Author's Note- Edited.

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Curveball

"Y-you're Simon Bae," I repeated, surprised. Excited even, as I felt a smile tug at my lips. Simon's brows quirked questioningly, which wasn't surprising, considering someone he didn't know actually knew who he was.

"You know Simon?" Professor Souza asked, tone strange. I quickly glanced his way and found him passing an odd look between Simon and me, before his gaze met mine, a foreign emotion swimming among questions there.

"Yeah, I'm sorry but-" Simon started, straightening now that he had completely stopped laughing. He passed me a polite smile, one that you couldn't help smiling back to.

"I don't believe we've met."

"Right. Um, we haven't." I admitted shyly, blushing when I realized just how awkward this was. "You're the talent scout for Julliard. Anyone who's trying to get accepted there knows who you are."

Realization dawned in Simon's eyes and his smile grew. He tossed a wistful look towards Professor Souza before saying, "This is Chloe then? Bro, you didn't do her any justice. Pretty? Smart? More like strikingly beautiful and genius for getting friendly with the brother of the talent scout for Julliard."

My reddened cheeks deepened a few shades. Professor Souza said I was pretty and smart? I was suddenly reminded of Professor Souza's return from his Christmas back in Syracuse with his family. How he seemed so wary after an event that had taken place there, where his family had given him shit for something that he didn't ordinarily do. I wondered briefly if that something had been his interactions with me, seeing as how both his sister and his brother knew who I was. I was especially curious if what he had told them was that I was pretty and smart.

Was he just giving them a general description of his tutor student, seeing as that was something simple enough to share with his family as to what he's been doing since his last visit? Or did he have a different meaning behind his words that his siblings caught onto?

I had to remind myself that less than five minutes ago I had been devastated by the idea of Professor Souza having a girlfriend, though I had no right to be. And now I was glowing with the prospect that all my theories may have been more than true.

Again, I had no right.

Then something caught my attention. I was standing in Professor Souza's classroom with his brother and sister that he often mentioned. Both of which had the last name Bae. Simon was half Korean, his bio easily accessed on the internet considering his status in the world, and he looked it. Even Tori, though she could pass as Caucasian, could easily be pegged as Simon's sister.

Professor Souza, however, looked nothing like the two Bae's nor did he share their last name. When I looked up at Professor Souza in order to find something, anything of a resemblance, I found that he was glaring daggers at Simon, no similar features present.

"You guys are really brothers?"

Professor Souza snorted.

"Unfortunately. We're identical twins."

I frowned at his sarcasm and figured that I was going to have to wait for these answers, just like almost everything else about Professor Souza's personal life.

"Don't mind him." Simon cut in, walking his way into the room now. "He wasn't expecting Tori and I to visit and now he's bitter."

"I wasn't really surprised to see Tori, considering I agreed to let her stay at my place since her apartment is flooded."

"Hello? I'm standing right here." Tori snapped, waving a hand at her position by the chalkboard. "No need to talk about me like I'm not."

Professor Souza ignored her.

"What are you doing here, Simon?"

"What? I can't stop by and pay my favorite brother a visit?" Simon asked as he perched himself on the corner of Professor Souza's desk. His brows bent mockingly, as if he were emotionally wounded by his brother's questioning tone.

Professor Souza shook his head and slumped into his seat at his desk, as if giving up the idea of even understanding what his two siblings were bothering him for.

"You both know that I 'm off work roughly around six after these study sessions. Why couldn't you have waited to bother me until then?"

"And miss the chance of meeting Chloe?" Simon chirped.

More eye rolling and then Simon decided to ignore him and turn his attention back to me.

"It's a good thing that we already know each other, in a way, because I hate the formalities of introductions."

Simon paid no mind to the echoed snorts that sounded after he said this. Instead, he pressed on.

"So, Chloe, why are you interested in Julliard?"

I couldn't believe this was happening. The discovery that the man I had been potentially preparing to make contact with so that Nate and I could get our auditions coming up in March was actually my math Professor's brother was one thing. But, having him already here, intrigued by my interest in the school that employed him as if he were already interviewing me for my place, was completely off the charts on how weird this afternoon had been.

"Well, I've been interested in screenwriting and producing for, basically, my entire life. I'm looking towards Julliard to get my foot in the door."

"Smart." Simon beamed. "But, you're already a sophomore?"

"Is that a bad thing," I mumbled, suddenly anxious. I hadn't really thought about that before. Whether it wasn't really ideal to audition for junior courses if you've had two other years at a previous school. In fact, I thought that the compromise Dad and I had come to where I did my first two years here had been relatively smart.

"No, no." Simon said, waving his hands in front of him as if to deflect the negative insinuation.

"It's not that. I'm just wondering why you didn't audition your freshman year. Unless you did and…" He trailed off, obviously not wanting to open an old wound if I had been rejected.

"No, I haven't auditioned yet. I have a two year scholarship to the school of my choice that I plan on using if I get accepted into Julliard for the next year. As for now, I've been getting my basic courses out of the way. It allows my father to have some peace of mind since he doesn't really understand my career choice."

"Basic courses like boring, old calculus?"

Simon tossed the teasing lilt over in Professor Souza's direction and received a scowl in return.

"Calculus isn't boring. You just need someone to explain it to you better."

Simon gave me a questioning look and it took me a second to realize that he was waiting for my opinion.

"It's not that bad." I shrugged.

At that, Professor Souza lifted a slender brow quizzically.

"You hate math."

I was almost tempted to say something along the lines of Not anymore, but I would be lying somewhat. The only reason I could even tolerate math now was because it was Professor Souza who was tutoring me.

"So, do you have a good piece for your audition then, Chloe," Simon asked, bringing us back to our previous conversation. I nodded enthusiastically.

"I do. I've been working on it since I wrote it for a project back during my senior year of high school."

"Your own piece?" Simon asked, sounding almost astonished. "So you're going to be playing a part in a scene that you wrote yourself?"

I nodded.

"My friend Nate and I are both going to play the lead parts. He's auditioning too."

"I have to say, that's not very easy to accomplish. Those anal judges always seem to have a stick up their ass about those kinds of things." Simon muttered, almost to himself as he was tossing my idea around in his head.

I felt a slight twinge of fear at his words. Would it really not be taken too seriously if I auditioned with a scene I had written myself? All this time, I thought I was being original in a way. Not only showing off my acting skills- which I didn't care much for in the long run- but my talents as a writer and a visionary.

"However, I like your confidence, Chloe, and the judges eat that up. Even if you're doing something they don't care for." Simon exclaimed. "Tell you what, I'll give you my email and, if you want, you can send me your piece and I'll take a look at it. Maybe give you a few pointers as to what the judges are looking for."

"R-really?" I stammered, disbelieving as Simon plucked a pen and sticky note from Professor Souza's desk, who returned the action with an unappreciative scowl.

"Of course. Also, I'll put down my personal number. If you ever need anything, anything at all, feel free to drop me a call."

I bent my brows, still perplexed by Simon's open friendliness to a complete stranger he had just met. When he handed me the sticky note and caught my expression, he merely shrugged.

"Hey, any friend of my brother is a friend of mine." He smiled brilliantly and winked.

I blushed and looked at Professor Souza. Though it was quite silly, I scarcely wondered if he was as star struck as I was. However, I found him giving Simon a weird look, almost scrutinizing. His eyes flashed as if to question What are you up to as Simon stood from his perch atop his brother's desk.

As Simon glanced around, he asked, "Not that I'm complaining, but where did the witch run off to?"

"She bailed about the time she realized she was lacking attention and is more than likely on her way to my apartment, which worries me." Professor Souza rumbled. I inspected the room for myself and found that Tori was, in fact, missing.

"What's there to worry about," I asked, curious.

"Tori alone in my apartment?" Professor Souza questioned, as if it had the most obvious answer in the world. Simon must have gotten it, for he chuckled.

"The combination of 'Tori alone,' and 'in my apartment' is scary enough as it is. But, considering she had just accidently flooded her own place, I rather not take my chances. I'm afraid that I might have to cut our study session short, Chloe."

I was about to reply that it was perfectly fine. After all, I had to get myself to Nate's dorm as soon as possible in order to spill what had just transpired over the last fifteen minutes and what it meant for us and our possible futures at Julliard. However, Simon piped up before me.

"I can stay here and help her study."

He got a look.

"First of all, you are probably just as bad at math as Chloe is. Secondly, I'm sure that you have a very important phone call to make, considering you couldn't wait to bother me until after work."

Phone call?

"Aw, come on," Simon whined, acting more like a fourteen year old boy than a man in his early twenties.

"Dad can wait."

"No," Professor Souza said sternly. "He can't."

Simon sighed.

"Fine. Well, Chloe, it was nice to meet you, but I guess we're going to have to part ways thanks to the family buzz kill."

Again, Professor Souza rolled his eyes as he stuffed his messenger bag with the class's recently turned in review packets that still needed correcting.

"I look forward to reading your scene, though." Simon added, stretching out his hand for me to shake.

I did and said, "Of course. I'll be sure to send it to you right away. By the way, if you don't mind me asking, when is your next graphic novel going to be released?"

Simon's eyes widened in surprise.

"You follow my work?"

"How could I not? You're art style is incredible."

Simon faked a swoon and, with the hand he had used to shake mine, he placed it dramatically over the left side of his chest while glancing over his shoulder at his less than amused brother.

"Ah, a girl after my own heart." He moaned falsely. I couldn't help but laugh as Professor Souza shook his head and muttered 'Come on, you idiot,' and shoved at Simon's shoulder towards the door of the classroom.

As soon as Professor Souza, Simon and I parted ways- without me getting a straight answer to the last question I had asked Simon- I rushed to my car and sped my way to Nate's dormitory. I was still in a complete and utter daze but that didn't really matter. All I could think to care about was that I had to tell Nate.

I hastily parked, threw open my door and rushed into the dorm building where Nate lived. I ascended the story of stairs required so quickly that it was a complete blur. Before I knew it, I was banging enthusiastically on Nate's door.

"Nate! It's me. Open up, will you?" I demanded, probably disturbing anyone else on the floor.

I doubted there were many considering it was about five and the dining halls were open for student dinner. I almost feared that Nate himself had gone to eat before the handle on his door jiggled and it began to creak open. I didn't even wait. I barreled in, almost knocking my red-headed friend to the floor.

"Whoa, Chloe, where's the fire?" Nate queried, half annoyed albeit the humor lingering in his eyes. He rubbed at his right shoulder where the door probably hit him and I made a note to apologize for that later. For now, however-

"You'll never guess what just happened?"

"Considering that you were supposed to be at study hall for the past hour, I'm sure whatever it was will bore me." Nate teased, approaching me now before making a dissatisfied face. "Especially if it's about grumpy, old Professor Souza."

"He's not that old," I chastised. Though, really, I myself didn't know how old he was. I just simply stuck to Liz's assumption that it wasn't much older than any of us. Especially Nate, who was a college sophomore at twenty-one due to being held back during the third grade.

"And I'm sure you won't think it's boring after I inform you that I met grumpy Professor Souza's brother during my study session today."

"Why should I care about Professor Souza's bro-"

I cut him off by holding up the sticky note with said brother's name, email and phone number. My grin grew as Nate's eyes scanned over it then dawned realization.

"Simon Bae is Professor Souza's brother?" Nate asked, tone so incredulous that it was nearing the point of disbelief. He met my eyes skeptically.

"Simon Bae. As in the graphic novelist slash talent scout for Julliard?"

"The very one!" I chirped excitedly.

"But how are they…" Nate trailed off, unsure of how to ask what he was implying. That only made sense as Simon was Asian and Professor Souza was not. I almost had the urge to answer the way that Professor Souza had. Crack a sharp reply about the two of them being, Identical twins. But, none of that really mattered at the moment.

Nothing at all really mattered except for this. I didn't need to worry about me and Nate's friendship being tested by signs I thought I was reading from him. I didn't need to be anxious about my final because I was more than confident that, thanks to Professor Souza's help, I was ready. More importantly, I didn't need to stress about my feelings for Professor Souza and his in return. If anything had been made clear today, it was that Professor Souza thought more of me than I ever imagined and it was something that I could look into later.

For now, I had all my dreams and deepest most desires sitting in the palm of my hand. And, frankly, I just wanted to share that with the one person who understood that the most.

When Nate beamed in response to the Does it even matter look that I tossed him, I could see that it all finally clicked in his brain.

"So, let me get this straight. Simon Bae personally gave you his email and stuff so that he can help us get accepted?"

"Exactly," I said. "I'm more than positive that his help will give us a definite acceptance. He wants to read my script and everything to give us pointers."

For a minute, Nate didn't say anything. Just met my elated gaze with his own until the excitement in his blue orbs burned so brilliantly, it was almost blinding. Then, all of a sudden, Nate's hand shot up, cupping itself behind my neck. Briefly, I thought he was going to pull me in for a hug, so I made to wrap my arms around his waist and-

And then I felt his lips touch mine and I froze. Suddenly, all those previous worries and anxieties hit me in one quick and shocking kill shot.