Tripping Over Air

KATERINA - I'm Sorry That I'll Miss Your Party

KATERINA needed this class.

It was one of the last classes that was required for her major that due to scheduling conflicts she hadn't managed to squeeze in, but finally she'd gotten in.

She was thankful that as she walked in, she found Erin and Sadie waving her over with a smile. Katerina came over and sat down next to them on the floor of the dance studio.

"Finally figured out how to fit it in?" Erin asked, having been on the receiving end of many an administration blamed rant. Katerina laughed and nodded with a bit of a shrug.

"Yeah, it only took me three years," she said with an eye roll, leading her to size up the rest of the class. It was mostly first years, looking to get it knocked out so they could do more interesting things in their later years. Katerina had tried that, but her class had been unusually full, thus leaving her in her current position.

"Still, at least it's only a semester course," Sadie chimed in as she mimicked Katerina's scan of the room. Though, Erin and Katerina both knew her motive for the glances. They both shared a look before Katerina leaned over to whisper.

"You do realize that the likelihood of anyone who catches your eye being a first year goes up at least 40% right? You'd be cradle robbing Saids," Katerina said.

"Not to mention getting into mildly icky territory," Erin added.

"I can dream," Sadie said and no sooner had those words left her mouth, the door opened to reveal a man who, to call him godly, would be selling him short. "Whoa," Sadie said with a small sigh. Katerina scanned him as he went over to the professor: broad and made of muscle, he clearly didn't slack at the gym. He had shoulder length brown hair that was half tied up in a bun with little braids adorned with gold rings. His tank top barely counted as such with sides so deep it left little of his torso to the imagination. Tanned skin, a prominent nose, scruff, and a small smile was enough for Katerina's interest piqued just a little bit.

"Whoa seconded," Erin muttered. Katerina didn't say anything, simply looked with a vague sense of curiosity. He put his bags with the others at the front of the room and sat in the back corner of the room, texting someone on his phone, though his gaze shifted up to Katerina and she was rewarded with a chuckle induced smile. She turned away quickly and was saved by the professor starting introductions and syllabus presentation. It was painless, mostly, yet it still felt draining. And the mention of a partnered final assignment didn't bode well for Katerina's three person friend group where she was the odd one out. Katerina was dreading it and she hadn't even been given the rubric.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and found a text from one of her few out of major friends

from: arno 🇫🇷

are we still on for lunch y/n?

to: arno 🇫🇷

y. meet you on the quad

Katerina tried to focus, really she did, but her energy was in the toilet, least of which because she'd forgotten to eat breakfast. When the professor finally released them, Katerina was the first to grab her bag, waving a quick goodbye to Erin and Sadie. She made it down the stairs, out the door, and to the top of the quad in nearly record time. There she found Arno Dorian typing away on his phone. Katerina found herself chuckling at the sight, his brow furrowed and he looked like he was six seconds away from tearing a head off.

"Elise rilling you up again?" Katerina guessed first. Elise was his adopted sister and took a great affection in riling him up from time to time.

"No, Delta Group Chat." He muttered. Ah yes, Arno's Frat Group Chat. From what Katerina could put together, the eleven person group chat was a mess of memes, crude humor, planning food runs, and more memes. She was hesitant to ask, knowing she'd either get a three hour rant or nothing. Eventually, Arno slid his phone into his pocket. "I'm starving, let's go." He said standing up from the stone step. Katerina nodded in agreement and waited for him to get down. "So, how was class?"
"Draining,"