DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything. This disclaimer applies to all chapters.

The next study break went well...but it wasn't even that. She didn't really take a break, instead studied most of the time, while he read a magazine. He was a bit upset she wasn't very talkative. What he did find out was that she had a 4.0 average and was involved with the student government. She limited her activities within school to put in long hours at the restaurant she worked at. She started taking classes to get her beverage license so she could work in the bar to make more money in tips. She was barely making rent, and tips from the bar would help.

She found out that he had a 3.8 GPA. His scholarship was important to him and he had to stay above a 3.0 GPA to hold onto it. So, because of how important the scholarship was, he was very serious about his studies, and in volunteering his services to the school because of their generosity to him. He volunteered in helping out at freshman registration, gave tours to prospective students at open houses, and in doing administrative work. He also worked as a professional tutor at the school to make some extra money.

"Well it was nice having this study break with you once again, although you did more studying in it than chatting. It was supposed to be a study break you know."

"I know. I'm sorry. I got tied up this morning at work. And I have a second shift in an hour, an exam next week, and a forty hour week of work next week." As she said this, her voice got louder and more forceful, showing a sign that she was stressed out. She paused, realizing that she may have came off as cranky, and then said softer "Sorry, I've been quite stressed. I didn't mean to be unsocial today. Can I make it up to you by arranging to have a non-studying break from studying sometime next week?"

"Only if you aren't too busy with everything."

"No, I'll make some time."

"So when you say a non-studying break from studying are you talking about going out to eat somewhere or to see a movie?"

She tensed up a bit.

"No, I mean that we'll meet in the cafe at school next Friday, and I won't study. I'll be coming from studying in the student lounge, and then going back again after meeting you." She felt bad. She knew how obvious it was that this was the second time she turned him down for a date. It wasn't that she didn't want to go on a date with him, but that she was scared. Scared that things might get messed up like they did with her ex-boyfriend. She came to Berkeley to escape her past and she didn't want anything to mess up how well things were going for her now. She did want to have him in her life, but not as a boyfriend right now.

"Okay then." For a second he thought she was loosening up a bit and offering to go on a date with him. Nope, it was just another study break. She was one defensive person. She only got that way when he tried to get her to hang out with him outside of school. Then it occurred to him, he never asked her if she had a boyfriend. Maybe she did and she just felt too awkward to tell him about it. If she did have a boyfriend, she didn't see him much since she was always either at school or working, but he decided that he really didn't think she had a boyfriend. She just didn't look like she wanted to be involved in a relationship right now. He wondered what made this beautiful girl so tense and defensive about just going out to have a good time. He only knew her to go to school, to work and studying. He came to the conclusion that maybe she's just a girl who has her priorities straight and wants to focus on getting a good education before anything else...just like his priorities about getting a good education before getting into a relationship. But he also knew that when that special girl came into his world, he wasn't going to sit there without acting either. He was going to act on his feelings. He was smart enough to know that school came first, but having a girl by his side wouldn't hurt…especially if it was someone like her…who has her priorities straight. He knew that he had to be her study-break partner for the whole semester. Then maybe, just maybe, the time would be right for a relationship with her once the semester finished.

The following study-break went a lot better. He was surprised to see that she hadn't even brought her books with her. She seemed less stressed and a lot happier. Although the conversation revolved around mostly school and sharing some funny stories about work, he was satisfied with how it turned out. It wasn't a fancy date at a formal restaurant, but it was something. He got her to laugh and open up a bit more about something besides studying. Ironically, at that non-studying break meeting, they arranged to meet every week to study. He needed to study for some midterms coming up, as did she, and they agreed that having someone there to help them study would help a lot. Both left the study-break satisfied, him thinking about how nice it was going to be seeing her each week, her breathing a sigh of relief that she had him in her life as a friend, someone she would see each week. Little did she know that while the studying with him would help her with school, the studying part of the agreement was really a cover-up hiding the feelings that she was starting to feel for him.

So that's how it was for the rest of the semester. After mid-terms, they had decided to continue studying together for the second half of the semester. They met once a week to study, then took a break, and then continued to study again. It was during the second half of the semester that while she may have been studying, although he brought his books, he wasn't studying. Studying books that is, but he was studying her. He still couldn't figure out why this beautiful girl wouldn't budge and just go to a movie and dinner with him some night. He had asked her a few times if she wanted to go grab a bite to eat, or catch a movie, but she declined, blaming it all on a busy work schedule and school. He knew she was busy, but he thought that after all this time, even if she just considered him a friend, they could hang out off campus. He was frustrated. After all this time he thought they would have at least had a chance to hang out off campus.

She enjoyed studying with him and found herself thinking about him more and more as time went on. He had asked her to go out for a bite to eat a few times but she declined. She was mad at herself for declining all those times, but kept reminding herself of her last relationship and how good things were now being single. Getting into a relationship brings along the possibilities of getting into a fight and breaking up. While she knew how wonderful it would be to have him as her boyfriend, she knew she didn't want to lose the relationship she did have with him, so she figured it was best to avoid anything but studying.

It was now the week of final exams. About 10 weeks had gone by and the two were still just studying partners. He had given her his phone number on Sunday, their last study session together, since he wouldn't be seeing her during the week with finals exams. They ended their study session together both hoping to continue the trend next semester. She agreed to call him in January.

On Monday afternoon, he stopped by the dorm to drop his books off before heading out to buy a new outfit for the party. It was tradition for all the freshman registration, tour guide volunteers, and administration helpers to get together at a restaurant to have an end-of-the-semester party. The party was going to be held on the final day of exams, which was Thursday. He knew that some of his friends were bringing their girlfriends. He sighed, thinking how nice it'd be to bring her, but he knew that she would never go. "I'm sure she'd come up with some excuse even though the semester is over" he thought. He noticed that he had a message as he put his books down on the table, and to his surprise, it was her…

TBC