Chapter 9: Study Buddies
"Why the long face?" Cagalli said as she closed her locker.
Athrun was staring down at his notebook, frowning. Cagalli raised an eyebrow. The book was closed, but his expression showed that there was something about the book that was troubling him.
"Athrun?"
He sighed. "It's friday," he said in monotone.
"Yup!" Cagalli grinned widely. "Isn't that a good thing?"
He looked at her, smiled, then shut his locker; his notebook in hand.
"Yeah...but we have Orb History next and let's just say I'm not too fond of that class."
A soft gasp escaped her lips.
"Here I was thinking that the top student, Athrun Zala, of the elite Zaft High, loved and excelled in all of his classes."
She smirked.
"Is that a joke?"
She shook her head. "It's no secret. I catch on to things fast anyway. Nicol also told me things."
Athrun sighed again.
"You're one of the smartest people from your old school, right? That's saying a lot. What is there to worry about?"
"I never cared much about history...and this is going to sound really bad, but I don't know much about Orb's history."
Cagalli gave him such an incredulous look that Athrun could feel his cheeks become red from embarrassment.
"It's the capital city," Cagalli stated.
"I know…"
"And it is where we go to school."
"I know! I know a lot of our country's history, but I never really focused-just forget it."
He slammed his back against the locker, rattling it, and slouched. His broken up face made Cagalli feel guilty.
"Why did you pick it?"
He looked at her.
"You chose it right?" she continued. "I know I chose it because knowledge of Orb has been beaten into my brain since I could talk, but why didn't you choose a different course?"
He stared at the ceiling, looking as if he were reflecting on something.
"History is important and, since I have to live here now, I thought it would be best to learn more of its history...and, it is the capital city." He finished off mockingly.
She giggled, they both did. They stared at each other for a moment, smiling. It was comforting to Cagalli, similar to the comfort she felt around Kira. She assumed that was a good thing, that Athrun was someone she could trust, but something bothered her and that was the other things that came with the comfort. She hadn't known him long, but the more time she spent around him the more heated a room would get, the more her heart rate increased, or the more sweaty her palms would become. It unnerved her...she was not used to feeling that way.
"I have an idea," she said.
Athrun gave her a questioning look.
"I'm not that great at science—-I don't care much about it anyway— but you are!"
"Okay…"
"Since I'm more knowledgeable in Orb History and you're better at science, why don't we tutor each other? At least help one another out in those subjects. It helps that we have those classes together."
Athrun pondered this, and he pondered longer than Cagalli was willing to wait. He noticed her building frustration and he smirked.
"Sounds good."
Her face lit up.
"Great! Let's start today-unless you have something to do afterschool…"
"Today is good."
"Okay, we could head to the library! It should be fairly empty since it's the weekend."
Athrun laughed.
"What's so funny?"she growled, her cheeks becoming puffy.
"You. I never seen someone so excited to study on a Friday afternoon."
Her face turned red.
"I just...I think it would be…ugh! We're running late, so come on." with that, she ran ahead of him.
Athrun smiled as he watched her go. He took his phone out of his pocket. The clock read 1:15p. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. He found himself following her lead.