That just isn't going to be an option.
After I’d convinced Dr. Lawson that my slip ups from clinic wouldn’t happen again, I make my way back to the medical school building to sulk in the library for a few hours. Even after convincing myself that it was a fluke, I still couldn’t shake my bad mood. It lasts all the way up to Neuroscience when I suddenly get a second wind. Again, I manage to arrive just as class is starting and much to my dismay the only seat available is, again, right next to Astrid.
When I sit down and pull out my laptop, I feel her eyes staring at me. “How was clinic?” she whispers. I try to hide my emotions under a stoic face, but I know I fail miserably.
“It was fine,” I reply, trying to avoid eye contact with her. The more she pried, the more I would struggle to keep my frustration a secret. Even barely knowing Astrid, I can tell she doesn’t believe a word I am saying by the fact that her eyes still haven’t left me. She doesn’t say anything else though, and when the class starts I watch her finally turn away. Relief floods through me and I sink back into my chair, finally able to relax.
The class seems to fix my mood. Once again, I find the questions he asks routine and easy. Oliver challenges almost every answer I give. I admire his competitive spirit. As the class goes on, I start to notice Astrid struggling again. This time it seems as if she can’t keep up with the professor, who is admittedly going quite fast with his lecture. I can see the anxiety written all over her face as she follows along to his slides.
Suddenly, I’m so distracted by Astrid’s plight that I lose track of my own notes. Even when I try to get focused, I find myself glancing over at her, growing increasingly worried.
When class ends, I don’t pack up my things right away. Oliver and Charlotte give us a wave as they head out of the classroom and I hear him call out to me. “Three components of chemical synapses?”
“Presynaptic, synaptic cleft, postsynaptic.” We exchange smiles after I rattle off the answer. He looks pleased and gives me another wave before he heads out the door.
When I turn back to Astrid, she rests with her hands interlaced around the back of her neck, her face buried down into her laptop. Again, it looks as though she has been taking thorough notes, but by the look on her face it isn't helping any in the least.
I watch as she turns to look at me and offers her adorable smile. “So clinic went okay?”
For whatever reason, I find myself admitting the truth in spite of the fact that I really didn’t want to talk about it. At least I thought I didn’t, anyway. “It was terrible.” I reiterate the events of the morning to her, and she listens patiently, nodding along as I spoke.
“I’m sorry,” she says thoughtfully, offering me a small smile. We stare at each other for a moment before she speaks again. “I’m sure it will go better next time.” The way she says it with so much reassurance has me believing it the minute it came from her mouth.
“I have to do better next time,” I reply. Then I quickly change the subject, looking over to her computer. “Do you need help?”
Astrid sighs, turning back to her notes and scrolling through them slowly. “I feel like I’m a hopeless cause.” She laughs softly.
“I doubt you’re hopeless,” I reply, leaning over to study her computer again. As I do, I feel her glance on me, and when I turn, our faces are very close together. Suddenly that wave of anxiety washes over me. I clear my throat loudly and pull back from her a bit. “He did go pretty fast with his lecture. Here, you can copy my notes if you want.” When I hand her my laptop, she takes it from me, and our hands come together for a moment. The most intense feeling shoots through me, sending a shiver from top to bottom. My heart races in my chest. I look away from her, staring up at the front of the room as I hear her clicking away at her keyboard, copying down the notes she’d missed.
We don’t speak until she finishes. Finally, she sets the laptop back on my desk. “Thank you so much, Penelope.” As soon as she does, I quickly pack my things and stand up from the chair.
“My name is Penny,” I remind her again, running a hand through my short blonde hair. I give her a quick glance. “And you’re welcome. See you later.” Once again I find myself scurrying away from her as fast as I can.
Except for this time I can hear her follow me out into the hall.
“Penelope—I mean Penny,” she corrects herself this time. When she does, I realize that I may, in fact, like it when she calls me by my full name better. Maybe I just enjoyed correcting her for some reason or another. You’re weird.
“Hm?” I reply, turning on my heel to face her.
“I was thinking,” she says, moving closer towards me. I find myself taking a step back to try and keep the distance from her. “Maybe we could help each other. I’m pretty good at social things,” she smiles and I feel my heart jump. “And you seem to know a lot about these classes. I wonder if I can’t help you in exchange for you helping me.”
For a split second, I find myself considering it. That is before I remember that she is literally the most distracting thing I’d ever come across in my entire life. Saying yes to her would undoubtedly end in disaster.
“I don’t know,” I reply and I watch her face sink slightly. She hides it well, however, because it disappears only a second after I see it. I decide to be polite. “I’ll have to think about it.”
She looks pleased with that response and nods before she turns back into the classroom. Suddenly I realize how good it felt to make her happy. Ugh. I was definitely in trouble.
.........................
“Thanks, Penny,” Jeff smiles at me as he takes his grocery bags. I give him a friendly wave goodbye as he takes off out the building.
College Market is a small grocery on the far side of the University that was almost always filled with students. I have worked there as a cashier since high school and have made plenty of acquaintances along the way. As much as I hate socializing, it pays well and is a steady and flexible job.
After I prep the next set of bags, I look up and am greeted by a friendly face I’d always liked to see. She is an undergraduate student who came in often, sometimes with her mother, sometimes just by herself.
“Hey there Zoe, how are you doing?” I offer a smile as I start to load her groceries into bags. She looks to be in a good mood.
“I’m great,” she replies, in her subtle German accent. She and her mother had lived somewhere in the Alps, where exactly I’d never asked. They resided in the city now and had been coming to the grocery as long as I’d been working there. “My cousin just got in from out of town. She’s going to be staying for a while. I’m really excited. How’d your first few days of school go?”
“Pretty good,” I reply. “It’s going to be a lot of work, that’s for sure. How did your classes go?”
“Great,” she says, helping me move the groceries along. “My cousin started her first day there too.”
“What’s she studying?”
“Oh,” Zoe says, and the two of us meet eyes. “She’s a medical student.”
My hand slips from a bag of onions, and I watch as they tumble to the ground. Zoe runs around the cash register to help me pick them up off the floor. “God, I’m sorry,” I reply, still feeling stunned and out of it. Zoe smiles and shrugs it off.
“Your cousin,” I manage to speak again after a few moments. “Her name wouldn’t happen to be Astrid, would it?”
When Zoe’s face lights up, I feel my anxiety washing over me. “How did you know that? Are you a medical student too?” When I nod, she looks ecstatic. “That’s awesome! We should totally do something together sometime.”
Nope. The last thing on Earth I needed was to involve myself in extracurricular activities with Astrid Reynolds. That was a disaster waiting to happen. But I didn’t tell Zoe this.
“Maybe,” I reply, as I finish bagging her groceries. She pays me and offers me another friendly smile as she grabs her bags to leave.
“Small world, huh? I can’t
believe you know Astrid.”
Me either, I think.
Chapter 4
Astrid
That evening when I arrive back to the penthouse, Nina has dinner on the table. She’d always been a fantastic cook. I could smell it the moment the elevator opened. There is a spread of roasted beef, vegetables, and even ribel, a classic cornmeal dish from home that had been my favorite since I was a child.
“You didn’t have to go through all this trouble,” I tell her after I’ve taken my things to the guest suite. She smiles at me when I sit down. Zoe is already digging into her food. My aunt pours me a glass of white wine and the three of us spend the early evening chatting away. It was the most relaxed I’d felt all day.
“I ran into one of your classmates at the grocery today,” Zoe says to me after taking a drink. “Penny? Do you know her?”
My heart flutters in my chest at the mention of her name. It is apparent by the look on my face that I do, and my cousin looks pleased. “She works at the grocery store,” she says. “I’ve known her for ages. Isn’t that funny? I couldn’t believe it.”
I couldn’t believe it myself. All I could do was offer a nod.
The rest of dinner, even amidst conversation, all I can think about is Penelope. Zoe and I clean up after and let my aunt relax a bit. As we wash dishes, I feel her nudge me in the shoulder.
“So, are you and Penny friends?” She asks me. “She’s really nice, I think you’d get along with her.”
I can’t help but smile when she says this. Were we friends? Or just acquaintances? I couldn’t really know for sure. All I knew is that she was one of the most interesting people I’d ever met.
“I think we’re friends,” I reply as she hands me another dish. I run my hands under the warm water, enjoying the feeling. Cleaning and doing small chores like this has always been relaxing to me. Living with my parents, I very rarely did chores. It is always left up to the housekeeping staff. So when I have the opportunity, I always enjoy it.
I can feel myself blush as my mind wandered to Penelope. There are thoughts in my head that I am surprised are there. Feelings that I didn't expect myself to have.
“What?” Zoe asks me, and I can feel her eyes on the side of my face. When I turn to look at her, she has a curious look. “You’re blushing.”
“Nothing,” I reply, turning my attention back to the dishes. Even with my dismissal, I can still feel her watching me. “It’s nothing, Zoe,” I repeat myself. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see her smiling.
“Oh my God, you like her,” I hear her whisper, nudging me again. This time I can definitely tell my face is getting red. My hand waves as I try to quiet her. Zoe’s face can hardly contain her excitement. “I can’t believe it!”
“I don’t know,” I finally admit, giving a shrug. My body relaxes somewhat after admitting the fact. Before I know it, I’ve let myself slip even more. “I can’t stop thinking about her.” It is true. She has consumed my thoughts all day, even amidst studying and classes and labs. All I want is to see her again.
“I think she might like you too,” Zoe says to me when I finally draw courage enough to look at her. She can tell by my facial expression I am curious what she means. “At the grocery store tonight. When I said your name, she got all flustered. I’ve never seen her act like that before.”
Neither of us says anything for a moment. Finally, I look to her, speaking quietly. “You can’t tell anyone. Not even Nina, do you promise? If mama found out about this..”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Zoe smiles, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Even if it is the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.”
I wave my hand at her playfully, and the two of us finish the rest of the dishes together, chatting away.
.........................
The week flies by, filling up my days with endless amounts of classwork and studying. I feel as if I never stop. I study while I eat lunch. When I go on walks around campus to stretch my legs, I listen to recorded lectures. Every lab I spend time after, trying to catch up and make sure I understand everything.
Meanwhile, Penelope continues to occupy my thoughts in spare moments. She sits beside me during lectures, letting me check my notes with hers after class. Even Charlotte and Oliver go out of their way to help me. If it weren’t for them, I likely would have fallen very far behind.
When Dr. Avery announces our first pop quiz of the year, during the second week of classes, a wave of dread overcomes me. While I feel like I have managed to catch up, my confidence is still shaken. The quiz lasts for half of the class period, and I have to leave two questions blank when he calls time. It doesn’t escape my mind until the following class period when he hands them back to us.
“Most of you did very well,” Dr. Avery says, shuffling through the papers at the front of the room. “There are a few of you who I wrote to come see me after class. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate it.”
Even before I get my test back, I know to expect the worst. When he places it upside down on my desk, it takes me a long while before I manage to flip it over. Sure enough, most of the page is covered in red ink. I see a note scribbled on top to visit with him. After I’ve stared at it a while, my eyes look over at Penelope. She is looking at me quietly, and I am quite sure she’s seen my test marks. I quickly turn it over, offering her a small smile.
“How did you do?” I ask, and she gives me a quick show of her excellent grade. Even with my struggles, I am still happy for her and impressed.
After class, I meet with Dr. Avery.
“Astrid,” he smiles at me and ushers for me to sit. “It’s a pleasure to get to speak to you. I hear you’re one of our more famous international students.”
I nod bashfully, offering him a smile as best I can. My nerves are overcoming me. “I guess you could say that,” I reply, taking a seat. I have forgotten that most of the staff at the school know of my background. They also know that it is of top priority to keep it from my fellow peers.
“I’ve been to that area of the country once for a conference. Berlin. Beautiful place. I love the food.”
We chat for a bit, mostly him asking questions about my stay so far and offering suggestions of things to do in the city. Finally, we get to the matter at hand.
“I want to talk to you about the quiz,” he says, taking mine. I watch him glance it over for a moment before he hands it back. “Now I don’t want you to be alarmed. I took a great deal of time to look over your answers. You show a lot of potential. You may want to consider getting some outside help to make sure you understand the material. It’s important you get this foundational stuff down.” I nod. “And of course, I’m always around if you need some extra help. Don’t hesitate to come to me if you need to.”
When I leave, I actually feel a lot better than I had felt beforehand. Mostly I just feel relieved to have gotten it over with. I spent the rest of the morning in the library studying. When I finally make my way to Anatomy lab, I’m surprised that Penelope has beaten me there. She is looking over the lab manual when I come to sit beside her.
“Hey,” she offers me a smile. Every time she looks at me that way I can feel my insides churn. I can’t control myself. I sit down and pull out my things from my bag. My first thought is that she’d bring up the quiz that I knew she had seen but I am pleasantly surprised when she seems to ignore it all together.
The lab today focuses on blood vessels and the heart, most of which I’d remembered from my undergraduate classes. I only need Penelope’s assistance a few times and even help her identify a vessel she’d forgotten. By the end of the class, I am starting to feel more confident again.
After I bid my farewell to Penelope and gave a friendly wave to our friends, I make my way down the hallway. As I do, I hear footsteps behind me.
“Hey Astrid, wait up.” She has such a charming voice. I loved hearing it. It is lower pitched but still feminine, and she has a little lisp that made it all that much more interesting. When
I turn to face her, she is smiling. “You forgot your lab manual.”
I can tell after I take it from her that it isn’t the only reason she’d come to find me. After a moment she speaks again. “I was going to say,” she starts, and I watch her hand run through her hair nervously. “If you would want some extra help with classes, I can tutor you a little. If you want that is. But I don’t have to. It’s only if you want to..” She stops herself abruptly from rambling, and I can’t help but laugh.
“I’d love that, actually,” I reply, offering her a smile. “That’s nice of you to offer.”
“Of course,” she says. “Just let me know when and we’ll figure something out.” I watch her as she turns to leave.
“Thanks, Penny,” I call after her as she wanders back down the hall. As I’m about to walk away, I hear her speak once more.
“Hey Astrid,” she says, and I look up to her. “You can call me Penelope if you want.” After she says it, I watch her face turn a slight shade of pink.
Surprisingly, I arrive back home from school early that day. Nina, who is busy cleaning the already impeccable house she lives in, catches me as I walk inside. She has her phone to her ear. “Do you want to talk to your mother?” It comes out in a hushed whisper. For whatever reason, I had no interest in doing so today. I shake my head, walking past her down the hall to my area of the house.
Most of the late afternoon I spend studying. It’s hard to focus, thinking about the idea of Penelope tutoring me. Finally, I give up, just as Zoe arrives back. When she gets home, Nina asks the two of us if we’ll run down to the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner. My heart skips a beat at the idea of possibly running into Penelope. I happily oblige. Zoe and I make the ten-minute walk down to the grocery, toting a small cart with us to carry the bags.
Royal Pains Page 3
