Author's note: All of you lovely reviewers, story favoriters, alerters, and even you silent readers have made writing this such a pleasure; I've loved hearing from you, and I am very excited to see what you have to say as we move forward. This chapter is for PrimeLaughter, who provided me with a very kind review.
AP classes are Advanced or college level classes, for those who don't know.
Enjoy! :)
What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.
L sat in his college level course on U.S. History with a decidedly bland expression on his face. He didn't really need to be in the class- he'd read the textbook within the first week and intended to do so again prior to taking his exam. He sighed. Regardless of whether or not he actually needed to be there, he was there, and was required to be there for the remainder of the year. He shifted in his seat in order to view the clock.
Exactly twenty-nine minutes until he'd be leaving to spend the day with Light.
They'd been communicating non-stop for weeks, now, and had switched to texting for convenience. They'd continued to learn more about each other, sharing things they would have never considered sharing with anyone else.
L felt a sort of buoyancy, a fluttering in his chest that he had never felt before.
He had never felt this sort of understanding with another human being before.
His childhood had been horrendous; the other children had alienated him, mocked him, and on some occasions even assaulted him. His parents weren't much better. So, he'd retreated into a life of books and observation, watching and learning for a time when he would have people to talk to. Over the years, people stopped mocking him openly- this happened roughly around the same time that they realized that he'd be willing to help them with their homework when they refrained from being awful to him. He'd even managed to cultivate a few friends, of sorts. Even in high school, though, it was obvious to L and to everyone else that he did not quite fit. People spoke to him, but not as freely as they would to their other peers- peers that also cared about who had attended Aiber's parties, and about what cars everyone was driving.
Until he'd began talking to Light, he'd been infinitely frustrated with himself for even feeling lonely; he did not want what his peers had with each other in their ridiculously superficial relationships, and he definitely did not want it with any of them, especially after having tried and failed with his peers twice before.
But now he understood. After discovering what it felt like to feel completely understood and accepted by an individual such as Light, he had immense difficulty imagining himself retreating back into his head, away from the company of an (incredibly) attractive like-minded individual.
He huffed slightly. What time was it? Time had begun to drag very perceptively and-
Speak- or think, rather- of the devil. Aiber had materialized beside his desk, and had apparently been waiting for some sort of acknowledgement.
When he'd looked at him, Aiber smiled slowly, much like how one would imagine a cat smiling, if it were to smile at its prey with all of its teeth.
"May I help you, Aiber?" L had an eyebrow raised to skewer him, but the intensity of his glare was lost slightly due to the fact that he kept trying to see around Aiber's muscular torso to the clock on the far wall. When L realized that Aiber intended to remain in front of the clock, he stopped trying to see it and merely sighed. He assumed Aiber would not leave until he had gotten whatever it was that he wanted. Wouldn't he just leave?
Aiber's grin, still wide and predatorial, assured L that the answer would be no.
"Well, L," began Aiber, "I just wanted to ask you about your notes for AP English, to see if I might be able to look at them, but you've been thinking a hole into the wall for the last ten minutes. So then I decided to stand here and see just how long you'd take to notice me."
L rolled his eyes internally, but managed to reign his sarcasm in enough to deliver a mere scorching deadpan.
"You were in class today, Aiber. What could you conceivably need the notes for?"
"It took you six minutes to notice," said Aiber. The way he managed to inject both stupidity and juvenile humor into his voice really made L want to run head first into a wall until his scull concaved. "Just, yanno, in case you were wondering. What are you thinking about?"
L turned to really look at him. Aiber did not ask any questions outside the sphere of slight mockery or academics. He'd been opening his mouth to respond when he felt a buzzing against his thigh and an accompanying swell of joy high in his throat; that buzz meant Light had landed safely in the local airport.
He'd flown in on a private jet.
When L had included "preferably successful" on his profile, he had not meant that he needed someone who was wealthy, but Light surely was.
L did not have any designs on Light's money, but he could certainly appreciate the fact that Light's money made it rather easy and convenient for them to meet.
As L was excitedly rifling in his pocket for his cell phone, Aiber made a small "hmmph" noise in his throat. When L looked up at him questioningly he found Aiber's eyes looking at him the same way.
"Now who could that text be from? You don't usually text," said Aiber. L's brow furrowed. He had not noted Aiber watching him more closely than anyone else did. Aiber continued on with his questioning. "And here are you going today? I saw you give Mr. Rester that note at the beginning of class."
L paused before answering. He hoped that pause had given Aiber time to see just how little right he had to be asking him those questions. He realized it had not, as Aiber's facial expression did not crumple in the slightest. He sighed internally, then soldiered on with the same lie he'd written on the note to his teacher and would tell anyone who asked the following day.
"Not that it's any of your business, Aiber, but I have a doctor's appointment this morning."
He leaned around Aiber, who had finally moved to the side enough for him to see the clock.
"In about seventeen minutes, in fact." L looked at Aiber with a complete lack of expression that he hoped belied his disinterest in continuing the conversation. Aiber just looked at him like a kicked puppy.
"Fine," Aiber said sulkily. "I'll see you in AP Government fourth period."
He then walked casually back to his seat and picked up the thread of conversation of those around him more easily and naturally than L could properly comprehend. L shook his head, and turned back to his computer to compile more notes for the project they were working on when he remembered that he hadn't yet replied to Light's text message. His long fingered hands quickly found his phone again. He opened the message.
L, just arrived at the airport. Picking up the rental car now- I'll be there in about ten minutes. Incredibly excited to finally see you in person.
L suppressed his answering grin, and typed out a response.
It's mutual- time has slowed down rather profoundly all morning. I'm checking out of school now; see you shortly.
He stood up abruptly, collected his things, returned his computer to the cubby it belonged in and walked out of the classroom. He'd already given his "parent note" to both his teacher and the attendance woman, so he was able to slip out of school without question. Not that he wouldn't have been able to without a note; in direct contrast to the student body's uneasy acceptance of L, every single teacher and administrator in his school loved him, and basically let him do as he pleased.
Oh, the benefits of being a higher level student.
He walked out of the main building and down onto the main road, which was never very busy. It was a grey day, but he was rather fond of grey days, so it did nothing to damper his mood. He was walking down the sidewalk to get to the Burger King close to his school- it was where he'd told Light to pick him up. While it was a strange place to meet a potential lover for the first time, he'd felt that allowing Light to pick him up at school would invite both uncomfortable attention and unwanted questions.
So he'd chosen the Burger King.
Once he'd finally gotten there, he dashed off to the bathroom to evaluate his reflection in the mirror. He'd agonized over an outfit all morning, and some of the night- although being awake at those times was not particularly unusual for him and his monster case of insomnia- but had finally settled on an ensemble involving a pair of black corduroys, neatly cuffed at the ankle, a crisp white button-up shirt, and a lovely blue wool sweater. He also fiddled with his hair some, but he knew that was a lost cause. His incredibly thick hair would do nothing other than exactly what it pleased at all times.
He fiddled anyway, until his leg vibrated- once, twice, three times. He pulled the phone out of his pocket with incredible speed to answer the call.
"Hello?" L answered with what he hoped was a reasonably steady voice.
"Hey, L, I'm here- come on out."
L felt an indescribable rush of joy, exhilaration, and also some fear. He hoped he measured up to what Light wanted in person.
He walked out of the bathroom, past Burger King's elderly morning patrons, and into the slight chill of the February morning.
He was met with a view that caught his breath in his throat; the man from the pictures and texts, here in front of him, all lean muscle and caramel apple eyes.
When he remembered how to use his legs, L began to walk towards Light.