong and as grown up as you want to be, then be grown up about this. Now what time are you supposed to meet him?"

Surrendering to Lily's lectures and life lessons, Sue answered meekly, "Noon."

Lily cocked an eyebrow at her, "You do realize that it's ten to twelve?"

Sue started. The time was indeed 11:50 a.m. Now she was running late! Quickly standing up to get her things, she felt a tug. It was Lily's hand, pulling her arm. 

"It is time to give chances." Lily said cryptically. 

Sue planted a kiss on her cheek, thanked her, and made her way into the house to say good bye to the kids. Fortunately, they were watching Sesame Street on TV, so they did not make that huge a fuss of her leaving. 

Almost running to catch the train, Sue finally arrived at the library at 12:30. Will was not to be found on the steps. Running her fingers through her hair in frustration, she made her way in to the library. 

He must think of me as an irresponsible fool.

Then she saw him, sitting at one of the tables in the corner, flipping through a book. His eyes were cast downwards, full of concentration. Standing there to catch her breath, she studied him. 

His brown hair was glossy, and he wore a light blue, button- down collared shirt. Very nice, indeed. Sue gave him top marks for his appearance, taste and attire. 

And those cheekbones... 

Will looked up. And the both of them stared into each other. Sue felt herself blush profusely. Shit! He caught her checking him out! Feeling her insides churn from the intense look in his eyes, she was on autopilot. Her legs carried her to him, and all the while the eye contact between them was never broken. 

This is just all too intense. Is he always looking at people like that? Am I the only one who's weirded out? 

The confusion in Sue's head was too overwhelming.

As she was nearing the table, Will stood up to pull the chair out for her to sit. Fighting the urge not to run in the opposite direction, she settled down on the chair, and sat next to him. She made a discreet effort to wipe her sweaty palms on her jeans. 

Will proceeded to make an elaborate effort of checking out his watch, making sure she was watching him. Before he could say anything, Sue hurriedly apologized, explaining that she lost track of time.

Tilting his head to one side, Will looked concerned. "Unless we have a case of dementia, would you mind if I ask what made you so preoccupied?"

Mumbling incoherently about a nursery, Sue busied herself with taking out the books and notes from her messenger bag. 

She stopped abruptly, when she felt Will place a hand on her arm. She turned to look at him wearily. "Are you alright?" Will looked seriously worried.

Tired of hiding and avoiding, Sue told the truth. She has got nothing to hide. And there was something in Will's eyes that made her want to tell him everything. 

Well, not entirely everything. Yet.

"I was at the local nursery... I spend the weekends there taking care of the children. I guess I must have lost track of the time...I am really sorry.." She trailed off.

Will took a look at her hair, and told himself to never judge a book by its cover ever again. He was again blown away by the sheer effort she contributes to society. Never would he have expected her to volunteer in a nursery. 

Will literally had to process the fact that there was so much more he wanted to discover about Sue.

Sue's face was clouded with doubt. She must have thought she freaked him out. Will gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. 

"Wow... that's really admirable about you. Maybe I can tag along next time?"

Will's last sentence came out as a question. And Sue's expression brightened up. He really did mean it. About the tagging along part, maybe he can take some pictures.

"How long have you been volunteering at the nursery?"

"Umm... It has so far been about 2 months. The kids are really great." Sue's thoughts were far away. She looked really happy, at the thought of the children.

"These kids are so happy... Boundless energy and joy. Everything is so new to them. So interesting. They approach life like how they eat ice cream: with zest and a huge appetite. To them, life is so simple... No worries. No pain..." Sue blinked, realizing that she has just said those words out loud. 

"Oh no... I am really sorry! Didn't mean to bore you." Sue laughed nervously.

Will whispered, "No, not at all. Please continue. Tell me more." His voice was caressing her whole body.

Sue smiled and continued sharing some of her funnier experiences at the nursery with him. Albeit a little distractedly. The intimate tone in his voice did not escape her.

His gratitude for her company was growing ever so quickly. He wished they could just sit here and talk all day.

But the moment has passed. Sue came to reality and instead chided herself for straying from the purpose of their meeting.

So, they laid out their tools, books and notes and got to work. 

Apparently, Will was not a moron, as he told her earlier. He was just missing the basics. Once he understood the mechanisms of accounting, he was on a roll. Sue marvelled at the sheer dedication of him. Their assignment was to do research on the crimes of Enron. They were supposed to answer a list of questions provided. 

While discussing with Will about the questions, it was Sue's turn to be blown away by the way he came up with ideas. His suggestions were fresh, and he could think outside the box. There was a certain synergy in the way they worked around the questions.

In short, Will was brilliant.

At three o' clock, Will suggested they took a break to get some fresh air. 

"And if I do not get something to eat soon, I would soon turn very grumpy." He warned Sue, straight-faced.

Sue could not help but giggle. "You are such an old man. Let's go."

As they were heading out the library, Sue was struck by the sudden thought that she was comfortable enough in his presence to stop feeling shy. The usual fidgeting and sweating have disappeared. For the time being.

The street leading to the nearby cafe was bustling with people. Sharing a mutual consent between the two of them not to eat sandwiches, they veered their way through the crowd to the Irish cafe a few blocks down from the library. 

Anxious not to lose Sue in the crowd, Will kept glancing over at her, to check that she was still next to him. Walking side-by-side, but not close enough for their bodies to touch each other, they walked in silence. 

A particularly huge man was walking in the opposite direction, and roughly pushed his way past the crowd. He shoved Sue aside, and the impact caused her to stumble on the street. Without thinking, Will's right hand reached out to hers, to pull her to safety. 

Interlacing her fingers with his, he was perfectly aware of how right Sue's hand fitted his. 

Will felt his heartbeat speed up just that tiny bit faster. 

He turned to look at her, only to find her staring at him. The rest of the world around Will seemed to fade into the background. All he saw were Sue's wonderful eyes. Her eyes showed uncertainty and fear, and then she turned away to look straight ahead, saying nothing. 

He said nothing either, and the both of them continued walking. Her hand wrapped in his.

Will forgot about the people, he forgot about the busy street. All he could think about was the feel of Sue's hand in his. Her hand was cold, so he held on tighter, to keep her warm. 




Sue's Will Ch. 03



He swore there was something, like a spark, which ignited the moment he took her hand in his. It was ridiculous, the mere thought of it. But it was some sort of magical force, pushing the momentum of their acquaintance deeper. Or did he imagine all of it? 

It was an outrageous imagination, to say the least. 

Upon entering the quaint little cafe, he could honestly feel Sue's relief. Her shoulders were less tense, and she seemed more relaxed. He released her hand, although reluctantly. A waiter appeared out of thin air to lead them to a table in a quiet corner. The waiter was excellently trained- Friendly but not irritating. Sue ordered shepherd's pie and a glass of lemonade. Will ordered pasta and a cup of coffee. 

While waiting for their meals to arrive, Will shared his background and history with Sue. Telling her about his life was exhilarating. She was genuinely interested to know more about him. Her eyes sparkled when he told her about his younger brother. 

In short, the flow of conversation was as smooth as Sue's skin.

Sue's eyes could convey a thousand different types of expressions. And when she talked, her lips were impossible not to be stared at. Those lips were so enticing. There was a certain quirkiness to the shape of her mouth. It was small, shaped like a porcelain doll's. 

Will started to wonder how she would taste like if he kissed her right there and then, and only at that moment he realized he was staring at her mouth, the whole time!

Get a grip! Now is definitely not the right moment to think of kissing her! Will tore his eyes away from Sue's mouth. Choosing to focus on her eyes was easier.

"So you see," Sue was saying, "moving to the city is not such a bad thing after all."

"Yes. Err.. That's right."

"Goodness. You were not listening to a single word I said. Awesome. It's either you've got ADD or you only enjoy listening to your own voice. So which one is it?

And before Will could object, Sue calmly added:

"Don't worry, Will. Your secret's safe with me." Sue winked at him. 

Will could not have but laugh. "Oh dear, the secret is out! But you have got to admit that my voice is melodious. No?"

Now it was Sue's turn to laugh. "How typical of men. All about the ego."

"Hey! No need to get all feminist here."

"Well you were the one who was being egoistical in the first place."

Will let out a dramatic sigh. "Aye, malady. My error is recognized and I stand corrected."

Sue could not help but laughed out loud. And Will laughed along with her. 

The food turned out to be horrible. The pie was all mush and there was hardly any beef in it. Will's pasta was half- cooked. Making disgusting choking sounds and puking actions, Will made the whole episode excruciatingly funny for Sue. 

She could hardly breathe due to laughing so hard. The bill was paid, but not without much complaints. In the end, the owner did not charge them anything. And they left the cafe clutching their stomachs, still laughing their heads off.

Wiping a tear off her eye, Sue proclaimed, "Now that has got to be the worst shepherd's pie I've ever tasted!"

Feigning innocence, Will replied, "Hey don't look at me. It was not my idea to come here in the first place."

Sue burst out laughing and punched him in the shoulder. "This was completely your idea!"

Will looked at her, acting confused and lost. But he could not keep his act together, and soon the both of them were laughing so hard, they ended up walking zig- zag down the street.

The laughing only stopped when Will gently grasped Sue's tiny hand in his. Sue looked at him, and he simply replied, "Your hand is cold."

And they continued walking, hand in hand, oblivious to the people around them.

.....



Sue's Will Ch. 04



Later that night, as Sue lay in bed, she replayed and dissected the outing in great detail. 

In her small apartment, she realized that Will was a godsend. At the time when she was feeling lonelier than ever, Will was an angel who was sent down from heaven, just for her.

For long, long months, she never experienced this much fun as she had with Will in one afternoon. Comparing Will to Jon, she recognized the fact that there were many similarities between the two men. 

Except that Will was a hundred times better looking than Jon.

The both of them were caring, humorous and intelligent. However, Jon was pretentiously so. With Will, before she knew it, Sue was readily opening up to him. She was no longer worrying about what people were thinking of her. Her shyness, whenever she was with him, miraculously disappeared.

The part of Will holding her hand in his kept replaying itself in her head. She could not help herself. 

His hand, although rough with scars, fitted flawlessly with hers. She felt as if she was wrapped up in a warm cocoon.

Sue absolutely believed that Will was genuinely amazing. In fact, he was so amazing that she was starting to think that he was just too good to be true.

What if Will was another Jon? What if Will left her alone like how Jon left her?

Before the dark thoughts really enforced themselves into her mind, she stopped. Sue was not going to let her doubts ruin her.

To never give a chance, is the way of a coward. 

And Sue was no coward. .....

Will invited Sue to the national park for a session of photography. As Sue had admitted earlier that she sometimes dabbled in the art of taking pictures, he saw it as an opportunity to ask her out.

So, after class, Sue followed Will in his car. The weather was pleasant, with clear blue skies. 

Wearing a white sleeveless tank top and a white bohemian skirt which ended at her ankles, Sue was breathtaking. Will was looking dapper in a beige fitted collared shirt and his trusted pair of Levi's. 

While chatting idly in the car, Will could not stop glancing over at Sue's arms. The white material made her tan even more golden. More gorgeous. More enticing. 

Will shifted uncomfortably in the driver's seat. Her scent, a mix of citrus and vanilla, drifted around in the car, lazily seducing him. He gulped. 

Maybe this outing was not such a great idea after all.

Glad that they have reached the park, Will quickly got out. Breathing some fresh air was good. He took deep breaths, hoping that it would clear his head. He swore that Sue's fragrance was toxic. 

Slinking their cameras and tools around their shoulders, they walked together to find a nice spot. Sue packed along some food and drinks for a picnic, secretly thanking the kind weather for the glorious sun. 

The park was simply beautiful. Yards and yards of luscious grass could be seen and more. A wide variety of colourful flowers dotted the green. The trees were so old, so ancient, and so magnificently huge. Each could provide shade enough for a family of 10. 

Sue and Will sighed simultaneously at the sheer beauty of nature. And that sent them both whirling with laughter.

They soon found a shady spot, underneath an oak tree. As it was a weekday, the park was quite isolated. They were thankful for the peaceful surroundings.

Giddy from the sunlight, a happy conversation between the both of them soon ensued. They idly laid out the mat, food, liquids and gadgets.

Sue said, "Hey I'm going to wander around. This weather is just too gorgeous!"

"Don't go too far. I don't want to lose sight of you. But, stubborn as you are, I could just leave you here."

She replied that he would do no such thing.

"And why would think that I'm incapable of leaving you alone here?"

"Even if you could, how could you be so cruel?"

The sadness in Sue's eyes tore at Will. A moment of laughter and jibes turned into something solemn. 

Will could not answer. 

As her brown eyes searched his green ones, Sue burst out laughing. "I can't believe you fell for that! My acting is too good. I think I could be an actress. What'd you think?"

Will gave a roar and made a grab for her. But Sue nimbly jumped aside and tore off into the sun. Not wanting to chase after her, he sat back down to enjoy the shade.

From a distance, Sue stuck her tongue out at Will. Then she looked away. Taking out her camera, she soon lost herself in capturing the beautiful landscape before her.

Sue was so immersed in her surroundings, she did not notice that Will, instead of taking pictures of the wonderful scenery, was savouring her every move with his camera. 

The red hair made her look like her head was on fire under the sunlight. It was a fiery, feisty halo. Her skirt, playfully dancing with the wind, occasionally exposed her tiny ankles and lean calves. 

Will was positively drunk with desire. 

He wanted her, right here, right now.

.....

After a while, Sue strolled back to their spot. Tired from the heat, she wanted to lie down and rest. Reaching the mat, however, Will was no where to be seen. Thinking that he probably went off to take some pictures, she lay down on the mat and closed her eyes.

She heard a soft rustling noise and her eyes flickered open. The sudden change in brightness made her shield her eyes. Will was sitting beside her, looking down at her. She looked up at his handsome face, and smiled sleepily at him. Returning her smile, he presented her with a rose. 

A red one.

Sue took the rose and inhaled the flower, her heartbeat skipping up a notch. It smelt lovely. She murmured, "Thank you, Will..."

Will's gentle voice coursed through her veins, "There's something I've been meaning to do for a while now."

Was it her imagination or did Will's voice sound deeper than usual?

With his hands propped up on either side of her, he leaned down and kissed her. 

The merest brush of their lips sent jolts of electricity down her body. Neither of them moved. 

Then Will pulled back to look at her, and she felt her face flush. But she continued to stare back at him. His eyes were dark green, and they were glinting with want. Gently taking the rose from her hand, he placed it by her side. Then he bent over her to kiss her again.

Sue did not resist his kiss, but she was hesitant. And nervous. Will slowly dragged a calloused thumb across her collar bone. Sue's breaths turned ragged. The roughness of his thumb pad against the smoothness of her skin created a very erotic friction.

Tenderly sucking at her lower lip, Will was paralysed with pleasure. She felt so good....

He gently coaxed her lips open with his, wide enough to allow his tongue into the wonderful moistness of her mouth. She curved her back upwards and ran her hands through his hair to pull him closer to her, unconsciously pressing her breasts into him. He grunted his approval. 

Losing herself to the kiss, Sue slid her tongue into his mouth. A guttural sound from deep within Will escaped. He could barely contain himself any longer. He pushed her down and kissed her with more urgency.

Will's hands were sliding ever so slowly down Sue's arms, leaving a scorching trail. With a touch as light as a feather, he made an outline of her body. Sue's breathed hitched. Her moans and tiny gasps drove him insane with pleasure. He slid a hand underneath her tank top, pushing it up to reveal her stomach. 

He made a move to kiss her earlobe, which sent her moaning even louder. He placed hot kisses down her slender neck onto her collarbone. 

Will was on fire, he could not stop.

Growing impatient, he pulled her tank top up to reveal her skin- coloured cotton bra, which made him all the more turned on because it was so demure, so Sue. Kissing the skin between her breasts, Will felt her writhing uncontrollably beneath him. Her hands were underneath his shirt, tentatively running her hands up his back.

Then she stopped. Will stopped too. 

Both of the eyes glazed over with desire, she pushed him so that now, he was lying on his back with her on top of him. Smiling at each other in a warm stupor, Sue laid her hand flat underneath the waist band of his jeans, ever so close. Will groaned, "Oh Sue..."

Being on top of Will, Sue could feel his erection. And it felt so good. She leaned down to kiss him, shivering as he ran a hand down her bare back. He reached to unclasp her bra, and she started to unbutton his shirt, when all of a sudden- 

A rain drop fell onto her head. Interrupted, she looked up and about. They were alone. And it was extremely cloudy. The sun had disappeared. It was threatening to pour, soon.

Blinking in surprise, she turned to look at Will and asked the first question that popped into her head, "What happened to the weather?"

Clearly as clueless as she was, Will laughed, secretly cursing the bloody timing of the change in weather.

"Beats me. We better get going, before it starts to rain."

Reluctantly, Sue got off and straightened out her top. Then, seeing Will buttoning his shirt, she reached out to do it for him. Staring and smiling at each other, she slowly and gently combed his hair with her fingers to smoothen it out. Sue was standing on tip toes, and it was such a tender gesture that Will leaned in to kiss her. 

And she kissed him back. So immersed were they in their kiss, they soon found themselves running and laughing through the heavy downpour. Both of them were gasping for breath when they were finally inside the car. Will turned the heat on maximum, and waited for his heartbeat to return to normal. 

Still laughing, he said softly, "That. Was fun."

Sue turned to look at him, with intense brown eyes. "Thank you, Will. Thank you for everything."

Will could said nothing but smiled back in return. He did not want to spoil the moment.

Soaked through from the rain, Sue was practically shivering. But she did not seem to feel the cold. Drunk from the kisses, giddy from the moments of intense pleasure, she was blissful.

Will's eyes frequently betrayed his emotions, and Sue could tell that he was attracted to her. There was no doubt now. She saw the look of wild desire in his eyes. 

But the firmness of his beliefs and his confidence in her has started to change her. She knew, with Will, she was stronger and happier. 

A thousand times happier.

.....

Will dropped Sue off at her apartment. 

Before she got out of the car, he turned towards her. Abruptly, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down on her. He needed no other encouragement, and cupped her neck with his hand to pull her closer. He kissed her ardently, and reached down under her wet top.

Will knew he was on the verge of losing it.

Then the kiss ended. She pulled away. Without another word, she took her things and stepped out of the car.

Giving a small wave and a gorgeous smile, Sue disappeared up her apartment.

Shaking his head out of the fog of lust, Will cannot help but smile. He was definitely done for. 

Sue was such an excellent mix of the kinky and quirky that it made him all the more crazy for her.

Will had a feeling that tonight was going to be a very long night.

.....

Tossing and turning restlessly, Will wrenched the comforter aside. He knew this afternoon's outing was a bad idea. Right from the start. Surrounded by darkness in his bedroom, he ran his hands through his hair. She was poison to his very soul. The type of poison he simply cannot live without.

Thoughts and replays of the passionate kisses they shared kept tormenting him. The unfinished business of it all made him want to smash something. His unquenched lust for Sue left his whole body in tight little knots. 

How he longed for her body, to undress her, and to make her his....

Clad only in a pair of sweatpants, Will padded into the workroom. It was actually a bedroom, but he converted it into a workshop. Switching on the lamp, he saw his tools, saws and knives hanging neatly on the wall. It was his little furniture making heaven. His parents were willing to shell out the money as long as it was spent on healthy activities. So, Will has gotten what he wanted. 

But at this very moment, he did not feel like he has gotten what he wanted. Not at all.

Taking the saw off the hook, Will proceeded to saw a few pieces of wood to finish the counter stool he was making. It would be good for the tension all piled up within him. With his right arm moving to and fro to saw off the wood, he propped up his left leg on a bench for more leverage. He was soon covered in a glistening sheen of sweat. No wonder the girls were so crazy about him. With the veins decorating his arms like waves of delicate artwork, he was definitely quite a sight to behold.

It was soon 5 a.m. The stool was ready. Will barely noticed the time. He swept his hair back from his sweaty forehead and smiled in defeat. 

The stool was lovely. 

But the memory of their promiscuous afternoon still consumed his every fibre.

Will bowed his head. He was beat.

.....