Say My Name [ Teacher-Student Romance -- Robert Downey Jr ]

Ch.13 - Coffee For The Cold Hearted

She looks at him, a small smile, "I should, shouldn't I?"

He nods, taking a sip of whatever he'd ordered. "You'd like it. A couple nice students there. I sometimes chat with them during break, you'd probably get along well with them."

"Sure, I'll, uh, try it." She was about to further with a question but held her tongue. She wasn't sure if it was...appropriate? Maybe? She didn't know. It was just a silly thing to ask.

"What?" He furrows his brows with a small smile. "You don't have to hold back saying stuff if you don't want to. No pressure. I'm here for all my students who need a chat though."

"Yeah?" Not sounding hopeful, a few different things flickering through her mind.

"Of course. I take it as a part of my job."

"Ill keep that in mind. Thanks."

They fall silent, looking around scratching their heads. She is trying to talk, she really is but she was just in a shut down sorta state. She wasn't used to talking with new people, people she didn't already know their life stories, or having grown up with them. Still the new aching coldness that had come about her these last few months simmered down when she was around him. Or maybe that was the coffee.

He points to her cup of joe. "Good?"

She nods, humming, "Delicious, thank you for buying. Was really nice of you."

Quietness surrounds them again. Mr.Downey is looking at his coffee cup, trying to figure something out about the sweet taste. So polite as he doesn't even make a move to leave the awkwardness she's creating. Ugh. She just wants to be loose again. Free, not so high strung. She could leave. Say something like her moms expecting her, but a tiny bit of her keeps pushing her to try. To make it good.

She exhales, leaning on her elbows, hands washing over her face tiredly.

Mr.Downey is quick to respond to that, "If you need to go, its okay. I don't wanna hold you up." Assuring her.

He is so kind. Why was he being nice to her? Someone who is so utterly awkward, weird, and damaged. "Im sorry for my lack of words. I'm-I'm just a nervous person. Lately."

He actually laughs lightly, not at her, but as she looks back at him, she could see him shaking his head in small understanding. "Yeah, I get what you mean. It's okay, by the way, to be quiet or nervous or whichever. You're not alone."

Asking the silly question that was pushing at her throat, slowly, shyly speaking. "How do you talk to people...so easily?"

He met her gaze. "You mean my lectures?"

"That and just--being able to talk to new people. Like how you were saying you talk to the class on break?"

"Well, when it's work, it's easy. I've also been doing this same course for three or four years now, so it's really routine. Same with chatting with the kids--not saying you or they, are kids, just what I call you youngsters."

"I get what you mean." She smiles. "I'm just curious because I'm trying to, um, learn how to do that. Talk with people. I used to be pretty good at it, but lately I've just gotten...stuck on my words."

He smiles warmly in return, a sad twist to it. "Sometimes moving from one coast to the other can do that."

"I suppose it has." Her grin widening a bit, then falling. "I just...miss it, you know?"

"Why don't you go back?"

Thinking for a moment, how much she wants to answer of that, but for some reason something close to the truth just ached to be told. "I-I've thought about it. Moving back just me, but I have a little sister,"