AN: Based on a lilacmermaid Tmiblr prompt: Elizabeth is sitting with a friend when she sees Henry walk into a room for the first time. She leans over and whispers, "He's mine."
I took this is a little different direction. I hope you like it.
Friday morning, Elizabeth Adams walked into the lecture hall for her World Religions class. It was the fifth week of her first semester at UVA. Midterms were at the end of the next week and everyone was trying to cram as much information into their brains as possible.
Finding her small group of friends, she sat down and half listened to their discussion about the most wanted men in their freshman class. Her friend, Kate, elbowed her, "Who is your ideal man?" Elizabeth wrinkled her nose and resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"I don't have an ideal man," Elizabeth stated matter of factly.
"Aww, come on! Surely you have somebody you like." Kate pressed.
"No, really, I haven't seen anyone so far that I'd even lthink about dating much less call ideal." Elizabeth looked around the large lecture hall confirming to herself that really and truly, she wasn't interested in anyone she'd met.
"Okay then, how about qualities in your ideal man?" Elizabeth sighed, realizing she wasn't going to get off without some sort of answer.
"Umm, I haven't thought a lot about it, but he would need to be smart and kind. Taller than me would be a bonus. Comfortable with himself and not trying to impress me with how cool he is or how much he knows. I also want someone who is looking for a long term commitment, not a one night stand." Elizabeth looked at Kate. "Good enough?" Kate shrugged.
"You don't want much, do you?"
Elizabeth nodded, "I'd rather wait and find the right guy than settle for a string of mediocre ones."
"Well good luck with that," Kate laughed, turning her attention to the professor that walked in and started her lecture.
Elizabeth listened intently. Most of the information she knew. She had spent quite a bit of time studying various religions on her own and had already read the assigned reading for the first half of the semester. She wasn't too worried about the upcoming midterm test, but her interest was piqued at the end of class. "For those of you needing extra instruction, Henry McCord, a junior religious studies major, has volunteered to be available in the library conference room Monday evening at 7 to discuss the topics and give you extra insight. If you are in need of assistance on this midterm, I highly encourage you to attend. He knows what he's talking about, so much so, that he's never received any grade less than an A in any of his classes."
That name rang a bell. Elizabeth tried to place it. In fact, it bugged her most of the weekend. She hated it when she couldn't recall information she knew she had read. Her answer came Sunday evening when she was going through a stack of paperwork that accumulated on the corner of her desk. She picked up the school paper and there on the front page was article by none other than Henry McCord.
She smiled to herself, knowing that she'd seen his name before. Taking a few minutes, she sat down and read the article. The article, which highlighted the challenges of students attending college on need-based scholarships, was well thought out, well written and offered unique insight on a topic that Elizabeth personally had never given much thought to. Henry McCord seemed like a very interesting person, so much so that Elizabeth smiled to herself when she decided to attend the study group the next evening.
The mysterious Henry McCord occupied Elizabeth's thoughts most of the next day. He was obviously intelligent. She hoped he was as thoughtful and well spoken as his article indicated. Immediately Elizabeth chastised herself. "He's probably a 40 year old going back to school to get his degree or he pays other people to do his work for him. I'm being silly," she muttered. Of course, she was still going to go to the study group to check him out.
Sitting down with Kate at lunch, Elizabeth eyed her friend. "What?" Kate asked.
"Are you going to that World Religions test prep thing tonight at the library?" Elizabeth asked nonchalantly.
"I might, but why would you? You're already going to get an A and you probably don't even need to study." Kate lamented.
"I thought about just sitting in and listening and making that be my test prep," Elizabeth said.
"Of course. 'I'm just going to sit and listen in and count that as my test prep!" Kate said, using a whiny, exasperated voice. "Must be nice."
"Sorry. I wasn't trying to rub it in or anything. If it helps, I'll be spending the rest of the week preparing for the Calc II test." Elizabeth apologized.
"Only a little, since I'm also struggling in College Algebra." Kate said. "How about we meet here to eat dinner and then walk over together?"
"Sounds good," Elizabeth said and she stood and picked up her tray. "I'm off to study for that Calc test."
Very minimal studying was accomplished while the afternoon passed by at a snail's pace. Giving up, Elizabeth closed her book, changed into shorts and a t-shirt and went for a run. Putting in a couple miles, she returned to the dorm just in time to shower and change before heading to dinner to meet Kate.
They were walking to the library. Kate was droning on about whatever final she was studying for and Elizabeth was only half listening. She was thinking about how silly she was being, showing up to a study group, hoping to meet a guy that she thought might be worth her time to get to know. This was truly out of character for her and she knew it. "He's probably a pompous jerk and I will have wasted a whole night of studying for nothing," she mumbled almost inaudibly.
"What did you say?" Kate asked, suddenly diverted from her own rant.
"Oh, nothing, just thinking out loud," Elizabeth said. "What room was it again?" she asked, knowing full well which room it was, but she wanted to divert Kate's attention elsewhere.
Kate reached for her notebook to double check when she stopped, "Tiffanie and Hannah are over there. That must be it."
As they approached the room, Elizabeth overheard a conversation taking place at a table around the corner. It was at least three guys having a heated discussion about a war, but which one, she wasn't sure. She couldn't quite tell, but one voice in particular struck her. It was low and melodious, passionate, but not condescending to those he was speaking to. It made her heart skip a beat. She wanted to take a lap around the room and try to figure out who that was, but they had made it to the doorway of the study room and Kate pulled her inside.
They sat down at a table toward the back of the room. Elizabeth was surprised at the number of her classmates that actually took the time to come. There were probably twenty or so, many more than she would have guessed. It was a couple minutes after 7 when Henry McCord walked through the door. Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat. He had sandy brown hair, deep hazel eyes and a bright smile. He wore a simple button down shirt and jeans. He had broad shoulders and well defined arms indicating that he worked out. "Hey, guys. Sorry I'm a little late. I got caught up in a discussion about the justness of the Crusades. Let's get started." Elizabeth felt the heat from the flush of her face. The voice from outside belonged to none other than Henry McCord. Elizabeth unintentionally put her hand down and it brushed Kate's arm.
Kate turned to her, "What?" she whispered. Elizabeth was pulled from her reverie and looked at Kate. "Are you ok?" Kate asked.
"He's mine," Elizabeth whispered, more to herself than Kate.
"Who's your what?" Kate mouthed.
Realizing that she had actually spoken those words, Elizabeth shifted her eyes to Henry and Kate caught on. "My ideal." A knowing look crossed Kate's face and she grinned at Elizabeth. Elizabeth knew that later she would get teased for her strong reaction to this young man that she didn't even know, but in that moment, she didn't care. She turned her attention back to him soaking up all of his words to play on repeat in her head later.
Elizabeth had no idea what Henry might want to do with his life, but she felt that teaching was certainly his calling. He was excellent, taking his time, thoroughly explaining difficult concepts so that even the most ill-prepared students in the room could follow. She sat mesmerized as almost everyone in the room asked questions of him.
Toward the end of the second hour, Henry had pretty well covered the first five weeks of World Religions. "Is there anything else?" Henry looked over the group and once again spied the blonde in the back who had been listening intently, but had not said a word. Making eye contact with her, he asked, "Anything at all?"
Elizabeth's trance was broken when the question was posed, obviously to her. She smiled nervously at the man at the front of the room, before she spoke, "The question I've had this entire semester is why in a World Religions class is the focus primarily on the Judeo-Christian faith, giving only a nod to the religions of the Far East and barely a cursory glance to the many African tribal religions that were likely present long before Judaism?"
Henry's face broke out into a wide grin. "That is an excellent question, but it definitely won't be on the midterm, so I won't delve into it right now. But, if you would be willing to join me for coffee sometime, I'd be happy to discuss it with you." Elizabeth just nodded and Henry went on to answer a couple other questions, not that she heard either the questions or the answers because her heart was thumping wildly in her ears and her stomach was doing somersaults.
Kate elbowed her. "Well played!" she whispered excitedly as everyone started gathering their things to leave. Elizabeth blushed and decided that Kate's teasing would probably last for months.
Elizabeth gathered her things and made it a point to be the last one leaving the room. She approached Henry and hoped that her voice didn't give away her level of nervousness. "So you want to have coffee with me sometime?"
Henry looked at Elizabeth carefully. "No, Not sometime. I want to have coffee with you tomorrow-if you are agreeable." He smiled only slightly, wondering if had been too brazen.
"Well I have an opening between 1 and 2, or I'm free after 4."
"Let's go with after 4, I don't know that an hour is enough time." Henry said.
"Oh, do you have a lot to say on the subject?" Elizabeth queried.
"I could probably talk for hours, but I was hoping to get to know you," Henry shifted uncomfortably. This girl had all of his senses on high alert.
"Then 4 it is. Will the coffee shop in the Student Union work?"
"Sure. That works. Could I know one thing first?" Henry asked.
"Maybe."
"I'd like to know who I'm meeting." he smiled.
"Oh, yeah. Elizabeth. Elizabeth Adams. It's very nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand.
Shaking her hand, he said, "So far, it has been a pleasure. I can't wait for tomorrow."
"Me either." She walked out of the room and glanced over her shoulder. He was watching her so she gave a little wave, which caused him to blush. "I think this might end up being the best coffee I'll ever have," she murmured to herself as she met up with Kate to walk back to her room.
