Let Me Be Your Garden (en)

Chapter 3

NIGELLA

She was looking at her again. Mimea was looking at her.

Nigella tried to focus on her book, "Kingdoms and Empires of Earth Volume 3: From the Polis to Alexander's Empire." She only had a few chapters left to finish it.

Nine hundred pages of history, art, and Earth's culture, and that was just a part of it. Normally, nothing would have distracted her from such a captivating read.

But at that moment, Mimea's magenta eyes had forcefully pulled her attention away from everything else.

It had been going on for a couple of weeks. During the break, while the other students rushed outside to enjoy fifteen minutes of smoking and chatting at the entrance, Mimea stayed in the classroom, keeping her company.

And she stared at her. It had taken Nigella a while to notice, distracted as she was by her books, but once she caught on to the woman's behavior, it became increasingly difficult to ignore.

She wasn't sure if she should find it disturbing, but it was certainly strange.

One day, while visiting a bookstore, she thought she saw Mimea through the window, looking in her direction. But she wasn't sure, as the woman had quickly walked away.

Nigella began running little tests. Every three or four minutes, she would peek over her book to see if Mimea was still staring, and sure enough, she always caught her glowing irises.

She was convinced that sooner or later Mimea would get bored and find something else to do, but no.

Part of her wondered whether she should ask if everything was okay, while another part appreciated the fifteen minutes of solitude with her.

How silly she was! She was twenty-three, not thirteen. Getting distracted just because a beautiful woman was staring at her was childish, to say the least. A beautiful woman who also happened to be her student, she reminded herself.

She had decided to wait for Mimea to speak first. If she wanted something, she would eventually ask for it.

But the silent staring continued, and Nigella's curiosity about her student's behavior had turned into discomfort. So that day, after a bit of hesitation, she set down her book and asked:

—Is there something you need, Mimea?—

Mimea snapped out of it.

—Oh, no, miss. I hope I'm not bothering you,— she said in a clear voice, the kind of voice one would expect to come from such rosy lips.

She was speaking formally.

As she should, Nigella reminded herself. They weren't friends; they were just a teacher and her student.

—No bother,— Nigella quickly replied. —I was just curious. I've noticed you always spend the break here in the classroom. Don't you want to go with the others?—

Mimea shook her head.

—No, thank you. It's quieter here.—

—The thing is... I've noticed you keep staring at me. During the break, I mean. Is there something you want to ask me? Any problems with your classmates or questions about the syllabus?—

Mimea blushed and shook her head.

—No, everything's fine. I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable. I was lost in thought,— she replied. —Maybe I should have brought something to read to pass the time, like you.—

—Do you like reading?— Nigella asked, though she doubted Mimea's claim. She was sure the woman had been watching her.

Mimea blushed again and began to fidget with the cuffs of the lilac sweater she was wearing.