betty ↳ conrad fisher

forty-nine.

Betty Graham was on her way towards the library, coffee in hand as she put her headphones in. She had class in an hour so she didn't think she would have enough time to go back to her dorm. Exams were coming fast and she knew she needed to study, her stress beginning to come to a front when she had remembered how close the year was to being over. Despite all of the drama she had maintained her grades like she had expected herself to, school was always a high priority for her.

She felt alright about the decision she had made, she thought giving Jack another chance could be good for her, maybe they could really build something this time around and she was willing to try...because she felt something for him. Her head was all over the place but after their date a few days before they had decided to proceed with dating, and she had been feeling genuinely happy since they had decided.

There was only one thing that felt off about them getting back together, and she couldn't quite place what it was. She had been questioning her own intentions, the girl wondering if her heart was in the right place or if she was using Jack as some sort of distraction from the truth.

Betty walked through the doors of the library, scanning the room for an empty seat. The room was alive with students cramming for finals, with chatter and some laughter in a few areas. And in the middle of all of that life she saw him.

Conrad Fisher looked tired, his face being held up by his hand as he stared at a laptop screen. She couldn't even fully see that it was him but she knew...of course she knew. He was wearing a jacket although it's wasn't too terribly cold outside, and as luck would have it...his table was the only table that was empty. She scoured the room for anywhere else to sit, any other open chairs but the universe was cruel and there was nothing else—no other option. It was the middle of finals...of course there were no open seats. She wondered if it was his negative energy that repelled people from sitting at his table but he stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of people. Maybe she did have enough time to go back to her dorm.

Unfortunately her gaze must have been too strong, Conrad seeming to feel someone looking at him, his head lifting off of his hand and his tired eyes meeting hers. Her breath stopped like it always did when their eyes met and she knew...she knew she needed to get out of there. She turned away from him but Conrad was already standing. Her quickened pace was no match for his long legs and he caught her outside of the entrance, Betty knowing it was him just by the sound of his feet.

"Betty." He grabbed her by the arm and he wondered if every time he saw her for the rest of his life if she would be running from him. He wondered if he would be chasing her forever.

"Hey um...I've got class soon I don't really have much time for—"

"How have you been?" He cut her off, and she took this moment to just look over him. His hair was messy and his eyes had bags under them...he was paler than usual and she wondered when the last time he had slept had been—he looked exhausted. Her observation pushed her to turn fully towards him, the concern showing on her face as she looked up at him.

"How have you been? Are you okay?" She knew he wasn't okay...how could he be when his mom had just died but she still asked, hoping he wasn't too sick of hearing it. But from her he could never be sick of her concern, her worry breathed a bit of life into him because it meant she cared. And these days he was only getting so much attention from her. So he would consider her question truthfully and then he would answer truthfully.

"I'm okay. I uh—haven't really had much appetite and I have trouble sleeping but other than that I've been doing alright. As good as I can be." Betty looked at him with sympathy and she felt guilty again that she had gone no contact with him after the funeral. They looked at each other for a moment and her upcoming meeting with Jack melted from her memory, her face softening as she recognized his honesty. Her hand lifted from her side and she grabbed his arm, squeezing it and giving him a small smile. Conrad felt his body relax when she touched him, and tense back up when her hand dropped. "How are finals coming?"