Chapter Text
Matilda found herself running late to her class. She had lost track of time, and now she was rushing through the college campus, weaving in and out of crowds of students. However, she wasn't too worried. It wasn’t a big deal because she was heading to Professor McDonald's class, and he was famous for his tardiness. It was a running joke that regardless of how late you are, he would always arrive even later. His consistent lateness had his students a bit of leeway with their punctuality.
When he finally arrived, he as usual casually took his usual spot at the front of the room, settled himself into his well-worn seat, and slowly began to address the class.
“So. Drugs,” he started, the single word hanging in the air like a question waiting to be answered. “We all take them, but how do they influence different subcultures?”
He paused for a moment to let it sink in. Then, with a slight nod as though confirming his own thoughts, he continued, “Well…” and thus began his usual passionate discourse.
Suddenly, Derek threw open the door and abruptly entered. He moved with a force that disrupted the calm, studious atmosphere of the room. Hansel, who was perched comfortably at his desk, immediately noticed Derek's conspicuous entrance and the unmistakable cross expression that was etched on his face.
"Miss me already, Zoolander?" Hansel teased, a sly grin spreading across his face as he leaned back in his chair, a picture of nonchalance.
Derek didn't miss a beat as he retorted, “You took my lesson plans!” His voice echoed around the room, the accusation hanging heavily in the air.
Hansel scoffed at Derek's words, his eyes wide with feigned surprise. "You're delusional, Zoolander. I’ve never even seen your syllabus, let alone any lesson plans,” he replied, his voice dripping with incredulity and a hint of amusement.
Unfazed by Hansel's denial, Derek shot back confidently, “Oh yeah? Then what's that on your desk?” He pointed an accusing finger towards a suspiciously familiar folder on Hansel's otherwise cluttered desk.
Hansel glanced down at his desk.
"This?" he said."This is just class assignments."
"Class assignments?" Derek repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism. He stepped closer to the desk, his eyes trained on the folder. "May I?" he asked, though it was clear he wasn't really asking for permission.
Without waiting for a response, Derek reached for the folder, his movements swift. He flipped it open, his eyes scanning the contents eagerly. "This is mine," he murmured under his breath, his voice heavy with vindication.
"What? No! You must be mistaken," he protested, his voice echoing his disbelief. "Let me take a look." He reached out, taking the paper from his companion's hands, and scanned the contents. A moment passed before he sighed in resignation. "Oh, you're... right."
"Yeah." The single word was a confirmation, simple yet definitive.
He glanced down at his hands, suddenly feeling a pang of anxiety. "But my assignments..." His voice trailed off, the unfinished question hanging in the air.
Without missing a beat, Derek reached into his bag and pulled out a similar folder. He held it out, the corners of his mouth lifting in a small, reassuring smile. "They're right here," he said, effectively cutting through the tension.
With a small, genuine smile gracing his lips, Hansel offered a quiet "thanks." His fingers lingered against Derek’s, their hands brushing against each other for a moment that seemed to stretch out longer than necessary.
Matilda, who had been silently observing the event unfolding before her eyes, couldn't help but mutter a bewildered "the fuck??" under her breath. The scene was so surreal, she felt like she was in a dream.
"I know right?" a voice echoed in agreement beside her, thick with a Russian accent. The voice carried a hint of amusement as it added, "they are disgustingly cute."
Matilda turned her head, intrigued by the unexpected response. She found herself looking at a woman whose appearance was as striking as her accent. She had straight black hair cut in a perfectly neat bob, bold red lips that contrasted sharply with her pale complexion, and fierce eyes that seemed to hold a world of stories. She was undeniably gorgeous, a vision that took Matilda's breath away.
Caught off guard by her own reaction, Matilda just stared. The woman, noticing Matilda's gaze, tilted her head slightly and asked, "...you okay?"
Matilda snapped out of her trance, realizing she had been caught staring. The stunning woman was looking back at her with an expression that looked somewhat like concern. It took a moment for Matilda to find her voice.
"Huh?" was all she managed to get out. It came out more as a question than a response.
"You look lost. You okay?" the woman asked again, her tone gentle.
"YES! I mean, Yes. Absolutely fine. Great! Haha," Matilda quickly replied, her words tumbling out in a rush as she scrambled to regain her composure.
"Well, good," she whispered, before she turned her attention back to the front where Hansel had continued his lecture. He was completely engrossed in his topic, blissfully unaware of the brief exchange that had occurred behind him.
Matilda sat back in her chair, a sudden pang of disappointment washing over her. The beautiful woman's attention had shifted so quickly, leaving Matilda feeling somewhat deflated. It felt as though their intriguing conversation, which had been filled with such promise, was abruptly over.
She began gathering her belongings, her mind still lingering on the interaction. As she casually reached into her pocket, her fingers closed around a piece of paper that definitely wasn't there before. With a look of surprise, she pulled it out, unfolding it to reveal a phone number neatly scribbled across it.
Beside the number, a small note read: 'my number - Katinka'. It was a simple note, yet it held so much potential. Matilda couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of excitement, her disappointment quickly fading away.