Cat Videos in Class

Class

My brain feels foggy as I sit down at the back of the lecture theatre. I'm really not in the mood this morning, but I force myself to grab a pen and my notebook and wait quietly. The room starts to slowly fill up, but as usual, I don't make small talk with anyone. I'm usually happy to just stay in my own little bubble, and especially after leaving Graysen, I prefer to keep to myself anyway. The last few people make their way to a seat as my English teacher sets up for the lecture. One of the last people to head in catches my eye, as he always seems to do.

People make way for him hurriedly, bumping into each other and eager not to get in his way. His midnight hair hangs over his face as he keeps his head down as he takes a seat directly in front of me. Though everyone has learned to keep a distance from the Nox brothers, there's something that draws my eyes to Azriel. Even though he has a rather intimidating appearance, his hazel eyes always look soft.

He's nothing like Graysen, with a scatter of piercings in each ear and swirls of black ink on tanned skin peeking out of the top of his hoodie, but there's an aura of mystery around him that I don't think even Feyre would be able to paint.

A fight between the Nox brothers and Tamlin left Rhysand, Cassian and Azriel feared. Feyre later came to tell me that Tamlin had provoked the attack, and a week later, she broke up with him. Even before the fight, Azriel seemed... distant with everybody. I've never seen him with anyone but his brothers. Everyone prefers to avert their eyes as they walk past, like they are no better than the dirt on their shoes, but they don't know the truth about what happened.

Miss Beecher starts talking and I force my hand to pick up a pen and start writing. For a few minutes, all I can hear is the monotonous drone of the Miss Beecher talking, the scratch of pens and the furious tapping of computer keys. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Azriel starts to slowly lean back in his chair, arms folded. Like most of us in this room, he doesn't seem to enjoy English on a Monday morning.

I dare to look up, to see him pull out his phone, switch the volume to silent and open Youtube. Making notes instantly becomes less appealing as he searches up cat videos. How can he be so brooding but so cute at the same time? I wonder. Did I just call him cute? I wrinkle my nose at myself, but it doesn't stop me from trying to casually catch a glimpse of the screen. There are cats falling off of sofas, chasing their own tails... time passes by as he taps on video after video, and I forget the lesson completely.

A cat eats its food when it turns around to see a cucumber, and it flies off the screen. I have lost myself so completely in the trance of cat videos, I can't help but giggle at the video. I realise what I've done too late as Azriel's head whips back to see me stifling a laugh. His hazel eyes pierce mine, a smile dancing across his mouth, before his features soften into a small smirk. My cheeks instantly flush and I lean back into my chair and look back down at my notes. I've barely written half a page. Azriel turns back around, also seeming to realise he hasn't taken any notes.

The rest of the lesson passes by quickly and I try my best to sneak glances at the notes of the girl sitting a chair away from me and catch up. I also find my eyes wandering back to Azriel. I have never spoken to him in my life; why do I find him so interesting all of a sudden? He seems to be doing fairly well catching up, having written nearly three pages. It's nearing the end of the lesson, and everyone is starting to quietly pack away their things. I'm still trying to write the last of my notes, scribbling words that don't even look like English anymore.

"Okay, now part of your final grades will be based on a creative writing project I will be setting today. I can trust you all to get yourself into pairs, and I'll email you all the details after class. You can email me your pair, and your deadline is in two weeks." Miss Beecher says.

A creative writing project? I groan inwardly. I have never talked to anyone in this room. It's hard enough finding a project partner anyway, but working on a story with a person who I don't know, who will have completely different ideas? Perhaps I can ask Miss Beecher to let me do the project myself. But as the idea comes to mind, she walks out of the room. Great.Looks like I'll have to wait around at the front of the room and see if there's anybody left who hasn't got a partner.

I pick up my things and head to the front. Hordes of people pass by me. Pairs walk by, already discussing organisation. I wait patiently, but a girl passes, and elbows me by accident. I hear a rushed "Sorry!" But she doesn't stay to help me pick up my books. My cheeks for the second time today as I bend down and start collecting the scattered papers.I almost startle when I see a pair of tanned hands reach out and gather my books. I look up, and Azriel is there. If it is possible, by cheeks heat even more.

"Are you alright?" He asks, as his head tilts up to look at me. His voice is low and has a nice lilt to it.

"Y- Yes thank you." I curse myself for stuttering. Why am I so nervous?

We finish collecting my things off the floor, and the last few people have trickled out through the door. I frown in dismay.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's fine. Just... I don't suppose you know anyone looking for a project partner?" I try, desperately. "Thank you for picking up my books, by the way." I add, quickly.

"It's fine. Actually, I don't have a partner either. We could pair up, if you wanted?" He replies. He almost seems as nervous of the prospect of it as me. It's almost odd to see him look like that.

"That would be great, thank you! How are we going to do this?"

"We could get each other's phone numbers and plan as we go? Maybe meet somewhere to gather our ideas... Actually, I don't think I've caught your name?" He asks.

"I'm Elain Archeron. I'll put my number into your phone if you'd like." I reply.

Azriel hands me his phone and I hand him mine. There's a moment of silence as we type our numbers in, and I offer a small smile to him as we swap back our phones and head towards the door.

"Pleasure meeting you Elain." He says. "I'll text tonight so we can get started." Giving a smile back to me, he heads out of the lecture theatre, leaving me with rosy cheeks and a soft grin on my face.

**********

Azriel: Hi, have you got the details through from the email?

Me: Yeah! I was thinking we could get our own ideas together then meet up and make a plan?

Azriel: Sounds good. How about we meet on Wednesday after the lecture and go to the coffee shop around the corner? They do good hot chocolates.

Me: Great! See you then! :)