"Jocelyn, for the last time, I am not taking ballroom dance just to impress your lady friends." Leonard sighed as he leaned back in his recliner, looking up at his angry wife, who was standing over him, arms cross and face contorted with anger. This was yet again another one of their daily fights while little Joanna was off at school. It was like clockwork and it didn't bother Leonard that much anymore. He'd adjusted to it.
"Leonard, all my "lady friends" have husbands who are active with their wives! They actually do things with them." She snapped. It seemed like a majority of Jocelyn's problems stemmed from her friends, who she was always hanging out with.
"And what? You're calling me lazy just because I don't go out shopping with you, or I won't take a dance class that I will never need in my whole entire lifetime?!" Leonard replied, growing red in the face, angry at his wife. If she was going to pull this "you don't do anything, you lazy bastard", he wasn't going to have it. He was working double shifts at the hospital now! Just to raise his daughter Joanna and his bitch of a wife.
"Yes! I am calling you lazy! You come home from work and you just go straight to the kitchen, drinking and sitting in your own self despair. It's pathetic honestly. You're pathetic!" She responded. Leonard stood up from his recliner and faced his wife, glowering at her.
"It's not like you do much better around here. I'm the one supporting you and Jo! I go to work everyday, trying to save lives, and keep people healthy and I come home and this is what I get?" Leonard raised his voice.
A few people who had seen his relationship first hand, raw and in depth like this. One of them was his best friend Jim Kirk and Jim had always asked why he hadn't divorced her yet. And Leonard would always respond the same way. "If I get divorced, that means child custody, and I love Jo, I don't want to put her through the stress of the court battles messing with her social and school life. Odds will be that Jocelyn ends up with her and I will never be able to see her again."
"Oh, you're going to pull this bullshit with me again? It's the same damn reason everytime. Always complaining about your job. You know what, fine. You can be lazy, but you're going to have to explain to Joanna why mommy is going away for a week." She snapped and turned sharply on her feet, heading down the hall and to their room, promptly slamming the door, shaking the whole house, letting Leonard know how mad she truly was.
Now Leonard was going to be left with Joanna, having to explain that he and her mother were fighting...again. He hated when he had to tell her. He couldn't just lie to her and tell Jo that mommy was just going out. He needed to truly tell her why.
Standing up, Leonard sighed heavily and shook his head, pressing his finger to his temples. "Dammit Joce..." He muttered to himself. "You know you can't keep running away like this. I'm all that Joanna is going to have left!" He yelled towards the hall, shaking his hand. There was no response from her. All he heard was the shutting of drawers and the zipping of a suitcase. When she finally came out, her hair was a mess and her mascara was running down her face.
"Joce, where the hell are you going? You have no where to stay!" He told her, gently touching her shoulder, trying to keep her from leaving.
"I'll find somewhere. Leonard..." She sighed and turned to face him. "this marriage has been falling apart at the seams ever since I became pregnant."
"Joceyln, you know that we can work this out. We always do in the end." Leonard tried to stop her, but he felt that either way, she was going to leave.
"Leonard. Maybe it's be okay when I come back. But I really can't take living with you right now. You...you're just not...I'm sorry Len." She sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, stooping up to kiss Leonard on his cheek. "I love you Len, but I don't love you as much as I should. You deserve someone better." She stepped back and admired Leonard quickly before turning to the door. Was this it? Was Jocelyn really leaving for a week? Only to come back and break things off, which would probably end with Leonard sleeping on Jim's couch and Joanna staying with Joce?
"Bye Joce..." He sighed and followed her to the door. She smiled and turned slightly, looking over her shoulder as she walked to her car.
"I'll be back in a week. If things can't change between us by then, then we might have to get a divorce. This has been going on far too long. Watch after Joanna. I'll call you two every night." Sometimes she could switch from being a total bitch to being the sweetest woman in the world. It was the personality changes that threw Leonard off. It's what made their marriage difficult.
He stood there, watching her get into the car and leave, speeding off, down the road and leaving the subdivision. Sighing heavily, he wandered back into the house and collapsed on the recliner, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. He just sat there, trying to imagine what he could to do make the marriage better. He knew that he wasn't being lazy and that Jocelyn was just being whiny, but deep down inside, he felt like he'd actually done something wrong in the relationship. Like he was never there for her and never did things with her or for her when she asked.
Leonard opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room, eyes falling on the phone and the brochure that Jocelyn had left on the counter for the Ballroom Dancing classes. If he was honestly thinking about joining that stupid Ballroom class, he must have been truly desperate. But he loved his wife and he loved Joanna more than anything in the world, and if it meant that it would keep Jocelyn and Joanna with him, then he would have to take the initiative.
Standing up, he walked over to the counter, almost against his own will. His feet were moving, but his mind was telling him not to do it, only women go to Ballroom Dancing. Pansies go ballroom dancing. He was a doctor for heaven's sake! Not a damn dancer. He was good with his hands, that was true, but he was not too all coordinated with his feet.
He reached the phone and the brochure, picking both up, looking at the brochure, flipping through the pages. God why was he even doing this for all the shit that his wife had given him for his job? He knew that part of it was for Joanna. She didn't deserve any of this. He was doing it for her. Giving a huge sigh, he dialed the number on the back page and lifted the phone to his ear, staring past the kitchen window and out into the backyard.
"Hello?" A clear and very sweet voice entered from the other line.
"Uh, hello? Is this Ballroom Dancing 101?" He asked, wincing internally as he said the name.
"Why yes it is!" The voice responded.
"Oh okay...well I was wondering...damn, if there was a day where I could come in and take a sample class?" He let out an exasperated sigh at the end. The voice on the end of the line chuckled lightly.
"Yes. We do. Tonight is an open house. If you bring one guest,your next visit is free. And don't sound so pained sir. It's really not that bad." The voice said. Leonard grimaced. A guest? Who would want to come with him?
"Alright. Thank you...what time?" He asked, sitting down at the beaten, cherry wood chair, staring at the dark, brown walls.
"8 O'clock tonight. It's downtown on 4th street." The voice told him. Leonard nodded to himself and grabbed a scrap pieces of paper and pen from the opposite end of the table, scribbling down the time and place. "My name is Uhura by the way if you wanted to come and meet me personally before the class starts." She added.
"Uhura. Okay. Thanks." He nodded and hung up the phone quickly, slamming it on the table. "Dammit!" He growled. "I'm going to kill her, I swear...I am going to kill Jocelyn." He muttered to himself, picking the phone back up, dialing Jim's number. The phone only rang once before Jim picked up.
"Please tell me you're calling me to say that you finally divorced Jocelyn!" Jim spat out quickly before Leonard could even get a word in. He sighed before talking back.
"No. She's gone for a week because we got in a fight." He told Jim, his voice losing it's edge and slipping back into his reserved, broken state that it usually held when he was drunk.
"Bones! You should be thrilled. You get to do whatever you want! Is that why you're calling me? What are we doing on our first night out? Hitting the bar?" Jim asked, clearly excited that Leonard's wife had finally left.
"Actually...I'm going to a...class tonight and if I bring one guest with me the next class is free. Do you want to come?" Leonard asked, tapping his fingers anxiously on the table. He knew that Jim would make fun of him if he really told him what he had signed up for.
"A class? What kind of class?" Jim's voice turned wary as he continued to talk.
"Dancing class...I just thought that...maybe-"
"Jocelyn made you do it. Didn't she? She left and you felt guilty so you did what she told you to do." Jim sighed. "You're pitiful. You know that? You need to stand up for yourself every once in awhile."
"Jim, please. I don't want to go, but just one class. It hurts me more than it hurts you. I'm a doctor. A doctor! And I'm going to a ballroom dancing class!" Leonard exclaimed over the phone. There was a second of silence before Jim responded.
"Ballroom dancing?! Oh dear god Bones..." Jim grumbled into the phone. "And you want me to come?"
"Yeah...I really don't want to go there by myself. Do you know how embarrassing that would be. A single father just wandering into a Ballroom Dance class." Leonard told Jim.
"I thought you said that you two weren't getting a divorce." Jim replied slyly over the phone.
"Well, not yet. I'm just thinking ahead to if we ever did divorce." Leonard quickly corrected himself.
"Alright...I guess that I can go. You have to pick me up though." Jim told him. "Hey, we could even get into the swing of things like we did in the college days." Leonard knew that Jim was smirking wildly on the other side of the phone.
"Jim, that was in college. Our little thing was just a drunken night after a party." Leonard sighed. The night Jim came out was the night that Leonard was convinced to actually sleep with Jim. He kept on saying that Leonard was just tricking himself into thinking that he was straight.
"Whatever you say. Just pick me up." Jim said, with a faint hint of disappointment in his voice before hanging up.
Standing up from the table, Leonard looked around the house. It was dead quiet. Not a single soul was in sight. The house was eerily empty. No whining from Jocelyn. Joanna's laughing didn't fill the halls...It gave Leonard a chilling and painful reminder that this is what it was going to be if and when him and Joce got a divorce. How would he cope? Only having Jim to hang out with and trying to get back out in the dating scene? He was 36 years old! 36! Who would want to date an old, grumpy, doctor like him? Maybe he could meet someone at the Ballroom dancing. Maybe that Uhura woman he was talking to over the phone? She seemed nice.
Leonard eventually made it to his room, laying down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, letting himself drift off to sleep. His thoughts were hardly able to catch up with him. He had been lacking sleep the whole week with his double shift. He was lucky that the hospital left him have a couple days of relief. Hell, he was lucky that his double shifts and work was being noticed.
Upon waking back up, Leonard turned over in the bed and looked at the digital clock, the red numbers blaring brightly in his face. It was 2:50 in the afternoon. Joanna was being let out of school in 10 minutes!
Shooting out of bed in a panicked hurry, Leonard flew to his closet pulling on a pair of ruined flip flops onto his feet. "Crap, crap, crap." He muttered to himself, trying as hard as he could to get out the door and into his car. He stumbled in the flip flops, grabbing for his keys and stumbling out the door, pulling it closed as he rushed out and into his crappy pick up truck, shoving the keys in the ignition.
The car roared to life and Leonard frantically put it in revers, backing out of the driveway and pressed the gas, speeding ahead and out of the subdivision, cursing himself for sleeping so long. Now Joanna was going to be waiting, standing on the curb, waiting for him. Then he would have to explain why he was in such a bad mood and why mommy was gone. Damn Jocelyn and her self-centered-ness.
It took Leonard a long while to get to the school. Afternoon traffic was pretty bad and he was about ten minutes late. As he pulled up along the curb, he saw his little blonde headed Joanna, sitting up against a large tree near the parking lot with someone standing right next to her, in a watchful position, arms crossed. As Leonard drew nearer, he saw that it was the principal of the school.
"Jo!" He yelled from the car, rolling down the window. "Sorry I'm late."
Joanna popped up and smiled faintly. "Daddy!" She yelled, running over to the truck, hopping into the back seat. The figure that had been watching her diligently walked over to Leonard.
"Mr. McCoy, this is the third day in a row that you have come late to pick up Joanna." It was her damn principal, Christopher Pike.
"I'm sorry Mr. Pike. I fell asleep and I wasn't able to wake up in time. It's my fault." He apologized, knowing that it wouldn't do much for him.
"You said that the other two times. I expect more from you. You can't just leave your daughter here and expect that no one is going to try and take her while you're gone." Mr. Pike exaggerated. Leonard sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Sir, I know what I've got my hands in. Don't tell me how to take care of my own daughter." He drawled, rolling the window up and peeling out of his spot, driving more calmly down the road. He glanced up into his rear view mirror to see Joanna staring out the window. "How was school sweetheart?"
"Fine. Daddy, why were you late again? Is Mr. Pike right?" She looked away from the window and at Leonard, her baby blue eyes tearing his heart to pieces.
"I told you, I slept in. It's my fault sweetheart." He told her calmly. There was a moment of silence before Joanna spoke up again.
"Is mommy gone again?" She asked quietly. Leonard looked at Jo and then back at the wheel, turning onto their street.
"Mommy's going to be out for a week. Her friends called her up. Which reminds me, I'm going out tonight with Mr. Kirk." He told her, trying to smooth over the fact that her mother was gone for the moment.
"You and Jim are going too?" Joanna peered up at Leonard again, leaning forward in her seat. "Are you going like mommy?"
"No! No, Jojo. No. Jim and I are going out for one night. I'm going to drop you off at Grandma McCoy's later tonight." He smiled and reached his hand back to pat her knee. "You have homework darlin'?"
There was silence and Leonard was pretty sure that Joanna had nodded but he hadn't seen her. "You know I can't hear you nod." His voice held a stern tone to it.
"I have homework." She replied.
"Good. I expect that be done right when we get home." Leonard ordered her. He was a stickler when it came to school work.
"Dad! It will." She pouted and sighed as they pulled into the driveway.
"Okay, just making sure." He defended himself. "Come on. Get out, I'll make you a snack and you get to work."
Joanna hopped out of the car and onto the cement pavement, her shoes sparkling brightly. Leonard hated those shoes. Damn sparkles were always getting tracked around the house, into the bathroom, in the bed. They stuck to your skin too.
Following his daughter into the house, he made sure that she went to the table right away and then he went to the kitchen cabinets to make her a small snack. It looked like today she would be having peanut butter crackers and milk. Jocelyn nor him had gone shopping in a while. Hopefully his mother could feed Joanna better than he had.
Taking the peanut butter crackers out of their box, he walked over to the table and set them down next to her. Then he went back and got her a small glass of milk, returning to the table.
"Enjoy." He smiled and patted her back, heading to the living room to go back to sitting in his recliner. God, he just wanted the time to pass so he could get this stupid dancing class over and then Joce would come back and wouldn't be mad and then they wouldn't have to get a divorce and hurt Jo.
"What are you doing tonight with Jim?" Joanna called out from the dining room.
"Nothing! We're just two grown adults going out to have some adult fun." He told her.
"...are you going to marry Jim?" She responded. Leonard nearly choked. He sat up in the chair, glaring at the dining room.
"Now what in the hell makes you think that?" He asked sharply. Joanna was silent. She knew that her dad was mad when he started cussing.
"Nothing...I was just talking to Jim and it sounds like he likes you. Daddy, do you like Jim bak?" Joanna asked in a sweet voice.
"Jim is a very close friend. But I would never marry him. Go back to doing your homework." Leonard snapped, closing his eyes. He heard a loud sigh come from the room, but he ignored it. Now, Leonard finally had some peace and quiet.
"Do you like guys?" Joanna quickly slipped in.
"Do your homework Jo!" Leonard yelled through the house. She sighed and returned back to her homework.
Joanna was finally quiet for the rest of the hour, working on her homework while Leonard mulled around the house, looking for something to wear to dancing class. He guessed that maybe a pair of his college sweatpants and a white t-shirt would suffice for now. He was looking around for his old tennis shoes when he heard the lightly trod of Joanna's feet on the carpet.
"Daddy? Where are you going with Jim?" She asked again.
"Out. I told you already." He sighed and stood up, looking down at her.
"Where out? Why are you wearing your lazy clothes?" Jo hopped up on the bed where his clothes for tonight were laying. Bending over, she stuck her face in the shirt and pulled her head back up, making a face. "They stink." She whined.
"Jim and I are going to work out." He told her.
"Oh! Okay. I'm glad I'm not going. They make us work out at school in gym."
"Well daddy is out of shape, so he's going to work out with Jim."
Joanna as silent again and she curled up on the bed, laying in Jocelyn's old spot. She took a big whiff and let out a large breath. "It smells like mommy." She told Leonard.
"I know darlin'. Now go get ready for Grandma McCoy's." He smiled gently and playfully rolled her near the edge of the bed, letting her jump off.
"Okay! I love you daddy!" She grinned and ran out of the room, turning to run into her own room. Leonard sighed and went back to looking for his old tennis shoes, finding them buried in the back of the closet, among Jocelyn's too many shoes. He was a horrible father. He really was. He was snapping and yelling at his own daughter, sending her away, just so he could go out with his friend. But of course, he was going out for a good cause, right?
Soon, it was time to leave for Grandma McCoy's and Jim's. Leonard had changed into his crap clothes and had herded Joanna to the car. It had taken a while because she was running around, grabbing missing things and stuffing them into her backpack.
"Ready Jo?" He asked, walking out of the house. She was huffing by the time she ran outside to meet her father.
"Yes! I got everything I need." She smiled and nodded. "Let's go!"
Leonard walked to his truck and opened the back door, letting her in before shutting it and walking around to the driver's side, sliding in behind the wheel. He dreaded dropping Jo off, even if it was his own mom's place. He didn't want her to think that her parents didn't want to be around her anymore.
Starting the car, he pulled out of the driveway and headed to Grandma McCoy's. It was only about five minutes away from their house, which had always made Leonard happy, to have his parents so close by.
"Will grandpa be there today?" She asked. His father had been in the hospital for sometime and his mother and Leonard himself feared that he may never come out.
"No. I don't think so darlin'." He sighed, letting his drawl slip a little more. He missed Georgia. He hated California with all these high class rich folk. It was like middle class was just looked over. After he had married Jocelyn, he moved in with her in their house and his parents followed them shortly after.
"Aw, okay." She sighed. "Oh look! There's grandma!" Joanna popped up in her seat, staring out the window as they pulled into Grandma McCoy's home. She was sitting outside on the front porch, swinging back at forth on the seat swing. As soon as Leonard stopped, Joanna jumped out of the truck and ran up to Leonard's mother, hugging her tight. Leonard smiled and stepped out of the car, walking up to his mom.
"Leo! Oh, it's so nice to see you again." His mother smiled and stood up, patting Joanna on the head and walked over to her son. "What are you doing here this time with her? Another fight with Jocelyn?" She asked.
"Mom, you know that Jocelyn and I are fine." He smiled and played it over as if it wasn't bothering him.
"Son, you are wearing sweatpants and an old, nasty t-shirt. You two are not fine." She sighed. "I can watch Joanna for tonight, but then you have to find someone else for the job. I'm going to be visiting your father more frequently. I won't have time to stay home and watch your daughter."
"Fine. Alright. I'll make sure that I'll keep her at home. I shouldn't be doing anything else this week." At least that's what Leonard hoped. He didn't think that he would be taking anymore of those classes after attending his first one tonight. He wasn't a dancer.
"Alright. Now, you take care of yourself. And try to stay away from that Jim fellow for a while. I think he's causing you trouble. What's your history with him anyways?" She asked, crossing her arms. Joanna had already disappeared inside the house.
"Nothing mom. He's just a close college friend, okay?" Leonard was quick to jump off that subject. "And he's my friend, so I can't really avoid him. I'm actually going out with him tonight."
"Fine, fine. Have it your way. Just be pack to pick Joanna up." She smiled weakly and patted Leonard's shoulder, turning to walk back to the house. Leonard sighed and walked back to the car, jumping inside and driving away to Jim's place to pick him up for the classes.
It didn't take Leonard a very long time to reach Jim's two bedroom, one level house. It was just around the corner of his mother's actually. A couple of extra turns and stoplights, then you were there. So as Leonard pulled up, he honked the horn.
"Jim! Get your ass out here! It's time to go!" Leonard yelled from his spot. He hoped that Jim was ready.
When Jim stepped out, it looked like he was more than ready. That guy was decked out head to toe in the finest gym-wear that a man could ever find. Leonard's jaw dropped slightly, but he quickly closed it, remembering that he was still married and heterosexual.
"Whatcha lookin' at Bonesy?" Jim laughed, sliding into the car, next to Leonard.
"Nothin'. Just close the damn door so we can go." Leonard hissed. Jim just smiled and closed the door. Leonard backed out of the driveway and began their trip downtown to the dancing studio. It was silent for a couple minutes, but leave it to Jim to keep him entertained.
"Bones...really, you still think you're straight?" He sighed and asked, leaning over the console, propping his chin on his hand.
"Jim, yes. I am straight. I am married to a woman. I have a child with that woman." He snapped.
"Really, cause I don't think so. You should have seen your own face when I came out of the house. It looked like the first time you had ever seen Jocelyn naked." He laughed. Leonard's face reddened, because he knew deep down that Jim was right. Jim was nearly, almost, always right. He may be silly and childish sometimes, borderlining insane, but Jesus Christ that boy was smart.
"Jim, just shut your trap for a moment, please?" He sighed and stared ahead at the road. "I'm still married to her and I know that somewhere, deep down, I still love her." He had to. There wasn't any other option.
"Bones, why are you doing this?" Jim asked genuinely. "I mean, we both know that even if you are straight, that you don't love her. Who are you really doing this for? Joanna?" Jim was always over at Leonard's house when Jocelyn was gone. She didn't really like Jim anyways. But Jim had always seen the interaction between Joanna and Leonard. It was one of the most genuine father-daughter bonds he had ever seen in his life.
"I love Jo, you know that. I would do anything for her. I don't want her to have to go through the pains of a vicious court battle, in which Jocelyn ends up winning custody over Jo." Leonard drawled. He chose not to talk about it if he could help it, but it always seemed to pop up. Especially around Jim.
"Oh...well, Bones, I'm not sure what to do about that. Usually the mother end up winning full custody. You could get weekends and such..." He shrugged.
"I better get some time with her. If we do get a divorce." Leonard sighed. The rest of the ride was quiet. When Leonard and Jim pulled up to the studio, Jim tried to attempt another conversation, but Leonard easily pushed it off, trying to forget why he came here in the first place.
"Don't worry Bones. You're going to have fun." Jim patted him on the back and and grinned. "Hell, I might have fun." He shrugged as they entered the building.
The studio was just a one story, 1,000 square feet building. Outside, it was made of red brick and cement with a flag pole near the entrance doors. inside, there was a reception area. A couple of chairs and magazines that clear glass windows that looked straight into the ballroom. The ballroom walls were covered with mirrors and beams lined the sides of the rooms for the ballet classes that were held here.
"What the hell?" Leonard raised an eyebrow as he saw the ballroom. "Jim, we can't go in there. People might see us. I can't go in." He shook his head and turned around to go back. Jim grabbed his arm roughly and held him back.
"Bones. You're doing this for Joanna remember. If you give up on this, then you're giving up on Jo." His voice had dropped lower and it was more serious. Jim knew what he was doing.
"...fine." Leonard gave in and sighed heavily, turning back around.
"Good. Now let's go." He smiled and opened the door for Leonard. As Leonard passed through, Jim was quick and discreet, leaning forward on his tip toes to give his friend a quick peck on the cheek and light slap on the ass. Leonard's face grew red and he glared back at Jim, who just batted his eyes.
Stepping inside, Leonard was able to see everyone who had appeared. There were a few people maybe around seven or eight. Possibly ten. Jim followed up right behind him and looked around the room.
"Wow, not a big show up." He sighed.
"Yeah..." Leonard nodded and stepped another foot inside the room. He spotted one of the few women there and looked at her. "I think that might be the woman that I talked to on the phone." He pointed to the kind looking dark skinned woman and walked over to her.
"Are you Uhura?" He asked. The woman looked up from her phone and smiled.
"Yes, I am. You sound like the gentleman that called me this morning." She told him, putting her phone down.
"Yeah. That's me. Oh, and this is my friend Jim." Leonard nodded and stepped to the side, introducing Jim. Jim smiled and nodded his head, taking another glance around the room.
"Jim? Jim Kirk?" She asked, seeming slightly shocked. Leonard looked at his friend and Jim looked at Leonard and gave a weak smile.
"You know him?" Leonard asked.
"Of course! He was one of my best students a couple years ago. A flirt, but nonetheless, amazing at Ballroom Dance!" She smiled and hugged Jim would gave her a hug back and winked at Leonard.
"Uhura, it's so good to see you again. I thought sooner or later I would have to drag Leonard here along with me. Do you think that I could be his class partner?" There was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes that told Leonard it wasn't the best idea.
"I'd love to, but I think you're needed for someone else." She sighed and shook her head.
"Who?" Jim looked slightly disappointed, but willing nonetheless.
"That poor soul over there." She pointed to a man, taller than Leonard and definitely more fit. His hair was just a wreck from the 70s and he was wearing a blue t-shirt and black pants. "He's been coming here for the past week, but fails to connect with any of the dancers. He's too stiff. I think you're just the right fit for him." Uhura explained.
"Alright. I'll go talk to him." He nodded and looked at Leonard, grinning. Then it was just Leonard left, standing with Uhura. He gave her a sideways glance and then looked back out onto the dance floor.
"Excuse me, I never caught your name?" Uhura asked, tapping Leonard's shoulder. He turned and smiled.
"It's Leonard McCoy. So...who am I going to be dancing with?" He tried to work in his question as politely as he could without seeming rushing and rude. There was only one other woman in the class.
"Oh, I have the perfect person for you. They're young, limber and can probably get you to relax a little." She smiled and patted his back gently. "He's very smart. Bright young thing. College classes!"
"Oh, he?" Leonard raised an eyebrow, looking over at Jim, who he wished wash is partner, but his friend already seemed so intrigued by the other man.
"Mhm. Pavel honey! Can you come over here!" She called out into the small crowd of men and Leonard stood by, waiting to see who would emerge from the crowd of men.
When someone separated from the group, Leonard had to keep himself from letting his jaw drop too low. The kid that walked towards them was tall and lithe, lanky in a sense, but most definitely shorter than Leonard. His hair was a bouncy, curly, golden color and there was a huge, white smile plastered on his nearly flawless, smooth complexion.
"Yes Miss Uhura?" He smiled and asked, clasping both his hands behind his back, rocking forward on his tiptoes.
"You said that you needed a new partner, correct?" She asked. Pavel nodded and glanced shortly at Leonard before looking back at Uhura. "Well this is him. His name is Leonard McCoy. I'll leave you two to get to know each other before class starts." Uhura smiled and sauntered away.
"I am Pavel Chekov. It is wery nice to meet you." Pavel smiled and outreached his hand. Leonard was caught off guard by the boy's accent, but was quick to shake his hand.
"Leonard McCoy. Pleased to meet you." He nodded and let go of Pavel's hand.
"So you are going to be my new partner, yes?" He asked, stilling smiling and rocking on his heels.
"I-I guess so." He shrugged. "Though I only planned for one class."
"Ah. I see. Well, zat is good zen. We don't let ze instructors become too attached to their students." He laughed in a joking matter. "Zat vould just be drama!"
"Yeah, yeah of course." Leonard forced a laugh and nodded. "Where you from kid?" He asked, needing to know where his accent was from.
"Russia." He nodded and grinned even wider. Leonard began to say something, but stopped when Uhura cut them off, by yelling to the class, "Alright! Everyone get with your instructor! We will begin!" Leonard looked at Pavel and Pavel looked at Leonard, smiling.