"9:55 am on the dot," he said to himself his eyes focused on the rough sketch he was doing on the surface of the wooden desk.
He heard the classroom door swing open a sign that the frazzled blonde was rushing in finding her way up the stairs to her desk which was positioned right behind him.
Klaus smiled hearing her padding her way in the nearly empty row to take her seat he dropped his pencil letting it roll down to the floor as he leaned his head into his arm.
He shut his eyes as he listened to her, he found it soothing somehow hearing Caroline's frantic but precise movements always rushing to get ready before the professor inevitably showed up.
It was funny considering that usually their professor was late as he always had been in the last three months he smirked when he heard her sit.
After a second he heard Caroline counting under her breath as he recited along with her, "Two pencils, three pens, red, blue, green, and one highlighter."
He let out a soft snore at first and then another as he heard the room begin to quietly fill with the fifteen other students in less than three minutes.
He felt it then, the soft nudge she would give him down the back of his neck where it met his shoulders as she reached over her desk to wake him.
He faked another yawn turning his head as he stretched his arms in front of him his eyes locking with hers as he nodded in thanks as their professor began for the day.
That was how he had spent the last few months honestly he was surprised he was passing considering how much time he devoted to getting her to notice him.
And as always she smiled but her attention was already set on what their professor was saying his smile faltered but not by much he could wait.
She was dedicated and focused and while he would give anything to be her distraction, even for a little while, he liked her drive.
"Klaus could you read out loud the last paragraph," their professor asked he nodded as he stood, "You don't need to stand," he said but Klaus ignored him as he turned around looking directly at her.
She was adorable looking at him with her mouth dropped open in surprise, "Could I borrow your book," he asked as he touched the edge of her desk.
She nodded, delighted he gave her a wide beaming smile before he turned back around and read the paragraph in full before he turned again.
"Thanks," he said with a wink as he sat back down letting the class continue for the rest of the hour feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise.
He smiled to himself pulling his own book from his bag and flipping the book open to the directed page hearing a small gasp escape her lips as she realized there was no reason for him to take hers.
At the end of class he shut his book stuffing it back into his bag before he gripped the strap and stood, "Wait," she said making his eyes crinkle as he smiled.
"In need of something Sweetheart," he asked as he pulled the strap over his front his jacket and shirt rising just a bit by the look on her face as her eyes drifted down.
Klaus' ears grew warm as his smile grew she sensed it because she snapped herself out of it and looked back into his eyes, "You didn't need my book," she blurted out.
Klaus felt like she couldn't think of anything else to say but she was talking to him so their progression had moved forward drastically.
"I didn't" he agreed as he watched the flustered blonde gather her belongings and shove them into her back, "But what I could use is a coffee, and you?"
"And me what," she asked as she grabbed her bag and began walking down the once again empty aisle trying to get away from him.
He stopped her blocking her path on the stairs, "Would you like to join me for a coffee," he clarified chuckling as she tried to move past him failing.
"Why would I want coffee," she asked as she finally got through thanks to another student coming their way for the next class.
"Tt's just coffee, you can say no," he said with a smile she looked as though she was debating it her eyes shifting back and forth as they got closer to the coffee shop run by students.
"Since we're already here," she grumbled waving at the line which consisted of them two and another he nodded taking what he could get.
"Thank you," he said genuinely surprising her as they moved up to the set up booth and placed their orders, both black with a blueberry muffin.
"It's a combo." He said sliding the money on the counter as they received their foods, she smiled the sight almost blinding from how beautiful it was.
"I can't afford to be distracted by your dimples," she told him as he gestured for her to sit next to him on a bench where he had made himself right at home.
"I wasn't aware my dimples were distracting," he retorted sweetly as he leaned closer to her enjoying her blush, "I might have employed them ages ago to get you to talk to me."
"Oh I've noticed them," she divulged somewhat embarrassed as she unwrapped the muffin and dug into a piece of it to keep from revealing more of herself.
Klaus smiled within himself just as much as mouth did as he spoke, "In a month when the semester is over and we've graduated," he sipped from his cup leaving her in suspense.
"Could I ask you out and not be afraid of being shut down," he asked hoping it sounded like he was respecting her life goals because honestly he was trying to.
Caroline almost choked reaching for her coffee to make the dryness in her throat go away, "You want to go out on a date with me?"
Klaus nodded sure of himself but not so much about her, "Every Monday – Wednesday at 9:55 you appear and you sit in the same unassigned chair right behind me."
"I like that chair," she muttered as she sipped more of her coffee pink coloring her cheeks as he dared himself to touch the curl over her face distracting him.
"Each morning of those days I pretend I'm asleep," she looked utterly betrayed at his confession and how he longed to make it better, "And once again without fail you nudge me."
"I don't want you snoring while I'm trying to learn," she reasoned as she fidgeted with the hem of her dress he thought maybe she wished she had worn more on a cold morning like this.
Not that he minded the sweater and her boots he thought as he continued, "I just wanted a bit of your attention, to learn about you, your hopes and dreams."
"Again, you could say no," he reiterated his earlier words and while he hoped she would say okay once more he also hoped that this invitation was received with more enthusiasm.
"After graduation," she said looking as if she might consider it, "I will take you up on that but first," she said as she set down her muffin reaching into her bag. "I have to get to my next class."
Caroline pulled out a small notebook, an address book it seemed and quickly scrawled her number on it before she handed it to him.
"Take this," she finished as she picked up her bag, coffee and muffin juggling as she leaned over him and pecked his cheek. "Call me later, we'll hang out."
"When do your classes end for the day," he shouted after her making her laugh as she marched onward knowing her brilliant smile would stay with him all day.
"At two," she replied waving at him as she gave him one last look before disappearing around the corner into the main building.