S. University, MTH-213
Seattle, WA
August 2010
10:53 AM
Arabella snaps her strawberry-flavored gum with a loud pop.
She’s always had a sweet tooth. The redhead had been stuffing her mouth with an assortment of candies since younger, and the result had been braces in her early teens alongside a few cavities here and there. Being teased ‘metal-mouth’ didn’t stop her, however. Even after getting the braces removed and going through the entire process of wearing and losing retainers, the penchant for sweets had remained. She couldn’t help it. Doting grandparents on both sides of the family easily meant candies every time they visited. As much as her parents disapproved (although her father sneaked some into his pockets when he could), she couldn’t exactly say no to gramma or grandpa.
Her mother had always warned her against eating too many of them. “You’ll get a toothache, sweetie,” she attempted once. Arabella sucked on a lolly she had purchased from the store nearby, and her mother shook her head in dismay, saying something about toothaches and another trip to the dentist. Arabella, naive and rebellious at her younger age, merely turned a deaf ear and finished the strawberry-flavored snack.
The door slams open. She, alongside a few other students, peek up, startled.
Another girl flushes red and stammers out an apology, rushing to find herself an empty seat. The surprise wears off. A few of the others smirk and continue talking, but Arabella keeps her eye on the girl. She’s still red. Arabella can see the heat in her cheeks and the wide, embarrassed look in her eyes. She pops her gum again and turns back to face the front when a soft voice catches her attention.
“Um--hi.” The same girl. Arabella raises her brows slightly and takes her in. The girl clutches the mathematics book to her chest, hiding behind a mess of dark brown or black hair, she can’t really tell. “Do you--is it okay if I sit here?” An accent. Arabella thinks that it’s English, but there’s a certain inflection that she doesn’t really recognize.
“Sure.” She mumbles her thanks and takes a seat. Arabella notices that her fingers tremble as she sets the book down and as she takes a ballpen or two out of her cream-colored messenger bag. “You new here?”
The other girl startles. She brushes her hair out of her eyes and Arabella has to keep her breath quiet, seeing a pair of green orbs staring right at her. Sort of like green apples. “I think we’re all new,” she says with a shy voice, and Arabella finds herself smirking.
“You have a point. But you don’t sound like you’re from here, that’s all.” She shakes her head and Arabella hums, attention fixed on the other more than she had expected. Arabella couldn’t exactly help it; the girl was cute and her awkward entrance stood out as more endearing than anything else. “England?”
“Mhm.” The girl glances to the front of the classroom. For whatever reason, the professor hasn’t arrived yet. “I--sorry,” she apologizes, “but what’s your name?”
“Arabella.” She holds out a hand. Arabella surprises herself by giving the other a warm smile. “Arabella Lennox. And you?”
This girl can’t stop blushing. Arabella bites back a grin as the other extends a hand as well and gives hers a soft shake. Her fingers are still trembling. “Aether Maxwell.” The professor arrives at that and Aether takes her hand away, turning her attention to the front. Arabella catches a light sheen on the other’s lips; a lip gloss of some sort hued pink.
Aether’s pink cheeks and matching lip gloss remind Arabella of strawberry-flavored candy.
She’s always liked strawberries.
The two of them are paired together for an initial seatwork. Arabella listens as Aether flusters and apologizes; the latter apparently wasn’t that great at maths and had never been. “No worries. I can help you out with some of it.” Arabella invites the other to move closer and Aether does; the two of them lean closer Arabella guides Aether throughout the exercise, mentioning what to do here and there.
If Aether’s confused, then she’s doing a good job of hiding it.
She lets Aether have a go at two problems, and Arabella is pleased to see her give the correct answer. They complete the worksheet in no time and are allowed to leave; Arabella waits for Aether outside the classroom. She’s surprised to see that the other girl stands much shorter, and Arabella is a little more endeared at this new discovery.
“Thanks for helping me out.” Aether smiles this time, one that’s less nervous. Arabella’s chest flutters. “You’re a lifesaver.”
“Hey, it’s no problem.” They stand there for a moment before Arabella clears her throat, gathers her courage. “You said that you’re new, right? Like, completely new?” Aether nods. “Maybe you want to join me for lunch if you don’t have a class to get to…?”
Another blush. Strawberries and cherries. Aether’s gloss-coated slips stretch into a beaming smile, and Arabella whispers a soft wow in her mind.
She’s charmed already.
“I’d love that.”
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