Disclaimer: This chapter contains an original character created by Aveza, as well as a mention of another character she made. Hana Livry and Ryo Hiraki belong to her, and they are awesome, and you should read her stuff. Okay, in the interest of not driving my readers nuts, I won't be announcing this at the beginning of every single chapter, so please remember it, haha! I'll remind you every few chapters.
Author's Note: I was going to have a chapter about the break, but I really need to get this here ball a rollin'. And so, here we are, semester two at last! Not gonna lie though, I really need to take a step back here and figure out where I'm going from now on. I sort of started this story with absolutely no plan, and, for the first time, it's starting to bite me in the butt. What is this story even about from now on (ie, now that most of the couples are established)?
Well, hopefully you'll take a leap of faith with me! XD Allons-y!
On a related note, it must be weird to have a boyfriend who is prettier than you. But I imagine it's one of those 'you-don't-hear-me-complaining' deals? I'd love to ask Sora, haha!
Semester Two
Sora sighed as she stared at the door to her dorm room. It felt weird to be back, especially since the halls had aired out a little over the break, and the whole place smelled less like burnt microwavable food and college boys. And it was so quiet…
I suppose that makes sense. The semester doesn't start again for another week… Sora had returned early in the hopes of overcoming the time difference between the states and Japan before classes began. She was strung out from the long flight, irritable, and ready to sleep for the next thirty six hours.
The doorknob blurred in her vision as she tried to insert the key. There was a sad little scratching sound as she missed the keyhole, and a faint whine slipped out of her, reminding her of the baby that had screamed through half of her flight. Her grip on her suitcase slipped, and it fell to the floor with a crash.
A moment later, the door opened, and Amy was staring, wide eyed, at her. She blinked for a moment, then smiled. "Sora! Hi! Welcome back!" Sora tried to return the greeting, but all she managed was a tiny smile.
"Uhhhh, lemme get that, okay, Sora?" Amy reached around her, grabbed the suitcase, and grunted. She half pushed her into the room to make way for the massive luggage. "Man, this is heavy! How did someone as little as you haul this thing all this way? Maybe you should lay down? You look tired. You can unpack later."
"Thanks," Sora muttered. She fell onto her bed, sighing as she nuzzled into her pillow.
"I've never been on a plane." Amy dragged the suitcase to the foot of Sora's bed, then pulled up the nearest desk chair. "I can't imagine sitting in a little seat for so long. I mean, gosh, was it like sixteen hours?"
Sora tried to answer that it had, in fact, been over seventeen hours, counting the layover, but all that came out of her mouth was an indistinct sigh. "Sora? Sora? Aww… Poor gal." There was a pause, and then a tugging feeling on her feet. She tried to pull away, but could only manage a sad little nudge. "Sorry, Sora, but you don't want to sleep in your shoes, right? Let me get my throw blanket…"
A few more tugs, then a feeling of warmth and softness all over. Sora wanted to thank Amy, but she was already more asleep than awake.
A Few Hours Later
Sora tried to roll over in bed, but she hit something solid and warm. Groaning, she batted at the obstacle, but it didn't give. A tiny, irritated growl slipped out of her. Some part of her body remembered being forced to sit in a confined space for a long period of time, and was rebelling. This was her bed, damn it, and no one was supposed to encroach on her personal space here.
With that decided, she pressed herself right up against the warm thing and tried to pry her eyes open, but they weren't cooperating. Her faculties were made useless by a surge of frustration, then were blown out all at once by olfactory overload. Whatever was in her bed smelled very, very familiar… But what was it, exactly?
The only thought that registered through the fog of sleep and confusion was that the scent was wonderful. After some faltering, she identified it as aftershave and cologne, subtle and masculine. A rushing sensation ripped over her body, and her eyes popped open at last.
Flaxen hair, rendered attractively mussy by sleep, was the first thing she registered. Blinking, hardly breathing, she trailed her fingertips through silken strands of gold, wondering how the precious metal had been transmuted into hair. There was a faint, sleepy groan, and then something shifted. The hair fell back and to the side, revealing a face.
And, just like that, Sora went from breathless to winded.
Oh, God. Oh, God. Matt. How did I forget how beautiful you are? She had no idea why he was sleeping next to her- perhaps she had slid from one dream to another- but that didn't matter. Her hands cupped his face, gently tilting it towards hers. And there he was, with his aquiline nose, those classic features, the faint cleft in his chin.
He was sleeping, so perhaps it was rude, but Sora just couldn't help herself. Her palms migrated down his face to his neck, then over his bare shoulders. The intense attraction and excitement within her was difficult to absorb, especially when a deep feeling of peace and relief followed. She bent forward, so that her forehead rested against his, and tried to focus on breathing.
"Sora…" Her eyes moved to his, and fell into icy blue. Their piercing, longing expression contrasted with the lopsided goofiness of his smile. Then his lips pulled back into something that was almost a grimace. "Come here," he commanded, and she went without question, laying down flush on top of him. His arms closed around her with almost uncomfortable strength.
"I have a bone to pick with you, coming back without telling me," he breathed. A large hand closed around the back of her head, gently pressing her into him. The other was inching down, coming to a pause at the small of her back.
Sora took hold of his shoulders. She felt like she might float off without the support. "I don't- I didn't- was awake for over twenty hours. I can't- can't sleep on planes- was going to call you when I woke up." I'm babbling. Why am I babbling? All Sora really knew was that she wanted to smell as much of him as she could. No boy she had ever known was so skilled at mixing various scents into a seductively pleasing blend. She buried her face in his neck and inhaled, trying to get both cologne and aftershave.
"Mm. Amy said you passed out the second you walked in, so I figured it was something like that. Next time, let me know when your flight comes in. I'm happy to nap with you."
"S-sorry. Are you mad?" He was still sort of frowning, but not quite. Sora had no idea what he might be thinking.
He held her against him, and it felt oddly like being braced into place. Then he moved, so suddenly and unexpectedly that Sora squeaked aloud and shut her eyes. There was a flipping sensation, and, when she took a cautious peek, she found that she was under Matt. "No," he said, sounding oddly strained. "No, not mad…" His hands moved to her stomach, slipping under her shirt, moving slowly upwards.
"Just how tired are you?" he whispered, bending over her. His lips fell onto her cheek, moving inward, until they fell, at last, on hers.
"I'm not," came her breathless answer.
And she had a lovely time of proving it.
The Next Day
Sora was browsing the internet for the latest fashion news in her dorm room when a knock had her looking up. Matt groaned and rolled over on her bed. It was too early in the morning for him to be willingly up and about, especially after all of the activity last night.
She made her way to the door and squinted through the peephole, smiling when she recognized Mimi. Sora retrieved a bag waiting on her desk, opened the door slightly, then closed it behind her, knowing that Matt was, well, not dressed for company.
"Oh my gaaaaaaaawd, Sora! Bring it in, girl!" Mimi threw herself at her, trying to hug all of her at once. Slightly startled, Sora blinked over her shoulder and found herself looking into Amy's face. Her roommate was smiling softly, as if to say, yeah, I know.
"God, girl! You're glowing. I take it Matt's in there, huh?" Mimi released her and nudged her playfully. Sora made an indistinct noise. While she wasn't horribly embarrassed, this really wasn't something she wanted to discuss in the middle of the hall.
"That would be why I slept in Tai's bed last night," Amy said lightly. Mimi laughed, and Sora felt her cheeks darkening. It was unlike Amy to join in on Mimi's antics, and Sora could only attribute it to excitement born of the sudden return of her friends.
"Aww, don't be embarrassed, sweetie. I got here two days ago, and I'm only just now stepping outside of my room."
"Wait!" Amy cried, holding her hands out. "Wait- but- you only told me you were here today! And Joe's here, too?"
"Aww, sweetie!" Mimi turned her attention to Amy, and Sora sighed with relief. "You know how it is. A girl has needs, especially after that break."
Amy's lips twitched into a begrudging smile, then straightened back out. Sora couldn't help but wonder if they were thinking the same thing: Were they seriously at it for two whole days? Is that even possible? Sora was moving a little stiffly, and it had only been one night of love making, each episode separated by two or three hours of rest.
"Where should we go?" Amy asked at last, moving the conversation past Mimi's words. "Matt's sleeping in our room. I assume Joe is sleeping in yours, Mimi? Izzy's in class, but he has his key with him."
"You have Matt's key, right?" Sora asked. Amy nodded and pulled it from her pocket, then handed it over to Sora.
"Isn't Tai here?" Mimi asked. "I know he wouldn't be awake yet."
Amy shook her head and smiled, but she was shifting her weight nervously. "Ah- well- he said that he, uh, didn't want to be around when everyone, you know… Reunited? So, uh, yeah, he'll be here in two days, I think he said."
Ah. Tai's so touchy about being around couples. Sora nodded and fell into line behind Amy, who was leading the way to Matt and Tai's room. I wish he would find someone. He's a good guy, if a bit difficult at times. I wonder what he's looking for in a girlfriend? She was thinking of the girls in her tennis club, and of the pool of regular volunteers who modeled the clothing designed by the more advanced fashion students.
"Man, that boy needs to get laid," Mimi commented, drawing attention to the obvious, as usual. A sigh came from Amy.
"I think he actually needs more than that," she muttered, not looking back at Sora and Mimi. The two of them shared a look, and Sora could practically feel Mimi's desire to ask questions, but Amy cut her off with a hurried, "But that's none of my business."
Sora was glad that they were at the boys' room at this point. She hurriedly worked the lock, hoping to get them inside before further questions were asked. Whatever Amy was thinking, she was uncomfortable, and Sora didn't wish that on her roommate.
Soon, Amy and Mimi were sitting side-by-side on Tai's bed, and Sora was settling onto Matt's. "Alright," Mimi said, her legs swinging enthusiastically. "What was everyone up to over break?"
Amy smiled invitingly at her, so Sora went ahead and started. "It was great. I didn't realize how much I missed Japan until I got there… Especially my mother." Sora paused to collect herself. Her mother had wiped her eyes a few times at the airport when she thought that Sora wasn't looking, which hadn't helped her retain her composure.
I'm so sorry, mom, she thought for the hundredth time. Thank you for letting me follow my heart, even when it leads me away from you.
"Your mom must be really nice," Amy said, and Sora stared at her blankly, surprised by the comment.
"O-oh? What makes you say that?"
Amy shrugged. "Well, you obviously love her a lot, is all, and you have good judgment in character. So…" Amy didn't seem to realize that she was saying something sweet, and she was casually watching her, as if she had just commented on something trivial.
"She is very nice," Sora said at last. "And she also has great taste, so I had her help me pick souvenirs for you two." There, she thought, satisfied in her ability to change the subject to something that didn't make her heart ache.
Amy began to turn pink before her eyes. "I- ah- you have something for me? I, I don't have anything to give you in return… Are you sure it's okay?"
"Calm down," Sora said, laughing faintly. She opened the bag she had carried out of her room and extracted two mounds of bubble wrap. "It's just a small souvenir. It's a Japanese custom to bring one back for friends. I meant to give it to you when I got here, but…"
Mimi grinned and cocked an eyebrow. "You were… distracted."
"Hmm," Sora said, fighting to keep her face neutral. "I see you don't want yours, Mimi."
Mimi laughed, a delighted, surprised sound, and held her hands out. "Sorry, sorry. I want it!" Sora couldn't help but smile. It felt pretty great to make Mimi back down, at least in a playful way.
Mimi accepted the gift with enthusiastic thanks, but Amy looked uncomfortable. Although Sora was being serious about the Japanese custom of gift giving, it shamed her slightly to admit that she had an ulterior motive. Amy seemed fairly comfortable around her now, but there was still a distance between them. Sora wanted to tear down another wall in the labyrinth that Amy dwelt in, and she hoped that a trinket from the country Amy fangirled over would do the trick.
Mimi was already cooing over Sora's gift of cosmetics only available in Japan, but Amy's lump of bubble wrap was still fully intact. "I… It's very kind of you, Sora, but- but-" A mixture of impatience and a sense of purpose filled Sora, reminding her of her childhood in Japan, where she had tried to win the acceptance of stray cats with little treats. As then, she held perfectly still and waited, hoping for her target to come closer.
"Oh, get over it, Amy," Mimi said, rolling her eyes. She reached over and snapped the piece of tape holding the wrapping together. "One of your girls brought you a present. It's seriously rude not to open it. Besides, I wanna see what you got!"
"Oh! I didn't mean to be rude…" She shifted through the plastic, and, finally, a glass bauble was in the palm of her hand, with a delicate chime draping over her wrist.
"Wow! It's so pretty!" Amy lifted the chime by its top string, and Sora flinched. She was all too familiar with Amy's clumsiness and heavy, clunky movements. But a subtle flick of the wrist had the chime ringing airily, and Amy's smile morphed into an over-sized grin. "Did you hear that?!" she demanded of Mimi. "It sounds so light and sweet! And are these sakura painted on it?"
"I should have known you'd guess." There was a warmth spreading in Sora's chest, and she was so glad that she picked up something for the two of them. Amy especially looked like a little girl with a new, coveted toy.
"Thank you so much, Sora. I really love it." Amy amused herself for a few moments by ringing the chime at different angles.
There was a pause, which didn't seem to suit Mimi. "I had a great break, too," she announced, pulling her legs demurely beside her. "It was so warm and beautiful in California! I spent most of it on the beach."
"That sounds amazing," Sora said. Amy offered no comment; her eyes were riveted to the hand-painted sakura on her chime.
"The only bad thing was that I had the worst time trying to get Joe to use his web cam the way I wanted him to," Mimi continued. Sora cleared her throat and hoped that Amy wouldn't ask, but her roommate chose that exact moment to start paying attention again.
"What do you mean? There's only one way to use a webcam, yeah?"
Oh, dear. Mimi started smirking, and poor Amy gave her a bemused look. "Well, sweetie. You see… When a girl and a boy who are, ah, involved have to spend some time apart…"
"Stars. Stars. Okay. I'm gonna stop you there," Amy said, dropping her face into her hands. Mimi's tinkling laugh filled the room.
"How was your break, Amy?" Sora asked, changing the subject. Amy blinked and rang the chime a few times, as if its clear tones would help her come up with an answer.
Mimi nudged her and slid closer, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Well, you were the only one of us with access to her boy."
"I- Mimi!" Amy started to color, and Sora had to fight down a laugh. "Seriously, that's like all you talk about these days!"
"I can't help it!" Mimi cried, resting her head against Amy's. "What can I say, I have a man who delivers! When I can get him to stop being bashful, anyway."
"I do not need to hear this about my lab partner," Amy muttered. Her dark eyes rose to the ceiling. Sora was inclined to agree, although she was amused enough to let it slide.
"Fine. So spill already, girl!" Amy looked over at Sora, who shrugged apologetically. Frankly, she wanted to hear about Amy's break, too, although perhaps not in the same way that Mimi did.
"Well… I don't know what to tell you. Mostly I worked with the bats, you know. Izzy and I actually didn't have much overlap of free time during the break. He started classes early in the morning, then worked for Dr. Edwards in the mid afternoon, then did class work in the evenings. I shifted my whole schedule back, since vampire bats only feed at full dark. Usually I'm sleeping right now, but Mimi woke me up."
"What? Amy, why didn't you tell me that?!" Mimi demanded, squishing Amy with a one-armed embrace. Sora frowned. She was much more interested in the implication of Amy's words.
"So… You're saying you and Izzy weren't actually together that often?"
"Well- we- well-" Amy sighed uncomfortably and nuzzled into Mimi, which wasn't a good sign. "Not really, no."
Sora shared an uncertain look with Mimi. "Weren't you lonely?" she asked slowly. "You know, you're always welcome to talk to me about anything. And Matt, too." Sora was sure Amy hadn't told Matt anything about this. He would have mentioned it to her, she was sure of it.
"I wasn't lonely," Amy said quickly. She sighed again, and her arms crossed under her chest. "Tai kept popping in. He said he was bored at home, you know, since his family was at school and work, but I think he was mostly here for the parties, since a lot of the frat guys stayed in their houses. And…"
Amy's lips thinned to a grim line, and Sora edged closer. "And?"
"Well… I think he was… I don't know. It's silly, and I'm probably way off, but I feel like he was curious about Izzy and me. But of course, by the time he got here, Izzy was usually in class, and I was doing clerical work for the professor who hired me in the afternoon. Tai's not exactly good at waking up."
"And anyway," she continued, cutting off Mimi, whose mouth had opened, "I mean, we were both busy. Izzy and I."
"I don't like this," Mimi said, speaking loudly, drowning Amy out with shrill volume. "I was afraid of this! That boy's not treating you right, is he?! Is the sex good, at least?!"
Sora shook her head instinctively, knowing that Amy wouldn't take that question well. Sure enough, Amy shrank away from Mimi, colored, and began to babble. "I don't- we don't- we're not- That's, that's not really your business?"
"What?" Mimi demanded, recoiling from Amy. "You're not…?"
Amy pulled her legs up, drawing them against her chest, looking confused and defeated. "Mimi," Sora began gently, "not everyone expresses their feelings in the same way. And not every relationship moves at the same pace. As long as Amy is comfortable and happy with what's going on in her relationship, then that's all that matters."
Mimi took a deep breath and rubbed at her forehead. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. So, I guess the question is… Are you happy with how things are going with Izzy?"
"Mimi," Sora began, hoping to let Amy off the hook. Mimi tsked impatiently and crossed her arms.
"What? It's an important question! You know Amy, she'll just keep quiet, even if she's unhappy. So, what is it?"
Amy pressed herself up against Tai's pillow. "I really enjoy our time together," she said carefully. "But… I do wish there was more of it. And I'm worried about this upcoming semester… He's taking harder classes, working for Dr. Edwards, and somehow, he got roped into being a TA for an intro CS course, as well."
"Do you want him?" Sora rubbed a hand up her arm, trying to pretend that Mimi hadn't just said that.
"Of course I do," Amy said, and Sora felt her brow rise. She hadn't expected Amy to admit to such a thing, but then, Amy could be strangely calm about things that she could break down to a biological level. "But he always changes the subject whenever things start moving in that direction, and I haven't been able to figure out how to get around that."
"Just ask him why he's changing the subject," Mimi said, rolling her eyes, as if it was the simplest matter in the world. Easy for you to say, Mimi, Sora thought, shaking her head. But not everyone is as confident as you are.
Amy began to fluff the pillow with nervous, twitchy hand motions. "I'm not going to force it," she said at last. Mimi began to interrupt, but Amy held a hand up. "I really want to make sure things work with Izzy. And, anyway… When it comes to that sort of thing, I sort of have… circumstances."
"Circumstances?" Mimi echoed. "What the heck are you-" Then, suddenly, Mimi paled, and Sora half rose, alarmed at the look on her face. "Oh, my God! You're not talking about Jerry, are you?!"
Sora was completely lost at this point, although she did seem to remember Amy showing signs of having had a negative romantic relationship in the past. Amy, she noticed, was breathing quickly and shallowly, and Sora had the urge to sit beside her and pat her back.
"I am," Amy said at last. "But… I just don't want to talk about it, Mimi." A look of mixed hurt and outrage passed Mimi's face, but Amy stood and made her way to the door, regardless.
"What- where are you going? Are you alright?" Sora stood and took a few steps towards her.
"I'm alright. And… Mimi. I know you want to hear about Jerry because you care about me. I promise I'll fill you in soon, but… Not right now, okay?"
Mimi's tiny hands tightened around Tai's comforter, wrinkling it. "I… Okay? So, where are you going?"
"I know what class Izzy's in right now. I won't understand a word of it, but I… I didn't see him yesterday, and I just…"
"Say no more," Sora said, taking the last few steps towards Amy. She followed her roommate out of the room and into the hall, where she placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Amy… I know this isn't my business, and I hope I'm not out of line in saying this, but… If you really want to make things work with Izzy, I think you should talk to him about how you want to see more of him, and about… What else you want from your relationship."
Amy stared at her for a long moment, then briefly touched her hand. "Thanks for the wind chime, Sora," she said. Then she turned and made her way down the hallway.
Sora watched her for a moment, then went back into the room. That went well, she thought miserably.
About Three Weeks Later
Izzy settled into a stiff wooden chair. He shifted about, but no amount of maneuvering made it more comfortable. He disliked being in this tiny room in the computer science building. It was one of the ones reserved for TA office hours, and, although Izzy's need for accoutrements was low, its dreariness drained his mood. Like the dorm rooms, its walls were painted cinderblocks, and the lighting was provided by harsh, overhead bulbs that filled the room with a sickly yellow glow. There were no windows, as this was a sub-basement. Although the separation from students attending class was welcome, the sounds of feet trampling overhead, the buzz of the lights, and the groaning radiator created a cacophony that rose to a din in the quiet of solitude.
The room hosted a tiny chalk board that had faded from green to an olive yellow, his spindly chair, an uneven, battered table, and a few more seats for students. So far, those extra chairs had been unnecessary. Although a handful of beginning CS students had attended his first two weeks of sectional classes, no one had come to the office hours that he was forced to offer. However, the professor had just returned the first quiz of the semester to the students, and, having graded a third of them, Izzy was fairly sure he'd have visitors today.
His eyes kept flicking anxiously towards the door. The solitude of his last few sessions had been a welcome relief, as he had accomplished a lot of his own work in that time. This had freed up his evening, allowing him a chance to spend time with Amy before her midterm hysteria set in. Izzy's tongue slid absently over his lips as he indulged in the memory, allowing it to displace the work on the monitor in front of him.
All too soon, the foreign sound of footsteps in the hall caught his attention. Frowning, he looked up from his laptop's display just in time to see someone slip through the doorway, moving with a quiet grace, like the shadows of tree branches in the wind. A pair of green eyes locked onto his, then blinked and narrowed.
"This is your office hour period, right?" a female voice demanded. Izzy pried his glance away from that defensive glare and took in the rest of the student's appearance. She was a female, which was somewhat rare among CS students, and a tiny one, at that. And, strangely, she seemed very familiar to him, although Izzy could not fathom why.
But he did know that she was showing visible signs of annoyance. Belatedly, he realized that he was scowling at her, an automatic reaction to the appearance of the first partaker in his office hours. He could feel the strain in his facial muscles as he straightened out his lips, mellowing his expression.
"Yes. Please, have a seat." He gestured towards the dilapidated office chairs opposite his table. He only hoped that he appeared as nonchalant and disinterested as usual. Izzy had tried to tell Dr. Edwards that, while he could handle the impersonal attention of a class of students, he was uncomfortable with one-on-one tutoring. But the professor had pointed out that a friend needed a TA, that he more or less owned Izzy's ass, and that the position paid eleven dollars and hour. So, here he sat, facing an irritable-looking girl who was eerily familiar. She made something of a show of pulling her chair in, and it squeaked intermittently as she settled.
When he stayed quiet and still, she sighed and unzipped her backpack. "I'm here because I bombed the quiz." So saying, she splayed a paper down onto the faux wood.
Izzy's lips twitched. Ah. So it's you. He immediately recognized his own handwriting on the paper, and the plethora of red markings, growing more messy and irritable as their numbers grew, immediately sparked the memory of grading this catastrophe.
"Well… What don't you understand?" The query was made to get the girl talking, and to hopefully stop fixing him with that look of frustration. The answer was obviously 'a lot,' given the quiz results.
A faint, feathery eyebrow rose. "Can you just… go over all of them?"
I was afraid you'd say that. Although he did prefer being left alone, Izzy didn't actually mind helping students. But he was worried that they would start to filter in continuously, all wanting his undivided attention, and he had no idea how to handle that situation.
"Alright," he said evenly, standing up and heading over to the chalkboard. "Now, the point of the first question was to identify the code problem causing the described error-"
"You really look familiar," the girl interrupted. "It's weird. I feel like I've met you before?"
Izzy stared at the stained, faded chalkboard for a moment, annoyed to have his explanation cut off so soon. "Perhaps we cross paths frequently on campus," he allowed, not glancing away from what he was writing out, "as you seem familiar to me, as well."
"Maybe. Are you at the PAC often?"
Izzy shook his head. He had never stepped foot inside the performing arts center, and he didn't see why she would, either. "Why would you frequent that building?" he asked, finally turning away from the chalkboard. "Are you not a beginning CS student?"
The girl sighed and frowned down at her quiz. "I guess," she said reluctantly, crossing her arms. Izzy cocked an eyebrow, not bothering to voice the obvious question. In his experience, women generally had a way of elaborating unprompted… Excepts, perhaps, in the case of Amy.
"I'm a CS minor. Most people don't know this, but our school is affiliated with a school of dance. The professors can take buses to come here and teach, and the students can take them to the other school for classes."
"Ah," Izzy said, tipping his head. "Yes, I'm made to understand that there is a similar service to a nearby institute of music, and a prestigious one, at that." Amy spoke with great excitement of attending classes there, once her basics in the program here were completed. Sometimes that excitement soured to doubt that she would be accepted in that advanced program, given that the school was world famous.
Those thoughts cut off when he combined the ideas of Amy and this girl. Somehow, Amy had been there when he met this student, and arts had been involved, hadn't they? "Were you- Did I meet you on Halloween?" he asked, tapping a piece of chalk against the board. Some of the particulars of that night had faded from his memory, at least those unrelated to taking Amy back to the dorm, but he seemed to recall meeting a friend of Ryo Hiraki's. "You were dressed as a ballerina."
"I am a ballerina," the girl returned, crossing her arms. "I was dressed as Odette from Swan Lake."
"Yes, of course," Izzy murmured, entirely disinterested in the distinction. "Well, that solves that mystery."
"I'm Hana Livry," she offered, holding out her hand. Izzy hesitated, unwilling as always to be touched. "I don't remember your name, sorry." That much was an obvious prompt to get this introduction rolling, and Izzy shook her hand and offered his name, then turned back to the board.
"Now. Getting back to the quiz…"
Students dribbled in as he went over the questions, and the remaining hour and a half of the period sped by in a haze of questions and baseless demands for undeserved points on the quiz. Izzy was surprised to find that he had gone over his period by fifteen minutes, and that it was necessary to clear the room of students who wanted more help.
"I'll go over the quiz again during sectionals, so be sure to attend if you still have questions. I'll also be here at the same time and place on Thursday."
"What's your number?" Izzy turned and was surprised to see that Hana was still in the room. He had been too engrossed in his task of explaining things to notice the presence of anyone who wasn't directly speaking to him. "TAs are supposed to provide their email and phone number to students."
Izzy tried not to grimace. Hana was correct, of course, but that did nothing for his mood. Holding sectional classes he could abide- actually, he was finding that he rather liked it. Grading papers could grow tiresome, but he enjoyed trying to unravel the thought processes of strangers. Office hours were tolerable, if somewhat trying. But this notion of being at the continual beck and call of confused students sat poorly with him. Reluctantly, he wrote his information out on the board, and, out of annoyance, said, "You would already know them if you had bothered to come to your first two sectionals."
"Oooh!" Hana cried, bending over the table and laughing. "Sassy nerd! Just for that, I'll actually start coming, just to annoy you." Her fingertips rapidly moved against her cell as she spoke, inputting his contact information.
He felt his lips dip into a grimace. What calamities have I wrought? he wondered, and something of his thought process must have shown on his face, because Hana broke into fresh laughter at the sight of it.
"See you tomorrow, then, Izzy," she said, waving cheerfully as she slipped into the hallway.
Izzy stared at the doorway for a few moments. Prodigious, he thought, shaking his head slowly. Sighing, he stood, packed his bag, and headed to the diner, where he was scheduled to meet with Amy and Joe. Two rational, sane people, thank you very much.
Author's Note: And there you have it, folks. She's been hanging around in the background for a while now. From now on, Hana will be a regular character.
Man, Amy is the worst about avoiding things. Clearly, Izzy still hasn't heard a word of what's on her mind.
