"Do you hear that?" Willemijn asked quietly. Ms Tutweiller listened closely, but only heard the crashing of waves and faint applause coming from the ballroom.
"Hear what?" Her brows knitted together. Will tilted her head back, her hair falling further down her back. It was then that Ms Tutweiller noticed the scars that were scattered on her arms and neck.
"The waves. Every one has a different voice, tells a different story." Ms Tutweiller laughed softly. "It's true, but if you stop listening for one second, you miss it." She smiled, tilting her head back down.
"So, explain this to me." Ms Tutweiller changed the subject after a few minutes. "How are you nineteen, and a sophomore in high school?" Will turned around, resting her elbows on the rail.
"That's another long story." She turned her head in Ms Tutweiller's direction, smiling weakly. The light caught the gold in her eyes, and Ms Tutweiller thought she looked like a vampire from Twilight.
"It's only 7:30; we've got plenty of time." Ms Tutweiller encouraged softly.
"Half of me isn't mine." Ms Tutweiller's shoulders slumped as her brows furrowed, deep in thought. After a moment, she spoke.
"I don't understand." She said in a small voice. It made her feel like a child when she couldn't understand things. She always liked to know what was going on.
"I was like a hibernating bear cub, I guess. After the accident," her voice broke on the last word, "I slept, and only woke up to eat and answer questions. I don't even remember half of the surgeries." She laughed bitterly. "I have a plane pilot's liver, a CEO's kidney, and a pinto bean farmer's heart. I had three major surgeries over the course of three years." Ms Tutweiller was silent for a moment. She bit her lip, hoping her red lipstick wouldn't come off on her lips.
"Could you see, before then?" She asked quietly.
"Not really, we were on our way to Japan. There was a doctor there that said he could remove the issue. I didn't bother listening to the whole thing." She added embarrassedly.
"Will you stay on the ship after the surgery?" Though she had known Will for less than twenty-four hours, the thought of being without the other girl made Ms Tutweiller slightly depressed. Willemijn was the kind of person that Ms Tutweiller loved to be around, she was interested in learning, and was almost always willing to hear the other side's opinion before choosing to argue.
"Most likely, and even if I don't, I'll be back." Will reassured.
"Why?" She turned to face Willemijn, searching her face for some trace of doubt.
"So I can see you seeing me see your face." She smiled brightly.
"Oh." Ms Tutweiller returned the smile, laughing slightly. She felt comfortable around Will, which worried her, because she was still her student, after all.
"We don't have to do the whole 'friends' thing, it's not necessary. I can be your friend, and your student, if you want me to be. But I don't have to." Will spoke as if she could read the redhead's thoughts. Ms Tutweiller wanted to question the girl's comment but another question bubbled up before she could counter it.
"How would we go about that? It's not like I can turn off being a teacher." She scrunched her face, upset with herself.
"Oh, I said I could do it. I never said anything about you." Will said matter-of-factly.
"I…I'm willing to try if you are." Ms Tutweiller questioned her sanity as she spoke.
"Then we'll try." She nodded, smiling. Will pushed herself off of the railing, facing Ms Tutweiller's general direction. "In that case, will you help me with my homework tomorrow? It's kind of hard to read books when you can't see." Ms Tutweiller giggled, pushing herself off of the rail as well.
"Only if you'll help me plan the German unit for History, as friends, of course." Will laughed, extending her hand.
"Deal."
"Deal." They went their separate ways. As Ms Tutweiller entered her room, she felt refreshed. This friendship thing might just work out, she thought.