“Our conversation yesterday didn’t give you permission to stalk me,” she said through the crack in her car window. She’d barely pulled into the faculty parking lot when she spotted him, dressed in a simple sweater and jeans in the middle of January, looking like he would drop dead from hypothermia at any moment. The flaps of his fuzzy aviator hat fluttered in the wind as he smiled brightly at her, his gloved hands gripping twin cups of coffee tightly. Claire pulled into a parking space and cut the engine, hopping quickly out of her vehicle so she could whip off her scarf and wrap it around his neck. “What are you doing out here? You could freeze to death!”

    “I’m f-fine,” he stuttered, his teeth chattering against the cold. It’d been a great idea when he thought of it, the night before while it was still relatively warm outside. Who would have guessed a cold front would blow through town that morning, leaving his attempts at being a smartass thwarted? But, he couldn’t deny that the look of surprise and worry on her face brought him extreme joy. He couldn’t resist grinning at her like an idiot as she scolded him.    

    “You’re not fine. Your face is as pale as a ghost and your lips are turning blue,” she said, wrapping the scarf tighter around him, her fingers brushing his chin. Daniel laughed.

    “I can’t believe it. Are you actually worried about me?” he asked, watching the delightful play of emotions on her face change from one of worry to feigned boredom. Claire’s hands fell away from his face and she turned, grabbing her briefcase out of her car then slammed the door and locked it. Without another word, she her heel and marched towards the building without him. “Hey!” he called, jogging lightly to catch up with her. She refused to look up at him as he spoke. “That wasn’t a come on, you know. I’m legitimately surprised you even care.”

    “Of course I care. Sort of. Why wouldn’t I? You’re one of my students. If you froze to death, you wouldn’t be able to turn in your homework. And, knowing Dean Hughes, he’d probably find some way to pin it on me,” she said, quickly taking the short flight of stairs into the main building. Named for the Catholic St. Agnus, the College of Philosophy building was the least looked after on campus. After the last Professor of Philosophy resigned the place had been pretty much abandoned. That is, up until a month ago when Professor Lanh took over and reportedly started working with the board to have the historical site restored. It was falling apart, drafty, and still seemingly forgotten by all except the unfortunate students and staff who called it home. Needless to say, those who had to enter spent as little time there as possible, and he didn’t blame them. 

    Daniel didn’t speak again as he followed her to her classroom and into her office.

    “I just think it’s nice that you care enough to worry. At least enough to give me your scarf,” he teased. Claire set her things on her desk then turned to face him. Before he could say anything more, she pulled the knitted fabric from around his neck and pitched it onto her chair. His laugh, loud and obnoxious, was compelling and, despite her sudden desire to punch him, she couldn’t help but want to laugh to. What on earth was wrong with her? Claire cleared .

    “Right. Now that you’re done being a nuisance, perhaps you should head back to your dorm until your classes start, hm? Some of us actually have work to do.”

    “I have work to do as well, remember? I’m supposed to be helping you and…” he trailed off, looking around the room that someone had obviously tried to clean but failed, “by the look of things, you still need all the help you can get.” Her face flushed