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“Miss Robbins, are you listening?”
Arizona blinked, snatching her gaze back from where it had strayed across the lecture hall, refocusing on the older lady at the front, who wore a blouse far too big for her and slacks which had hems trailing on the ground. “Yes, Doctor.” Arizona said, flushing as she scanned the presentation projected at the front of the hall. “Administering fluids.” She said, just to prove she’d been listening, even if she hadn’t.
She hadn’t been listening. She’d let her gaze wander – again – towards the brunette sat in the far corner of the hall, studying the way she’d pulled her hair up in a loose bun that sat at the nape of her tanned neck, and how her white teeth glinted as she turned to smile at the girl behind her. Oh, to be the girl behind her.
Arizona glanced down at the empty page in front of her. She sighed, picking up her pen and begun to write, her gaze flitting between the presentation and her tidy handwriting which flowed from the nib of her pen.
“Lindsay?” The woman at the front drawled, sounding exasperated. Arizona’s head snapped up at the mention, her gaze refixing on the brunette. “Sorry, Doctor. I was just wondering whether needle sizes matter when it comes to different sizes of IV bag.” She asked. Her voice was soft, tired even. It was the most mundane question ever, but it sent sparks through Arizona either way and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from smiling.
She’d ask her after this lecture, ask Lindsay if she wanted to go for coffee with her. She’d rehearsed it in her head for weeks, and just knowing at this point would be better than letting a crush get in the way of her education.
“That sounds lovely, Arizona.” Lindsay said, pulling a small notebook out of her back pocket and scribbling down the time and date. “So, Maplebean at eleven on Friday?” She asked, glancing behind her as people flushed out of the Lecture Hall.
Arizona nodded, sincerely hoping the colour wasn’t burning on her cheeks as it often did. “I’ll see you then?” She asked shyly. Lindsay nodded, flashing a dimpled smile at Arizona, who nearly buckled at the knees. She was down so bad. “Bye, Arizona!” Lindsay said cheerfully, joining a gaggle of girls at the entrance.
Arizona blinked to herself, turning around and practically skipping out the double doors and back towards her flat. She’d asked Lindsay out – and she’d said yes!
Friday rolled around and Arizona was perched on the edge of her seat at the quiet Maplebean Café, her fingers gripping a white cardboard coffee cup anxiously. She’d deliberated over her outfit for days, going for a plaid shirt, worn over a vest top, paired with her favourite bootcut jeans – which were actually hand-me-downs from her older brother, Tim.
The door swung over and Arizona nearly spilt her coffee, her spine jerking so she was sat upright. Lindsay was at the doorway, looking effortless in dark jeans and a long sleeved black top, layered with a trenchcoat and a scarf slung casually over her neck. Arizona waved at her, trying not to smile too hard. Act cool, Arizona.
“Hey!” Said Lindsay, sitting down and putting her bag beneath the table, her scent washing over Arizona. “Morning.” Arizona replied, taking a sip from her coffee and burning the roof of her mouth, coughing hard. “Oh, you okay?” Lindsay said, her brows furrowing briefly in concern. Arizona nodded, flushing hard. “Choked. Sorry.” She spluttered. Lindsay laughed, “Happens to everyone, right?” She said, in a way that immediately made Arizona feel easy again.
They made small talk while waiting for Lindsay’s coffee, until Lindsay glanced at the door swinging open behind them. “Everything good?” Arizona asked, relaxed now. Lindsay nodded. “I should’ve told you earlier – I hope you don’t mind – but I invited a guy I like. I just find it so much easier to make moves with other girls here, you know?” Lindsay said, as if it was the most casual thing in the world.
Arizona felt sick as the realisation washed over her, but she still asked. “Boy?”
“Mhm, Carl from anatomy. Isn’t he just so dreamy?” Lindsay said, her eyes misted over in the way Arizona’s did when she gushed to her flatmate about Lindsay. Arizona wanted to be sick, her coffee felt like hot oil churning in her stomach.
“Oh, so you thought this was just..”
“Girl-talk, yeah.” Lindsay said, gazing at Arizona, confusion etched into her face. “That’s not what you meant?”
“Shit. No. That’s not what I meant, really.” Arizona grabbed her coat, unable to bear sitting there for much longer. “I’m sorry, that we were on the wrong page.”
Lindsay looked taken aback. “Mm. Didn’t know you were.. into that, you know.” She said uncertainly.
Arizona took one last look at Lindsay, horrified and mortified all at once as she made a swift exit, her burning cheeks cooled by the tear rolling down them.