Chapter Text
Kara spots her across the lower courtyard, walking confidently out of E25 with a folder tucked under her arm and her phone in both hands. The days are long in the middle of June, so there are still the slowly dimming rays of sunlight coming into the green space. There are only a couple of other people lingering along the benches in the area, but none of them hold a candle to woman walking confidently away from the closing door behind her. She’s got long black hair but it’s done up in a high ponytail. Squinting through her glasses, Kara can’t see a single flyaway hair. It’s as impressive as it is daunting; her temples ache just thinking about all that tension.
The woman is gorgeous and looks, honestly, a little out of place for a college campus. Her suit is clearly tailored and flattering, of good quality to boot. There are no awkward polyester creases along the sleeves or stains from several re-wears before it gets to be laundered – at least, not that Kara can see. Her heels are too high for a student, and it might be the setting sun but the bottoms look like they might have a red finish which only emphasises how out of place this person must be.
It’s not like MIT is a stranger to wealth, but she wears it differently. Not so much like she’s trying to, or like it’s wearing her, but like it belongs to her. Like there is no universe where she wears something off the rack at Wal-mart. Yet, she looks too young to be faculty. Maybe that’s the craziest thing of all. She must have incredible genes, a stand-by cosmetic plastic surgeon, or she can’t be a day over 25. Her lips are so red against the pallor of a face that doesn’t seem to find much sunlight that it’s distracting, drawing Kara's gaze back again and again.
She has the greenest eyes. It’s the quickest of glances, but they’re light despite the serious set of her eyebrows as she types into her phone, head bent down in clear focus. The sunlight catches them and Kara stops in her tracks by the tree in the middle of the paths. Her eyes follow the woman as she gracefully descends the stairs, heading down towards Amherst.
Kara’s on her way to a party Nia’s throwing for the summer solstice and all she can think is that she wants to bring her. Her heels pound out a steady beat as she walks away from Kara and Kara’s chest tightens at the thought that she may never see her again. She adjusts the tote bag sliding off her shoulder full of cookies and juice and a bottle of peach schnapps as her future walks away from her.
Biting her bottom lip, Kara’s fingers tighten around the straps of the bag. She doesn’t give in to the antsy feeling in her legs to chase after her and introduce herself, to see those eyes up close and lose herself in them. She’s sure she would, but she stays rooted to the spot, staring after her.
She never regrets anything more.