forever you

[one week]

"Hey."

The face Noah was staring at was exactly like he remembered it. Low cheekbones, small straight nose, thin rosy lips and a faintly pointy chin adorned a narrow face. Proportioned yet very ordinary features.

Except for her eyes.

Those eyes that had struck him the most during their first meeting, Noah remembered. More so than having an Asian girl respond to the name Siobhan Lee. More than their unique color, a brown so dark it was almost black.

No. It had been the look she had shot him. As if she could see right to the bottom of his soul, and whatever she discovered, it didn't impress her.

It was the exact same look she was giving him right now, head lifted from the book she was reading. Waiting for an explanation as to why he was standing in front of her table, in the middle of the library.

"Yes?"

He managed one deep breath, told himself not to lose it even if her cool tone rubbed him the wrong way. Plastered his most charming smile on his lips, though her expression didn't change.

"I know you told me you're busy, but I could really use your help for–"

"No."

Noah blinked. Once. Twice, when Siobhan just kept staring at him.

"No?" She didn't bother repeating herself. That just irked him even more. "You didn't even let me finish explaining–"

"Noah," she cut him off again. "You explained on Messenger. My answer won't change. I can't do your part."

He was beginning to believe her. The corners of his mouth dropped, frustration boiling up his blood as he was met with the same indifference that had tainted her short and curt answers online.

"I really need to focus on this match," he gritted out. "I'm asking you to just do this small part, please. It's not hard and I know you can do it. Can't you help me out just this once?"

None of his partners had been reticent before. Usually too blinded by his basketball team captain status, they immediately accepted and told him not to worry. So why couldn't she? He knew she was an excellent student; she wouldn't be in an advanced finance class otherwise. Which told him her not being able to do half of his part couldn't be a reason for her refusal.

Unlike the others, Siobhan stared at him for a long time. Until he felt desperate enough that he was about to plead one more time when she let out: "Are you an idiot?"

"Excuse me?"

He was too stunned to say anything else.

"Are you an idiot?" she repeated like he was one.

"Of course not!" the indignant retort was out of his mouth before he realized it.

"Did you or your coach bribe Professor Kingston to get into this class?" she continued, unfazed.

"You know I didn't." His tone was harsher than he intended, but he had earned his way into this class. "Could you get to your point?" he asked while he could keep his anger in check.

"That's what I figured too," she said, ignoring his question. He frowned. "Unlike others who think athletes can't think with their brain, I believe you know how to use it. I also know you have the capacities to keep up with this class. You wouldn't be here if you weren't able to juggle your studies and playing basketball at the same time."

He didn't deny it; it was the truth. But he had a feeling that wherever this was headed, he wasn't going to like it.

"You are a good student, correct? And you are a good captain." Her gaze pinned him to the spot, leaving him no room to escape her next words. "So no, I'm not going to do your part. If you couldn't do both, you shouldn't have enrolled in this class in the first place."

Nothing. There was nothing he could say because she was correct. Siobhan looked at him for one more second before returning to her studies. He just kept staring at her, unable to believe what happened. For the first time since he had been made team captain, risen to the status of university celebrity, someone actually put him in his place.

Forcing him to walk the hard path.

He left the library without one look backwards.