Blurred
Part 1
By Heather
Michelle yawned and stretched, savoring the last vestiges of pleasant sleep and sweet dreams. Feeling very relaxed and cozy, she was reluctant to awaken and even contemplated just going back to sleep, but she rolled over to glance at the alarm clock beside her bed.
“Oh crap!” she thought. “I’m supposed to be in class in thirty minutes!!”
Jumping up from her bed, she tripped and almost fell, thanks to the tangled sheets wrapped loosely around her legs. Quickly regaining her balance, she freed herself as quickly as she could.
Hurrying around her small dorm room she desperately began looking for something to wear. Michelle, a junior at Springfield University, was living on campus only until she managed to find an apartment in town of her own. Thankfully, her freshman - therefore loser! - roommate had already left. Always a decent student, Michelle was however often late, and even more often off in her own little world. But she still managed to make decent grades-even making the Dean’s List the previous semester.
Searching through her way-to-tiny closer, she finally found a clean sundress and pair of sandals to throw on. She hurried down the hall to the community bathroom (ick!) to brush her teeth and do damage repair on her face and hair, which was sticking up in so many directions it left her looking rather like a devil. All the girls talking and laughing around her left her daydreaming about finding her own place, with her own bathroom, and a larger closet, and privacy, and oh, oh, a TV!, and getting the heck out of there as soon as possible.
Returning to her room, she grabbed a pack of Frosted Cherry Pop-Tarts for breakfast and her books, and hurried off to her World War II history class. Although Frosted Cherry Pop-Tarts where her favorite, she couldn’t resist fantasizing about a plate of pancakes and some bacon-and a tall, cold glass of milk.
Cursing her choice of sandals, since she couldn’t hurry well in them, she walked as quickly as possible into her building and down the hall. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to her class and slipped inside. Rewarded with a glare from her professor, she meekly took her seat and opened her notebook.
“As I was saying,” Mr. Schleunce said, his eyes fixed on Michelle, “the USO and their help greatly relieved the hospitals and doctors in England, as well as other area’s in the world.”
Bowing her head to hide the heat she knew was staining her cheeks, she wrote what he said in her notebook. Lifting her pencil to her mouth, she chewed on her eraser thoughtfully as she gazed at the boy to the left and slight in front of her, she didn’t even know his name. She had noticed him the first day of class, but had yet even tried to talk to him, barely let alone look at him. She smiled slightly as she took in his dark brown curls, and tall, muscular body, and then looked back to her notebook. She continued to jot down what Mr. Schleunce was saying, but her mind had already begun to drift off into other areas.
Michelle walked towards the tiny, brightly lit building with a growing sense of apprehension. New to the United Service Organizations, Michelle had been stationed in London, England as an army nurse. Having been there for only a couple of months, she had made few friends, the best of which was a British girl from London named Emma Milland. Emma had asked Michelle to come with her to one of the USO’s special dances, to meet some young soldiers and have some fun. Michelle, lonely and homesick, had quickly agreed.
But now, entering the loud and smoky building, she began to doubt her decision.
“Come on ‘Chelle,” Emma yelled, her already heavy accent thickened even more by the excitement she was obviously feeling. Taking Michelle’s hand, she pulled her over to an empty table. “You’re going to ‘ave fun if it bloody kills me!” she added with a laugh and a wink.
Emma, a gorgeous girl of only 19, had joined the USO at around the same time as Michelle. A striking redhead, Emma had a happy, vivacious personality, and she had already turned the heads of several soldiers in the crowded room.
Emma’s green eyes scanned the crowd then turned to focus on Michelle. “’ Chelle darlin’, you ‘ave got to bloody loosen up! A few dances won’t kill ya! The guys here are so sweet ‘Chelle, they really are!” Emma patted Michelle’s hand. “All they want do is dance wi’cha, I promise.” She paused, scanning the crowd again and wetting her full, red lips.
“And, well…ma’be a kiss or two,” she added with a laugh. Seeing someone she apparently knew, she jumped up, calling back to Michelle that she would be right back.
Michelle slumped over in her chair, pushing a long strand of her curly blonde hair back behind one ear. Picking at her uniform, she jumped, when a lady came over to take her drink order. She quietly whispered “a water,” then looked back down at her lap.
Feeling very out of place, she puzzled over just what she should do. Looking up, she timidly scanned the crowd. A sea of dancing and laughing people swirled around her, leaving her feeling even more lonely and unhappy than before. But then the sea parted and her eyes rested on a dark, gorgeous man, who watching her. Like her, he was alone, standing just across the room from her. Tall, with dark curls and muscular body, he too wore the uniform of the army. He smiled at her and she felt the air leave her body as the full force of his sensuous mouth and intense eyes hit her. Blushing, she again looked down.
Shyly glancing back up, Michelle looked to find the handsome stranger, but he had disappeared. Gasping, her eyes darted around the crowded room of dancing and happy couples, desperately seeking him out. The people parted constantly, but she couldn’t find him. Feeling bereft and still very alone, she sat back, a nagging disappointment descending on her beautiful features.
The waitress appeared from out of nowhere and plopped her glass of water down in front of her. Sighing softly, she reached out to take it, when a large, masculine hand appeared from out of nowhere. Looking up, she saw the handsome man smiling down at her. She looked at his hand, then back to his face. Nodding slightly, he smiled again, reaching out to take her hand in his.
Bashfully returning his smile, she lightly placed her hand in his, immediately feeling the electricity of his touch course through her body like lightening.
Leading her out onto the dance floor, he took her in his arms, her body fitting to his like a perfect glove. Looking up into his smoldering eyes, Michelle allowed him to take the lead, dancing with her slowly around the floor. The crowd seemed to disappear, as he looked deep into her eyes, his intense, dark coffee colored eyes leaving her feeling breathless and warm.
As the orchestra’s music deepened and swelled, the stranger pulled her body closer, his eyes never leaving hers. A hum passed from his body to hers, and back into his again, as the music had its effect on them both. Around and around the floor they moved, their bodies moving in perfect union with each other, like they had danced this way for many, many years…or like they were meant to move this way together. His body rubbed tenderly against hers, leaving her feeling hot and wanting more.
As the music began to fade, the stranger lifted his hands to her face, softly touching her cheeks and chin, the calluses on the pads of his thumb lightly brushing against the soft skin of her features. Looking deep into her eyes, he wordlessly asked for her permission, his hot and scorching look begging silently. Nodding mutely, she closed her eyes, waiting for the softness of his touch she had been aching for since he took her in his arms. His hands traveled to her neck, his hot, sweet breath was on her lips. She waited…
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“Now don’t forget students! You have an exam this Friday, so don’t forget to study.”
Michelle jerked awake from her daydream violently, as the students around her began to rise from their seats and file out of the room. She couldn’t believe it, she had dreamed through the whole class, without notes to show for it! And with a test coming up on Friday…only two days away!
Sighing loudly, she began to put her things away. Looking up, her eyes met those of the man she had been fantasizing about for the past hour. Smiling softly and nodding to her notebook, he said, “Would you like to borrow my notes?” With a small laugh he added, “I noticed you didn’t take many.”
“Uh…yeah, that would be great,” Michelle answered, her voice small due to the limited amount of air in her lungs.
“Great…so…” he said, looking down at his watch. “Would you like to meet at the library…say…5 tonight?”
“Um…sure,” Michelle answered. Smiling softly, she watched as he walked out of the room.
“Wow,” she breathed softly to herself. Rising, she left the room to go to her next class.