Disclaimer: I really don't own anything.
Rory chewed anxiously on the end of her highlighter, concentrating hard on the book in front of her before lowering it from her mouth again, to highlight a few sentences. She grabbed a bright pink post it and stuck it on the page to mark it. She flipped the page and kept reading.
Although she was trying hard to concentrate, the constant movement to her right was highly distracting. She glanced over at her boyfriend, Finn, to see him coloring his nails black with one of her sharpies. His book was lying open on the floor and he had several doodles on his left forearm.
He finally noticed her watching him and looked up. Rory raised an eyebrow. "What?" He asked.
"We're supposed to be studying for midterms. You know, they kind of determine your fate in your classes. Whether you pass or fail. Remember those?" She asked with a smile too sweet to be genuine.
Not noticing the slight edge to her voice, he shrugged and responded. "I'm done studying. I don't know why you're taking so long."
"And what exactly did you study?" She asked with a huff.
"I don't know. I remember reading something about matter and energy and electrons and stuff." He said, waving his hand dismissively towards his text books.
"And apparently you didn't study English since that was a huge run on sentence." She said, slightly amused.
"Rory-Love, I'm not taking any English classes. They're a waste of time." He said slowly, as if speaking to a child.
She scoffed. "And your other classes aren't? Besides, I'm taking a ton of English classes! Am I wasting my time?"
He nodded slowly. "You are. And for your information, my classes are fantastic, thank you." He said, in a smug tone, turning his nose up in the air dramatically.
"What? Art History? Theatre? Yoga?" She sneered, her voice rising dangerously.
"It's not Yoga! It's Thai Chi!" He yelled, completely offended by her implication.
Rory shook her head and turned back to her book and tried to ignore the continued movement from Finn's end of the couch. Finn got up and walked into his kitchen so she let him go. If he was eating he wouldn't be distracting her. Suddenly she felt his presence behind her. His hands ran down the length of her shoulders and arms and his right hand removed the highlighter from her hand. His left hand traveled back up and pulled the pencil from the back of her head where it was securing her hair in a loose bun.
Her hand went to the back of her head where he'd just found the pencil. "I wondered where that went," She admitted.
He chuckled, a low chuckle that was familiar to her.
"No way. Give me my highlighter back." She said, shaking her head, reaching back for her highlighter.
"Love, I'm bored." He complained as she reached back over her head, blindly grabbing for the highlighter.
He brushed it purposely against her fingers and pulled it out of her grasp.
"And I want to pass my classes. My daddy doesn't pay for me to go here for nothing. I'm not going into the family business so I can slack off. I have to take my own path and make something of myself." She snapped.
Her bitter words stung Finn so much that he dropped the highlighter and the pencil back in the book perched in her lap and started walking away.
She heard his bedroom door close. She sighed and rubbed temples with her fingers. She knew what she'd said hurt him and she felt horrible. He didn't want to go into the family business but he had no other choice. His father had control over him.
She set the book on the couch and stood up to follow Finn. She tapped her fingers gently on his bedroom door and opened it just enough to slip inside before pressing it shut behind her. Finn was lying on his bed facing the wall, away from her. He didn't move as she padded across the room in her bare feet and again when she crawled on the bed next to him.
She knelt beside his body and leaned over so she could see his face. It was childlike, but he rolled on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow to avoid her. She bit her lip and lay beside him, draping her right leg and arm over the top of him. She placed her lips close to his ear.
"I'm sorry, Baby." She whispered, "I'm stressed and I took it out on you. You don't deserve that. You deserve a better girlfriend than me. I hate that I always snap like this. I'm so sorry."
He didn't respond.
"I love you." She added.
He lay still for a few minutes and she laid her head beside his to wait. Finn could feel Rory's breath on his neck and her body on his. Her words had hurt but they hadn't been intended that way. He had asked for it by frustrating her when she was under pressure. He rolled over to face her and she removed her arm and leg from his body.
He just looked at her for a minute. She was so beautiful with her bright blue eyes, smooth skin, and her chocolate hair that fell across her face.
"I don't want to be like him." He told her in a soft voice, sounding uncharacteristically weak.
"I know." She said, matching his tone, as she reached forward and traced his jaw with her finger.
"I want to take control of my own life." He said a slightly stronger voice.
"I know." She repeated.
He leaned his forehead against hers, "Kitten, you have no idea how bloody lucky you are." He said, his voice full of emotion.
She just slid her body closer to his, "I know, Baby. I know. Do you forgive me?" She said sincerely.
He kept his eyes open and pressed his lips lightly against hers for a brief moment.
"Is that a yes?" She whispered lightly as they separated.
"You know it is." He said, giving her a small smile.
She smiled at him and laid her head down on his pillow, still curled in his arms and closed her eyes.
He nudged her, "You have to study."
"I can take a break." She sighed, content to be in his arms.
He shook his head and sat up, pulling her with him. "No. I'll make coffee and quiz you on your vocabulary words."
She blinked in surprise. "Really?"
"Of course. Let's go." He climbed off the bed and held a hand out.
She stared at it for a few seconds and reached out to accept it. "Thanks Finn."
He smiled. "Anything for you, Love. Now, where's that list of vocabulary words."
"It's a notebook, not a list. We'll probably be in all night. Are you sure you want to help me? Colin and Logan are going to Rich Man's Shoe tonight aren't they?" She said, giving him a chance to back out.
"Probably but I don't mind staying here to help you study. And maybe, just maybe, I'll let you take a little break or two later on." He said, sounding superior.
"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow and followed him back to the living room.
"If you're a good student. But if you're not, well we may have to punish you." He said, giving her a stern look. "I think I have a ruler around here somewhere." He teased, looking around the room.
"I'll be good, I swear!" She said seriously, trying to stifle her giggles.
"You better be. Get your notebook. I'll be back in a minute with coffee." He ordered dramatically.
Rory just looked at Finn with a goofy smile on her face. He was so sweet. She hurt his feelings and a minute later he was working harder to make amends than she was, offering to help her study and giving her coffee.
"Scoot!" He exclaimed and swatted at her backside.
She giggled and barely dodged him, hurrying to get her notebook. This wasn't an offer she got everyday and she was going to take it and enjoy it. Maybe if she was lucky, she could even get him to study for his own classes.
"But don't count on me studying anymore, Love." He called from the kitchen, as if reading her thoughts. "I already told you, I'm done. I'm just helping you."
She smiled and shook her head. Or maybe not. But this offer was good enough for now. And she was taking it wholeheartedly.
AN: I'm going to update Seasons of Love soon but I hope this helps make up for how longs it's been taking me to get it right! (Chapter 5 is in bits and pieces and they aren't tying together very easily!) But thanks to LoVe23 for being a fantastic beta as usual! And please review! I know this wasn't long or much but I still appreciate reviews, even if you didn't like it! Thanks!
Mellie