The Radiant Reira

2. Sharing Notes

A week went by since he first laid eyes upon the radiant Reira. She was friendly and always engaging in the class discussions, she made things interesting in that class. He was at the library during lunch, studying for a test, and before he could look up he noticed a girl sitting across from him.

"Hey, do you happen to have the notes for geology?" Reira asked with a smile.

"Uh, uhh, yeah, um, let me go find it" he stuttered.

He went through his backpack to take out his folder for Geology thinking about the fact that this girl is right in front of him.

She nervously laughed, "Um I'm sorry for bothering you, but I really need to copy someone's notes right now, and I left mine at home and you know, they're due today. I know it's irresponsible and all..." She continued to ramble.

She was pretty. Pretty kind. Pretty weird, why did she keep trying to explain herself? He did feel that it was odd for her to ask him, out of all the other students in their class.

"Here." He smiled. "And you weren't bothering me by the way."

The girl definitely looked nervous in his eyes, he just wanted to reassure her.

She smiled and told him she would return the notes later in class.

It was time for Geology class which he found to be an okay class. He entered class noticing a new seating chart up on the board, and found himself sitting in the very back. She comes to the classroom late and sits next to him. "Hey!" she says with a smile. "This is perfect, I finished copying your notes" she smiled as she handed his notes back. He smiled nervously. He was uncomfortable, not because she made him uncomfortable but more so because there was something about her that made him feel different. The good kind of different, which he wasn't used to.

Class started and Mr. Reynold began with an announcement in regard to why there was an unexpected seating change. "A partner project." He and Reira gave a look to each other simultaneously. "Due to finals being a thing in two weeks, I've decided that I'm way too tired to grade any kind of exam at this point of the year." Mr Reynold expressed lazily. "Since we are on the unit of the universe, and you guys haven't had any real projects, I thought it'd be perfect to give you guys the option to either do a typical solar system project or create some sort of film, or whatever else idea you guys have that involves what we're learning about."

"Could this teacher be any more unenthusiastic?" Reira thought.

"Whatever you and your partner come up with, I expect a three page essay plus a presentation. Remember that you guys have 2 weeks starting next week, and I'm expecting effort because the grade you receive from this final will roughly be the grade you will have for this class, and I know, that you know, that you really don't want to re-do this class." Mr. Reynold took a deep frustrated breath. "Exchange numbers whenever you can. Alright, I need notes turned in and then we'll get started on the stars."

The two were quiet. He couldn't help but subtly glance at her from time to time. In his eyes, she had the perfect face and the way she dressed was doll-like yet somehow it was still a modest and mature look. She was really listening to Mr. Reynold's lecture, Reira was engaged, seeming to have a genuine interest in the stars and how they formed. There was an animated look in her eyes that no one else had.