"I am not helping you," Sherlock whispered, angrily, at his annoying little lab partner "so please stop asking." He returned his attention to the professor, hoping that she would finally let the topic go.
"But if you help me, I'll do your lab work for the rest of the semester." Jamie tried to bargain with him. She had been pestering him all week.; ever since Joan Watson transferred into their Honors Biology II class. Jamie wasn't sure what it was that she saw in Joan but there was something that intrigued her and she wouldn't rest until she figured it out. Joan was his friend so he was her best, and closest option in the help department. Sherlock was going to assist her whether he liked it or not.
"For the last time," Sherlock huffed, trying to keep his voice down "I will not help you get a date with Joan. She wouldn't want to date a sophomore anyway." He turned away again, to take the rest of the notes he'd need to complete their upcoming assignment. They had been going at this all week. Joan transferred in to their class on Monday and since that moment, Jamie Moriarty was enthralled. She often starred at Joan, much to Sherlock's chagrin. He even thinks he caught a glimpse of Jamie trying to sketch Joan's profile, on Wednesday when Joan opted to sit by the window.
"That's fine," Jamie thought "I'll just need to find another plan of attack." She though about a more direct route of simply confronting Joan. But how would she get her alone? Jamie didn't want to corner her in a classroom or anything of the sort. The thought was promising in some ways but she didn't want to spook Joan before they had a chance to get to know each other. She thought of "accidentally" bumping in to Joan in the hallway between classes but Joan was a senior and they barely crossed paths with sophomores.
"Stop it!" Sherlock hissed. He spotted Jamie casually staring at Joan, again, with a thoughtful expression hidden under her guise of boredom. She was plotting. No one plotted against his Watson. "Leave Watson alone. You may have weaseled your way in to a senior class but you are still but a child. There is no need for you to engage the big kids." Sherlock had hoped that his words would sting and deter this troublesome underclassman but he was only greeted with her lopsided, shit-eating grin. He was worried that his words only acted as encouragement for whatever Jamie was planning in her head.
"Don't worry, Sherlock, I am not constructing any elaborate ruse, I simply want to talk to Joan. She interests me and I would like to get to know her. That is all. I promise."
Jamie was not lying. All she really wanted was to get better acquainted with Joan. There was something about her that kept Jamie up far beyond her self-imposed bedtime. There was her obvious physical beauty, which was the initial draw, but there was also something in the way that Joan interacted with their peers and the professor that really captured her attention. Joan was like everyone else, on the surface, but she was also better. Maybe if she could solve what made Joan so special, Jamie could finally get a full night of rest again.
"Would you two care to let the rest of the class in on your conversation?" Ms. Hudson had grown tired of the pair's need to talk during her lesson. She let it go at first because they were her best students, academically, but she knew she needed to put her foot down. "Oh don't be shy now. It was apparently, important enough to have in the middle of a lesson. Out with it." She continued.
Jamie had a plan. Being reprimanded by the teacher was not apart of it but she was good at improvising. All student's eyes were on her and an embarrassed looking Sherlock. "Actually I do have something to say." Jamie stood from her seat, "My comrade here," Jamie gave Sherlock a pat o the back "and I were just discussing you." Jamie met Joan's eyes. Thanks to the latest book she had read on body language, Jamie spotted surprise, embarrassment and a trace of intrigue in Joan's, otherwise, unimpressed glare.
"Well we were discussing Watson, but nothing scandalous, I assure you." Sherlock tried to take control of the situation. He was not sure what Jamie was planning but he did not want Joan to think he was gossiping about her. She was the only person he could call his friend and he did not want some devious, sophomore with a schoolgirl crush to ruin that for him.
"Yes, Sherlock is telling you the truth. Nothing scandalous." Jamie did not exactly care about the state Joan and Sherlock's relationship but being nice to the bestfriend would work in her favor. "I was just telling him that you intrigue me." Jamie made sure not to lose eye contact with Joan.
Her body language book taught her that she needed to keep eye contact if she wanted to seem confident. It isn't that Jamie wasn't a confident person, but this Joan Watson made her slightly off-kilter. Jamie could feel her heart beating faster and she was nervously clenching her fists. She put herself out there, the ball was in Joan's court now.
"Well, what do you have to say about that Joan?" Ms. Hudson asked. She was as curious to see how this turned out as the rest of the students in the class. Even Sherlock looked interested in seeing this play out. All eyes were on Joan, waiting for her to say something.
"I think your intrigue is adorable," Joan began, smirking at the surprise that flashed across Jamie's face. She clearly hadn't expected Joan to react positively. "but I don't babysit." The class was filled with snickers and murmurs from the rest of the class. No one had expected that retort from Joan but it was definitely welcome.
"Well lucky for you, I don't have any children or siblings." Jamie wasn't sure if she should be impressed with Joan's reply or if she should acknowledge the blow she felt to her her ego. She wouldn't let Joan see that she was affected though. She needed to prove to Joan that she woman enough to hang with the big kids. Not all of the big kids, just Joan and maybe Sherlock.
"How about tutoring?" She asked, trying to keep this conversation alive.
Speaking to Joan and having her speak back was a thrill. Jamie was starting to understand the giddy feeling her peers mentioned when they talked excessively about their crushes. Did Jamie have a crush? No, she decided. That was what little children had, Jamie was far too mature for something like that.
"I think we should get back to the lesson. Don't you Ms. Hudson?" Joan asked trying to divert everyone's attention from her and Jamie. She hadn't missed the small frown on Jamie's face after her comment. She felt a little guilty for upsetting her in front of the entire class.
"Yes, you are correct Miss Watson." Ms. Hudson scrambled to reign in the class' attention and get back on topic. She had been as invested in the conversation as the rest of the students. Now was time for her to be the adult again. "Please sit, Jamie." The class opened their books and all of the attention to the Joan and Jamie show dissipated just as fast as it began.
Jamie took her seat, slightly deflated but also buzzing because Joan Watson talked to her. She also noticed that Joan changing the subject to spare her feelings. Though Jamie couldn't figure out how Joan spotted her disappointment. She was sure that she schooled her face properly. She practiced that expression for hours in front of the mirror.
"Why, Joan Watson," Jamie thought "you've piqued my interests yet again."
Jamie was staring at her again. Joan could feel those eyes on the back of her neck. She had gotten used to it over the last week. This kind of attention usually made Joan uncomfortable but she found that she didn't mind as much when it was Jamie. This wasn't an ideal situation though. Joan was a senior and Jamie was a sophomore and aside from the uncomfortable age difference, she would be leaving to pursue medicine in a few short months. There were too many reasons that nothing could ever work between them at this point. However, none of those reasons involved Joan not being drawn to Jamie. Maybe after med school. A three year age difference wouldn't matter in ten years and a thousand life experiences from now.
Jamie's focus was nonexistent for the rest of class. She alternated between staring out of the window next Joan and staring directly at Joan. It isn't even that she did it purposely, her attention just naturally gravitated to Joan every few minutes. Jamie was so distracted, she did not even notice the end-of- period bell ringing until Sherlock nudged her. Broken out of her stupor, Jamie scrambled to put her books away so she could get to her next class. Her gym teacher would surely give her detention if she was late again. All-in-all, today was a success, Jamie thought. Joan had spoken to her and despite Sherlock's smug "I told you so" grin Jamie didn't think she was out of the game just yet. As Joan strode past her, to the door, Jamie didn't miss the smirk that was sent her way. She doesn't think it was a smug one either. Joan's smirk said "Your move."
Game on.