Hey guys, so this is my first community fanfic, just got into the show so I hope the characters don't sound ooc! Please read, review and I'll keep updating as soon as I can!
Monday morning . . .
Jeff strolled into the library with his anthropology books tucked under his right arm, coffee cup in his left hand as he headed towards the study room. He was running late as usual and as he neared the room he saw that almost everyone in the group was gathered inside, with one person missing. A small frown grew across his face as he looked towards the vacant seat. Towards Annie's vacant seat.
It wasn't like her to be late, in fact he didn't even know she could be. It just wasn't an Annie Edison thing to do. She came prepared for everything. She had routines that she was very adamant about following, clinging to them with a persistence and stubbornness that he'd never quite seen before. Just last week after everyone had left he'd caught a glimpse of a color coded map sticking out of her backpack and curiosity had gotten the better of him, quickly snatching it before she could close her bag.
"What do we have here?" He asked as he stood up quickly, Annie's eyes widening as she had a slightly panicked expression on her face.
"Jeff, I need that!" She said as she lunged towards him, grabbing for the map as he just held it up out of her reach, an amused smile on his face.
"Je-eff!" She complained as she grabbed his arm right arm, trying to tug it down to get the map but it was providing to be useless and she let go with a huff of indignation.
"Annie, what is this?" Jeff asked her as he unfolded the map and seeing. . well, he wasn't sure what he was seeing as there were coloured lines leaping across the map.
"It's a map Jeff." She stated crossly as he looked down at her, smirking.
"That's for the clarification." He said as he laid it down on the table.
"What I meant was what are these lines? Did you color code a map?" He asked as he turned his head to look at her, seeing her flush slightly.
"As a matter of fact I did." She huffed, pointing her finger at a purple line.
"They're travel routes in case the bus I take to school is delayed or doesn't come on time. This takes into account traffic, construction. . .anything that could delay the bus from taking the normal route." Annie said as Jeff pointed to a green line.
"What's this one for?" He asked as he saw her turn slightly red.
"In case that. . ." She pointed to the purple route.
". . .route is somehow detoured or unavailable." She managed to say.
"A backup route for your backup route. Wow." Jeff said as she swatted his chest with her hand.
"Make fun of me all you want but it makes sure I get to school on time. I like to come prepared." She protested.
"I can see that." Jeff replied unable to keep a smirk off his face as he watched her change from defensive to defiant.
"Yeah well maybe you should borrow it sometime seeing as you're always late." She challenged.
"Uh . . . .pass. It's called making an entrance." Jeff replied as she rolled her eyes.
"It's called being tardy and. . ." She began.
"Careful, Pierce might hear you say that word and think you're being offensive to Abed." Jeff said as Annie couldn't help but let out a laugh, taking the map back from Jeff as she placed it in her backpack.
"I still can't believe no one's explained to him what that word means yet." She said as she slung her backpack over her shoulders, Jeff opening the study room door for her as they two of them walked into the library.
"It's more amusing this way and we get to see Pierce make a fool of himself. It's a win-win." Jeff explained as she slapped his arm lightly.
"Jeff." She scolded but he could see she was holding back a smile, the two of them walking out the library doors as they headed to class. . .
Jeff quickly snapped out of the memory as he continued towards the study room, reaching for the door. He was probably overreacting. Wherever Annie was he was sure she was fine. Maybe Shirley or Britta knew why she wasn't here, he'd just ask them when he got inside.
Shifting his coffee from his left hand to his right, Jeff opened the door and stepped inside, immediately switching the coffee back over to his left hand.
He walked over to the table and set his books and coffee down on it, pulling out his chair and sitting down as he put on a small smile.
"Morning." He greeted everyone as he looked around the table, the smile slowly fading. They were all just staring at him and it was making him feel uncomfortable.
Shirley was looking at him with disapproval, Pierce was grinning at him, Troy and Abed had curious looks on their faces and Britta was scowling deeply at him.
"Did I miss something?" He asked warily.
"Late again huh Jeffery? Someone have a late night last night?" Pierce asked, giving him a knowing smile.
He wished it was what Pierce was thinking but sadly, he'd spent all last night watching television. That was what his life consisted of now. Apparently women didn't like a guy who had no job, no car, no money and a crummy apartment. So last night he'd spent it watching stupid Grey's Anatomy. Abed had gotten him hooked on it a few few weeks ago but it would be a cold day in hell before he ever admitted that to Pierce. There would be no end to the gay jokes and so he decided it would be best to humour the old man. This way his pride and reputation would be kept intact and Pierce could feel free to think whatever he wanted to.
"As a matter of fact I did." Jeff said a small smirk on his face as he took a sip of coffee. As soon as the words were out of his mouth the room erupted in a flurry of activity.
"Aha! I knew it!" Pierce shouted as everyone else let out shocked gasps, the only one not looking taken aback being Abed.
"What? Is it really that surprising to everyone?" Jeff said, not really understanding why they were all having this reaction.
"Atta boy Jeffery, way to go." Pierce said proudly.
"Jeffery I am very disappointed in you, taking advantage of that sweet, innocent girl. Shame on you." Shirley scolded him as Jeff immediately sat up straighter in his chair.
What the hell were they talking about? Who was he taking advantage of?
"Didn't see that coming." Troy breathed as he looked across at Jeff with a mixture of respect and awe.
"I did. This season has been lacking in terms of any good solid romantic drama and it seems reasonable for it to emerge now. The two of them have been skirting around this issue for a while now, any longer and it would have started to make the audience angry. This changes everything, now their relationship is turning into a basic plot from a romance movie where the bad boy is changed by the good girl, eventually falling in love with her, like in a Walk to Remember." Abed said as Jeff began to feel alarmed.
They weren't all thinking he'd been with. . .they couldn't be thinking he'd been with . . .
"I'm still mad at you for making me watch that movie. I bawled like a baby. It was just so . . .powerful." Troy said as he held up a hand to his mouth, overwhelmed by emotion.
". . .so gay." Jeff heard Pierce mutter under his breath.
"Guys, not the main issue here! Seriously Jeff? You go and do something like this? There are so many things wrong with this that I don't even know where to being! Oh wait, yes I do. She's thirteen years younger than you and is still a teenager for god's sakes! You shouldn't be messing around with her Jeff, you know how Annie. . ." Britta began as Jeff's eyes widened fully and he immediately leaped to his feet.
"What? No, NO! I was not with Annie last night! Is that what you thought I meant by a late night last night? That I was with Annie?" Jeff sputtered to Pierce, who just shrugged his shoulders at him.
"Made sense to me. You already banged blondie here and made out with big boobs twice. Seemed with the two of you being late that you'd finally taken my advice. You know. . ." Pierce began as he shifted in his wheelchair.
". . .I'm disappointed in you Jeffery, you of all people being unable to seal the deal. Britters here was a lot easier wasn't she?" Pierce said sympathetically.
"Excuse me?" Britta said in disbelief as she stood up, slamming her hands down on the table as she glared angrily at Pierce, eyes blazing with fury.
"So outta line." Troy added.
"Oh that is such a relief, I was so worried! Britta is right you are far too old for that girl Jeffery and she doesn't need you corrupting her with your loose values and morals and whatnot. No offence." Shirley added hastily as Jeff still felt slightly offended.
"I. . .why would you guys even think we were together?" Jeff managed to say.
"It does make a lot of sense Jeff. The two of you have been skirting around this will they won't they for a long time now, it's just that there's been other love interests that have distracted the two of you from seeing each other. It looked like things were going to significantly pick up for the two of you from the first season to the second season but you killed it almost right away by pushing Annie away although the audience never really seemed to understand why. It's starting to make a lot more sense now however. You were too insecure and afraid to admit your feelings for Annie because you didn't want to hurt her like you kept doing to all the other women in your life. Annie's different . . . special somehow. Maybe because she's the one who pushes you to be a better person and she cares enough about you to do that, to push you to be better because she believes you can be. She's helped to show you that there's more to life than just looking out for yourself and is the biggest reason behind your character change over the past two years. She made you care Jeff and she made you care about her. With your being late and her being late it made sense to think you two had finally gotten over all the obstacles, seeing as you're the only one she'd probably make an exception for being late for." Abed said, a silence filling the room.
"Holy crap Abed." Britta managed to say.
"What a bunch of bull . . ." Pierce scoffed.
"Jeffery, is what Abed said true? Do you have feelings for Annie?" Shirley asked him, her eyes wide as they all turned to look at him, Jeff unsure of what to say. Did he have feelings for Annie?