Awakening Abigail

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

They where both sitting in the living room. Abi sat on the ground, coffee on her left, finished question papers on her right. Andrew also sat on the ground, his long legs stretched out in front of him. His hand started to cramp from all the marking. They were almost finished. The atmosphere was warm, and Abi felt comfortable with him in her tiny home. She enjoyed his comments about the students' idiotic answers, and laughed when he read them out loud. Tiny was sound asleep on the black couch. He lied on his back, feet in the air and head hanging off the couch. Every now and again his hind legs would start to collapse, but then he would snap them up again.  

Abi paused for a moment. She rested her head against the wall, and stared at Andrew. They didn't talk about what happened earlier that day at the university, even though he promised her that it would happen. She closed her eyes. How was she going to explain everything to him? How can she tell him about the comment the silly girl made, and worse, how was she going to explain her reaction when he touched her? With a sigh she got up, taking her empty cup with her.  

"Want some more coffee?"  

Andrew looked up from a very untidy answer sheet.  

"Oh yes Please. And maybe a translator? Or maybe someone who can read Arabian?"  

Abi shook her head."Give me the paper, it can’t be that bad!" she held out her hand. Andrew handed it to her, a knowing smile on his face. 

"If you can read that without developing a head ache, or go blind, we can stop right now." 

Andrew was right. Whoever wrote on this paper could be a doctor, purely based on very bad hand writing. She could make out a word here and there, but not much. She casually threw the paper back onto his lap. 

"No way, this is your baby! I'm fine with finishing tonight." 

Andrew threw the paper on the ground. He handed her his empty coffee mug. 

"Ya know what Tinkerbell? I'm done for the night. We can finish tomorrow, in my office,as it should be. If they found out I took the papers off campus, I’m toast. See what measures I have to take in order to get your help?" 

Abi blushed.  

"You didn't have to come here; you could have just as well marked on your own." 

Andrew shook his head. He got up, and took the cups from her. 

"No way. Doesn't work that way." 

He turned on the kettle. 

"Tell me Tink, why didn't you come see me after class? I actually waited for 5 minutes, like an idiot." 

He leaned against the kitchen cabinet, arms folded across his broad chest.  

"Look, I know I might have over reacted today, and I'm sorry for losing my temper. Usually I have excellent control, but today, well, you just pushed me the wrong way." 

Abi looked at him, her brilliant eyes a bit shocked at his apology. She didn't expect that at all. Suddenly she felt bad, and knew that he deserved the truth. She sat on one of the chairs. 

"I didn't ignore your request because I was sour at you scolding me. Before I reached you, one of the girls in the class said something upsetting to me, and I left. I just forgot, and I'm sorry. I'm also sorry for talking in your class. I don't want you to think I don't have respect for you, because I do." 

Her apology was sincere, and Andrew just nodded in acceptance. 

"So today was one big misunderstanding."