The landscape blurred together as the train sped along the tracks. I looked out the window and caught glimpses of flashes of sunken gardens and shrubbery.
This is it. In a few hours I'd be at Caltech. Studying Astrophysics. Butterflies found their way into my stomach and I anxiously bit my nail. What if I wasn't smart enough? What if I'd struggle understanding the basics and get stuck while everyone else moved forward without me.
The trains movement jarred me out of my thoughts. "No Y/N", I forced myself to think. "You're here because you're intelligent, and someday your research will change the world and you're totally gonna get an amazing job at NASA and be the next Stephen Hawkin". I sighed. The thought was mildly comforting. But I was still terrified.
"Hello there".
I turned my head and saw a midget-of-a-man with a side-swept bowl cut grinning creepily at me.
"Hi?" I replied nervously.
"What is a gorgeous lady such as yourself doing on a train to Pasadena" He purred. Ew.
"I'm studying at Caltech. Caltech is in Pasadena, are we starting to connect the dots" I replied with thinly veiled disgust that he seemed completely oblivious to.
"Why- what a coincidence, I work at Caltech! Howard Wolowitz, aerospace engineer" He held out his hand. Against my better judgement, I took it. Howard awkwardly kissed the top of my hand. Eugh. I cleared my throat and pulled my hand away.
"So what are you studying at Caltech?" Howard asked.
"Astrophysics, It's my first year" I mumbled as I not-so-discreetly wiped the back of my hand on jeans.
"Oh I have a great joke for that, why did the physics student at Caltech always carry a pencil? In case they needed to draw a positive conclusion" he finished and guffawed at his own joke.
"Right" I smiled politely.
Howard saw I wasn't laughing and quieted. Clearing his throat he continued.
"So where are you staying Y/N?"
"Actually I'm staying with my cousin Penny, I was supposed to stay on campus, in the Bechtel residence, but it's much cheaper to just live together". I rambled. Honestly I figured the more I talked the less chance he had of continuing his creepy quips.
"Wait" Howard scrunched his brows in confusion. "Does she by any chance work at the Cheesecake factory?".
"Yes I believe she does" I paused, "why?".
"I know her! She's dating my best friend, Leonard Hofstadter, you'll be living across the hall from him, so you and I will be seeing a lot more of eachother" He smirked, waggling his eyebrows.
Oh for the love of Jesus Christ.
"That sounds, very, pleasant." I managed weakly.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of nightmarish Wolowitz-limbo, the train slowed to a stop.
"Well it was wonderful meeting you" I quickly said as I gathered my luggage. "Au revoir".
"Wait a minute m'lady, based on our wonderful conversation, Wouldst the fair maiden mind a fantastical endeavour to the local tavern" Howard asked in a poor imitation of medieval english while blocking my way.
"Are you, asking me out?" I raised an eyebrow quizzically.
He tapped his fingers and nodded: "Yes that is what I am doing".
"Yeah, look this fair maiden just really wants to go home and get ready for class. So-"
"Ah I see. Fret not Y/N, I understand". He nodded.
"Oh great because I was honestly-"
"I'll come back tomorrow, I know where you live" He cut me off, grinning.
Pushing past him I stepped of the train. I looked around the trainstation. Trying to spot Penny.
"Y/N!" I heard a scream. I whirled around to see Penny come bounding up to me. I dropped the suitcases and threw my arms around her.
"Oh my gosh Pen it's been forever! I missed you so much" I squealed. Penny held me out at arms length and looked me up and down. She'd grown out her bangs, and lost some of her tan. But otherwise she hadn't changed much.
"Y/N you've grown so much, and oh god you've gotten so pretty too! I mean you've always been pretty but wow puberty hit you right".
Yeah, she hadn't changed at all. Much as I loved her, she had a tendency to open her mouth and let whatever was going on in her head spill right out of it.
"Gee, thanks Pen" I laughed, gently removing her hands. As I did so I noticed a figure awkwardly shambling up behind her. He was short, stout, with dark hair and glasses. He seeme unsure of what do to so I took the initiative.
"Hi, you must be Leonard, right?" I smiled and held out my hand.
"Yeah haha hi" He chuckled and smiled gratefully, and shook my hand.
"Wait, Y/N I never told you about Leonard" Penny looked at me confusedly.
"Yeah no, I met your friend Howard Wolowitz in the train". I explained.
"My ears are burning, miss me already Y/N" Howard's voice came from behind me.
"Speak of the devil" I muttered. Penny shot me a knowing look.
"Howard, do you see pigs flying?" Penny asked.
Howard paused and cautiously looked up. "No?"
"Exactly, so lay off my cousin". Penny warned. At that I smiled. Trust Penny to figure out how uncomfortable I was under this situation. She knew I struggled with telling people no. Actually, she probably knew me better than anyone.
"Thank you" I mouthed at her. She winked.
Leonard cleared his throat and looked around, fidgeting with his car keys. "I've left the car running, and there's a rerun of Doctor who on BBC-" he trailed off as Penny shot him a look. I picked up my suitcase and awkardly shuffled my feet. Howard whistled. Penny blinked.
"Yeah, lets go".
YOU ARE READING
"It's simple physics" Sheldon X Reader
Fanfiction"It doesn't matter how loud you're yelling, I still dont get it" "Your level of intelligence is truly baffling, you seem to be more dunderheaded than Howard!" (Yikes. You really gonna let him speak to you like that Y/N?) DISCLAIMER: Due to the, oh...
