Work Text:
DARKNESS FALLS
It's been four days. Four days of head scratching, paper crumbling, mind numbing term paper writing. My term paper is nearly complete, but I can't seem to get the last few paragraphs to read like I need them to.
"Ugh!" I cry out in exasperation and let my forehead hit my desk with a resignatory thud. I look behind me at my roommates bed to see her fast asleep her curly brown hair a long, tangled mess. A glance at the clock only adds to my weariness, it's three am. After heaving a heavy sigh, I save what I have so far and close my laptop.
After brushing my teeth and changing into my pajamas, I flop tiredly into bed And close my bleary eyes.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!
My alarm clock screams uninvited into my too-short slumbers and I slap the off button, opening my eyes to see what time it is.
06:00 sat
I groan. Dammit I forgot to turn off the weekend alarms again.
"Shit McReilly, forget to turn of that stupid thing off again and I'm tossing it off the clock tower." My roommate Adriana grumbles groggily.
"not if I do it first..." I reply, just as sleepily.
Adriana giggles softly. "Hey, didja finish that paper last night?"
I rub my tired eyes and face with a weary sigh. "Ugh, no. Im so close though!"
"You know, that old teacher...what was his name...umm, Mr. Wolfe I think. He is supposed to be in the old manor down a block from here? I heard he used to teach literature or had a degree in it or something, anyway, apparently he is the best around when it comes to getting any paper sorted out. Maybe set an appointment today? Worth a try, right?" Adriana suggests as she sits up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she swings her legs over the edge of her bed and puts her hands on the bed at her sides, leaning forward to regard me.
"I mean... I guess. Know anyone who could get me in touch?" I ask, sitting up myself.
"mmmm, pretty sure Mitchell from Lit 500 went to see him just the other week."
I giggle, "You mean that super handsome double major with the tastefully unkempt dark hair and shocking baby blues you've been mega-crushing on since last year?" I tease, knowing she has not yet worked up the courage to talk to the Literature and Psychology major.
She immediately blushes beet red and hides her face in her pillow. "Oh my God shuttup!" she whines, clearly embarrassed.
I laugh, "you haven't got anyone fooled, I've seen how you look at him. Just go up to him and say hello, invite him for coffee or something, he's certainly gotta be a reasonable man. And he's single as they come girl. But I doubt someone as hot as he is will be for long."
"So what," Adriana mumbles from.behind the pillow, peeking her eyes up over the edge, "you a match-maker now?" I can see the smile in the corners of her eyes.
I giggle, "No, but I have seen his gaze wander to you on more than one occasion... " I leave the statement open ended and she perks up immediately.
"No..." she says in disbelief.
I nod in the affirmative, getting out of bed and go to the bathroom to get ready for the day.
As I brush my teeth I decided to give Mitchell her number when I go talk to him, it's a small gesture to push them closer and it couldn’t hurt.
~~~
"Mitchell!" I yell across the covered walkway at him as he steps out of the Literature hall after class.
His gaze meets mine and he waves politely and jogs over. "Hey, Maria, is it?"
I nod, and can't help blushing a bit, he is really handsome now that we are face to face, and I am tickled that this might actually work. "Yes, nice to meet you officially!"
He quickly nods and replies, "Likewise, and to what do I owe the pleasure of your audience?"
My heart flutters at his distinctive manners, "um well I actually have two questions."
He smiles sweetly, "Alright, wanna take a seat and take a load off over at the benches?" He gestures to the pair of benches shaded by a sprawling live oak.
Such a gentleman, "Uh, sure, thanks." I reply and we walk over to the benches nearby under an old live oak tree and sit. "So first off, thanks for taking a minute to chat," He nods and I continue, "I heard about this old manor a block away where a professor of literature or something lived where I could go and get help with papers..."
Mitchell perks up, "Oh, youre talking about Doctor Wolfe. He is an alumni and used to teach here. I went to see him the other day, real cool guy, and super smart. PhD in Lit and mastered in...oh something else, sorry I forgot. You want his number? I'm going out on a limb here that you're stumped on your term paper?"
I chuckle at his keen perception. "Yes, I am. I was so close last night but I just ran out of steam."
He makes a sympathetic expression, "Been there done that. Well I still have the post-it with his number on it in my planner, you can have it since I've got him in my phone already. Hang on," He leans down to dig through his bag and I take this opportunity to get Adriana's number out of my pocket.
Mitchell pulls out his planner and opens it up to the pocket in the front and pulls the note free and hands it to me with a soft smile, "here you go."
I take it and smile back, "Thanks a million. Now, for our second order of business; I have a number for you."
His brows arch.
I hand him Adriana's number on a scrap of paper and he examines it, "is this yours?" I see some color rising on his neck.
"Actually, it's someone else's. Someone whom I believe you may very well enjoy meeting. She doesn't know yet, but I'll spill a little secret, she's pretty smitten. I think you two may get along quite well."
I didn't expect to see his eyes light up like they did, and it made me giggle. "Sorry that was pretty forward of me. But she's my best friend, and I've seen how you two look at one another when the other is not looking."
Now Mitchell laughs, color in his cheeks now. "Adriana?"
I can't help my pleased smile, “Mmmhmm.”
Mitchell bursts out laughing, it's a nervous genuinely surprised laugh that warms my heart. "Does she know you did this?" He asks.
"Nope." I chuckle softly.
"Oh goodness.... I'm definitely calling her tonight. Thanks for giving me her number. I owe you one!"
"Absolutely not, we are square, number for number." I smile at him and he looks back with a nervous unsure glance at the digits scrawled across the piece of paper in his palm.
"At least let me walk you to the Manor?" his eyes send a soft plea that melts my resolve.
"Keep up those puppy dog eyes and I'm gonna keep you all to myself! Fine, you may walk me to the Manor since you're such a kind-hearted gentleman."
He smiles kindly.Then leans down and starts rummaging through his bag, pulling out a nice Zebra pen, clicking it once before gently taking my right wrist and pulling my hand to his lap. He starts writing on the back of my hand in very neat handwriting his name, 'Mitch' followed by a string of numbers, his phone number. "Just shoot me a text or call me when you get your appointment made and I'll meet you outside the ladies' dormitory and walk you all the way there, and when you're done call me and I'll come back and walk with you back to campus, okay?"
"Thank you, Mitchell. You're too kind."
"I should be thanking you for giving me the courage and the means with which to contact Adriana."
I smile, "You're welcome. I think we ought to get going, its nearly time for our next class. It was so nice to meet you, Mitchell." I say and extend my hand with a smile.
He takes my hand and turns the back of it up, kissing it very lightly while looking up into my eyes."Pleasure is all mine, see you again soon, Maria."
We stand and part ways, turning to wave at each other as we walk to our classes. As I walk, I think about Mitchell, and how I am certain that he will get along perfect with Adriana.
~~~
It's late in the afternoon and I have just finished my last class of the day; biochemistry. I'm exhausted but thankfully there's no homework, just studying for next week's exam. Same goes for all my other classes.
I walk into the dorm and head up to my room. When I open the door, Adriana practically tackles me before I can even set foot in the room. "MITCHELL CALLED ME AND WE TALKED AND NOW WE ARE GOING OUT FOR DINNER TOMORROW NIGHT AND HE IS GETTING US COFFEE IN THE MORNING MARIA OH MY GOD FUCKING MITCHELL IS SO GODDAMNED POLITE AND SWEET I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT'S REAL!"
My eyes are wide, "Adriana..."
Now her eyes go wide, suddenly she looks worried, "What?"
I grab her hands and start jumping up and down in excitement, "Oh my GOD! MITCHELL AND YOU ARE SO PERFECT TOGETHER! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU ADRIANAAAAAA!" Now we are both squealing with glee because Adriana is going on a date with possibly the hottest guy either of us have ever seen and he's such a sweetheart and a gentleman.
To celebrate, I bust out a couple beers and we drink to new possibilities.