As the weeks passed, and Sherlock got busy dealing with other issues, Ms Adler disappeared out of his thoughts. However, he didn't forget her completely. They hadn't spoken since that sunny afternoon in April, and Sherlock didn't consider her that important. Sometimes, he wondered why he found her (and a few others) comparatively agreeable when he despised so many of the other students in his biochem class. She was clever, of course, but there was also something else, much more captivating, behind her imperturbable façade. He secretly admired her because of her manipulative character. She was the most manipulative and witty woman Sherlock ever had come upon. She was at least as smart and desperate for a distraction as Sherlock, but had loads of friends and social status. After a couple of weeks, Sherlock wasn't even sure of what her favourite colour was, she changed her mind about everything and everyone depending on who she was talking to at the moment. And still, she was so bright and so unquestionable. It was as if her life was a game and she was the authoritarian judge. He wondered who she really was behind her controlled mask. Though, he decided to not analyse her any further. They had only spoken once, after all.
An early evening in the end of May when Sherlock Holmes read a boring and futile book about molecular biology in the library, he encountered her the second time.
"Hello." She politely greeted him as she went past.
"Hello." He murmured. He didn't look up until she took the place beside him. "What are you doing?" He asked her, and didn't even bother to act polite. He was usually alone, and he wanted it to remain that way.
"I'm reading, is there anything wrong with that?" She sounded amused – that was not a good sign. It would be easier to make her leave if she was angry, or at least irritated, at him.
"No, but you're sitting next to me." He growled, but flushed when he said the sentence out loud and realised how childish it sounded. The woman smiled confidently, raised an eyebrow and didn't move an inch.
"Dear, I'm sitting wherever I want to sit" she coldly clarified and opened her book. They were silent for a couple of minutes as Sherlock decided to not care about her presence. He threw her a quick glance now and then, she didn't look as haggard and woe-begun as she had before. Her long brown hair was shinier and her cheeks redder, though her grey eyes remained cold, unemotional and observing. She caught him staring at her.
"Is there anything wrong?" She asked sarcastically and closed her book. He flinched slightly when he noticed the title of the volume. They were reading the same book. He cleared his throat.
"We're reading the same book." She rolled her eyes.
"Yes, it would seem so. What do you think about it?"
"It's dull. Boring." He shrugged.
"I disagree, I think it's interesting." She smugly told him and rested her head in her hands. "Maybe it's too difficult for you, Holmes."
He shook his head, visibly irritated.
"Too simple actually. I think the description of the human immune defence is too basic, the authors haven't always used the correct facts and I don't understand why this is our main text-book."
"And yet, you've never tried to read it as if you are wrong. Even if you're not, try to imagine it as if you don't have the faintest idea."
"That's stupid, why on earth would I do that?"
"You have to read it with your eyes open, figuratively speaking. Every book is like… a human being. Hard to work out, beautiful and it could, if you're very lucky, take you on a magical journey. Perhaps, it's supposed to be basic, perhaps the facts are correct and you're wrong. Hemoglobin, remember?" He sighed.
"Will you never forget that?" He asked and stood up; he was growing tired of Ms Adler and his next class began in just a couple of minutes.
"You will never forget that, so why would I?" She told him and stood up as well. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Class." He shortly replied and hurried away, though he could hear her walking beside him. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her swiftly.
"And where are you going, if I may ask?"
"Class." She answered shortly and gave him a stern look. They got to the door rather quickly as Sherlock walked his fastest to shake her off. She shadowed him and wasn't left behind, and Sherlock was visibly annoyed when they were outside the classroom in question. He felt irritated because of her impertinence and her shrewdness, she questioned him constantly. And yet, he was fascinated by her, by her character and intellect. Though, he didn't want to be fascinated by her.
"And one last thing, Ms Adler. Human-beings are not hard to work out." He susurrated and opened the door.
"Well, try with me then." She breathed and entered the classroom with a theatrical sigh. Sherlock followed her with a displeased grunt.
"Mr Holmes and Ms Adler, you are late for this class." They mutually murmured an apology. "I guess you have to sit next to each other, then. Take a seat."
They wordlessly grabbed a chair each in the back and the class started, with none of them actually listening. Sherlock struggled with the thought of asking her a question, he didn't want her to follow him or take interest in him further, but he wanted to know what she had meant before. And he wished that he could study her more closely, simply because he was extremely interested in her. He gave up and wrote the question on a piece of paper he found in his pocket. He passed her the neatly folded note under the table.
What did you find interesting about the text-book? – SH
He received her short answer after just a couple of seconds.
I didn't say I found the content of the book interesting. I found you reading it interesting - IA
AN: You don't review that well. If I don't get more this time, I will not give you the next chapter. Review. Now.