Valda

Day One Part Two

"It's fine. Few people call me by name anyways." Rielyr had taken a moment to glance to their watch. "Ithin, seeing as you're still chatting with me, I'm assuming you're lacking plans for the evening. Would you like to grab lunch with me?"

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"Oh? Rielyr are you asking a student out on a date?" Ithin questioned jokingly as she giggled.

"No, I'm asking you to lunch," Rielyr responded flatly as they glanced around the street once more.

"Either way sure, I don't have anything else to do." Ithin shrugged, still smiling.

"I distinctly remember you having a paper due in my class." Rielyr looked back up to Ithin as they spoke.

Ithin felt her smile fall at the younger's words, "I uh, I guess I have to do that."

Rielyr gently smiled, "Isn't it on the material you didn't fully comprehend?"

"Yeah, so I'm going to suffer on this. Thank you." Ithin groaned tossing her head back for a moment.

"Well we're having lunch so, would you like some help while we have lunch?" Rielyr questioned.

"Really? That would be amazing." Ithin had quickly gone back to smiling as she had been before.

"Then I'd be happy to help you out Ithin." Rielyr stopped for a moment glancing around.

Ithin stopped a moment after Rielyr had, "What is it?"

"Sorry," Rielyr laughed gently scratching the back of their neck. "You want to have lunch here?" Rielyr questioned pointing to a small looking cafe.

"Yeah, you been here before?" Ithin questioned as she walked in behind Rielyr.

"Yes, I have, almost every afternoon for the last few months," Rielyr responded looking back to Ithin, weakly smiling.

"You must really like this place," Ithin mumbled glancing around the cafe, it was small, it also looked a bit old to Ithin.

Both had taken a good minute to order, then find themselves a seat. Ithin had quickly gone to asking Rielyr about the work she had problems with. Ithin at some point had halfway finished the paper before putting it to the side, pulling Rielyr into a conversation non-work related. Ithin almost had a skill for getting off-topic.

Rielyr hadn't tried to bring the conversation back to the paper after a while. They just sat there and listened to Ithin ramble on, it entertained them. Ithin was the type to overshare as people would say, she had only been with Rielyr for a few hours and Rielyr swore they could tell you Ithin's life story. Rielyr had to admit, they didn't mind the older female's stories.

Ithin had tried to ask about Rielyr's life, most of the time she found she got shut down. Ithin did manage to get basics out of Rielyr, their major, Why they teach, mostly things everyone would know. Ithin didn't take it very personally as Rielyr didn't seem like the social butterfly type.

"Rielyr." Ithin set her head on her hand, currently propped up on the table.

Rielyr let our a hum of acknowledgment as they currently had a straw in their mouth.

"Your coffee has been empty for a good five minutes, you can set it down now." Ithin smiled as she watched Rielyr look down to the cup.

Rielyr quickly set the cup down, glancing to the side, "I'm sorry."

Ithin laughed at the other's response, "Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"It was something I should have noticed, I got distracted," Rielyr mumbled.

"Oh? By what? This gorgeous thing maybe?" Ithin questioned gesturing to herself.

Rielyr smirked at the response, "No Pumpkin Spice, I would never."

Ithin gasped at the reply, "Okay, Rude!"

Rielyr laughed with the response, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But come on, I was distracted by your story."

"Oh? That's all? I guess I'm not attractive enough for you now? Is it the uniform?" Ithin questioned glancing down to her clothes.

"No Ithin it's not you or the uniform, I haven't been paying attention to your looks, so I couldn't have been distracted by that," Rielyr mumbled still smiling a bit.

"I'm not sure to be thankful or hurt?" Ithin sighed.

"Be both." Rielyr gently poked at their now empty cup.

"What's that meant to mean? Everything okay?" Ithin had taken a moment to put jokes aside.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry." Rielyr sighed as they slowly stood up from their chair, "I'll be back in a moment."

Ithin was silent as she watched Rielyr grab their cup and walk away. Ithin had quickly come to notice the glances Rielyr got as they passed people. The girl watched as people stepped away from Rielyr, even pulling their children away from them.

Ithin sighed quietly as she grabbed her drink, standing up. She was quick to follow after Rielyr, who had only gone to toss their cup.

"Rielyr?" Ithin questioned gently tapping Rielry's shoulder, them having their back turned to her.

Ithin watched as Rielyr jumped, quickly turning back to face the female. Ithin had taken a quick note of Rielyr's panicked features. 

"Rielyr, we should get going already. It's late and, we should really get you home." Ithin had slowly pushed the thought of Rielyr being scared of her away from her mind as she gently smiled at the smaller human.

"I, I should be the one taking you home Ithin. You shouldn't have to worry about me. But you're right, it's late. I'll take you home, okay?" Rielyr smiled up at the female, they ignored the looks they had gotten from the people around them.