… and the one time they planned to meet.
So the one shot exploring one of the Minor characters is here. I hope you enjoy it! Yeah the minor character is Nicholas, Sarah's father.
One. The Bookstore
"Excuse me."
Nicholas looked up just as he was scanning a book trying to figure out which section it belonged too. A young woman with dark brown hair and dark green eyes stared at him.
He recognized her from his Ancient Greek History Class.
"Hello, Jessica."
She looked at him in surprise. "You know my name."
"We both take Ancient Greece," Nicholas responded.
"Yes, I just didn't think you would…"
"I don't forget names easily," Nicholas said. "Especially not when it belongs to a person as smart as you."
Jessica blushed and then shook her head. "I need help finding the English section?"
Nicholas nods and steps away from the desk to help her out. He leads her to the English section; she smiled at him and thanked him.
"It's no trouble." He means sincerely. "Do you need help finding your course?" The textbooks are arranged by course code with a list of textbooks below the course code to help the students know which courses they need. Several students have asked him for his help in finding their course books.
Jessica shook her head. "I've been searching for my books since last year. I know how to do it." She said. "This is just my first time taking an English Course and I didn't know where to find them."
"Extra course?"
Nicholas nodded. Their university insisted on 18 extra credits outside of your major. As well as about 21 credits in General education.
"Children's Literature," Jessica said. "It seemed interesting and I know the majority of the books anyway. There's only one or two that I've never read."
"My mother enjoys writing children's books."
"Oh really?" Jessica said. "What kind?"
"She likes writing stories about Sandman, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and Sant Clause." He said truthfully. "She calls them the "Guardians of Childhood."
"That's a poignant title. Makes sense too, for children those four are the most poignant childhood icons. Is she published?"
"No, but the children around my village are all aware of her stories and appear to like them."
"That's good and more important, right? To make sure that the people who read them like them."
Nicholas nodded. The fact they were also true helped his appreciation for them. Not that children's stories that were fiction were in any way bad, but he found her preferred stories that had happened.
The stood like that in silence awkwardly waiting for the other to say something. When it was clear that that wasn't going to happen Nicholas stepped back. "Well, I should probably get back to work." He said.
Jessica's eyes widened and she nodded. "Well then see you?"
"I hope so
Nicholas didn't understand, but he also liked learning so outside of the classes costing money he couldn't afford, he didn't really complain.
Nicholas nods. "Well if you need any more help." He said pointing to his desk. "I'll be right there."
Jessica smiles, thanks him again, and they head their separate ways.
Two. Class
The next time Nicholas and Jessica meet Jessica is talking to a friend and Nicholas has just walked into class. Jessica sees him and waves, Nicholas waves back and heads off to take a seat at his usual space.
It's the first class after winter break but a lot of the students are still away.
"Hey." Nicholas turns to see Jessica sitting beside him.
"Umm Hey," Nicholas said.
"You don't mind me sitting here do you?"
Nicholas shook his head. "No,"
"Good," Jessica said as she pulled her books out. "Did you do the readings?"
"I've finished the whole textbook."
Jessica raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Impressive."
"I've always been a fast reader," Nicholas said. "And History is a bit of a passion with me. Specifically ancient history.
"Still," Jessica said. "Even with only three classes a week, it's still impressive."
"I have twelve," Nicholas said. Jessica nodded in respect.
"Even more impressive," Jessica said. "Any specific ancient culture that you enjoy?"
"I enjoy learning about all of the ancient cultures," Nicholas said. "I find them all fascinating."
"I prefer Ancient Greece. Especially the ancient myths that they had."
"You liked the myths." Nicholas had read those myths. As a child of the guardian of storytelling who had told him all of the ancient stories and myths as bedtime stories, he had gotten quite bored of them by the time he was eleven. To him, real life was far more interesting, far more exciting. Instead of cliché's that stories had, and rules of the plot that dictated how everything turned out. Real-life to him was messy, unpredictable, and more importantly real. Everything that happened had an effect on everything.
Those had always been Nick's favourite stories. The stories of the guardians, the stories of the journey to the man in the moon, they were real. They had happened. They had left their mark. Even if no one else believed it.
"I prefer stories that actually happened," Nicholas said. "Nonfiction."
"Oh yeah?" Jessica said. "Good thing you're in a History Class." She said with a smile on her lips.
Nicholas laughed. "Stories are good when you want an escape, but to me history is real, it left a mark, it wasn't just made up in someone's mind."
"Fiction leaves its mark too," Jessica said. "Stories told help shape the world. Children's stories especially, the help teach children morals, can be used to teach that even when the world is scary the darkness can be pushed back, even if all is needed is to light a candle. And an escape from reality is sometimes necessary when the world get's so bleak and dark. When you want a world where the bad guys are defeated, and the good people are victorious."
"I know," Nicholas said. "My mother says the same thing. But the good guys can win in real life too."
Jessica shook her head. "Not all the time." She told him. "Not always."
"The good guys don't always win in fiction either." Nicholas pointed out.
Jessica nodded. "That is true, but generally not in children's fiction."
"Excuse me…. But are you two done talking, I am trying to teach a class here."
Jessica blushed and turned away from Nicholas and Nicholas found his skin heating up as well. Though he wasn't sure if it was because he had been called out for talking in class, or because of the young woman sitting beside him.
Three. Café.
Of all the places on Campus that he liked, by far the best place to go in opinion was the Café. It was warm, it had internet so he could do homework, and the food was cheap enough that he could buy enough to keep himself fed and not end up broke.
On this particular day, the café had been so crowded that all the tables had been filled. Most of the new people that saw how crowded had turned and left looking for another place, most likely where they could eat and do homework at the same time.
"Hey."
Nicholas looked up from his laptop, a croissant in his hand halfway to his mouth. He smiled when he recognized the woman holding a cup of coffee, a chocolate croissant, and had a backpack hanging off her shoulders.
"Hey, Jessica." He said with a smile.
"Do you mind if I sit?" She asked. "There's nowhere else to sit."
Nicholas moved his laptop closer to himself and motioned for her to take a seat.
Jessica smiled gratefully. "Thank you, I really didn't want to walk to the other side of campus."
Nicholas understood, the university's only other cheap café was all the way on the other side of campus, and its Wifi was not as good as it was where they currently resided. "I understand," Nicholas said.
Jessica removed her backpack from her back and pulled out her laptop, and two texts for class. Nicholas recognized one 'Harry Potter'.
Nicholas returned to his essay. When he first started University he had had no idea how to write an essay. Fortunately, the university had several writing centres willing to help him out. A service he was still using.
His essay writing had gotten better, he at least knew what an Essay was and what it should consist of.
"What class are you working on?"
"American History."
Jessica smirked. "Looking for an easy grade?"
"I'm from Serbia," Nicholas said with a sigh. "But I'm planning on staying for a while, so might as well learn the history of this country, right?"
"Serbia?" Jessica said leaning forward. "No way really?"
Nicholas nodded.
"How long ago did you come?"
"About three years ago?" Nicholas phrased the answer like a question. "I loved my home town, but I wanted to travel and here I am."
Jessica nodded. "You don't have an accent."
Nicholas shrugged. "I learned English young." He said deciding that telling Jessica that he lived in a country where everyone knew every language on earth human and inhuman was opening too big a can of worms. "I know it as well as I know Serbian."
"Hmm," Jessica said then she leaned back. "I was born and raised in America. My mom was raised in Italy my dad is half Italian half English." She said. "Di conseguenza posso parlare abbastanza bene l'italiano"
"Vedo che," Nicholas said with a smile.
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Vous parler francais aussi?"
"Oui, francais aussi."
Jessica straightened. "What other languages do you know?" She asked.
"Oh, Russian, Serbian, Slavic, Latin, Grecian, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Igbo, Yoruba as well as many others," Nicholas said, he stared at Jessica and watched as her eyes were the size of dinner plates. "Jessica."
"Sorry, it's just…I've never met anyone who knows so many languages." She said. "It's a lot to take in."
You don't know the half of it. Nicholas thought to himself. He turned back to his computer and started typing. "My town had a fondness for learning as many languages as one could. A lot of children know five languages by age five." Human Languages anyway.
Jessica's eyes went blank. Nicholas tilted his head and stepped forward. "Jess?"
Jessica shook her head. "Sorry, I didn't know that learning that many languages at such a young age, was possible. But I have also heard the children that young have brains that are like sponges so it is possible… theoretically, I guess."
Nicholas became worried had he accidentally revealed too much of the magic within Santoff Claussen?
Fortunately, Jessica just shrugged and opened her textbook. She stared up at him and narrowed her eyes. "You're not pulling my leg are you?"
Nicholas shook his head. "No."
Jessica eyes him for a moment and seemed to stare at him as though trying to discern whether he lying solely by staring him down.
Then she shrugged. "I believe you," Jessica said then she turned back to her homework and started reading while occasionally typing something down on her essay.
Four. Bus Stop.
"We have to stop meeting like this," Jessica said as she walked up to him rolling a suitcase behind her. "People will start talking."
A joke regarding the generally gossipy nature of humanity, and people hating to be the subject of the gossip.
Nicholas shook his head. "Maybe we should exchange phone numbers so we can text each other where we'll be and can be assured to avoid that place."
Jessica chuckled and shook her head. "You heading home?"
Nicholas tugged his suitcase toward him. "Yeah. You?"
Jessica nodded. "Yeah. I'm excited to go back to my family."
"What's your family like?" Nicholas asked. "If you don't mind my asking?"
Jessica stared at him.
"Well, there's my mom who is insanely overprotective but is the gentlest woman you would ever have the pleasure of meeting. And May dad, funny, but tough and firm, and has taught all his children how to defend themselves should they end up in trouble."
"How many siblings do you have."
"Two? A younger sister and brother."
"Older sibling."
Jessica shrugged. "Claire is in her final year in high school, she is so smart, and the social butterfly, if she's not studying she's hanging out with friends. And Jack is in middle school he's the sports boy. His grades are so so, but what he lacks in grades in makes for in athletics, he also has my dad's sense of humour."
"You love them."
"Well yeah," Jessica said. "They're my family." She said. "You?"
"Me?"
"Yeah what of your family? I hear you speak of your mom, do you have a dad, siblings?"
"I'm adopted," Nicholas said. "Mom took me in when I was a baby. And yeah it had basically been just me and her. But the town is so small that I pretty much consider my entire town my family. Will and Selene are my best friends. Will is the funniest person you will ever meet and Selene is the sweetest girl you will ever meet, and the firstborn William junior who has the sweetest laugh you will ever hear he was born a few months ago."
Jessica smiled. "awe that's sweet. I want kids one day."
"I'm sure one day you will," Nicholas said.
Jessica smiled and she shook her head. She stared at him for a moment, then she rummaged through her purse pulled out a paper, and pen and scribbled something down. "Here." She said. "My cell number." She said. "I wouldn't mind if we talked over the holidays."
Nicholas took the small slip and stared at it. "Thanks."
"Oh and don't worry about long-distance charges," Jessica said. "At least from my end, I can afford them."
Nicholas smiled and pocketed the note. "Thank you, Jess."
Jess's bus came first and she stepped on and waved at him goodbye.
The memory of Jess's smile stayed with him all the way back to Santoff Claussen.
Five. Sidewalk.
It was raining which was the first sign that something was wrong when Nicholas saw Jess sitting on the pavement. She hated the rain, hated getting wet.
Nicholas stared up at the sky and the rain stopped. He couldn't hold off the rain forever (Emily Jane would not allow it) but he hoped he could at least stave it off until he found out why Jess was upset.
Jess didn't seem to realize that it had stopped raining.
"Jess?" Nicholas said stepping forward.
Jessica was soaked all the way through, her dark brown hair clung to her. Droplets of rain fell off her the way the rain fell down her face made her look like she was crying.
Or perhaps she was crying and the rain disguised it.
Nicholas pulled out his backpack and pulled out a blanket and draped it over Jessica.
"Is everything alright?" He asked her.
Jessica tugged on the blanket and pulled it tighter around her. "My dad was in a car accident about a few hours ago. Apparently, he's in a pretty serious condition, they don't know if he'll survive the night."
Nicholas had seen people die in his old village, but never in something as violent as a car wreck. A lot of the people in Santoff Claussen were adept enough at healing magic that they could heal most injury's so long as they got to them fast enough.
Now the only thing people died of was old age.
"I'm sorry."
Jessica leaned her head against Nick's shoulder. "The doctor's are doing all
"Do you want to go see them?"
Jessica nodded. "Yeah, but I don't have the money, to make it their and back, and mom can't afford to wire me the money. She's insisted that it's fine, that dad would rather I stay in school…"
"But you want to go."
Jessica nodded.
Nick sighed. It made no sense to stop people from seeing their loved ones for something as silly as money.
"Maybe I can help," Nicholas said holding out his hand. On top of the money his mom sends over, his job at the bookstore is enough to buy a plane ticket or two.
"How?" Jessica asks.
Nicholas smiles. "Come on."
Nicholas takes her to a nearby ATM and puts in his bank card and takes out around 700 dollars. "here." He said.
Jessica just stares at him wide-eyed and shakes hear and steps back. "Are you insane?" She said. "I can't pay back that kind of money."
Nicholas shakes his head. "You don't have to pay me back," Nicholas told her. "Just visit your family."
Jessica stared at the money and then stared back at him. "But…"
Nicholas stepped forward. "Nothing should keep you from family," Nicholas said. "Please. I promise it'll be fine. And if paying me back is really important to you then… buy me a donut every day till graduation."
Jessica cracked a smile and shook her head. "What if something happens and YOU have to take a flight home. Your mother lives in Serbia that's a much farther trip and costs a lot more."
Nicholas highly doubted that. A lot. "don't worry about it." Nicholas promised. "I'll be fine."
"What about your university tuition?" Jessica said. "Food, course texts?"
"Since I work here, I have my fees waived since I started my second year working at the bookstore. My Texts books are already bought and paid for. And if I get desperate I can ask my mom to send me a care package. I like her food better than a lot of the food sold here anyway."
Jessica stared at the money again but still looked hesitant.
Nicholas smiled and stepped forward slowly placing his hand on hers and lifted her hand up. Jessica stared at him, Nicholas was very slow giving her time to remove her hand if she wanted to, but she stayed rooted neither pushing him away nor encouraging him.
"Why are you doing this?" Jess asked.
"Because you are my friend," Nicholas said. "And I like helping my friends. Especially when they are distressed and in need of my help."
Jess stared at the money one more time and stared back at him "Are you sure."
Nicholas nodded. Jessica took a deep breath and took the money from his hand. She counted the money and placed $200 back into his hand. "This should be enough." She said. She stared at him for a moment before she ran forward and gave him a hug. "Thank you so much," She told him before giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Then she smiled and ran off.
Nicholas watched her as she ran inside the building. Once she was safely inside, the rain started up again.
Nicholas never even noticed.
One Time They Planned to Meet Up. Restaurant.
Nicholas fiddled with his white buttoned-down shirt constantly pulling it down as he tried to calm his nerves.
He came to the restaurant and saw her through the window she was sitting at a table close to the window. Her hair was done up in a bun with locks of hair framing her face. She was wearing a black dress with long sleeves. She was wearing big hooped earrings and placed she had a small purse placed at the end of the table closest to the window. She was staring down her manicured hands with dark red nail polish were holding a menu and she seemed to be staring at it in concentration.
She was so beautiful.
Nicholas took a deep breath reminded himself that they had talked together loads of times and this would likely be no different, and opened the door to the restaurant.
He told the hostess that he was meeting his date their: "Two for Jessup?" He said. He had used her name because he disliked using his fake surname; only using it when it was necessary. Jessup, at least, was real.
"Right this way sir." The hostess said with a smile.
The hostess led her to the table he had seen through the window. Jessica looked up and smiled and Nicholas's heart skipped a beat. Jessica stood and gave Nicholas a hug.
Nicholas returned the hug and barely noticed the hostess place his menu on the table.
"I didn't leave you waiting long did I?" Nicholas asked.
Jessica shook her head. "No, I got here about five minutes ago."
Nicholas nodded. "Good." He stared down at her. "You look absolutely gorgeous by the way."
Jessica smiled. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." She said.
Nicholas smiled. "I think we should sit."
Jessica laughed. "Yeah."
Nicholas pulled out her seat for her and Jessica sat down. Then Nicholas turned and sat down at his own seat.
"I saw you through the window," Nicholas said. "You were reading the menu. See anything you like."
Jessica nodded. "Leaning toward the spaghetti."
Nicholas nodded and he opened his own menu and started looking through it.
"Have you decided if you want to pursue Archeology?" Jessica asked.
Nicholas nodded. "I have. I requested the program change this morning." Nicholas said. "I'm doing to do a double major in history and Archeology."
Jessica nodded.
"What about you?" Nicholas asked. "How are your classes coming?"
Jessica shook her head. "I'm not failing," Jessica said. "But I'm also not doing as well as I would like."
"Oh," Nicholas said. "Anything I can help with?"
Jessica shook her head. "You're not taking this course." She said. "It's fine." She said. "I'll go to the writing centre. I'm just having a harder time writing my essays this year." She said.
"They were very helpful to me," Nicholas said.
"How are your parents doing?" Nicholas asked.
Jessica nodded. "They're fine. Dad still has to take it easy because of the car wreck, which means he's bedridden and he absolutely hates being bedridden." Jess said, "But otherwise he's fine. Mom's exasperated with him, but she's fine too."
"I'm glad," Nicholas said.
"Hello" They turned to see a waitress standing before them. "My name is Christie and I'll be your server for the evening, can I interest you too in a drink."
"Water for me," Nicholas said.
"Coke," Jessica said.
The waitress wrote that down on her pad and walked away.
Jessica turned back to Nicholas. "What about you? How is your mother?"
Nicholas nodded. "She's fine. Still writing, last I heard she was writing a story about Jack Frost joining the rest of the guardians to battle the boogeyman."
Jessica laughed. "I remember believing in him when I was little," Jessica said. "I used to pretend that he would come to me and taking me flying around." She said, then she shook her head.
Nicholas nodded as the waitress came around with there drinks.
"Here are your drinks, are you ready to order?" Christie asked.
"Uh yes," Jessica said taking a quick look at her menu. She looked at Nicholas. "Are you?"
Nicholas nodded.
"Then I'll have the Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce."
"Same for me," Nicholas said.
Christie wrote that down on her pad collected the menus and walked away.
"Tell me more about your childhood." Nicholas prompted. "If you want too of course."
Jessica thought about it. "I grew up in a small town in Philidelphia." She said. "Dad was a pilot and mom was a nurse. I spent most of my early years in the care of my Nonna because my mom often had to work late and my dad was in another country."
"I'm sorry about that."
Jessica shook her head. "I did miss my dad a lot, but he would call as often as he could and he would take as many days off as he could and would spend them just filling my childhood with as many trips and family time as he could."
"Is your dad still a pilot."
Jessica shook her head. "No, he's mainly a pilot instructor now. He only flies on occasion now."
"What about your mom?"
Jessica nodded. "She's still a nurse. She still loves it. When Nonno or Nonna couldn't watch me she take me into work with her and I would hide out in the most restricted of places." Jessica shook her head. "I would get in so much trouble when the doctors or other nurses would find me, once the chief of surgery caught me spying on surgery from one of the galleries." She shook her head. "I was horrified, and that was the last time mom took me to the hospital vowing next time to just stay home."
Nicholas could only imagine he'd read a bit and seen on TV what surgeries were like. Santoff Claussen was a lot less invasive with there medical procedures... most of the time anyway.
Christie came by with their food and set the plates on the table. "Let me know if there will be anything else." Nicholas and Jessica both nodded and Christie walked away.
"What about you?" Jessica asked taking a bit of her spaghetti.
"Mom stayed home a lot," Nicholas said being careful not to reveal too much. He twirled his spaghetti with his fork and then placed it into his mouth. "Our home town was such that everyone was friends with everyone, so if I did need looking after Mom could just ask one of them too."
"You didn't have any grandparents? Your adoptive mother's parents."
"My mother's parents died when she was a baby, and the man that raised her passed on before she found me," Nicholas said.
Jessica's eyes widened. "Oh I'm sorry."
"It wasn't so bad," Nicholas said. "As I said, the town was such that if mom needed someone to look after me she could ask anyone in the town and they would be willing. Two of my best friends were the children of some friends who would take me in when it became apparent, but more often then night she would just take me out. I'd only stay home when I was ill.
"What about school?" Jessica asked.
"Homeschooled." Nicholas supplied. "But mom would tutor all the other kids in the town so I was never really alone."
"Wow." Jessica. "I went to public school until college. With classes that overly crowded, and a did some tutoring to help pay for tuition, I can't imagine tutoring an entire neighbourhood full of kids."
"Mom like's kids." Nicholas. "So do I."
"I do too," Jessica argued. "I just don't think I could handle so many kids at once. Maybe one or two... three at most."
Nicholas nodded. "Like I said that was only tutoring, raising... she only raised me, I like to think she did a good job... or at least as best she could. Though I do wonder what it would have been like if I had a sibling as well."
"I would die for my siblings," Jessica said taking another bit, her plate was half empty now. "But they did get on my nerves all the time. Still do, but I do love them."
"You told me about them," Nicholas said. "How are they doing."
"They were pretty freaked after the crash. But they've since told me that they are fine." Jessica said.
Nicholas took another bite of his spaghetti.
Jessica took another bite of her spaghetti.
And they spoke and talked through the rest of dinner.
"Thanks for walking me home," Jessica said as they reached her door. "You didn't have to."
"I do admit to having an ulterior motive," Nicholas said. "I like talking to you, and I wasn't quite ready for this date to end." He told her.
Jessica blushed. "Oh is that all?"
Nicholas paused. "Did you have an ulterior motive for letting me walk you back to your apartment?"
"Well..." Jessica said leaning against her door. "I was hoping it was because you might've wanted to.. Kiss me."
Nicholas stared at her for a moment before he smiled and bent down and caressed her cheek before he kissed her. Jess's arms wrapped around his neck and for a moment they both just lost themselves in the kiss.
Then the minute ended Nicholas pulled away and he smiled at Jessica. "See you tomorrow Jess." Then he turned and walked away.
Jessica put a hand to her chest and stared at him as he walked away. "See you." She said her voice barely louder than a whisper.
Wow! DONE! So as I said in Jane the Grim reaper post there was a tie the second winner was a one shot exploring one of the minor characters. the Minor character I chose (and I do consider him minor since he doesn't make much of an appearance until book too, and even then it's not alot) is Nicholas and Jessica. Here is how they met and eventually go there first date. Jessica finding out everything about his life doesn't happen until they've been dating about a year, and she doesn't visit Santoff until later.
Nick's tuition being free because he works at the bookstore is from my own personal experiences, and it is a thing I've seen universities do (specifically when parents of students work at the university, I just changed it too the students)
You officially no more about how this relationship started than Sophie and Jack's. (Don't worry I'm planning to write another oneshot on Jack and Sophie
I hope you enjoyed it.
