(AN: I apologize for my lateness, there were some technical difficulties. Please enjoy!)
Writing for the contest went tediously, as writing goes. Many hours were spent in Arthur's classroom, writing this, crossing out that, and staring at blank papers waiting for words to appear. All the while a dreaded deadline loomed over the group, breathing down their necks as it stared from its place on the calendar. The menace was circled in red pen, and December 12th was its name. Arthur, no longer excluded from the girls' writings, found himself abandoning his planners and papers to join them at their desks most days. They found his infinite knowledge of the English language useful, and he found their companionship the same.
And so together, the five of them endured the hardships of writing. Trash cans filled with papers, hearts drained of patience, and days lost their daylight. On many occasions they stayed at school long after everyone else had left, busily writing over the tea Arthur brewed with his electric kettle. The appliance was now a permanent member of the classroom, as Arthur thought it ridiculous to go so long without tea.
Finally, on December 12th, their entry was completed and sealed away in an envelope. The story was a lighthearted one, even a little whimsical, and it told the tale of a mint green rabbit with wings and a man who could travel through time. Arthur was proud of the story, even prouder of the girls who wrote it. They had all worked hard after all, and he felt they had good odds of winning. But more than anything he was glad for the time he had spent with the them, and all he had learned about them. They were not all shy as they appeared, Kaesha least of all. She had a wild energy when her guard was down, and would laugh loudly, talk excitedly, even tackle hug her friends to the ground. And strange though it was, Arthur couldn't find any fault in that. He had always favored women with perfect manners, who spoke rarely and politely. But Kaesha, with all her energy, made him feel young and energetic too. It must be that energy, thought Arthur, that makes my heart pound like this. Definitely not love or anything like that.
Suddenly the door was flung open, tearing Arthur from his thoughts.
"'Sup dudes!" was the greeting the perpetrator gave. He was taller than Arthur and better built, but his eyes were childish, and they shone blue behind his glasses. He donned a worn pilot's jacket in which one of his hands was casually stuffed, while the other one waved in the air.
"Alfred!?" Arthur's voice was a mix of shock and annoyance, "What are you doing here!?"
Alfred laughed obliviously, "Did you really think you could live here for a year and not visit me?"
"Well, that was the plan." Arthur frowned. "How did you find me here anyways?"
"Not important."
For the first time, Alfred seemed to realized they were not alone in the room an promptly asked "Who are all these kids?"
"My students," Arthur replied indignantly. "Now's really not the best time Alfred, so-"
"What's that letter for?" Alfred interrupted, pointing to the thing in Kaesha's hands.
"It's our writing entry," the girl spoke quietly, shy once again in the presence of a stranger. "We're in a writing contest."
"Really?" Alfred smiled, "That's cool! I'm sure you'll win!" Kaesha mirrored his smile brightly, and Arthur was bitterly reminded how much better his brother was with children.
"Anyways," he cut in, "we'd better get this on to the post office before it closes." He could feel the air between him and Alfred growing stiff, as it always did, and he would prefer not to have a fight with him in front of the children.
"The post office?" Alfred said dumbly, "you mean the one that closes in five minuets?"
"Five minuets?!" Arthur check his watch, "You've got to be bloody joking!"
The taller man sighed exasperatedly. "Dude, why do you still send things in the mail? E-mail exists, you know."
"You're not helping!" Arthur said, already half way out the door.
"Fine, fine, you can use my bike then!" Alfred beamed, oblivious to his brother's mood. "The key's in the ignition."
Arthur made a note to lecture Alfred about being irresponsible latter.
Upon reaching the front doors but a few heart beats later, he found a sleek black motorcycle parked (rather illegally) in front of the school. Its keys dangled invitingly from the ignition, and Arthur huffed, relieved it hadn't been stolen. There was no helmet in sight, though nor was there time for one, so he simply swung his leg over the seat and replaced the kickstand with his foot. He then felt a sudden weight drop on the seat behind him, and jumped in surprise. He turned, and saw that it was Kaesha, who had followed him all the way from his classroom with the letter. Her thin arms wrapped around his waist, and her cheeks were slightly flushed. Probably from the run here, Arthur though, before he got his hopes up.
"You shouldn't come." he said after a moment's hesitation. "We don't have any helmets, and it'll be dangerous."
"Don't worry," she said with a determined smile, "I won't report you for kidnapping a student or anything."
Arthur turned back to the front with a muttered "alright." It was his turn to blush. Honestly, he thought, you would think someone my age would know better.
Arthur had little experience with motorcycles, if any at all, so the beginning of their journey was a wobbly, terrifying experience. The bike leaned this way and that, and made sudden jolts forwards as he tried to adjust the speed. However, all this commotion made Kaesha cling only tighter to his waist, so he couldn't bring himself to mind. Really, anything could've been happening around him and he wouldn't have care, as long as she was clinging to him the way she was...
Though such thoughts are foolish, he told himself, and should be banished immediately.
Somehow, the pair reached the post office in time, just as the last mail truck was pulling up in front of it. The envelope was dropped into a pile of mail, and taken towards an unknown destination. As for Kaesha and Arthur, they returned to the school in the same manner with which they left- a tedious, illegal ride. Honestly, Arthur was surprised they weren't pulled over!
Once safely on school grounds again, the two dismounted, and Arthur made a point of snatching the keys from the ignition. They both looked a mess, their cheeks flushed and hair windblown, though Kaesha's smile was bright and sunny as always. And when he looked at her, Arthur couldn't help but smile too. He felt a familiar feeling beginning to creep up on him, the feeling that he couldn't let her go just yet. Like there was something he had to say to her, maybe something he'd forgotten. He searched for the right words but he could find nothing to fit, nothing that could describe this frustrating feeling he had. Words always seemed to fail him at times like this.
The only words he could find in the end were "It's getting late, Kaesha, you should head home now."
She smiled in return, and gave a small wave, "Okay, see you tomorrow then!" She turned and began to walk home, her steps light and lively. Arthur could only stare after her, listening to the sound of his heart hammering in his chest.
