Walking Home (Decadence and Candira)

[Decadence]

"They said your name's Keith, huh?"

The arm locked around his neck began to tighten, keeping the blood from reaching his head. Keith Corbett could swear he felt his hearing begin to go, but he still heard the man. Not necessarily agreed with what he said, but he could hear him just fine.

"Well, you can't do shit to me, Keith. Because my name is Jeff, you see. I get to do whatever I want around here. And you just don't get between a man and his women."

"I could care less about who you can't fuck," Keith said, seething from between clenched teeth. "I just don't like your face!" He jerked his head, hoping to slip out of his sweaty arm hooked around his neck in a clamping lock. No dice. Keith then flailed his arms around, searching for something to grab. Jeff's nosebleed-inducing cologne was beginning to get on his nerves--aside from having his sweaty arm wrapped around his neck, of course.

"Get him Jeff! Put him in a coma!"

"Show that fucker!"

His hand seized an empty bottle of Heineken. With one upward swipe, Keith smashed the bottle into Jeff's face, mixing the sound of glass breaking with the shouts and jeers of the crowd gathered around them. As usual, it was another unruly night outside the 18-and-over club.

Jeff howled, releasing the grip he had over Keith as he cowered away, covering his face. The group of bystanders went wild, cheering and jabbing their fists in the air at what just happened.

Maybe it was the adrenaline, or the fact that he wanted to give everyone something to watch, but Keith just lost control. He dove straight into Jeff's side, tackling him, and sent him crashing into the brick wall. He let loose with his fists after that--images of Jeff accosting that sweet girl flashing in his eyes as he swung his arms. He bared his teeth in a raging grin as he swiftly recalled that incident inside the club. He wanted to kill him for making her feel that way. It nearly felt like whatever Jeff had done to her actually happened to him as well. The weird thing was, he didn't even like the girl that much. But...dwelling on that would require another time and another day.

Keith's long, dark brown hair flayed about as blood speckled wherever his fists flew. His flurry subsided for a bit. Jeff was bent down with his arms over his face. From the looks of it, it was over...unless he wanted to bring the fight to the ground. For a moment, Keith's green eyes shifted about the crowd. Like some beacon, his eyes immediately found her, standing among them. Time seemed to stop for that moment as he gazed into her eyes.

Until he felt hands clawing him down. They pulled him downwards into the concrete, tripping him over until he laid face up to see Jeff's bloodied features snarling down at him.

 

[Candira]

Sophie watched the fight unfold before her in a rush of mixed emotions. On the one hand, she was horrified at the egregious amount of violence that Keith was visiting upon Jeff, and the fact that for a few brief moments, Jeff had had the upperhand. On the other hand a part of her wanted to cheer for Keith--after all, a smarmadon like Jeff had this sort of ass-kicking coming to him for all the girls he must hit on. It made her wonder how many girls actually went along with his act, but that wasn't terribly important at the moment. Sophie didn't really like Keith all that much--he was sort of an ass and the way he did the whole "rebel without a cause" bit wasn't the least bit attractive to someone as straight-laced as she was--but she couldn't help but feel a certain amount of gratitude for him putting Jeff in his place. Still, the sight of blood was beginning to be a bit much. Frightened, but too involved to look away, she stared at Keith, gasping as those piercing green eyes found her very astonished grey ones.

Many people had gathered around her to watch, just as she had. Her skin was pale in a classic kind of way, which set her apart from the tanning salon clones that had gathered around her. In a sea of blonde, she was certainly the only redhead, so she sort of stood out. Her shoulder length locks were nicely curled, unlike the stick straight, bleached look other girls here were trying to pull off. She also wore more clothing than about 30% of the women in the club--a green dress that made her look lovely, though she suspected it was the newly endowed figure that the dress accentuated that called Jeff to her. He had laid it on a little too thick, his cologne choking her as he got way too close for comfort. It took three of her friends to distract him until Keith came over and physically parted them, saying that he was tired of Jeff's face. And that's when the fight began.

As her savior's green eyes stared into hers, she wondered if he had done it because of something else. Maybe he remembered her from when they were kids and used to walk home together. But she was quickly ripped from those thoughts as Jeff clawed at his attacker and quickly pulled Keith underneath him. She had to do something to get him to stop because this would not end well, so she looked around and then grabbed someone's empty bottle, flinching as she fought through the crowd and brought the bottle down over his head, effectively dazing him. She shrank back into the crowd as security came over to pull the two of them apart. Keith Corebett had saved her...with or without meaning to, he'd saved her, and she would have to find some way to thank him.

 

[Decadence]

Keith cracked a blood-laced grin as the bouncer dragged him from Jeff and his fucked-up face.

"How do you like that," Keith said. "I go home with a busted lip, and you're thinking about calling a plastic surgeon."

"FUCK YOU! I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU COCKSUCKER! THE NEXT TIME WE MEET I'M GONNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT WALKING OUT OF THAT SHIT BREATHING!"

Keith winked at him, sticking out his tongue.

"All right, kids," the burly bouncer holding Keith said. "Here's the deal. I'm not pressing any charges, so I'm letting this one go first. You better run, because if I hear about this shit between you two happening again around this club, your ass is mine, understood?"

Keith continued to glare at Jeff's (dilapidated) fratboy face. He licked his lips, tasting the hot rust oozing over the tip of his tongue.

The bouncer walked him a few feet away from a corner and released him in an alley, away from Jeff's sight. Now that was a lucky stroke. Speaking of luck, he hadn't expected to see Sophie getting violent with that bottle when Jeff was all over him. All he could recall was seeing her cold face looming over his assailant, followed by another broken bottle on his head. That was some good shit.

He didn't want to admit it himself, but he thought old, goody-goody Sophie looked stunningly hot in that dress, and it seared a place in his thoughts as he ran to his (stolen) car. She had developed some curves over the summer, and that just sent his head spinning at the thought of it. It never occurred to him that he'd ever see her that way, but she's changed a lot. It reminded him of Michelle from Art class back in High School. She was a little shrimp, and over the summer, she sprouted like a foot and a half, and then all of a sudden, it was hard to see her all tall and leggy like that, when back in your subconscious mind, she was still that little girl you remembered growing up. Same deal with Sophie. It kind of got his heart racing suddenly thinking of her that way.

He started the car, revving the engine to his hulking, black (stolen) Lincoln Navigator. He frowned a bit as he pulled out onto the street. It still kind of disturbed him that he'd begin to see Sophie that way. She was always a cold-hearted bitch to him, and he always kind of laughed at her from a distance as he saw her buried in her studies in the library. He would assume she'd die a virgin or something. And then suddenly, the tables were being turned, and now, he almost felt as though she were laughing at him this very moment.

Oh did that shit make him rage. Out of all of the girls Keith has been straight with, Sophie was the only one who ever turned him down. It made no sense. She was some straight-A's bookworm, and those types were always easy. Okay okay, to be fair though, that was a long time ago--like back in Elementary School to be exact. She was like the first girl he ever knew, walking home together from school everyday. She was cute back then, and when he tried to bring up the idea of them being a (Valentine's) couple, she just flat out rejected him. It crushed him, and he never tried it again with her since then, instead, burying it all in a layer of hateful contempt as he grew up away from her, not giving a fuck. Now, he must literally shake girls off with a stick to keep himself sane. Child support was a motherfucker, and the possibility of it just made him shiver.

As he drove in the streets, he thought about class, and how he was literally one misstep away from being kicked out. And it was just a community college too. He growled to himself, feeling conflicted as excitement dueled with dread. He had Sophie in at least two of his classes.

 

[Candira]

Sophie put her hand over her heart as she got over the shock of her actions and watched as Keith left after Jeff. She couldn't believe that she'd done something like that to another human being. Then again, she hadn't imagined that Keith would come between her and the worst possible guy to run into. If she hadn't known him her whole life, she might have thought that Keith was trying to protect her. But that couldn't be true. She'd heard him make fun of her a lot in middle school and even in high school. Not only was he a loser, but a bully in her mind. Then again, she remembered seeing real moments of kindness from him from time to time. Almost none of them were ever addressed at her, but she knew that somewhere deep down, he wasn't as horrible as she thought he was.

The noise of people getting back together and dancing after all of the excitement brought her out of her reverie. She couldn't stay here anymore. She'd had enough excitement for the night. So she made sure that she got someone to walk with her to her car and then drove home. On the way, she thought of Keith again. He'd really hurt her feelings over the years, and his devil-may-care attitude was never really something that had appealed to her, but she really did owe him for tonight, even if he hadn't meant it. She sighed thinking about seeing him tomorrow in classes. She knew he was having something of a hard time. Maybe she could help him.

This was the most she'd ever thought of Keith Corbett since she was being tormented by him in school. My how the tables had turned. She wondered if he would even take her help.

 

[Decadence]

Keith was already late for class when his eyes opened.

He struggled to get up on his feet, rubbing his temples while he yawned. What did he do last night after the club? Oh, that's right, he had his friends stripped out all of the spare parts from the black SUV that night, leaving it in some industrial district for the pigs to pick their brains over. He chuckled. Then he went to Evan's apartment, got high, and then got a ride home to crash in his bed, munching an entire bag of potato chips before passing out.

He went into the bathroom to wash his face. As he looked up, a handsome, green-eyed devil started back at him, shirtless and smiling with a swelled lip. The silver ring in the corner of his lower lip felt heavy as it clicked against his teeth. He combed his straight dark hair to the side with his fingers, feeling it brush over his ears. After that, he slipped on a tight, black T-shirt and left to go to class. Yes, people oftentimes mistook him for an emo, but that was the whole facade. It put people at ease, and Keith enjoyed how superficial people were whenever they wore their goggles of judgmental.

After racing to class in another (stolen) car, Keith finally arrived on campus, taking his sweet time walking there. He was already forty minutes late as he entered the classroom. Mr. Dillinger was too busy scribbling on the whiteboard to pay any attention to him. A leggy blonde sitting in the back fluttered her eyes at him, smirking. Keith smiled at her, passing her by. He noticed the only available seat was in the front, so he dashed over and took the seat, paying no attention to whoever was seated beside him.

 

[Candira]

Sophie was, unfortunately, acutely aware of who was sitting next to her. Originally, when she'd arrived and he hadn't shown up, the bookworm had been relieved that she wouldn't have to face him. It was a little less than half way through the class when he finally came waltzing through the door, wearing that cocky grin of his. Now that he was here, she felt a surge of guilt and a bit of reluctance because she knew she was going to have to acknowledge him at some point, and that her conscience wouldn't let her squeak by without at least thanking him. Not after seeing the swollen lip he sported today.

She remembered the violence from last night and tried to shake it from her head. Now she needed to focus. Helping Keith was going to take some willpower...and a lot of notes.

 

[Decadence]

Keith's smile momentarily disappeared when he noticed the vibrant mass of red hair in his peripheral vision. He suddenly felt his heart race in his chest--a feeling he shouldn't be having and have never felt around Sophie, but here she was sitting beside him, and it was like his first time asking a girl out. Oh shit, wait a minute she was the first girl he ever tried to ask out. Fuck.

He wanted to say something, but he had already hesitated. What the hell? He never felt this way around her in High School. She was always pimply and plain-looking, so dead focused on school. But now, she was...

His eyes wandered, skittering across her body. My god, she was huge. How did they get so big? And her skin, hair, and the way she looked now, she was fucking gorgeous. And it was making him feel so...nervous!

All right, Keith, calm the fuck down.

He swallowed, raking his fingers over his hair. He faced her, keeping a stern face.

"Hey, you," he said. "So what did I miss?"

 

[Candira]

There was a short moment when Keith spoke to her when she wasn't sure he was actually talking to her, so he was met with a rather surprised look and a short pause before he got an answer. "Oh, sorry. You missed quite a bit. I'll fill you in during the break though." She smiled and then returned her attention to the front of the room, taking notes as the professor continued. The fact that he'd actually asked about what they were doing also threw her for a loop, but she would be happy to fill him in momentarily. And about five minutes later, the class got a five minute break. The pretty redhead turned to face him now, unsure of why she was so nervous.

"Hi Keith." She smiled softly and opened her notes to the first part of today, scooting close to him so that he could check them out as she explained them. "If you want, I can make you a copy of these later, since you missed them." Her eye kept going from those wonderful green eyes to his swollen lip. "Are...are you okay? I realize that you visited an enormous amount of pain on Jeff last night, but that looks kind of painful. And whether or not you really meant to, you kind of saved me from his rather unwelcome advances." Sophie sighed and looked back into his eyes. "Thank you for that. Even if you don't really care, it meant a lot to me. Let me know if I can return the favor...in a less violent way."

Wow...she never thought she'd be this nice to him again. Not after the time he'd made her cry in middle school. Then again, a lot of kids made fun of her at that time. Still a grudge was a grudge. Hopefully he wouldn't be an ass king about this. He seemed a little more mellow now, despite his rather rough exterior. Maybe he really would be a nice guy.

 

[Decadence]

When he saw her scoot in close to him, he remained still, rigid even. This was not how he was, and it was beginning to piss him off. Still though, seeing her effortlessly slide near him like that without any visible sign of the same nervousness he was feeling just made it a little more tolerable.

He simply nodded to her, smiling. Her hospitality put him at ease though, and he was able to feel more in control of his emotions now--but even then, it was still fucking hard! "Thanks," he said. Then he heard her entire bit about saving her from Jeff and then thanking him. "That was nothing," he waved a noncommittal hand at her, shaking his head. "I never liked him. So don't get your hopes up." He turned, looking away.

And what was this shit about him not caring? It was deviously planted in there like a poison.

"Um, you're welcome, but really, I just thought it was fun watching his expression while I got in and raped his face," he said, hiding behind the false bravado. It now began to dawn on him why he really started the fight, but he was living in denial.

He looked into her dark eyes, keeping his gaze there without really knowing or comprehending the reason why.

 

[Candira]

Sophie felt rather shut down after he told her not to get her hopes up. What did he think she was trying to do, hit on him or something? She wrinkled her nose a little at the thought, but continued to try to be nice. Had it been anyone but him, she might have thought he was just posturing, but she got the distinct feeling that he didn't much care for her company. "I see. Well, I still feel like you did me a big favor. So if you ever need notes or something, just let me know." That said, the redhead looked down again and scooted away again in time for class to resume. She frowned a little, wondering why he was being so nice to her and then shutting her out.

Then again, a guy with his reputation talking to a girl like her....well, maybe it wasn't so hard to see why he didn't want to be around her. For those last few moments she'd been talking to him, she found it strange that he'd held her gaze so much. His eyes never seemed to leave hers, the same way they'd found her in the club last night. Strange. She didn't think that he ever really paid much attention to her outside of him picking on her. So why all the attention now?

 

[Decadence]

When he saw her look down and scoot away from him, he managed to steal a glance at her figure all neatly tucked in that seat. He then thought about what it'd feel like having her nestled over his lap the same way her butt was pressed against that seat. Keith decided to listen to his instincts, suppressing all rational thought.

He scooted in close to her until his arm was inches away from hers. Keith could sense the warmth from her body in his arm. He didn't look at her, just continued to focus on the front of the room as Dillinger continued his lecture. His foot skipped over and touched her foot, resting it there. This was going to be fun, he thought to himself.

 

[Candira]

As she continued to make notes, Sophie became aware of the space between her and Keith shrinking again. Maybe he couldn't see? She tried to not let it make her uncomfortable, and paid attention to the lecture as it went on. She kept her cool as he sat mere inches away from her now, his arm so close to hers that she could feel the warmth he radiated. She let him move his foot so that it rested against hers, not particularly phased by it. After all, there was no law against being comfortable. Besides, this could very well all be innocent. But if that was the case, why did she find herself blushing ever so lightly. She shifted in her seat a bit and moved so that she was crossing her legs to the side, her body turned a bit in her seat.

 

[Decadence]

She didn't move her foot, he thought, staring at Dillinger's diagrams on the board. He noticed her move in her seat, but that foot remained there, and it kind of surprised him. He turned his head in her direction and took a second's glance at her, before looking back at the whiteboard.

Was she blushing?

Keith smiled to himself. For the first time since...Elementary School, he could admit to himself that she looked beautiful. Not just pretty, cute, or even fuckable, but beautiful. Like someone you seriously developed tunnel vision for. Someone who turned you hetero when you were homo, and vice versa. Someone who you would not hesitate for a single second to protect when the shit went down.

And then that's when it dawned on him. Nah, it couldn't be. But the more he resisted it, denied it, suppressed it, bottled it up...the more he began to hate himself. It was time to let go, Keith; it was time to take a risk before there were going to be regrets.

After the lecture was over, and everybody began putting their books and notes, away, Keith waited for her to gather her things. "Hey, Sophie. Let's go for a walk for our break before the next class." He then paused a bit, then added, "Sorry if I was being a dick earlier. I just realized I never thanked you for saving my life last night."

 

[Candira]

The rest of the lecture was fairly uneventful. She had been right not to read too much into Keith's actions. Obviously, he'd just been getting comfortable. She had just finished packing up again when she heard his voice break into her thoughts. She looked up at him, surprised, as she was every time she found him speaking to her in a tone that didn't imply some kind of trickery. He had a handsome face, despite the swollen lip--something that she had never failed to notice. But usually his personality was so unattractive that it took away from his appearance. But something was different today, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"A walk?" she asked, not entirely sure where he was going with it. But why cause waves? "Alright....sure." And then came the pause as she shouldered her bag. Her eyes widened in surprise as she heard the words that came out of his mouth next. "I saved your life? When did I do that?" You'd think she'd remember something so significant.

 

[Decadence]

"Well actually, I could have handled it myself, but if you hadn't hit Jeff like that..." he said, breaking a grin, "I might not be as good looking as I am right now."

He walked with her across campus, past the raised hills, trees, benches, grassy plains, and various buildings. It reminded him of Elementary School, and having Sophia beside him just nearly gave him a flashback. But they were different now, and she sure as hell looked different now as well.

"So what have you been up to over the summer?" He asked. He was genuinely interested in catching up with her. It felt weird, but it was better than not knowing.

 

[Candira]

She blushed a little and put her hand on her forehead. "Ohhh...that." She chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not sure what happened there, but you're welcome, I guess." A more genuine smile appeared as they walked together, unsure of what had brought this walk into existence. Still questioning, she decided to just let it play out for now. She could always ask later. Sophie was hit with a feeling of nostalgia as they walked along, memories of when they were very small and very different people coming back to her. All in all, it was kind of nice.

His question threw her for a loop. She really needed to stop expecting the worst from him...but she wasn't sure what to expect anymore. "Ummm, not a lot, really. I got a job at the library and the pool and hung out with my friends. Nothing super interesting. What about you?" she asked.

 

[Decadence]

"I stripped down an SUV last night," he said, surprised that he was so open to her all of a sudden. "Counselor also mentioned that I'm on academic probation, but I've got it under control. I think." He smiled. "You work at the pool? You mean, as a lifeguard? I wouldn't mind it if you saved me. Ever give anyone mouth to mouth?"

 

[Candira]

The candid confession of his stripping what was probably a stolen vehicle took her off-guard and she stumbled a little bit. Quickly catching her balance, her surprised gaze met his as he went on to tell her that he was academic probation, which he apparently had under control. She resisted the urge to nag him about his horrific attendance and tardiness--something that was inexplicably intertwined with his probation, no doubt, and merely said, "Well, I'm glad it's under control. But like I said, I'd be glad to share my notes with you if you miss a day or something." And then the ass king reared his ugly head. Still, at least he wasn't making fun of her. Though, at this point, she wasn't sure what was worse--mockery or smarminess.

Though she was visibly uncomfortable, she decided that she didn't have to be so uptight around him. Besides, he wouldn't be expecting the sass that she was going to deliver in response. "Yes, I worked as a lifeguard this summer. And I'm sure that most of the unconscious bodies that I pulled out of the pool didn't mind me saving them either." She smirked and rolled her eyes. "Look, if this is some kind of line, I don't really think CPR puns are the best you can do." That said, she didn't run off or walk away. She just kept looking at him, walking by his side.

 

[Decadence]

Keith then smirked at her snide remark, biting that stinging lip and showing a little bit of teeth as he did so. "I'm sure those lucky kids you saved didn't mind at all," he said, briefly drawing her profile with his eyes. "And yes, as a matter of fact, that was a line. It was the best I could think up of when you mentioned that to me."

He then laughed.

"You haven't changed a bit, Sophie."

 

[Candira]

"No? I dunno, I think I've changed a lot. Maybe nothing dramatic, but, at least a little. You, on the other hand, seem very different." From pulling on her hair to using pick up lines. Yes, he had changed. But she was wondering why. Was it because she'd changed so much physically? It pained her to think of it that way, but it seemed like a possibility at this point. Still, at least he was taking it all in stride. But why was she? Oh, right. Because she owed him. And she really didn't want to spend her whole life fighting Keith. He could be nice, as he was currently proving to her. So why couldn't she return the favor?

 

[Decadence]

"I have to disagree," Keith said, raising a playful finger. "You're still such a prude, but you know what? I'm willing to put with up with that. Why? Well..." his eye then went down to her chest before going back up to hers. "Because you've got a nice rack now, and God if I'm not going to spoil an opportunity to spend any more time with you."

He could feel himself blush a little as he said that. Oh boy, this might get ugly. At least he was being honest.

 

[Candira]

She stopped walking and crossed her arms. "You know what. I was willing to give you a break, but seriously? You're really going to just stop me like that and tell me that the reason you 'put up' with my 'prudence' is that I have a nice rack? Seriously?" She gave him a look and sighed. "I should have known you hadn't really changed. And just because I don't fall for shitty lines and innuendo doesn't mean I'm a prude. It means I have self respect." That said, she started walking again, shaking her head.

 

[Decadence]

It was at that point, Keith felt he had gone a bit too far. He knew saying anything along those lines was a no-no when it came to girls in general, but it just came out. After feeling the stinging consequence of his choice of words, he then realized why it had surfaced. She was the first girl that ever rejected him, and the memory was so vivid, it was nearly traumatic, so he's been contemptuous of her since then. For the longest time, he could point and laugh at her from a distance, but now, as she was beginning to gain an upper hand, he felt threatened--and attracted, all in one neurotic mix.

"I'm sorry," he said, calming down somewhat. "Since we're in the mood to be honest right now, you want to know the truth? Like, the real deal behind everything? I've always liked you, Sophie, and I've always hated you at the same time. Why? It's not because you have a nice rack now." He chuckled. "It's because you've always been honest with me, and at that same time, you never liked me."

He looked at the door behind him. It led to Art Appreciation, their next class. "Looks like it's time to go to class," he said, turning around and heading for the door. He slipped his shivering hands in his pocket as he did so.

 

[Candira]

She turned to face him and tried to calm down. At least he was apologizing. That much could be said for him. Still, it didn't make everything okay. But his shot of candid honesty was another thing that just took the floor out from beneath her. He liked her? But that would mean that her mother was actually right about him all those years. Why did boys have to be such ass kings when they liked someone? Frustrated, she took in the rest of what he'd said. He hated her too. He hated her for her honesty as well...and the fact that she never returned his feelings? Men were so...ugh.

Her eyes widened a bit as the classic badboy turned his thoughts to class and then walked inside, leaving her in a sun that felt too bright and too hot. Frowning, she wasn't sure what this should mean to her now. It didn't do much to sooth the pain he'd inflicted to her psyche over the years, but it made her feel better to know that she'd gotten him back by just being who she was. Not sure if it was good or bad to think that way, she slowly entered the classroom as well, giving him a moment to himself before she took a seat near the front of class.

He liked her. What did that mean for them now? She thought back to last night and her suspicions that he'd gotten into a fight for more than just hating Jeff. Was it...was it because Jeff had targeted her? In a weird way, she felt special and comforted to know that there was someone who liked her enough to beat other people up for her. But then it occurred to her that it might have been one of those, "Hey, only I can act that way around her!" moments. And that just made her feel more confused. But the question that haunted her the most now was: what does it mean when a boy tells you he likes you and you don't do anything?

What did this confession mean for Keith? Sophie groaned and rested her head in her hands. Since when had her life become so complicated?

 

[Decadence]

He held his hands together once he took a seat all the way in the back corner of the classroom, relaxing by himself. Opening up to her like that was scary--it felt like pulling his pants down in front of a lion or a bull. But it was a relief that he had done it. They were feelings bottled up since grade school.

He glanced at the empty seat beside him, noticing her pass by along the middle aisle of the lecture hall to sit near the front. He frowned, looking down. Of course she was going to take the seat near the front. Groaning silently to himself, Keith sank in the stiff, wooden seat. It was a large lecture hall, and they had these theater-style, fold-down seats with these swiveling slabs used for the desk, but they lacked cushioning.

Dude, she ain't the right one for you, his thoughts grumbled.

Keith rubbed at his temples, thinking, then trying to unthink. With failure. He just could not get his mind off of her. In addition to that, she was in the same fucking room as well, practically ignoring him. This was driving him up the wall.

Several minutes later, which felt more like several hours later, the professor arrived, wearing this feathered hat which made her look like some kind of flapper from the 20's. Then she lectured for about a half an hour on postmodernist art. Keith felt his eyes grow heavy, but later perked up when Professor Layton began hitting on the subject of honesty and love in art...followed by an announcement of a group project.

"Claaass," Professor Layton droned, "I've taken the liberty of making this project an...opportunity to explore the real meaning of honesty and tolerance. I've already paired you up with someone random in this class. Together, with your partner, you will put together a video which exemplifies the true meaning of honesty and tolerance. This piece of work will be 30% of your grade, so I expect results by the end of this semester." She then began handing out small sheets of paper to everyone in the class. Once she left the piece of paper on Keith's desk, he stared at it, throwing a glance at Sophie from the across the room. What would be the chances, he thought, smirking.

He picked up the sheet of paper and opened it.

"Holy shit," he gasped, turning heads around him. His eyes went up to Sophie seated several rows away from him.