Oh my, we have a change of personality here. Slightly. But for good reason. For reasons UNDISCLOSED. Anyway, enjoy. Or not. :[

Smelling pine wreaths everywhere,

Kelsey/Ken

CHAPTER 6: ONE LUMP OR TWO?

It was a Monday colder than the one a week ago, and Laura found herself scrambling for a coat. She hadn't yet unpacked all her cold weather clothing, unsuccessfully transitioning her closet from summer to winter. After a quick tussle through a previously unopened box, she managed to find a cobalt blue pea coat and a wool cap, finally ready to seize the day.

Only five minutes from campus, she was stopped by a squeal and a tug on the back of her coat.

"Laura, this was your coat from last year!" screeched Millie.

"And?" Laura waited apprehensively for the reply, knowing it would be something inane, enough to make her blood boil. It wasn't a day for messing around, she had decided. Her stomach wasn't reacting well to her breakfast oatmeal.

"Well, the words last year should be enough to get that big head of yours to think!" she quipped, her eyes rolling dramatically. Laura pretended to examine her coat sleeves, checking for some sign—no, disease—that would make the coat unusable.

"Last time I checked, coats didn't have a year long, no, a winter long lifespan, Millie. They are reusable you know, not like a disposable napkin."

"You know, for someone of your upbringing and brainiac character, you sure do misunderstand so many things. Like, fashion changes." The blonde tugged on her own coat, pointing out the plaid design and patterned inlay around the cuffs. "In. This is all in."

"That's in. And I'm out," Laura sighed, turning around and continuing towards the front gates of the college.

"Hold it, I'm not finished!" Millie smashed an envelope into Laura hands. "Invite!"

Laura looked at it skeptically. "For?"

"Well, you're supposed to actually open it and see, but I'll tell you anyway! Tea party, Miss Laura. Tea party slash brunch."

And indeed, the invite actually read "Tea party/brunch", just as the girl had been toting for over a week. Laura silently complimented her consistency, but felt her stomach sink. She hated gatherings.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Oh, you'll want to come! All of our professors and department heads will be there! Even the headmaster himself! And…Herrrrrrrrrrrrshel," Millie purred, disgustingly, Laura thought.

"I see them enough at school, don't you think?"

"There's never enough of Layton. Ever."

Millie continued peppering the archaeology professor with compliments and praises until they had both reached the classroom door, causing Laura to think twice about taking the same walking route as her classmate.

'Might need to switch it up…'

Layton had already begun casually chatting with the early students, taking his usual place at the front of the classroom, at front of his desk, sitting against the ledge.

"Good morning, ladies. Millie, Laura." He nodded his head as he said each name.

Laura knew better than to even try to respond as Millie raced past her and thrust an invitation into the professor's hands.

"Good morning, Professor Layton! I have an invitation for you! Please say you'll come!"

He laughed softly and began to place the envelope on his desk.

"Well, I'm not even sure what it is for—" Millie grabbed the envelope and ripped it open for him.

"Find out! Everyone's invited!"

All of the girls chattered amongst each other as more invites were passed around, Laura finally situating herself at her desk of choice: next to the window, right in the middle of the column. Layton cleared his throat, managing to coax Millie to a seat.

"Well, this sounds very exciting, ladies, but back to studies…"

"If you don't come, I won't come to class anymore!" Millie said loudly, batting her eyes. Her friends giggled around her, agreeing with Yeah's and Me too's. Layton shook his head, smiling.

"I'll dedicate some time thinking about out of class functions, out of class. Now then, are we all here? One, two, three… Ah, okay, splendid. Then, today's the test, so I assume you've all studied well. You'll have 30 minutes to…"

Laura already was in another world, thinking about other things. Before she knew it, she was taking the test, rushing through the questions, jotting down answers that she hoped were correct. And, done. She looked it over hurriedly, and glanced around her: 30 minutes had went by and only one other girl remained, the others having already turned in their tests and left early.

'I never notice others leaving during tests…'

She watched the other girl turn her test in and leave as she was placing her pencil in her utensil case. Gathering her belongings, she walked to Professor Layton's desk.

"Finished then?" he asked, reaching his hand out to take the paper, smiling.

"Sorry for keeping you, I never realize the time going around me."

"Nonsense, you technically have 10 minutes left should you have any sudden changes you wish to make."

"I'm through." She turned towards the door when the professor opened a desk drawer.

"Ah, yes! I have something for you." He pulled out a brown paper lunch bag, the top rolled down to rest on the squashed contents. "Instructions are inside."

Laura took the bag Layton slid across the desk top, looking at it quizzically. "This is…?"

"Tea ingredients. You know, the one I told you about when you came to my office."

"Ah, yes, well, that was fast!" She peered inside the bag, a lovely scent wafting from within. "Smells delicious."

"It ought to be a good way to warm up, especially with this cool weather that blew in!" He held up a hand to stop Laura as she opened up her pocketbook. "No no, it's fine, it's my treat."

"You know I don't enjoy hot tea," Laura said with a small grin.

"You can keep your coat and hat on then as you enjoy it cold," he said, laughing.

She smiled slightly, shrugging. "I'll try it both ways and let you know."

He chuckled, eyeing the invitation Millie had passed out. "Ah yes, this."

"Apologies in advance."

"Oh my, you shouldn't judge before experiencing it yourself!" he chided gently, still smiling. Laura immediately yelled at herself inwardly for making such a sarcastic comment when it didn't directly concern her.

"A jest. You would enjoy it. I'm sure Millie has the best of teas."

"Oh, I must see what is being served, since you say that. Will you be attending, Miss Laura?"

She absentmindedly brushed an invisible fuzz from her shoulder. "I might have some errands. I'll have to see."

"I'm sure you can make time for friends," he chortled. "Even the best of scholars take breaks."

Laura smiled and sighed. "Perhaps. Well, good day, Professor. Thank you again."

"My pleasure."

Laura walked from the room, the door closing with a soft click.

'That was awfully nice,' she thought to herself, eyebrows raised. 'No one ever gets me little gifts for no reason... To just…well…give a gift!' She felt awkward, not giving some sort of compensation, especially since the tea was so complex, and was most likely expensive. She decided she'd have to return the favor somehow.

"Staying later than the rest of us, Laura?"

Laura was shook out of her reverie (as usual) and looked up, blinking. "Huh?"

"Sweet time with the Professor!" It was Clara, one of Millie's friends. No, cronies. Maybe a goon, Laura couldn't decide. But she had a puggish look about her, as if trying to start an argument. "What's with the staying over? That was a simple test, should have taken you no time. Not even we play tricks like that to talk with Hershel!"

Laura was too busy trying to calm her stomach and her mind, that she'd forgotten manners and class. She thought she could let it go just this once; she'd tired of playing Goodie Two Shoes for the past 17 years. One break wasn't sending her to hell.

"Tricks? Tricks. Yes, tricks. I'm so stupid and juvenile that I'll play a trick like staying longer for a test, just to spend time with a blithering idiot who talks about rocks and temples and other dilapidated things, and ridiculous, disgusting hot tea!" Clara breathed in sharply, as if the words cut her deep. "Yes! I'll play that trick. When I could just go to his office during his office hours, and talk my head off anyhow! And if any of you—" she pointed around at the group of girls, arranged in a weak semi-circle around Clara and Laura, "—had an ounce of brain in your skull, maybe you'd think to do that and have your grades improve instead of wasting precious time staying after a test just to chat! Tricks indeed! As if I have time to waste! A waste of time, the lot of you!"

She unfortunately hadn't heard the classroom door open and close behind her, a half-confused Professor Layton staring dumbfounded in front of the door, one hand on the doorknob, the other laying limp at his side. The girls around Laura stood with mouths agape, feeling the awkward tension rise. Laura's face was already red, but grew warmer, realizing her mistake.

'Stupid cartoonish luck….he's standing right behind me….'

"Is there…a problem?" Layton asked hesitantly, finally locking the door.

Clara shook her head, unwilling to save Laura's reputation, but more unwilling to risk sharing her own persecutions against her. "No problem, Professor. We just had a misunderstanding."

"Laura, are you feeling okay?"

Laura didn't turn around, but nodded, staring into space. "There's no problem here." She briskly cut through the girls' cluster and continued down the hall, signaling for the rest of them that the confrontation was over. Each picked up her bag and scurried off without a word.

Layton walked quickly behind the broken group of girls, chattering amongst themselves. A majority of them hurried to the washroom, the others ducking into the library entrance, allowing the professor passage. He caught up with Laura, who was now walking listlessly in the entrance hall, looking at something in her wallet.

"Excuse me, Miss Laura." She twirled around surprised, shoving the wallet into her bag. She stared blankly at the professor. Layton breathed deeply for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

'I'm not even used to fast-paced walking?! So out of shape…I need to get fit...' he thought to himself guiltily.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no, I'm just not used to…well, never mind." He straightened his hat. "Is everything quite alright? I'm wondering what that was all about back there."

"I'm fine."

"Was there some sort of provocation?"

"I just became upset at something one of the girls mentioned, that's all." She gave the most matter of factual expression she could muster. "I haven't felt well. I must have just gotten very annoyed."

The professor eyed her suspiciously. "I need to be made aware of any hostility that might be going on in class or on campus in general. I trust that you would inform me, should there be anything threatening occurring."

Laura snorted softly. "Oh, it's nothing that serious. I'm sure you'd find out anyway if something that bad was going on." She knew he was probably briefed heavily by the administrators who were afraid of anything negative happening at their precious school.

'Was probably told that if anything happened on his watch, he'd be canned,' she thought, laughing inside. 'Poor neophyte… What a tactic!'

The professor's expression changed back to his notorious smile. "Of course. At any rate, if nothing's wrong between you and the girls, is there anything wrong with you personally?"

She wanted to ask sarcastically whether he thought he was a psychiatrist or an archaeologist, but bit her tongue. "I'm alive. That's better than some." She smiled, hoping that would give him enough information.

He nodded, unconvinced. "I see. Well, take care of yourself. Next time, perhaps you could…"

But Laura wasn't even listening. She hated being lectured on things the lecturer him or herself did not even understand. It was like an unmarried, cat-lady giving marriage counseling. Or a fat nutritionist giving health advice, or a dentist with bad teeth telling children to brush... Her list went on and on. What a bother.

"Laura?"

"Yes, I understand. If you'll excuse me, I'm running a bit late already. Thank you." She turned quickly and continued down the hall until reaching the door.

Layton frowned, his curiosity piqued.

"Curious."

END.