A/N: I'm so pleased with your response to this story. Please continue to review, favourite and follow, it genuinely means a lot.
I've also changed the rating on this from T to M cos who knows what's gonna happen with these two, thank you to the guest who pointed out it was no longer appearing in the regular forum, I know that this doesn't include stories with an M rating so that should make it easier to find it in future.
So, there's still some turbulence to come in the story, after all Vausemen don't do easy.
Have at it guys...
Chapter #4…
Next Monday came around far too soon for Piper. Whilst she was overjoyed at the thought of spending time alone with Alex, who had consistently invaded her thoughts and dreams, the week had passed in a blur of introductions and names she would never remember. Piper hadn't seen anything of Alex since their first encounter and felt her stomach flip at the thought of being in her presence once again. Piper had also made one solid friendship in her first week. Lorna Morello happened to be in all of Piper's classes, had the same taste in music and films as Piper, and lived in the same apartment complex, a mere two floors below Piper and Polly.
Piper and Lorna had agreed before the weekend to meet outside their building in order to walk to their Monday morning poetry lecture together. Thankfully the sun was shining above them today and Piper had consequently opted to wear her hair in loose waves, finishing just past her shoulders as it settled on the tight white tank she wore over her favourite light blue, ripped skinny jeans and her battered charcoal converse.
Piper and Lorna chatted aimlessly as they made the journey towards the main Smith campus, eventually settling on the topic of their upcoming poetry lecture.
"So how you finding the module? Healey can be a bit of a dick sometimes, especially towards poor Nicky but he really does know his stuff" Lorna ventured in her thick Brooklyn Boston crossover accent.
"Yeah, I know we're only a week in but I think it's definitely a favourite, the assignment looks good too, who did you get paired with?"
"I'm working with Carrie, although everyone calls her Big Boo, she's pretty smart beneath her tough, butch exterior y'know"
"Oh, I think I've seen her in one of my other lectures, I haven't had the chance to speak with her yet though"
"That's okay, you can come sit with us today and I'll introduce you to the group. Who did you get lumbered with Chapman? I tell you if it's any of them meth heads you've got to make sure they pull their weight, they're all out for a free ride and an easy life so they can rot away their teeth with endless meth."
"No, I'm working with Alex, y'know tall, black secretary glasses, long dark hair with electric blue tips?"
"You got Vause? No way! Now that's one smart cookie let me tell you! She's my girlfriend Nicky's best friend, has been for years, Nicky's in this lecture too by the way so I can introduce you to her as well, she's a bit of a live wire though so be warned! Oh, I can't believe you got paired with Vause, you've definitely got your work cut out keeping up with that one Chapman let me tell you!"
Seeing the worried expression on Piper's face, Lorna moved to swing her arm up and around Piper's shoulders offering her words of reassurance.
"No, you'll be fine, I'm sure you'll be fine Piper, c'mon lets go in and I'll introduce you to the group."
XxX
Alex had regained her position, back and centre of the lecture theatre, for the Monday morning poetry lecture. It was just far enough away for her eyes to be unable to focus clearly on Healey's protruding stomach or beady eyes and Alex considered that a definite win.
Today she had carefully deliberated over her choice of outfit, eventually deciding on her signature skin tight black jeans and biker boots, this time pairing it with a tight, grey V neck t-shirt that showed just enough cleavage to enable Alex to ascertain the extent of the effect she had on Piper and what exactly Piper was willing to do about it.
With Nicky sitting on her left and Boo on her right, the three conversed freely waiting for the remaining students to arrive.
"Fucking Sylvie man, not only do I have to work with her but then the bitch makes it damn near impossible to arrange any kind of meeting to start the piece of shit work in the first place!" Nicky grumbled, chewing open mouthed on some mint gum.
"Well you know she's got some grieving to do" Boo added leaning over Alex to waggle her eyebrows suggestively at the now intrigued Nicky. "She's no longer getting fucked by our favourite stalk of celery here and damn that's gotta be a tough loss for anybody."
Nicky gawked open mouthed at Boo, trying to decipher whether or not to believe the older woman. Looking at a silent Alex, still slouched in her chair, back to a nodding Boo, Nicky was given all the confirmation she needed.
"I gotta say I'm backing you all the way on that one Vause, that chick is mashed in the head" Nicky responded as she reclined back in her seat closing her eyes to process this latest snippet of information.
"Amen to that!" Boo chipped in, moving back to her own space, "and what present does the sweet Morello bring for us today? …ooh I like it!" Boo added, animatedly watching the doorway where Lorna and, more specifically, Piper had just entered.
The comment had both Nicky and Alex darting upright, trying to quickly regain their balance from their relaxed positions.
"That must be Chapman" Nicky surmised, "Morello took pity on her last week, she's just transferred from some other course so she hasn't got any friends, lives in Morello's building or something."
Alex remained silent as her eyes widened at the sight before her. She swiftly pulled her glasses from her hair, placing them back to rest on the bridge of her nose. Piper looked even better than she remember, she looked so fucking hot. The rips in her jeans giving glimpses of tanned and toned legs whilst the tight white tank revealed more bronzed flesh over a narrow waist and washboard abs that rippled under the surface of the material. Alex suddenly noticed the room feeling a whole lot hotter.
As Lorna and Piper ascended the stairs, Boo bounced eagerly awaiting her introduction to the blonde. As they reached the top step, Lorna pulled Piper to her side, struggling to tuck the taller woman under her right arm.
Piper immediately felt herself being scorched under the penetrative stare of Alex, a feeling she began to think she had imagined in the time since they had last met.
"Ladies, meet Piper… Piper this is Boo and that's Nicky, and Alex you've already met" Lorna announced courteously gesturing to each woman as she introduced them.
Piper took in each character, one at a time, from the intimidating appearance and over enthusiastic smile of Boo, to the wild mane of Nicky hiding her eyes, highlighted in dark makeup exactly as Lorna had described. Then there was Alex. The shimmering emerald eyes again drew her in, this time however, Piper noticed the immaculate wing tipped liner surrounding each eye, magnified under the lenses of the thick rimmed secretary glasses, and those luscious red lips pulled into that infuriating smirk. Piper's eyes traveled down the long pale neck, taking in the way Alex's collar bones protruded strongly from her flawless skin, electric blue tips a stark contrast to the alabaster flesh beneath, her right arm adorned in colourful tattoos that disappeared under the sleeve of her grey V neck that was offering up a large hint of cleavage.
"Blondie, hey" Nicky offered with a knowing smile and small wave, pulling Piper from her prolonged exploration of Alex's appearance. Piper swallowed hard, injecting as much effort as she could muster into painting on her well practiced introductory smile and directing it first to Nicky, then Boo.
"Already met?!" Boo questioned loudly, turning to look at a smirking Alex before returning her gaze to Lorna.
"Alex and Piper here have been paired together for the work assignment." Lorna answered sliding into the seat next to Boo, allowing Piper to take up the row end.
Boo spun to look again at Alex.
"Okay ladies and gentlemen, let's get started for today" Healey boomed from the front of the room.
Alex quirked her eyebrow towards Boo, offering a further smirk and a wink before settling in to listen to the commencing lecture.
"Un-fucking-believable" Boo mumbled, shrugging and shaking her head before eventually settling down to listen to the dull drone of Healey's gruff voice.
XxX
Piper sat rigidly still the entire duration of the lecture. She tried infinitely hard to focus on the wisdom of Healey's words, she was highly enthralled by today's lecture and yet her mind still wandered. So did her eyes. As if magnetic, Piper felt the cataclysmic tug of an unknown force pulling her blue orbs in the direction of Alex. Every single time she dared to chance a glimpse to her left, she was met by the glinting and mischievous stare of the brunette. She'd also caught Nicky's eye a couple of times too.
Piper considered how she could contemplate spending any time alone with Alex when after barely two hours and sitting two people away from her she felt she could spontaneously combust in an instant.
All too soon and yet still not quickly enough for Piper, the lecture abruptly ended, signalling the mass exodus of students. From the row end, Piper was enveloped in the wave of movement leading both Lorna and Boo, amongst a mass of others, out of the door.
Alex and Nicky eventually followed, with many other students between themselves and the other three.
"Finishing with Sylvie then eye fucking blondie the entire lecture, man, you don't hang around Vause, I like your style my friend" Nicky winked, jabbing the taller woman in the ribs with her elbow.
Alex remained silent, the smirk and raise of her eyebrows enough of an answer for Nicky.
"Good luck getting any work done this afternoon" Nicky added, as they joined the other three women, waiting to the right outside the lecture theatre.
Alex's eyes immediately found Piper's, the electricity instantaneously evident between the pair.
"You ready kid?" Alex asked.
Piper nodded in reply, offering a small wave and goodbye as the two departed from the group.
"Keep it in your pants Vause!" Nicky shouted loudly.
Without turning to face Nicky, Alex raised her arms sticking up both middle fingers as she continue to walk away.