Make You Know Love

the idiot

"Don't let us forget that the causes of human action are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them" - Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot

***

The three-hour lecture went by quicker than it ever had before, but of course it did on the one day she was dreading its ending. It felt like the clock on the wall was slowly counting down to her demise. Why? Because Jungkook had texted her an hour in that Seokjin and Jimin were going to pick her up.

She was okay with Seokjin, even though she didn't need anyone to walk her home, but Jimin? Of all people? He and Taehyung hated her!

She waited until everyone but a few stragglers and the professor had left before she slowly, very slowly, packed up her things. Maybe the two would think she'd left already, that they'd missed her. It was rude, yes, but she would make something up to Jungkook later, like she had to ask her professor some things or that some kid needed help.

Her fingers stilled when she overheard Jungkook's name.

"I think they were his friends," A girl giggled.

Looking over, Anastasia recognized one as a girl she'd gone to high school with but didn't know by name. She was tall and most definitely a bottle blonde, but it complimented her face shape and skin tone well. Her friend, on the other hand, was without a doubt a natural redhead, her long gorgeous red locks reminding Anastasia of princess Merida.

"Of course, they were Jungkook's friends, there's no way they'd be there for Ana," they laughed and Anastasia had to admit that the words stung a little. Rationally, she knew it was the truth but that didn't mean she wanted it thrown in her face, even if she was certain the girls had no idea she was sitting barely ten feet away.

"I still don't understand how she's managed to keep Jungkook around for so long, I mean he's got the body of a god and the personality of every dream guy and she's short with a bad fashion sense," they giggled, sending another arrow through her self-esteem.

Couldn't they just shut up?

She shifted the old button-up she wore (the same one Jungkook had worn to their high school graduation) on her shoulders, trying to hold back the tears that welled up.

Staring out the window, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, she told herself that they would leave any second now and she would be free to escape.

"Jungkook's just hung up on her because they dated in high school, guess he still doesn't realize that he could do better"

What? Was that what people thought?

"Babe"

Anastasia jumped so hard at the unexpected voice next to her that she hit her knee on the underside of the desk.

She hissed quietly, doing a double-take when she realized it was Jimin who'd spoken.

Doing her best to ignore how ethereal he looked in his deep white v-neck tee and skinny jeans, she spoke up, "You're here!"

She held back a wince at how high and squeaky her voice sounded.

He furrowed his brow, eyes shifting to the knee she had cradled to her chest, "Are you okay?"

Doing a quick once over of the room, uncertain why he was acting so caring, she realized that they had the attention of everyone in the room. That's why.

"Uh, yeah, sorry, I was just packing up my stuff," She excused, shoving her notebook and pens carelessly into her bag.

She didn't realize how close he was because she almost bumped her nose into his chest when she stood.