A Little Trouble Will Do

Chapter Five

Elsa's POV:
***

Friday afternoon, when I arrived at Algebra class, we were told to sit down immediately and the test was to begin shortly. I placed my book on the cubby next to the entrance on the way in. I sat down at a desk as the test was handed out. Girard wasn't in my class, and had already taken the test earlier. I was eager for the test to be done considering this was my last class of the day and I was hanging out with Girard after words, so this made it hard to pay attention.
Finally the test was over, and I walked out of the room confidentially. I felt really good about the test. When I finally stepped outside I sighed happily. My first week of college was over, and the weekend was going to start with Girard. What could be better?
---
I entered the cafe and spotted Girard at a table for two perched high and right beside a window. He already had a hot drink beside him, a small cloud of steam rising from it.
"Is that coffee?" I asked, sitting at the chair across from him.
"No, tea."
"How manly." I joked.
"Hey, I like tea."
"It's just funny." I said.
"My sisters tease me about it all the time."
"How many do you have?" I asked.
"Two." He said.
"Oh... I've got an older brother and an older sister. I'm the baby of the family."
"Same." He said, as I took out my United States History text book. "What do you have for homework?"
"An English Paper as well as a Geography one."
"Oh, I've got the English one and the physics one."
"So we can work on the English one together I guess."
"Sure after we study." I said. "I need water." I added.
"Here, have mine. Don't worry I didn't drink any. She just poured it for me."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Sure." He said. "Hey, how did you do on the test today?" He added.
"I don't know. I feel pretty good about it."
"That's good." He smiled. God, I hadn't liked him in years- and returning to it was worse; his smile causing the tips of my fingers to tingle and my head to go dizzy.
"H-how about you?" I asked, taking a slow sip of my ice-cold water.
"Um... Pretty okay I think. If I get a good grade I have to thank you."
"More the other way around." I laughed. "You offered to study with me."
"Yes, but half the stuff on the test I didn't know until you told me."
"Oh, stop!" I said, blushing.
"I need a pen. Can I borrow yours for a minute? I just have to right my name is this textbook.
"Sure." I said, reaching my hand over to meet his. As he took the pen from me, his hand brushed mine, sending shivers through my body. I quickly pulled my hand away as to make sure it didn't show I was distracted.
"You okay?"
"Of corse, why do you ask?"
"You have goosebumps. Are you sick?"
"No I'm just cold."
"Funny, I'm sweating."
"Maybe I am sick." Dammit! I just made such a fool of myself. What was that?
"So the biggest thing about this History Exam is that they are going to mostly ask us about battles..."
"Well it makes sense, we are at Annapolis."
"Right!" Girard laughed. "So..."
---
The moon was high in the sky, it's reflection in the window next to the table where we sat. Girard and I were walking back to campus, making small talk but still mostly discussing training.
We reached a cross walk, and assuming the road was quiet like the rest of the city I started to walk across.
Before I could even process what was going on, I felt a tug on the back of my sweatshirt and moments later Girard was holding be back- one arm in front of me like a shield, but not pressed against me.
"Be careful!" He said, as the car that almost hit me faded into the distant darkness. I backed up to stand next to him again.
"I'm so sorry, I got distracted."
"I could tell. I don't blame you, it's late."
I forced a smile. "I am really sorry. Thank you so much!"
"Definitely not a problem at all. What would I do if I had to watch you get flattened by a car?"
"I'm sorry."
"You're fine." He said, looking both ways as we crossed the road. It was completely silent, and my heart was still beating; not only because I was almost hit by a car, but because of Girard's reaction. Gosh, he barely touched me, just shielded me and my feeling we're still going crazy. And he cared so much.
That's only because I almost died and we are good friends. I said to myself, my heart plummeting. But that little spark of an idea was still ignited in my brain.
What if it was more than that?
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