Rigmarole: Chapter 1
Summary: She felt foolish, really, for staring so long, but then he wasn't looking away either. It's a college fic but bare with me, I think it could turn out to be really good! Rating to be safe.
Disclaimer: I'm too new to get clever with this so I'll just say that I own nothing.
Dear People of Fanfiction,
This is a first for me so give me a shot. Okay? Okay.
Thanks.
footle
to talk or act foolishly; to waste time.
It was like any other night of her college career. The sun had long ago dropped and and the remainder of her meal sat cold on the desk next to her. Tempe sat at a secluded desk in the library; the one by the window that she loved so much. Her papers were neatly stacked, her books opened and marked in her elegant scrawl, and her pens organized by size and color. It was well past midnight and she wondered if her roommate worried about her when she disappeared at night. Pushing the thought out of her mind, she focused on the book in front of her again. She had worked very hard to finish high school with high marks so she could attend this university and finally have a say in her own life. She might as well work hard.
She was usually alone in the library at this time; that's why she preferred it. Unlike the hectic days when the seats were crowded with students who cared more about planning their social life for the upcoming nights and weekends than their actual work, the dark night offered a silence that allowed Tempe to focus. There were no hustle of students finishing their last minute assignments, no whispers from those who had nothing better to do than pass time, no shuffling of chairs as people came and left again. Yes, being there at night was much better. Being alone was much better.
However, on this particular night, she didn't have the luxury of quiet like she normally did. There, in the middle of the library, spread out across the largest table sat a man. He seemed to be deeply submersed in the papers in front of him but his fidgeting made more noise than he was probably aware of. He kept pushing through the pages around him, as if constantly in search of a different page. Every few seconds, his chair would creak as he shifted his weight. The click of his pen and the tap of his fingers on the table kept a steady rhythm and Tempe couldn't help but nod her head along with it.
Though she could only see the back of him, Tempe decided that his skeletal structure was very symmetrical and his muscular build was very pleasing. She watched as his arms flexed as he shuffled his papers again. The definition in his muscle was almost thought-stopping. Almost.
Sighing to herself, she scolded herself internally again for getting distracted. She glanced over at him again and noticed his strong shoulders slump, obviously in frustration. She wondered what had him so troubled on a Friday night. In fact, she wondered why he was troubled at all. He didn't look to be the type that holed themselves up in the library. He was clearly attractive, she pondered to herself, why wasn't he out drinking alcohol and having sex with girls?
Again she chastised herself. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she focus? And why was she feeling jealous of the girls that this man, who she had not yet seen the face of, was not even having sex with. She rolled her eyes at her childish behavior and began packing up. She wasn't getting anything done anyway, might as well go home.
As she put her last book into her bag, she looked over at him again only to see his dark brown eyes staring right back at her. She paused and stared at him, she couldn't help herself. He was remarkable; the back of his body doing no justice to what the rest of him entailed. She felt foolish, really, for staring so long, but then he wasn't looking away either. Finally, he smiled and she blushed. She blushed? What was wrong with her? She didn't blush! She managed a smile back and finally went back to packing her bag.
On her way out, she passed his table. Just as she was about to make it to the door, he called out to her, "Hey,"
She stopped in her tracks and turned to him nervously, "Um. Hi."
"Are you walking home right now? By yourself?" He questioned, as if it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.
"Oh.. uh.. yeah. The dorms, they're not far," she stumbled on her words.
"That's not really safe. It's dark and you don't really know who's out there," he told her.
"I can take care of myself, thanks," she responded almost curtly, rolling her eyes.
He smiled at her and laughed a little to himself, "I believe that. Listen, just be careful, you know? Stranger Danger and all that,"
"Says the strange man sitting by himself in the library," she responded immediately.
This time he laughed out loud, "Good point. I'm Seeley. Uh, Seeley Booth. And you are?"
"Tired." As she turned to leave she added, "Happy studying, Seeley."
"Thanks, Stranger!" He practically shouted after her.
A/N: any thoughts, comments, suggestions are wanted and appreciated! Like I said, I'm brand new so help a sister out!