Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They are property of Marc Brown and PBS.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Nine: Close To You
Rubella ran into Ratburn's classroom. He was standing at his chalk board, erasing test questions.
"Nigil," she said, breathless.
He turned to her in surprise.
"Rubella," he began, taking a step toward her, "what are you doing here?"
"I just..." Rubella breathed. "..Oh, Nigil."
She couldn't hold back anymore. Rubella ran into Ratburn's arms and kissed him.
*************
Rubella flung from her bed in fright.
"What the heck was that?" she gasped.
Now she was having kissing dreams about Ratburn? This had to stop. She had to do something.
Then next day after school, Rubella drove her beat-up station wagon to the elementary school. She walked down the hall cautiously, her dream fresh in mind. It didn't seem at all likely that something like that would come true, but she was being cautious anyway. When she got to Ratburn's classroom, she peeked inside. To her relief, he wasn't at the chalk board. He was sitting down at his desk, grading papers or some such. Rubella took a deep breath, then walked right in.
"Look, Mr. Ratburn," Rubella began, "it seems like there's something going on here. There's -there's this...y-you're sending vibes and I don't know how to interpret them. I don't know what happened the other night, but it shouldn't have happened. It was a fluke and it means nothing! How old are you anyway? Like, twenty-eight? That's not the point. In the cosmic scheme of things, age really doesn't matter. But ever since that day, I've-I've...you- you're doing something. It feels like you're call to me, invading my thoughts so I can't possibly think of anything else. I can't concentrate on my homework, on my predictions. So if you would stop doing whatever it is you're doing, I can go back to my life."
Ratburn blinked. He wasn't sure he understood what she was talking about.
"I'm not doing anything, Miss Kirst," Ratburn told her as he stood up form his desk. "Yes, I suppose the other night should not have happened, but I have not been doing anything that would cause your lack of concentration."
"I'm psychic, Mr. Ratburn," Rubella shot at him. "I know when my mind is being penetrated by another. Something you're doing is causing my distraction. Maybe you aren't doing it consciously. I don't know, but just stop it."
"How can I stop doing something that I don't realize I'm doing?" Ratburn asked logically.
"Stop everything!" Rubella ordered. "Stop anything to do with me. Stop thinking about me."
"That's not possible," Ratburn muttered, lowering his eyes.
"What? Why?" Rubella demanded.
"I don't have the ability to stop thinking about you," Ratburn admitted, looking nervous.
"Well, I won't be able to stop thinking about you until you stop thinking about me," Rubella insisted, folding her arms adamantly.
"I can't," Ratburn told her. "I can't not think of you because...because I love you, Miss Kirst."
"Well, I can't stop thinking about you because I-" Rubella gasped, her eyes widening. "You love me?"
Ratburn nodded shamefully.
"Mr. Ratburn," Rubella breathed. She took his hand and when she did, Ratburn glanced up at her in surprise. She wore a shy smile as she looked straight into his eyes. "Call me Rubella."
After his confession, Rubella couldn't help but like him. So that evening, Rubella and Ratburn agreed to meet at Venustus Bivium for a get-to-know-you dinner. It sounded nice. A little chat over to warm up the awkwardness between them. Rubella had her doubts, though. Not about Ratburn. It was just the fancy restaurant he picked out. Though she loved romance, she leaned more toward sentimental romance than material romance.
Rubella glanced over the menu. She didn't even recognize any of these foods. it looked to be in Italian or something. She looked across at Ratburn.
"Do you eat here a lot?" Rubella asked.
"Not too often," Ratburn shrugged, not looking up from his menu. "I come here with my sister now and then."
Rubella let out a confused sigh as she looked at her menu again. Ratburn glanced at her in concern.
"Do you not want to eat here?" he asked.
"No," Rubella insisted. "It's not that. This place is fine. Great. I'm sure all this...food is really good."
Ratburn raised an eyebrow skeptically. To think of it, this wasn't the place Rubella belonged. She was too free-spirited to enjoy all the formality this restaurant encourages. Ratburn set down his menu.
"All right," he began, "what would you rather do?"
Rubella looked at him in surprise, saying, "Honestly, this place is fine."
"I really wish to know what you would rather do," Ratburn told her.
Rubella smiled.
***************
"OH, HOLY ENCEPHALITIS!" Ratburn yelled as he skidded through the park.
Rubella caught around his waist to stop him, laughing as she did.
"Haven't you ever skated before?" Rubella asked, still laughing.
"I guess I just never found the time," Ratburn muttered breathlessly, his arm around Rubella to help keep his balance.
Several people skating along also on the large concrete area designated for skating. It was dark and stars and moon hung over, but the skating arena was lighted by lampposts.
"This is enjoyable," Ratburn told Rubella as he almost slipped.
"It's not hard to learn," Rubella replied. "The hardest thing is learning how to stop."
"No, I really meant it," Ratburn assured her. "It's hard not to enjoy oneself in your company."
Rubella smiled, feeling a blush rising. This was so strange, skating with Mr. Ratburn, an old school teacher. But it was strange in a different way than she thought it would be. It was more surreal than tense. When he looked at her, Rubella noticed how handsome his brown eyes were.
"May I ask why you looking at me so peculiarly?" Ratburn requested politely.
Rubella smiled to herself and said, "I guess I let my mind wander 'on to other matters.'"
Ratburn smiled.
The two skated for a while and Ratburn was really starting to get the hang of skating. It wasn't something he really wanted to reveal, though his propriety recommended it. If he told Rubella that he no longer needed her assistance, then he would no longer have an excuse to have his arm around her and she would no longer have her hand resting on his chest.
Ratburn suddenly slipped, grabbing around Rubella with both arms to keep standing. Rubella laughed. He pulled away a bit, about to apologize when he saw the shine in her eyes and her soft smile. She was so beautiful. Eyes locked on each other, the thought of kissing her crossed his mind. Before he had the chance, someone called him by name.
"Mr. Nigil Ratburn!" He looked where the voice was coming from and saw Mrs. McGrady coming up. He instantly let go of Rubella.
"Mr. Ratburn," Mrs. McGrady panted, then she looked at Rubella and swiftly caught her breath. "Oh, dear! Did I...interrupt...something?"
She looked at them suspiciously.
"I don't know what you mean?" Ratburn said nervously. "We were just talking about the talent show, were we not?"
"Yeah," Rubella shrugged, her heart not really in the deception.
"Oh, well," Mrs. McGrady didn't look convinced. She handed Ratburn his briefcase. "You forgot this in your classroom when you hurried out of school this afternoon."
"Did I?" Ratburn muttered, taking the briefcase. "I must have had my mind on other things. I am so grateful that you took the pains to return it to me."
"No problem," Mrs. McGrady said, turning and walking away in a most secretive manner.
"Do you think she knows?" Ratburn asked.
"I'm not sure," Rubella said, dispirited. "She has her suspicions, but I guess they all will."
Ratburn looked at her in concern. "I'm sorry. I hope you don't suppose that I'm ashamed of you because I'm not. I just don't believe that anyone would really understand."
"Don't worry about it," Rubella insisted. "It's not like I told my folks who I was going out with tonight."
Ratburn took her hand with one of his own and lifted her chin with his other. She smiled at him. He smiled back. Each hoping something would happen, but instead, they just continued skating.
A/N: I'm really not sure if Ratburn can skate, but let's pretend that he can't.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Nine: Close To You
Rubella ran into Ratburn's classroom. He was standing at his chalk board, erasing test questions.
"Nigil," she said, breathless.
He turned to her in surprise.
"Rubella," he began, taking a step toward her, "what are you doing here?"
"I just..." Rubella breathed. "..Oh, Nigil."
She couldn't hold back anymore. Rubella ran into Ratburn's arms and kissed him.
*************
Rubella flung from her bed in fright.
"What the heck was that?" she gasped.
Now she was having kissing dreams about Ratburn? This had to stop. She had to do something.
Then next day after school, Rubella drove her beat-up station wagon to the elementary school. She walked down the hall cautiously, her dream fresh in mind. It didn't seem at all likely that something like that would come true, but she was being cautious anyway. When she got to Ratburn's classroom, she peeked inside. To her relief, he wasn't at the chalk board. He was sitting down at his desk, grading papers or some such. Rubella took a deep breath, then walked right in.
"Look, Mr. Ratburn," Rubella began, "it seems like there's something going on here. There's -there's this...y-you're sending vibes and I don't know how to interpret them. I don't know what happened the other night, but it shouldn't have happened. It was a fluke and it means nothing! How old are you anyway? Like, twenty-eight? That's not the point. In the cosmic scheme of things, age really doesn't matter. But ever since that day, I've-I've...you- you're doing something. It feels like you're call to me, invading my thoughts so I can't possibly think of anything else. I can't concentrate on my homework, on my predictions. So if you would stop doing whatever it is you're doing, I can go back to my life."
Ratburn blinked. He wasn't sure he understood what she was talking about.
"I'm not doing anything, Miss Kirst," Ratburn told her as he stood up form his desk. "Yes, I suppose the other night should not have happened, but I have not been doing anything that would cause your lack of concentration."
"I'm psychic, Mr. Ratburn," Rubella shot at him. "I know when my mind is being penetrated by another. Something you're doing is causing my distraction. Maybe you aren't doing it consciously. I don't know, but just stop it."
"How can I stop doing something that I don't realize I'm doing?" Ratburn asked logically.
"Stop everything!" Rubella ordered. "Stop anything to do with me. Stop thinking about me."
"That's not possible," Ratburn muttered, lowering his eyes.
"What? Why?" Rubella demanded.
"I don't have the ability to stop thinking about you," Ratburn admitted, looking nervous.
"Well, I won't be able to stop thinking about you until you stop thinking about me," Rubella insisted, folding her arms adamantly.
"I can't," Ratburn told her. "I can't not think of you because...because I love you, Miss Kirst."
"Well, I can't stop thinking about you because I-" Rubella gasped, her eyes widening. "You love me?"
Ratburn nodded shamefully.
"Mr. Ratburn," Rubella breathed. She took his hand and when she did, Ratburn glanced up at her in surprise. She wore a shy smile as she looked straight into his eyes. "Call me Rubella."
After his confession, Rubella couldn't help but like him. So that evening, Rubella and Ratburn agreed to meet at Venustus Bivium for a get-to-know-you dinner. It sounded nice. A little chat over to warm up the awkwardness between them. Rubella had her doubts, though. Not about Ratburn. It was just the fancy restaurant he picked out. Though she loved romance, she leaned more toward sentimental romance than material romance.
Rubella glanced over the menu. She didn't even recognize any of these foods. it looked to be in Italian or something. She looked across at Ratburn.
"Do you eat here a lot?" Rubella asked.
"Not too often," Ratburn shrugged, not looking up from his menu. "I come here with my sister now and then."
Rubella let out a confused sigh as she looked at her menu again. Ratburn glanced at her in concern.
"Do you not want to eat here?" he asked.
"No," Rubella insisted. "It's not that. This place is fine. Great. I'm sure all this...food is really good."
Ratburn raised an eyebrow skeptically. To think of it, this wasn't the place Rubella belonged. She was too free-spirited to enjoy all the formality this restaurant encourages. Ratburn set down his menu.
"All right," he began, "what would you rather do?"
Rubella looked at him in surprise, saying, "Honestly, this place is fine."
"I really wish to know what you would rather do," Ratburn told her.
Rubella smiled.
***************
"OH, HOLY ENCEPHALITIS!" Ratburn yelled as he skidded through the park.
Rubella caught around his waist to stop him, laughing as she did.
"Haven't you ever skated before?" Rubella asked, still laughing.
"I guess I just never found the time," Ratburn muttered breathlessly, his arm around Rubella to help keep his balance.
Several people skating along also on the large concrete area designated for skating. It was dark and stars and moon hung over, but the skating arena was lighted by lampposts.
"This is enjoyable," Ratburn told Rubella as he almost slipped.
"It's not hard to learn," Rubella replied. "The hardest thing is learning how to stop."
"No, I really meant it," Ratburn assured her. "It's hard not to enjoy oneself in your company."
Rubella smiled, feeling a blush rising. This was so strange, skating with Mr. Ratburn, an old school teacher. But it was strange in a different way than she thought it would be. It was more surreal than tense. When he looked at her, Rubella noticed how handsome his brown eyes were.
"May I ask why you looking at me so peculiarly?" Ratburn requested politely.
Rubella smiled to herself and said, "I guess I let my mind wander 'on to other matters.'"
Ratburn smiled.
The two skated for a while and Ratburn was really starting to get the hang of skating. It wasn't something he really wanted to reveal, though his propriety recommended it. If he told Rubella that he no longer needed her assistance, then he would no longer have an excuse to have his arm around her and she would no longer have her hand resting on his chest.
Ratburn suddenly slipped, grabbing around Rubella with both arms to keep standing. Rubella laughed. He pulled away a bit, about to apologize when he saw the shine in her eyes and her soft smile. She was so beautiful. Eyes locked on each other, the thought of kissing her crossed his mind. Before he had the chance, someone called him by name.
"Mr. Nigil Ratburn!" He looked where the voice was coming from and saw Mrs. McGrady coming up. He instantly let go of Rubella.
"Mr. Ratburn," Mrs. McGrady panted, then she looked at Rubella and swiftly caught her breath. "Oh, dear! Did I...interrupt...something?"
She looked at them suspiciously.
"I don't know what you mean?" Ratburn said nervously. "We were just talking about the talent show, were we not?"
"Yeah," Rubella shrugged, her heart not really in the deception.
"Oh, well," Mrs. McGrady didn't look convinced. She handed Ratburn his briefcase. "You forgot this in your classroom when you hurried out of school this afternoon."
"Did I?" Ratburn muttered, taking the briefcase. "I must have had my mind on other things. I am so grateful that you took the pains to return it to me."
"No problem," Mrs. McGrady said, turning and walking away in a most secretive manner.
"Do you think she knows?" Ratburn asked.
"I'm not sure," Rubella said, dispirited. "She has her suspicions, but I guess they all will."
Ratburn looked at her in concern. "I'm sorry. I hope you don't suppose that I'm ashamed of you because I'm not. I just don't believe that anyone would really understand."
"Don't worry about it," Rubella insisted. "It's not like I told my folks who I was going out with tonight."
Ratburn took her hand with one of his own and lifted her chin with his other. She smiled at him. He smiled back. Each hoping something would happen, but instead, they just continued skating.
A/N: I'm really not sure if Ratburn can skate, but let's pretend that he can't.