"Doc!" Wynonna exclaimed.
"Wynonna, darlin'," came the voice of Doc Henry, who spread his outstretched hands in a welcoming gesture. "What a sight for sore eyes."
Glancing at Wynonna, Waverly gauged whether the older Earp was going to speak, before giving a little wave and saying, "Hey there, Doc."
"Waverly," said Doc, tipping his hat in her direction. He leaned against the handle of his dark brown leather suitcase, breathing deeply out his nose. "It really is good to see you two."
Waverly was about to say something in response when Wynonna hollered, "Red!"
Wynonna dashed off towards a slender girl with short, wavy red hair. The redhead was bent over, gathering her things. She turned around at the sound of Wynonna's voice before being barreled over.
"Ah!" The redhead tumbled to the ground, Wynonna attached to her at the hip. "Glad to... see you too... W-Wynonna." The girl gasped and groaned before prying herself out of Wynonna's grip. As the red-haired girl stood, she brushed off her pants, a few strands of dried grass falling on top of a light blue duffle bag.
"Did you miss me, Haught?" Wynonna clapped the girl on the back. Haught bowed slightly at the unexpected thump, another breath escaping her.
"More like you missed me," Haught replied after a second.
Wynonna chuckled. "Sure, Haught."
The brash sister turned back towards Doc and Waverly, calling, "Hey, Waves, baby girl, come meet Nicole."
Waverly, the outgoing social butterfly she normally was, did not hesitate to follow Wynonna's command.
Waverly had heard many things about Nicole, so it was strange to finally meet her in person. Wynonna never brought Nicole home, instead preferring to spend time with Haught out on the town. Nicole seemed a lot prettier in person.
Nicole Haught offered her hand, lips turned up at one corner into a small smile. Waverly sensed Nicole's natural charisma the second she saw that little smile. She could only imagine how much more alluring Nicole got once she smiled in full, flashing a set of shiny white teeth, catching all onlookers in a web of inescapable charm...
And combined with that hair? Oh, man, the hair! Nicole's hair was a colorful bright red and reflected a few of the sun's rays, creating a light sheen. Waverly was sure that the smile-hair combo was a surefire shot to any normal person's composure. Nicole's hair stopped around the base of her neck, neatly trimmed and perfectly wavy with a side part on the left side of her head. A few pieces of hair had strayed from the rest, falling across her face in a way that seemed unintentional but looked as fitting as if it was thought out, strand by strand.
The hand presented itself again.
"H-hi," Waverly stuttered, quickly shaking Nicole's hand and cursing in her head. She had been so busy in her thought tangent about Nicole's effortless magnetism that in making a first impression, she had faltered.
"Hey," Nicole said easily. Her smile widened at Waverly initiating conversation, and Waverly caught a glimpse of those picture-perfect teeth. "Waverly, is it?"
"Um, yeah," Waverly blurted, still hung up in confusion over her previous blunder. She was unused to being tentative and unsure in conversation. Not even with boys did her voice fail her. It hadn't even failed when she was in the beginning stages of her relationship with Champ, the most hesitant and uncertain she'd ever been in her life.
Up until this point.
Waverly hadn't even spoken a full sentence to Haught and was already overanalyzing the girl, getting distracted by her conclusions.
"Waverly," said Nicole, saying the name slowly. "Pretty name for a pretty girl."
Cheeks turning red from her first words to Nicole, Waverly nodded dumbly at the mention of her name, skipping over the compliment entirely, before realizing what Nicole had said.
"Oh... Th-thanks. I like your name, too, Nicole... Haught." Waverly tried a charismatic smile of her own, wiping her previous unsteady responses from her mind and failing in the process. This was off to a rough start.
Nicole smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, most people do," she said without thinking, "I mean, thank you." Nicole mentally kicked herself. "Most people like the joke aspect of it."
"Joke?" Waverly innocently asked, a confused expression passing over her face.
Nicole mentally kicked herself again. "Ah, sorry, I thought you were talking about the puns you can make with my name."
"Puns? Oh!" Waverly's face lit up with understanding. "Haught... as in... 'hot.'" Waverly gestured towards the sun.
Nicole's smile turned apologetic and her face felt warm with embarrassment. She'd assumed Waverly was another person making a bland pun, and instead, had come off accusatory and sensitive.
Waverly's brows crinkled cutely. "I can't believe I didn't make that connection." Waverly let out a light-hearted laugh.
Nicole couldn't help but laugh too. "You've got to be the first. A pun is usually the first thing I'm told."
"Glad to be the exception."
"Honestly? Me too."
Nicole narrowed her eyes quickly in contemplation, scolding herself. Her response left much to be desired. And to be interpreted.
Me too? Waverly thought. What am I supposed to say to that? Me too, as in glad someone finally didn't crack a joke? Glad that I am the one to not have made a joke? What? Waverly had confused herself with her own thoughts. Her head was in a tizzy.
She decided to laugh it off.
Nicole laughed along and said, "I better get my bag to my room." She picked up the light blue duffle that sat on the ground. "It's been nice speaking with you, Waverly Earp. See you around."
"Leaving so soon, Haught?" Wynonna had migrated over to Doc, an arm slung over his shoulders, but still noticed the redhead trying to sneak off.
"Sorry, Wynonna, but I still have things to put away. I need to clean up and organize before classes start." The excuse sounded lamer in real life than it had in Nicole's head.
"Okay," Wynonna conceded, after giving the slender girl a long and dubious look. "Just make sure you don't make any bad choices while you're out picking up girls."
"Wyn-" Nicole started to protest but thought better of it and clamped her mouth shut. Wynonna smirked, turning her attention back to Doc and diving straight back into whatever conversation they'd been having.
Nicole glanced at Waverly, maintaining eye contact for a moment too long, before leaving with one last wave goodbye.
Nicole exited too quickly for Waverly's liking.
Was I really that awful? I didn't say bye... or anything, for that matter. She left so quick, Waverly thought worriedly. Nicole left to put things away. Should I do the same? Getting organized does sound like the smart thing to do.
Waverly looked to Wynonna, who was chattering away with John Henry. After deciding Wynonna could do without her, Waverly gathered her things and headed for the dorm, still flustered over a certain red-haired girl.