37. Sixteen – No Doubt

Since she was ten years old and met Anzu Mazaki's boobs, Rebecca had longed for a pair of her own. At ten, they were the only thing on Rebecca's eye-level when she talked to her 'love rival', and a constant reminder that while Rebecca had more brains in the tip of her nose than Anzu had in her whole head, Anzu still had the advantage over the little kid with the teddy bear. It wasn't as if Anzu was the next Pamela Anderson or anything, but she might as well have been as far as Rebecca's feelings went.

Even changing her hair and ditching the stuffed toy hadn't helped Rebecca feel more secure around Anzu when they met again. They were both running away from the bad guys with the world-destroying green rock, but Rebecca didn't risk blacking her own eyes while doing it. From that day forward she went to sleep each night with the fervent hope that when they next met they wouldn't be able to shake hands because they wouldn't be able to reach if they stood face to face.

At sixteen, Rebecca knew it was a pipe-dream. Her genes didn't lend themselves to being top-heavy. Her mother was petite, her grandmother petite, and Rebecca was also turning out to be a shopper in the 'extra small' section. Other girls glared at her in clothing stores, surreptitiously patting their bellies and resolving to do another hundred sit-ups tonight, but Rebecca envied them their chests and hips. Her brain had been mature for years, but she felt like a female Peter Pan – the little girl who would never grow up.

Also at sixteen, Rebecca got her PhD. She went on to take a lecturing post at Boston University, in the Computer Science department. Her grandfather secured a post at Montana State and they reluctantly parted ways. She'd been protective of her grandfather ever since … well, ever. Leaving him was a wrench, but she had to do it. He insisted, and under her tears, she was grateful to him for that.

She lived on campus and did quite well for herself. People didn't take her seriously at first, but she soon proved them wrong. More than one student went down in flames after a tangle with her razor-sharp intellect, and more than one colleague fell foul of her tongue as well. She suffered no fools and gave no quarter, nor expected any when people did finally get one over on her. By the time she met Yuugi and his friends again she was a valued member of the faculty and her students, though all taller than her, respected her called her Dr. Hopkins.

They'd all got older since she was ten. Even Yuugi looked more his age than he used to, though she was surprised to find she was taller than him now. She hugged them each in turn, but stopped when she got to Anzu. Rebecca was taller, yes, but not yet on eye level with Anzu's actual eyes. Thankfully her collarbone was easier to converse with.

"Hey, Rebecca," Anzu said, holding out her hand to be shaken. It was the same hand that had been laced with Yuugi's when they walked in, though they'd broken apart when she looked up from grading papers, as though she'd caught them doing something they shouldn't. However, Rebecca wasn't stupid. Far from it.

Rebecca looked around her office. She stared at the proffered hand. Took it. Shook it.

Smiled.

Maybe she wasn't built like Marylyn Monroe, but she could live with that.