"Clara?... Clara!", an aggravated voice barked as a hand smacked down on Clara's desk. She reluctantly lifted her head and glared at the brown eyed girl in front of her who so rudely interrupted her nap.
"You don't have to yell," Clara yawned and reclined in her seat. She lifted her arms over her head and arched her back in a feline stretch. Emily's hand was still on the desk as she leaned toward Clara, her dark loose curls littering the desk. She frowned at her unwavered friend. "If you keep falling asleep in class you're going to fail" Emily scolded. "Pffft! Please. This class is so easy, I could sleep every day for a month and still pass with an A", Clara scoffed coolly with a smile. She put both hands behind her head and melted even further in her seat, still smiling arrogantly. "Well not everyone is a genius like you Clara, and if you get kicked out of school for sleeping, I won't have anyone to sneak answers from so get your butt up before we're late to our next class!" Clara was a stickler to the rules for most things but when it came to academics she often found herself bored and understimulated. She had really hoped that the university studies would be as challenging as her high school teachers had warned but alas, 2 years later and she is still very much ahead of her classmates. "Eh, fine I'll try to stay awake. It's not my fault that the History of Literature is an absolute snore fest." Clara complained as she collected her things and started walking out. "True, but we're pretty lucky that we snagged two classes together this semester and the second one is a class something we both love so yay for Outdoor Aerobics!" Emily sung as she linked arms with her self proclaimed bestie. "It's true, it is my favorite class", Clara thought. The instructor doesn't mind chit-chat so the girls use this time to catch up with one another and to recharge with some fresh air between classes.
The girls made their way to the field where the class is held but stopped right outside the hall to the restroom to change. The high waisted shorts and red, skin-tight crop top that Emily was wearing wasn't exactly easy to do aerobics in. Clara waited outside patiently for her friend. She leaned on the wall as she watched the students bustle about around her, the warm sun resting gently on her cheeks. Unlike Emily, Clara had thought ahead and wore her athletic attire under her dress. Plus, her dress looked much too pretty to waste on her boring history class. Plus, she felt like not enough people had seen her outfit. She smiled and smoothed out the pretty pink dress, thinking about how funny "wasting" an outfit sounded. At that moment a tall stranger dressed in all black passed through her lowered eyelashes. A warm, earthy scent lingered in the air as he brushed through the crowded halls. It smelled like fresh cut cedar and maple leaves. She inhaled and a soft, involuntary moan escaped her lips.Her eyes flashed up quickly as she tried to get a glance at the face of the tasty smelling stranger, but she missed him by half a second. She watched the back of his black-haired head turn the corner just as Emily suddenly bounced from the restroom, blocking her view.
"How does this look? Too slutty?" she said spinning around in her sports-bra while lululemon leggings stretched over her mile long legs. Her rich brown curls were now up in a swinging ponytail. Slutty was definitely a word someone might use to describe Emily, but Clara knew her much better than that. Sure, she has had plenty of boyfriends but her dearest Emily believes that you must kiss many frogs to find your prince. Clara smiled thinking of how completely opposite they were on that regard. While she does enjoy the attention of boys and seeing them act nervous or parade around like peacocks; she didn't have time for boys or relationships. She was too busy with school and her very demanding job to even think about dating.
"You look hot. Stunning actually, as usual… can we go now?" Clara answered quickly, peeking around Emily's shoulder to get one last look at the stranger but he was gone. She did, in fact look stunning, Emily always did. She looked like a model, even on her worst days. They both did. They were always on the next trend and their style changed seamlessly before a new fad emerges. This week is all about high waisted shorts, next week would be cropped pullovers.
"Not as hot as you! Women go under the knife to get the lips and jugs you were God gifted! You're literally a bombshell Babe. And beyond beauty, you're like an actual genius." Emily bragged. "When were you going to tell me that you were accepted to every university you applied to?! And on full scholarship! We graduate next semester, you could have told me sooner!" When you're a busty blonde, no one takes you seriously. No one except Emily. Clara shrugged as she tied up her hair and Emily rolled her eyes smiling.
"I'll call you later" Clara called, once aerobics was over and they were departing to their separate classes. Clara wouldn't see Emily again that day. Clara shoved a stray gold strand of hair behind her ear and placed an earphone in it. She walked quietly to another class she enjoyed, Computer Coding. As the music dosed her with warm serotonin she felt effervescent walking into class, but unbeknownst to her... it wouldn't last.
She sat down and crossed her perfectly lean legs, the thought of the quick encounter with the dark haired stranger popped back into her mind vaguely. She leaned a hand on her pink soft cheek. And if by sole will power, a head of dark hair passed through the threshold. She slowly removed the earphone. "You gotta be shitting me."