The Fight of Ambivalence ~ Harry Styles

2 - New Things

New things can be scary. Even when life has proven that new things can be good, there can be a bit of apprehension even if nothing is inherently wrong about the idea leading up to it. Fear and logic don't always go hand in hand.

Mr. Styles seems very kind and compassionate and yet Sheila finds herself more than a little nervous for their first study session. She made sure to prepare as best she could, looking over the chapters for the next week, but she's not sure what to expect or if they'll get along or if it'll just be terribly boring.

When all the other students file out of the classroom on Thursday afternoon Mr. Styles gets up and starts shuffling through some papers on his desk. He looks up at her briefly and says, "You can move your things to the round table."

"Okay thank you," she says quietly before packing up her things and moving to the back of the classroom.

She neatly sets up a notebook and pen as well as her textbook, waiting with her hands folded in front of her and staring aimlessly at the pages of her book. It's pretty quiet in here, but she can hear the distant sounds of people walking through the hallways.

"Alright," Mr. Styles says, sitting down in the chair beside her. "Do you have any specific questions or would you like to start by going over a study guide?"

"Study guide please," she says and he nods, looking for the correct paper to give her.

"If you think of any questions along the way just interrupt me," he says with a smile, a page to her.

When she goes to take it, she accidentally drops it. It falls to the floor and skids a few feet away from them.

"Sorry," she mumbles with flushed cheeks. She knows it's not a big deal, but she feels so awkward and jittery and she just can't shake it.

"You don't have to apologize, it was an accident. I want you to be comfortable, Miss Abrams. Is there anything you need?" He asks when she takes a seat again.

"No, I'm okay," she replies.

She is okay. She just has Ava in her head going on and on about how handsome he is. How lucky she is to spend time with him and if she'll get to know him personally, not just as a teacher. Of course she can't tell him any of this, because that would be wildly inappropriate so she's okay, she just needs to turn her brain off and focus. Once she figures out how to do both at the same time everything will be great.

"How about I make you a cup of tea? I always see you with some," he comments and pushes away from the table to get up. "What kind do you like?"

"You don't have to. I promise I'm alright," she says, sitting up straighter but also trying to act more normal. It's not convincing.

Bless him honestly, he's trying so hard to make her less nervous. She has to get over this idea that asking for help is a bad thing. She just doesn't like not being good at something. School is the one thing she's always felt sure about, but as it seems nothing stays the same forever.

"I don't mind at all. Plus I'd like some myself," he replies.

She nods and smiles politely, saying, "I'll have whatever you're having."

"Alright, I'll just be a minute," he says, smiling back. "Why don't you open the packet to the second page and review the questions. When I get back you can let me know which ones you need help on."

She does as he says, trying to formulate answers to the questions in front of her. She must read some of them 5 times over and still she's no closer to knowing why the Ancient Greeks came up with the idea for the water wheel and how that affected the rest of history other than the obvious that it helped people have access to water.