CHAPTERTWO
1067 Words
Behind her, a whispered voice muttered, "Cover for me." He sat down and began pulling books out of his bag, concealing his body behind her back.
She sat up frigidly and tried to turn around. “No no, don't turn. The Prof is gonna notice and we will both be kicked out.”
She obeyed but asked, “why would I be kicked out? You're the one who came in late.”
“You are an accomplice to late coming, Miss…metric.”
“Excuse me?” She turned around completely and scowled as she looked at a guy who had the blackest irises ever. He was wearing a polo shirt that kissed his arms, and his dyed blond hair was cold and stiff, indicating that he would soon begin to lose it. He appeared to be a cross between Middle Eastern, Caucasian, and...black? Aboriginal?
Given that he appeared to be a twenty percent mixture of each ethnicity, Demetria was not entirely sure. In addition, his lips were really attractive and smugly irritated.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around so she was facing the elderly man who was stumbling over words on the board.
“You're really gonna get us caught. Also, your name says metric,” he replied, pointing to the open Agriculture for Intermediaries.
“It says Metria, can't you read?” She let out a silent and annoyed exhale.
“Can't you write? Your a looks like a c. I thought people with glasses had fine handwriting.”
“That is so stereotypical and so not true.”
“Well girls with glasses are cute. Is that also stereotypical?”
“Thank you. I'm not giving you my number.”
“It's okay, I'd prefer you give me your answers to the assignment instead.”
She chuckled and he leaned over her shoulder. “Oh, she's got a cute laugh too. Ezra Frazer, you?”
“Demetria Johnson.”
“You're new right? I may be late to class while skipping fifty percent of the time but I know a new face when I see one.”
“Yeah, I just changed schools.”
“Oh nice. What's wrong with your old one?”
“No wifi,” she joked. Ezra chuckled, but as soon as he noticed the professor glance to their side, he glanced down at his blank notebook page.
“Really why did you change though?” He went back to whispering and Demetria just shrugged.
“A girl with secrets, sweet. Did the school find out about your abortions?” Demetria threw him a what the f**k look and Ezra threw up his hands in surrender. “It's cool, I'm pro-choice.”
“Okay,” was all she said.
“But seriously, why did you choose to study Agriculture?” He asked after some time had passed and she groaned.
“Please stop talking to me.”
“Why? The class is boring anyway. Even a kindergartener knows the components of loamy soil.”
“If I give you my number, will you please stop talking to me?”
“I was getting there but okay sure. Yes, I will.”
She called out a number which he dialled immediately.
"Nice one," he nodded in mock acknowledgement.
"My phone is switched off." She replied half heartedly.
"I guess that's why it's telling me the user you're trying to call does not exist."
"Fine." She finally gave him the correct number and it seemed Demetria had made a new friend.
Friend hopefully, nothing more because you can never be too sure with guys.
After that, they would frequently get together for coffee dates, study sessions in the garden, or the library. Ezra also followed through on his promise to steal Demetria's homework each time.
The lady couldn't be bothered, she was happy to have a friend at the ripe age of twenty four. She had been homeschooled her whole childhood by the many tutors her mother hired, which would also account for Demetria's lack of social education and her inability to fit in during her first year at university.
This was the primary motivation behind her decision to study sociology: to improve oneself and develop interpersonal interactions.
That had failed woefully so she decided to try again. This time, in a different place where no one knew anything about her.
Which was why she was grateful to have someone like Ezra.
Days later, Demetria was at home binging movies when her mother walked in.
"Did you get a tan?" Was the first thing she said to her mother.
"Why? I missed you too and if you've been under the sun eighteen hours a day for one whole month, you would get a tan." Julia Johnson smiled at her daughter before giving her a big hug.
"I missed you mom. How are you? Any exciting stories?"
"Yup. We found the skeletal remains of a man who had elongated and pointy teeth."
"You guys found a vampire?" Demetria sat up straight as her mother settled beside her.
"No baby, he had ectodermal dysplasia but yeah, vampire to fantasy lovers."
"And?"
"He was covered in golden ornaments which indicated he was a royalty of some kind. His right toe bone was broken. We're still speculating if he broke it himself or if someone broke it for him."
"Why? I mean it has to be someone. It doesn't make any sense for him to break his own bone."
Her mother laughed softly and shrugged. "Well, you're right but he could have broken it to keep the good spirit in him."
"What are you saying?"
"Don't worry yourself about that. So how's school? How's the change? Feel it much?"
"I met a boy."
"Ooooooh, now that's an exciting story."
"It's nothing. Just gave him my number because he was disturbing me in class."
"Demy?"
"Yes Mom?"
Her mother held her hands and squeezed gently. "Tell me the truth, why did you leave the state uni?"
"I wasn't comfortable there."
"May I know why?"
Demetria exhaled and squeezed her mom's hands in return. "Mom, I just needed a change, that place was too stuffy."
"Dem?"
"Mooom..."
"You're lying Dem but I'll drop it. Just know I'm here if you wanna talk."
"Thanks Mom." She appreciated it and her mom chirped up.
"Oh did I also tell you, we found the remains of a velociraptor?"
- Writer
