AN: Hey everybody! I'm so, really sorry for the lateness, really.
The reasons are various: first of all life (school and everything) got in the way; secondly, I had a hard time writing this chapter.
I NEEDED one more character but could find none from Doctor Who that I was comfortable writing with, so… Here comes the part you may not like..
I decided to add an Original Character, Time, that TiliaofAnkh so kindly borrowed (thank youuuuu).
I know and understand the resentment that people sometimes has for stories with OCs, but I can promise she won't take up too much of the space (she's actually needed for the development of the story), and she also fits perfectly the role, so.
I hope you won't be discouraged from reading because of this…
I'm sorry for all these chaos, again..

PS: I know this is short and there's really little Rose/John interaction, but I promise next chapter will be soon up and full of that!

"..you did an impressive job, so you have fixed your grades." Finished Rose's biology teacher in her usual nasally voice.
Rose barely repressed her glee going back to her desk, paper in hand. She couldn't believe it; John's tutoring lessons had really helped!
She looked around and saw a girl looking disappointed at her test. She understood the feeling all too well and couldn't stand that sad expression on her face.
"It's going to be better next time" Rose reassured the brown head next to her.

When she only received a shrug of shoulders as an answer, she glanced a second time at the girl: Rose had never really noticed her before, but she was quite sure she had always been here. Must have been too busy with her 'friends' to notice her.. Well, whatever, she had a mission at the moment.

Feeling bold, she slowly took her phone out of her backpack and, checking to be unseen, wrote a quick text.
«I did it! I passed the test!» she typed in and then lost herself looking at John's profile picture.
"The teacher's coming." She heard in a raspy, unfamiliar whisper.
Rose hastily covered her mobile with a book and pretended to be looking at her test.

With the danger of her phone being confiscated swiftly avoided, Rose glanced again at the small girl, who was still with her head down looking at the test. "Thank you" The blonde said, meaning it.
"Oh, no problem. I wouldn't try that again though."
Rose was a little taken aback at the girl's harsh words and her grim voice. The chestnut haired girl seemed to see her reaction and quickly pressed her lips together, looking away.
"Well, it was nice .." Rose said.
The stranger this time lifted her head and Rose's breath itched in surprise: the girl's oval face, framed by shoulder length hair (and a side-swept fringe which stood out for its deep dark red color), was completed by freckled cheeks and nose and by the most gorgeous eyes she'd ever seen. And no, she wasn't exaggerating: almost black on the outside, the color gradually switched to blue and the closer to the pupil you got, the brighter the blue was. Not only that, but the darker zones were dotted with a light blue shade. It was like staring at a starry night.

Then Rose felt her phone vibrate and checked it quickly, almost feeling the stranger's eye roll.
«Brilliant! I want to know everything l8r at training!» was the answer (that Rose imagined in his voice). She just smiled, then lifted her head again and, caught up in her cheeriness, held out her hand.
"My name's Rose by the way." She smiled. Hesitantly the other girl grabbed it and shook it, seeming somehow excited but not too much.
"Time, Time Winters."

At the break Rose was leaning against a wall, staring off into space while thinking: in two days she'll have a competition and with nobody distracting her nervousness was taking over: she was sure, it would be a failure, again.

Suddenly she felt someone stare at her and turned around, seeing the Galaxy-eyed girl looking away quickly. This happened a couple more times, then Rose took the situation in her hands. She slowly walked to the girl that was now pretending to read a book and looked at her.
"Hey!" She said smiling.
"Oh, hi.." Time said with a tentative smile.
"You know you can come and talk to me, right?" She said as nicely and reassuringly as she could.
The girl looked like a deer in headlights, so Rose tried to make her at ease.
"I mean, 's not like I'm doing much anyway.."
"Oh, okay.." Time let out after a short while.
After that there were some moments of awkward silence, in which Time seemed torn between talking and staying silent and Rose waited patiently.

"I'm sorry I was staring at you... I know it's awkward, it's kinda my bad habit.." The galaxy eyed girl finally stuttered out.
"Oh, no worries- wait what? You mean staring at me?" Asked a fairly confused Rose.
Time flushed "No, not at you, just..in general.. Like, people watching" she said shyly.
"Oh, okay. I've heard of that. Is it fun?" Rose asked, understanding downing on her.
"Well, yes.. I mean, you can understand a lot of things of a person just by watching her.. Oh god, I know it sounds proper creepy like this but it's just my way
of spending time alone" Time stuttered out.
Rose felt really sad for this girl and angry for not noticing her earlier: they were similar in some way and maybe they could help each other out, if one of them made the first step.
"It sounds interesting. Sciencey, too."
She smiled at her.
"Well, I could teach you, if you want.." Time suggested timidly.
"Or...we could do something else together" Rose proposed with a happy smile.
Time's face lightened up at the suggestion and she nodded eagerly, thinking «Have I just finally found a friend?»

John felt his heart leap in his chest (as it always did lately) when he saw Rose enter with her gorgeous smile and a happy expression.
As soon as she saw him her eyes lit up and she half-ran to him.
He opened his arms and swiped her up a bit when she launched herself at his neck.
"I made it!" She said laughing.
"Hey there, my little scientist! I had no doubt about it" He answered putting her down and looking proudly at her.
Rose just grinned wider in response.
"How was your day, Doctah?"
"Ah, it was okay, didn't do much, actually. But a fine day, all in all" he said, adding in his mind «better since you walked in».
"And the rest of yours?" He asked curiously.
"Well, I actually made friends with a girl in my class. She's someone I've never seen before but I'm somehow sure she's always been there. She seemed so sad and so alone so I had to go and talk to her. She seems really nice. Weirder than me but nice." She finished with a tongue touched smile and John forgot for a second what he wanted to reply.
"That's brilliant!" He smiled his dazzling smile at her too.

Simultaneously they looked at the watch in the entrance, then both looked at each other and started walking towards the changing rooms.
"Well, are you ready for the competition, tomorrow?" John asked, knowing it was an open wound.
"Ugh, not really... I'm not that sure about it, I have high expectations for it but I don't think they'll be satisfied." Rose said defeated and John cringed
internally.
"Come on, I'm sure you can do this!" He encouraged her.
"I hope so.." Was the last thing she said before they parted.