Writing this story is pure fun. I hope you're enjoying it too!
-2-
"Objection, Professor!"
Will threw his hands up in the air. "Objection? We're not even in court!"
Alicia ignored him. "I'm objecting to the fact that, yet again, underhanded measures are being used."
"Underhanded? I think it's important to point out that the murder victim had a history of infidelity. That means the defendant had a pretty strong motive to murder him." He turned to his classmates. "Who disagrees?"
That got Alicia up out of her chair. "That 'history' is circumstantial and hearsay, at best! Will here thinks he can sway weak minds by splashing a rumored sex scandal into the case analysis."
Their professor eyed the two of them with wary amusement. "So either I'm too stupid to catch on to Mr. Gardner's razzle-dazzle, or, I'm too weak-minded, according to Ms. Cavanaugh, if I find any credibility swimming in the infidelity angle?" That earned a titter of laughter to ripple throughout the lecture hall.
Alicia bit her lip and sat down as Will said, hastily, "Professor Radha, I can't speak for Ms. Cavanaugh but I certainly don't think of you as stupid. Clearly anyone who has read the court transcripts for Kovalev v. H.E.J or U.S. v. Jot, Inc..."
"Yes, yes, we all know you've thoroughly researched my background - let's not rehash that all over again." Professor Radha said drily, waving him silent. "While I'm pleased at how spirited the two of you are approaching opposing viewpoints of this case, I would like to give your fellow classmates the opportunity to weigh in as well. So, I ask the two of you to apply just as much energy in listening as you have done in talking."
Will gave his best boyish grin as he settled into his seat. Across from him, Alicia nodded tersely. She must have been a debutante - her back was ramrod straight. For the rest of class, Will kept his eyes purposefully on her. Whenever she looked at him, he slouched further into his seat and raised an eyebrow. He liked seeing the muscles in her jaw tighten, seeing her angle her face away so he could study her sharp profile. She was the kind of woman who tried to pretend her looks didn't - or shouldn't -matter. He had yet to see her wear anything besides jeans and a sweater buttoned up to her collar bone. She didn't put on any make up and her hair was always pulled back from her face, as if the long dark locks would somehow hold her back on her journey for justice. He would swear she didn't have a carefree bone in her body but he'd witnessed her laughing with her friends outside of class. He wasn't quite sure why she found him disagreeable. Maybe she thought he was trying to get in her pants. Which was laughable. He leered at her and knew she saw it with her peripheral vision. Her back became impossibly straighter.
Towards the end of the class, the professor began outlining the final project of the semester. "Remember that this will count significantly towards your final grade for the course. You will need to devote most of your foreseeable free time preparing your argument. Do not, for a moment, think that I will be more lenient because you are first years. I have very high expectations." She smiled faintly at the chorus of groans. "One thing more. As lawyers, we don't often have the freedom to choose our team. Therefore, you'll have to learn how to play nice with others who may have very different ideologies." As if to solidify the dread knotting in the pit of Alicia's stomach, Radha glanced at her. "Mr. Gardner and Ms. Cavanaugh, I'm interested to see how your individual strengths might fare on the same side, for once."
If there was anything gratifying in being assigned to work together, it was seeing Will without a witty rejoinder. It, nonetheless, irked Alicia that he had an expression like he had been sentenced to the gulags. She approached him when class was over and waited until he reluctantly looked at her. "I'd like to get started this week. There's a lot of work that needs to be done. Can you meet tonight?"
He twisted his lips. "Tonight's no good." He pointed at the gym bag lying near his feet. "I've got a game."
She ground her teeth and followed him out into the hallway. "Well, then, when are you free?"
"Uh... I don't know. It's a busy week. How about we play it by ear?"
Will turned at her lack of a response; she was standing with her hands on her hips. "I would hate to think you're not taking this final project seriously. It's important."
"Ally, Ally, Ally..." He shook his head and gave a humorless laugh. "It's so easy for you to assume I'm slacking off, isn't it?"
She folded her arms across her chest, unwilling to back down. "You're prioritizing a basketball game over our final project."
He mirrored her stance. "Not that I need to explain myself but exercise helps me figure things out. I've got a paper due in Ethical Law - according to you, I'm clueless in that subject so I better get cracking on that." He took a few steps closer. "Do you have any other questions? Or should I photocopy my calendar?"
He had a point. She didn't think she would have been nearly as presumptuous or bossy if she had teamed up with anyone else. Alicia didn't know quite how to react whenever Will shed his lackadaisical persona - when he was serious, as he was at that moment, standing over her, she could feel the adrenaline rising. It made her feel like she had done something she shouldn't have - poked a hibernating bear in the dead of winter who happened to wake up. Her father used to say she was too stubborn for her own good - and his words scrawled across mind at that particular moment. She stiffened her posture. She would rather be mauled alive by a bear than let Will Gardner know she was feeling a little bit sorry about the way she was behaving. "Well, I will be in the library every night tonight. If you can spare some of your precious time, find me there. And don't call me Ally", she said before quickly walking away in the opposite direction.
Owen was already back at the apartment and uncorking a bottle of wine. "Are you telepathic?", Alicia said as she dropped her bag on the nearest available surface. She reached for the full glass on the coffee table.
He rolled his neck from one side to the other. "You too, huh?"
She took a big sip and passed the glass to Owen, who did the same. "It's days like these that I almost miss living back at home, with Mom."
He made a face. "Almost being the watchword here. Speaking of the devil, she called."
"What is she up to now?"
"She's met Mr. Dream Man. Roger."
"Again? Lord help him." They shared a laugh and toasted.
Owen slid a glance at Alicia. "Speaking of calls, someone left you a message on the answering machine, too."
"Oh, who is it?"
He cleared his throat and proceeded to say in a hoarser tone, "Alicia, it's Peter. I'd love to see you again soon. Give me a call."
Alicia smiled. They'd ended up talking for an hour or so in that alleyway outside the bar. She pulled out her day book, wherein she had placed the napkin with Peter's number. Owen made a silent "oh" as she picked up the phone and dialed. "Peter, hi. It's Alicia."
"Alicia." She could tell he was smiling. "I'm glad you called me back. Do you want to meet for a drink later?"
"I'd love to, but I can't. I have some work I need to get done." She looked up to see Owen flailing his arms at her. She put a hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. "What?", she whispered at her brother.
"Offer an alternative!", he whispered back.
Her mind sped and then she said into the phone, "Can you meet me at the Georgetown library for a quick coffee?"
Peter laughed, a sexy and deep sound. "What an interesting place for a first date. Ok, Alicia, I'm intrigued. I'll see you in a few hours."
When she hung up, Owen pounced. "Who's got my sister smiling like the Mona Lisa?"
She fought for a serious expression on her face. She failed and her smile was probably even goofier than before. "Just a man I met the other night", she said.
"Oh, just some man? Ms. Picky has suddenly relaxed her high standards or does Mr. Perfect actually exist?"
She batted her hands in the air. "I don't know. Maybe. It's too early to tell and I don't want to jinx it. Let's talk about what's going on in your life."
He sighed and downed the remaining wine in his glass. "I've realized, Sis, that math is hard."
"Finally, huh? And all it took was a doctoral degree program."
"I just spent 90 minutes listening to my thesis advisor rip apart my research. He said my work lacked substance."
Alicia winced and put an arm around Owen. "Ouch. I'm sorry."
"I swear Wilson's got it out for me." His expression went dark for a minute and then he visibly forced a smile. "Enough about that. I'm meeting Elaine later."
"Elaine? I thought you guys were done with each other."
He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm conflicted."
She tsk'ed. "Well, don't jerk her around if you're not serious about her."
He gave her a wounded look. "What if she's jerking me around. Oh my God, I can't even say that with a straight face."
Alicia shook her head. "Oh, Owen. As much as I would love to spend more time pointing out the error of your ways, I have to go. The library calls."
Owen said, mischievously, "Peter calls, you mean." She only responded with a wave of her hand.
Two nights later, after a quick shower, Will found himself looking for Alicia. True to her word, she was in the library. "Corcoran v. Diamante", he said while pulling out the seat across from her at the table.
"Excuse me?"
"We can use the precedents from Corcoran v. Diamante to rule out the counter argument about the infringement issue." Will flipped open his messenger bag and dug out the reference book. He handed it to her.
"That might work." She flipped open to the page he had dog-eared and read the highlighted passages. "I mean, it's… impressive. How did you come up with this?"
He tapped his mind. "It came to me, when I was playing basketball. And thank you, by the way, for the condescension."
She coughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be." She pulled out her notes. "Here's my outline on the issues we need to tackle and possible solutions. Why don't you take a look and let me know what you think?"
They worked well past midnight together in the library, most of it in silence. They'd decided to divvy up the issues and research them separately first before bringing it all together. At that suggestion, Will had toyed with the idea of leaving it for another day but decided against it. He didn't want to give Alicia ammunition about being a procrastinator. He even showed up the next night to work on it some more with her. She was thorough - and apparently, didn't need sleep. He kept his mouth shut about leaving until she began to pack up her things - the earliest had been 2 o'clock in the morning. By the third night, Will decided enough was enough. "I'm heading home", he announced at 11:30 PM.
Alicia didn't look up from her book. "Ok. Good night, Will."
His eyes were burning and he could barely think. "I've been a zombie the last few days. I need sleep. Like, more than 2 hours of it."
"I hear you. Can you bring the paper you mentioned? I want to cross-reference it as soon as possible."
"Yeah, sure." Will took his time packing up. She didn't look like she was judging him - so why did he feel like he was? "Alicia."
She finally looked up. "Yes, Will?"
"Uh - how about we reconvene at the diner tomorrow night? I think unlimited cups of coffee will do us both some good."
Her brow wrinkled. She put her pen down. "Will, just so you know, I'm seeing someone."
"Ok…"
They stared at each other for a second. When it was clear that Will wasn't adding anything further, she elaborated. "So it's fine to meet at the diner but I think you should know that it will be strictly platonic."
He must really be tired - part of him didn't even want to refute her statement. He did anyway. "Alicia, it's a cup of coffee, not an engagement ring. I'll even insist on going Dutch."
Her cheeks colored. At some point, she had undone her ponytail so her hair fell in soft waves around her face. She was - pretty. Will ruthlessly quashed the thought in his head. She was not going to put ideas in his head. "I just don't want to give you the wrong idea. I know how you are."
"How I am…?" Despite the heat in his stomach, he waved his hands in surrender. "It's too late for this. Ok, it's going to be tough but I will somehow keep my insatiable sex drive in check. Good night, Alicia, I'll see you at the diner tomorrow. Platonically." He couldn't help tossing in the last word. He shook his head as he stepped out of the building. The night air felt more refreshing than usual. Just when he thought there might be some hope for Alicia Cavanaugh. He'd do well to remember that they had nothing in common. As soon as law school was over, he'd probably never see or hear from her again.
