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Iris kept smiling at them, though a little unsure. When Caden spoke roughly in English she smiled for real. "Just trying to finish math. Usually I don't have trouble but today I've been getting distracted easily." . She kept glancing at his friends. It seemed like they were laughing about something on one of their phones, but the way they kept glancing up and Caden and her suggested otherwise. . "It's okay. I don't mind." She said in response to his comment about them being jokers. "So, um..." Iris didn't know what else to say. She felt like she should mention the English sessions but was worried it might embarrass Caden in front of his friends. So she stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do. |
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The group eventually silently walked away, joking under their breaths. ~ * ~ "Yeah speaking of math, could you maybe help me with that, too? I mean I don't know if you're open to it but you're the first tutor I haven't wanted to slap in the face so..." He mused, smiling softly as he noticed the silence settling around them. |
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Iris sighed with relief as his friends walked away. Not that she hated them or anything. They had just been worrying her, making her more stressed. . She was surprised when Caden asked about tutoring for math. Well, it made sense, she supposed. Especially considering some of the tutors she'd known. Not all were patient and kind. "Oh, um, sure!" She'd have to adjust her schedule for whatever time they planned on doing it, but it wouldn't be an issue. . "I mean, yes, I'd love to." She finished with a soft smile, as a cool wind blew through the night air. |
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The wind blew soft and rustled his hair, the tree leafs loud against the silence. "I think it might storm, might want to head in." He murmured, eyeing the dark clouds forming over them. Caden didn't really want to leave, didn't want to leave her. Wait, what? No he just didn't want to leave the courtyard, that's it. He didn't like her, he didn't. But did he? |
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Iris nodded, glancing up at the sky. She couldn't tell since it was dark, but it looked like rain was coming. A flash of light illuminated Caden's face, looking at her in a way she hadn't seen before. A moment later, thunder boomed, and Iris jumped a little, accidentally taking a step closer to him. . She was now only a foot or so away from him, and her heart was hammering like the thunder above. She looked up at him, wanting both to run away and stay. She knew they should probably go in, but she couldn't seem to make her legs move. Rain started pittering on the cobbled ground, and stronger wind whipped Iris's short hair. |
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"Yeah, let's head in. It'll be chilly if we get too rained on," Caden murmured, his arm around her shoulders as he guided her towards one of the buildings. He had a jacket on and didn't know if she'd want it to stop her from getting wet, so he stayed quiet as he noticed the distance between them. |
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Iris shook herself from the strange trance and followed him, shoulders tingling from his touch. 'What's this, Iris? WHAT IS THIS? Why are you suddenly acting like you like him now? Obviously, you don't. Gosh, and now you're losing your mind!' She thought, mind racing, They made it under the overhang of one of the buildings. There was a stone bench, and, not knowing why, Iris sat down on it, looking out at the courtyard through the rain. |
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Caden lead her over to the overhang to wait out the billowing storm, hair damp from it as a few water drops slipped down his face. He sat on the bench with her, not close beside her but at least on the bench. -Stop it you idiot, she's your tutor. That'd be weird....so don't. Don't ruin it like you always do. Just don't.- |
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Iris tapped her fingers on her damp jeans, weirdly anxious. She didn't look at Caden, just stared straight ahead, vision blurred from the falling rain. Thunder boomed, and Iris yelped, high-strung from being nervous. 'What's wrong with you today? First you freak out at the end of the session, then you couldn't focus on math, and now you can't do anything except sit here! What are you waiting for? Just go back up to your room!' But Iris couldn't do it. Something in her told her she needed to stay, to wait. |
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Caden's attention was on the storm until he heard her yelp turning her attention to her. "You alright?"
He asked in accented english, yet making his tone less harsh as he was worried. Did she have a fear of storms? Or did it just catch her off guard? Was he the problem? No, that's dumb. - Just say you're busy and get up and leave, it's pretty simple Caden--just DO IT.- Yet he couldn't get up, almost as though he'd been cemented to the bench and wouldn't be able to get up. |
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Warming, with Sleet and Heavy Icing
