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The Little Mermaid
chapter ten
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chapter ten.
environmental science.
"YOU KNOW IF SEÑOR CHANG GETS ANY CRAZIER, HE'S GONNA WIN ONE OF THOSE GRAMMY AWARDS."
Elina picked her head up from where she sat on the floor. Her laptop in her lap as she tried to find any trustworthy translators. The rest of the group looked toward Pierce, different levels of foul expressions across their faces. "This isn't a laughing matter, Pierce," Elina spoke up. "We have to write a twenty page essay in Spanish when we've only been taught, like, eight words." His brows furrowed as he sat down, his eyes locked on the young blonde.
"I've already reported him to the dean," Annie said as she stormed into the room. "He said they've been trying to fire him for three years but nobody wants his job." Shirley paced, wringing her hands out in front of her. Elina sighed, face falling into her hand. "Mm-mm. I can't write a twenty page paper," the older woman said. "I got a presentation in Marketing class on Friday. And public speaking gives me the nervous sweats." Elina's face softened with sympathy. Pierce's face lit up with the news. He stood to his feet with a small smile. "I can help you with that," he offered.
"I accept," Shirley blurted out. Surprise etched itself on his face, and the faces of those around them. "That's how messed up things are," she added. Elina leaned back against the couch Britta occupied. Her knees bent as she repositioned her laptop. Troy sat up from his position on the table. "Well, we're screwed too. We're three days behind on a Biology lab."
Britta ran her hands through Elina's hair. Their attention turned to Abed and Troy. "The reason it's taking so long is Troy's afraid of—"
"I'm not afraid, Abed," Troy stated. His finger held up at the boy. "I choose not to be around rats because they are unpopular." Elina shuddered at the idea of having to be in a room full of rats. "Same goes for centipedes and lakes."
"I have to do four different makeup looks for formal affairs for class tomorrow," Elina huffed. Annie's brows furrowed. Britta sighed and stood to her feet. It appeared everyone was not doing well with Chang's new tyranny. "There's only one solution," she concluded. A dramatic pause filled the room. Elina blinked. "We... kill him?" she vocalized, her sentence holding an inquisitive finish.
Shirley gasped. The boys looked toward the blonde in surprise. "No!" Annie quickly said. "No. Someone has to go to Chang and talk to him." Faces dropped. The idea of talking to their professor was a bit intimidating. Especially after his melt down in class. Annie's hands moved to her hips. "I vote we all look at Jeff at the same time."
Everyone stood, Britta moved Elina's laptop so she could stand as well. Their bodies faced Jeff's, eyes falling onto the ex lawyer. He sat there for a moment before turning toward them. "In a way, all of you are right," he said, clearly oblivious to what they were staring at him for. When no one answered, his face curled into confusion. "Okay, what was I tuning out?" he asked. Annie sighed. "You have to get Chang to call off some of this homework. You're the one with the silver tongue."
Elina's eyes widened a bit. "Yeah, go tongue Chang," Pierce chimed in. Elina's brows furrowed. "Oh, God. Please kill those images," she muttered, squeezing her eyes closed. Jeff scoffed. One corner of his lips curled into a half smirk. "Guys, what makes you think I could convince Chang of anything if I can't even convince you not to make me do it?" A few murmurs sounded as the group began to converse to themselves. A look of defeat washing over a few faces. "Jeff does raise a good point," Troy said. "Wait. You are convincing!"
Annie and Shirley gasped. Jeff had almost gotten them. Almost. "You could do it," Shirley said in encouragement. Jeff, having been found out, dropped the I don't care attitude of his. His hand fell to his lap with a quick roll of his eyes. "You want me to risk the C that I'm pulling in that psycho's class by putting myself on his radar?"
"You're in a Spanish study group and you've still got a C?" Elina asked. Jeff's eyes landed on the blonde. An expression crawled across his face that asked, really? You're surprised? "Look, that guy goes any more nuts, he's gonna win a Grammy," Jeff continued. The group all laughed, except for Elina and Pierce. She still didn't think this was the time for jokes, and Pierce was obviously upset that Jeff had stolen his joke. "What is it, the chair?" the old man asked in irritation.
With the laughter subsided, Britta asked, "Jeff, how do you think you're gonna keep pulling a C in that psycho's class if he keeps assigning this much work?" Jeff blinked. As if the answer was obvious. "Because I have you guys," he answered softly. A silence fell over the room. Elina pressed her lips together as her heart rate picked up. A warmth spread through her chest. Her eyes met his and she couldn't fight off her smile.
"Well, guess what, handsome hobo?" Annie blurted out. "Your gravy train's leaving the station." Their eyes turned toward the young girl as she began chugging. Imitating a train, her shoulders moving with every arm motion. Troy shook his head, his face screaming secondhand embarrassment. "Ignore what she's doing," he said, "we are serious." Annie then mimicked the sound of a train horn. Though she resembled Thomas the Tank Engine instead of an actual train. Jeff sighed, his eyes rolling back in annoyance. "Fine, I'll do it," he caved. "But when you find my body, don't believe the suicide note."
Annie straightened. Excitement and triumph heavy on her features. She whirled toward Troy and Elina and held both of her hands up. Elina didn't hesitate to high five her, but Troy did. After a second, he gave in. An awkward smile present on his face.
"Ah! What the hell is that?"
Elina jumped at Troy's sudden shout. Her fingers tightened around the neck of her dummy, blue eyes wide. "Miriam!" she replied, accidentally matching his volume. Her heart pounded heavy in her chest. Britta laughed at the two. Her eyes sparkling as she shook her head. "It's a dummy for her class," Britta explained. "Her name is Miriam."
"Why are you carrying around a decapitated dummy head?" he asked. Elina held the head close to her, smoothing over it's bald head. Her brows furrowed as she pouted. "For class. Stop being so mean to her." Troy shuddered. Looking at it made his skin crawl. Footsteps approached noisily as Annie bounded up toward the trio. "Hey, guys! What's that?" Her chipper voice slighted as she pointed at the dummy head.
Elina sighed. "Miriam. A head for my class," she said. "Can we not talk about her when she's right here?" Britta chuckled. Troy turned his head. It appeared dummy's were another thing he'd like to avoid. Or, at least, their heads. "Um, okay," Annie said. She was still a bit confused, but she wasn't going to push the conversation. "Has anyone spoken to Jeff?" The sisters shook their heads in response. Troy cleared his throat before shaking his. "Haven't seen him," he confessed. Elina glanced toward her friend. She sighed, shoulders deflated upon noticing how hard he worked on looking away.
"You know, you're really hurting Miriam's feelings," she stated. Britta licked her lips, fighting back her smile. Troy shook his head again. "It doesn't have feelings," he argued. Elina's jaw dropped. She hit his arm before cradling the head closer. "Ew! Ew! Don't make it— ugh." Britta snorted. Annie's face twisted into shock at Troy's reaction. He shuddered dramatically, shaking off the gross feeling tickling his skin. "Such a baby—"
"Oh, look!" Britta exclaimed, interrupting the two before a conflict could begin. Heads turned toward the eldest Perry curiously. "I think I see Jeff." She pointed and they followed her finger. Sure enough, there he was. Sunglasses on his face as he doctored his coffee. He looked tired, a bit worn out. "Jeff!" Annie sighed happily. She was the first to move, leaving the trio behind. Britta nudged Elina before following. Troy glanced at the head before following, as well. His steps quick to put some distance between he and Miriam.
Jeff winced at the sound of Britta's boots clicking against the floor. "Well, did you talk to Chang?" she asked, getting straight to the point. He sighed, his movements slow. "Yeah, but it didn't do any good." His voice was tired, strained. Elina's brows furrowed as she watched him. "My head still hurts from all the yelling. And my pupils are more sensitive to light because he yelled at me so much." Annie pouted.
"Awe.. Well, now I feel bad that we made you do that," she confessed. Elina's eyes narrowed. Something didn't feel right. "Maybe we can help with your essay." He cracked a smile, only to wince at the exertion of his facial muscles. A soft, sharp breath filled his lungs. "Oh, that's okay. I'm working on mine by myself."
Second strike. Something was definitely going on. Britta and Elina shared a knowing look. "You could do my homework next time," Jeff offered. His eyes moved toward his classmates when they landed on the head in Elina's arms. He looked like he was going to question it. His lips parted, brows furrowed, until he closed his mouth and nodded. "See you in class," he instead said, grabbing his coffee and trudging away.
"He's moving like Grandpa Joe the day after New Years," Elina stated. Britta's arms crossed over her chest. Her suspicious look dropping. "He's hiding something," she agreed. Annie rolled her eyes at the two. Sometimes they were more alike than she expected. "Guys, Jeff suffered for us. Give him a little credit."
"Yeah. You can be pretty cold, Britta," Troy spoke up. His eyes landed on Elina, then Miriam before gagging. The youngest Perry frowned. "You're one to talk!" she snapped. "Stop gagging."
"It keeps looking at me!" Troy snapped back. There was a pause between the group of friends. Troy outwardly shuddered in disdain. "Troy!" Abed's voice came from a distance. Curiously, the three women turned toward the sound. "Damn. Here comes Abed. He needs my help." Troy then shook his head. "I gotta get out of here." Troy slipped between Annie and Britta, propping his collar over his face. Elina scoffed as he scurried away. Abed's footsteps grew closer as he called for Troy once more. "Troy? You guys seen a rat?"
A rat? Elina grimaced. The other two shook their heads. "Troy knocked over Fievel's cage and he escaped." Britta's face fell. Elina knew immediately what was coming. Hope. Like the hope Britta gave her when their hamster disappeared. "Oh, Abed, I'm sorry. He probably found more rats and—"
"—is very happy living with them," Elina spoke in unison with her sister. "Like Sandy, our hamster." Abed made a face. His eyes met Elina's before landing on Britta once more. "Try to join the rest of us in reality, Britta." Elina immediately snorted. Surprise flashed within her blue eyes. Britta glared at her playfully. "Shut up," she faux warned the younger girl. Annie sighed. Sometimes she wished she had a sister.
"The difference between usted and tu is a matter of formality," Señor Chang said calmly. "Pepe, usted es viejo." Elina glanced toward Pierce in front of her. Her feet were resting in the bottom basket of his desk, her pen tapping rhythmically against the open palm of her hand. Señor Chong's words repeated in her head a few times before it clicked. "You are old," he translated. His gaze shifted toward Abed next. "Alberto, usted es feo. You are ugly."
Her jaw dropped. Troy and her shared a look. They both felt rather protective of Abed and their teacher's remark didn't sit right with either of them. "Shakira!" he interrupted her conversation with Abed. He then shook his hips, repeating Shirley's chosen Spanish name. "Shakira y Tupaco...Westside! Ustedes estan sucios." Elina's spine straightened. "Woah!" she suddenly exclaimed. Chang's eyes narr at the blonde before translating his words, "you are dirty." Shirley gasped. Troy's gaze turned into a glare. Chang shrugged nonchalantly. "Still formal, but plural. Because while both are dirty, neither are my friends. Okay?"
Her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes flickered over toward Jeff. Even he looked surprised by Chang. "And on another subject, hope you guys are working hard on your essays. Because that's gonna be thirty percent of your grade." Surprised and angered gasps sounded around the room. Chang appeared quite pleased with the reactions. "Jeff already turned in his essay. Great job." Elina didn't miss the subtle wink. Her brows furrowed in suspicion. The only essay Jeff could finish would be in text format and even then he wouldn't have turned it in before the deadline. She sat forward in her seat, her elbows resting on the top of her desk. "As soon as you turn in your essays on Monday, there's gonna be a big ass quiz, so study hard. Class dismissed."
She stood to her feet, pulling her bag over her shoulder. "You finished your essay?" she asked as Jeff stood up as well. His head turned toward the blonde. His eyes roamed over her soft features. "What?" he replied after a brief pause. She lifted her brows. Arms crossed over her chest as she shifted her weight to one side. "Oh. My essay. Yeah. It actually wasn't that bad." A hint of a smile played at the corner of his mouth. "You know, I could help you with yours if you want."
Something didn't feel right. "I guess since you have time now," she said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Jeff's smile grew a bit, surprise evident within his eyes. Did she just agree to his offer? "Cool," he exhaled, cool and collected. "Tonight? My place, over dinner?"
"No way, hotshot. Public library. Maybe we can get pizza after," she suggested with a smile. It wasn't what he was hoping for, but it was something. "Deal. But we get a drink after." Elina snorted. He could have sworn that her eyes sparkled. "Fine. One drink." He inwardly cheered. It wasn't a date. It was a platonic outing... with the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. "Later, Winger."
Her perfume flooded his senses as she walked past. Hints of vanilla and cinnamon hit his nose. He turned, his eyes following her as she left the room. A soft sigh left his lips. Once outside, Elina ran into the rest of their study group. Her eyes widened as she took in their betrayed looks. "Woah... what did I miss?" she asked, a hint of humor playing in her tone. Annie frowned. "Jeff lied to us!" she exclaimed in upset. The humor from Elina's face melted away when she noticed her friend's distress. "He didn't write an essay," Britta said. "The only time his homework gets finished is when one of us do it for him. A.K.A. Annie."
Elina paused. "Yeah, that was pretty fishy. Chang even winked at him," she added. Shirley shook her head. Disappointment clear on her features. She sighed. "We're going to confront him," Annie stated. "Because he lied. Friends don't lie to each other." The rest of the group nodded in agreement, everyone except for Pierce. Elina wasn't even sure he was paying attention. "Okay." Elina moved toward Britta, sliding between her and Abed. The tall man offered her a small smile. A comforting act that he didn't do often. "Have you found Fievel yet?" she asked, her voice low. He shook his head. So the rat was still missing, she thought.
"Let's deal with one rat at a time," Britta spoke up. As if he had been conjured up, Jeff exited the Spanish classroom with Chang's hand at his neck. The two were laughing, seemingly reminiscing some even they both had experienced together. Their laughter died down as they stopped before the wall of disappointment. "Uh-huh," Chang exhaled, "later." He clicked his tongue as he winked over at Elina. Both Britta and Elina looked stunned and also disgusted by his action. "You devious clump of overpriced fabric and hair product," Annie insulted the ex lawyer.
"Speaking as one of the meek, as soon as I inherit earth, you a dead man," Shirley added. Elina pouted slightly. She had wanted to believe in the best outcome. That Jeff had actually done his work and wasn't using Chang to his own advantage. It was disappointing that she was wrong. "You got a weird forehead," Troy said. Abed grinned from where he stood. Troy's childish insult seemed to have tickled his fancy. "We're all very disappointed," Britta explained like a mother figure. Abed's smile vanished as he nodded his head in confirmation.
Pierce smirked subtly. "Alright, dial it back a little," he chimed in. Elina rolled her eyes. Now he decided to pay attention. Jeff looked between everyone. His eyes lingered on Elina before meeting Britta's eyes once more. "If anyone should be disappointed, it's me. What kind of group threatens to kick someone out unless he helps them?" he asked.
He has a point, Elina thought. They hadn't really given him much of a say in the whole ordeal. Pierce scoffed. "What kind of a person is asked to help other people and then helps himself?" he fired back. Jeff looked appalled. "Helps himself? I don't think I like being talked to that way." His words were laced with anger. Elina startled a bit with the intensity of his voice. Just as he turned to walk away, Britta raised her finger at him. "He's using fake outrage to justify leaving," she pointed out.
"Fake outrage? Justify my—? Yeah, that's it. I'm out of here." His outrage didn't look fake. Elina felt her stomach twist with worry. She nudged Britta, giving her older sister a look. The say something look. "A-Are you breaking up with the group?" Annie asked as Jeff began walking away. He looked over his shoulder. "That's what you guys want," he fired back. Each of them expressed their surprise in different ways. Annie's jaw dropped. Britta glared after him. Troy's eyes widened, and Abed stared blankly after him. Elina pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, while Shirley looked worried. "Sorry, I've been divorced seven times. Don't answer your phones and bury all your money in the back yard," Pierce said.
She huffed. A part of her wanted to follow him, but she decided against it. Elina turned on her heels. "I need to get to class," she mumbled. She didn't want Jeff to leave. The study group wouldn't be whole without him.
She should have been in the library with everyone else. She felt like she was sneaking around, trying to catch Jeff alone. Like she was betraying her friends by seeking out the enemy. But he wasn't an enemy. He was still their friend. He'd just been a little selfish. The door to Chang's office pushed open and before she knew it, she was stood face to face with the ex lawyer. Her blue eyes widened slightly, lips parting to speak and yet the words faded from her mind. Jeff's brows furrowed in surprise upon spotting the blonde there.
"Are you here to express how disappointed you are in me?" he asked blankly. She wrung her fingers in front of her. Her head shook subtly. "No," she sighed. "I, I'm, I wanted to talk to you." She licked her lips nervously. She wasn't even sure why she was there. Was she worried about him? Worried about his feelings? Perhaps. He was her friend after all. "I guess I just wanted to know if you still wanted to help me with my essay." His brows raised in surprise.
His expression softened. "Obviously," he replied with a grin. She relaxed. Her own lips curled into a soft smile. "To be honest, I thought you were going to cancel on me." She scoffed. She wasn't going to admit out loud that she almost did. She didn't want to face the confrontation of their other friends, but she and Jeff had made plans and she wasn't going to back out of them over something so silly. "I see how you think of me."
"Oh, do you?" he chuckled. "Enlighten me. How do I think about you?" His arms crossed over his chest. His towering form shifted to one side, his head tilted ever so slightly. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up into his eyes. A faint smirk played at the corners of his lips. She was going to respond. She had such a nice quip, and yet her brain fried. The words vanished in a plume of smoke, leaving her gaping like a fish out of water. His eyes slid down to her parted lips. His grin softened into an affectionate smile. "Cat got your tongue?"
Color splashed against her cheeks. She tore her eyes away from his intense gaze, her head shaking slightly. Her teeth embedded into the plush flesh of her bottom lip. Was her heart racing? Were those butterflies in her stomach? She scoffed almost inaudibly, tucking blonde strands behind her ears. "Whatever," she mumbled shyly. "Let's just go. I'm starving." His hands slipped into his pockets. If they hadn't, he wasn't sure he could keep himself from teasing her more. From pulling her closer and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She still smelled oh so sweet. "Pizza, right?" he asked as they began to make their way down the hallway.
"Pizza is good," she answered. Her own arms folded behind her back. Their stride was slow, as if they were dragging out their time together. He nodded. That smile still present on his face. He glanced toward her for a moment. "You wanna know how I think of you?" he suddenly asked, and she did. She wanted to hear every thought in his head. Especially when it came to her. She wanted to understand him more. To get to know the inner workings of his mind. She met his eyes and a nervousness twisted within her belly. "I don't know," she confessed with a slight laugh. "Are you gonna be genuine or are you gonna mess with me?"
His face lit up. "I'll be honest if you want me to be," he answered. She couldn't fight the smile from her face. It was strange. It reminded her a lot of the beginning of her relationship with Mack. The butterflies and the excitement it all brought. "Fine." She looked forward, the blush on her cheeks still present. Jeff watched her. His eyes mapping out her side profile. "I think you're gorgeous," he admitted with a smile. "Honestly. You're one of the prettiest humans I've ever come across, and I've been around a lot of people. I was a lawyer." She snorted.
"I also think you're kind. Too kind sometimes. And you're a bit of a push over." Her head turned toward him. Their eyes clashed in an intense gaze. "I am not a push over," she argued. He gave her that look. The one that screamed at her to really think about it. To stop kidding herself. "You are totally a push over," he said, a chuckle rumbling in his chest. He didn't mean it in a negative way. It was a trait of hers that he found endearing. It made him want to protect her in a way. "You're also really naive. It gets annoying how adamant you are about seeing the good in people, especially people who don't deserve it."
Like myself, he thought. Her lips pouted as she absorbed his words. He was being very honest, and without hesitation. She appreciated it, even if she wasn't very happy with it. "You're a really good person, Lina. I feel... really lucky to be your friend." She blinked. That was a turn around. Her steps slowed and she watched him for a moment. She searched his face for any inkling that he was being unserious. That perhaps he was only teasing her. And yet she found none. He looked more genuine now than she had ever seen him.
"Me too," she finally said. Her smile grew, her eyes sparkling. "I'm glad I ran into you that day." A laugh left his nose as he recounted their first encounter. He recalled exactly how he felt when he first saw her. Like she was a ray of sunshine breaking past the cloud line. She was so beautiful that she took his breath away. And he made such a stupid joke that went right over her head. "Me too," he laughed. If there was anything good that came out of Greendale, it was definitely meeting Elina Perry.
She blinked once more, breaking herself out of the moment they were having. "Pizza! Let's go before it gets too late." It was hardly close to closing time for any restaurant, but Jeff didn't comment on it. He nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, okay." He fought the urge to touch her again. One day he'd give in. He'd take her hand and hold it within his, or maybe he'd wrap his arm around her neck and hold her close. But for now, he kept his distance. He knew she was still healing. She was trying to learn how to live a single life again after her ex boyfriend, and he respected that.
Besides, he wasn't looking for a relationship anyway... right?
Jeff tugged Elina into the bustling building, their hands conjoined. They were meant to be studying, but after their one drink, Jeff had concocted the perfect plan. Orange light casted over the two as Jeff looked around. His fingers were curled around hers, keeping her close. "So, what exactly are we doing here?" she asked curiously. Jeff sighed. His eyes scanned the crowd for a moment before turning to the blonde.
"So, you know that hot brunette we met at that bar?" Her eyebrows lifted slightly as she nodded her head. "That's Chang's wife. The two of them are going through a rough patch so I invited her here to hopefully help them reconcile." Her heart skipped a beat. How sweet, she thought. Her lips pursed as she tore her eyes away from the man next to her. She could already feel her hand growing clammy, but she didn't dare pull it away. "I texted Chang to meet me here," he said. "I'm sure he's probably already on the way here."
She nodded her head. They were so close that their arms were brushing against one another. Her stomach fluttered. "Do you think they'll make amends?" she asked. She looked up at him and he felt his chest tighten. His eyes never left hers. "I hope so," he answered with a sigh. His fingers squeezed hers and she couldn't help but smile back at him. She believed in him. She believed that hr was doing his best, that he was doing right by their teacher. She nodded subtly, turning toward the stage.
It was then that Señor Chang came pushing through the crowd. "Hey, what's up, man?" Reluctantly, Jeff's hand left hers. A cold feeling washed over her palm as Jeff and Chang shook his hands. "I just got your text. Wanna hang out?" Chang was out of breath, like he had just ran a complete marathon to get to where he needed to be. His smile faded a bit as he completed his thought, "because if you don't, I will fail you." Elina's eyes widened a bit.
Jeff didn't seem worried with the threat. He smiled a bit. "Actually, I had an idea for an extra-credit project," he replied. "Lina helped me think of it." Her eyes widened more as his arm suddenly slipped over her shoulders and curled around her neck. Her body fell into his and Chang looked between the two with confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked. Elina looked up at Jeff. She wasn't going to spoil the surprise, but this all was startling to her. Feedback sounded from the microphone on stage.
"We've been asked to dedicate our first song to Señor and Señora Chang." Chang's breath caught in his throat. His eyes roamed the crowd before he found his wife among the people. Elina followed his line of sight with interest. It was like she was watching a telenovela right in front of her very eyes. "She said she didn't wanna talk to me," Chang said.
"I didn't tell her you wanted to talk," Jeff told the man. Elina hesitantly wrapped her arm around Jeff's waist. She leaned forward, joining the conversation. "Go woo your woman, el Tigre Chino." Chang paused. Slowly, he nodded his head. Their encouragement seemed to be enough to boost his confidence. Chang took slow, sure steps toward his wife. Her body turned toward his and as the music hit, their professor began to dance traditional salsa. Elina's eyebrows shot into her hairline, stunned by his moves.
Jeff smiled as he watched the scene play out in front of him. He leaned into the blonde, a sense of warmth washing over him. "You did good, Winger," Elina said, nudging him with her hip. He tore his gaze away from the two, meeting her eyes. A soft smile curled across his lips. "Think so?" he laughed softly. She nodded her head. Truly, she was fairly impressed with his idea. With the selflessness of it all. He seemed pleased with her response, with her praise. "Cool.. wanna dance?"
"Me? Dance?" she replied in amusement. "You're crazy." His face lit up with her reaction. He unwrapped his arm from around her neck and took her hand once more. He began pulling her toward the dance floor. "Oh, no," she laughed. "I can't dance. Seriously, I suck." He shrugged nonchalantly. As if he could dance. He's almost positive that he's a worse dancer.
Chang's yell tore the two out of their conversation. Their heads shot toward the sound, watching as Chang released all of his pent up feelings. Elina was the first to crack. Small giggles filtered out past her smiling lips, her hand moving to cover her mouth. Jeff, hearing those sweet sounds, couldn't stop himself from joining in. He turned back toward her, enjoying the joy that decorated her face. Her laugh was like music to her ears. "It's like a kitten," she giggled, and Jeff barked out a surprised laugh.
"Come on," he prompted. With slight hesitation, Elina finally gave in. She allowed him to pull her out onto the dance floor. One hand moved to her waist, the other holding her hand. He tugged her toward him, their chests only inches apart. He smiled down at her, enjoying the soft blush on her cheeks. "This is so stupid," she told him, though she held a sweetness in her voice. He chuckled, the sound thundering inside of his chest. "It's not stupid," he argued.
It's not stupid, she agreed inwardly. Jeff moved back just enough to spin her beneath his arm, a carefree smile evident on her features. She turned once, twice, thrice before he pulled her back in. Arms wrapped around her, holding her close. She was having fun. Swaying to the music with his arms around her. Their hearts synchronized. "It's not stupid," she finally agreed aloud. He nodded in his own agreement. It wasn't easy dancing to bagpipes, but they were making it work.
As the music came to a close, the two pulled away, but they never felt closer. He fought the urge to kiss her. She looked so perfect like that, smiling up at him. Her eyes soft and face flooded with happiness. His knuckle met her chin, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. A trembling breath tumbled from her lips.
"Don't," she whispered. A wave of panic washed over her as his eyes roamed over her face. She couldn't deny the fact that she wanted him to kiss her. The moment felt too perfect, and she wasn't ready. "I'm not," he whispered back, a smile fluttering across his face. "This is platonic. Swear."
She wanted to believe him, but the butterflies in her stomach shattered that idea in a million pieces. She pulled away. She'd never felt so cold before. Footsteps approached and the two looked back to find Annie and Britta walking toward them. "Hey... what are you two doing together?" Britta asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously toward the two. Jeff and Elina shared a look. "And what is Chang doing?" Annie asked in confusion.
Jeff sighed. "He's filling a void," he answered. He looked over toward Elina for a moment. Britta watched as he did so, her teeth gritting together. "I got an A on my presentation!" came Shirley's voice. Elina looked to the side to see Shirley rushing in, Pierce following close behind. "And a lot of the credit goes to Pierce." Those were words she never thought she would hear coming from Shirley. "And I had a great sandwich," he added with a sideways grin.
"We found the stupid rat." Troy and Abed seemed to appear out of nowhere. "And Abed's gonna shut up about it now."
"It's true," Abed confirmed. Elina snorted. It was never dull with the study group around. Her arms crossed comfortably over her chest. Feedback squealed from the microphone on stage as Chang swiped it. His face was covered with lipstick stains. "I have something to say," he spoke into the mic, drunk off of love. "I've been a horrible husband. And I've been a horrible teacher. And I'd like to thank my student, Jeff Winger, for showing me that and helping me fix my marriage."
Elina smiled over at Jeff, bumping her shoulder into his side. He rolled his eyes at her. "No more twenty page essays due on Monday." Elina gasped, clapping along with the rest of the Spanish class students in attendance. "Although, Winger, you should write a one-page essay called: Taking Advantage of the Emotionally Vulnerable." He then dropped the microphone with a, "boo-yah." The blonde snorted.
The group grew silent. Britta glanced toward Jeff. "Did you do that for us?" she asked. He shrugged. "Mm. Kind of." His fingers grazed Elina's once more. She felt that familiar tingling beneath her skin. "You know, I thought hanging out with you guys was the worst way to pass Spanish. I was wrong."
"Well, we're the best," Pierce said and, for once, Elina agreed. She smiled to herself. "Jeff, I'm sorry I called you a handsome hobo," Annie said. "If you need help with that essay, you can rejoin the group." Elina inwardly celebrated. She loved seeing her people get along. After all, the group never would have happened if it wasn't for Jeff.
rumi says . . .
what do you mean community is leaving
netflix by the end of the month ???? what
do you mean ?? WHAT DO YOU MEAN ???
y'all, i am so sorry for how long it has
taken me to write this chapter. at first, i
just was going through a burnout. THEN i
got a job, got fired from that job, and then
give ANOTHER job and i am currently so
freaking busy that i literally barely do
anything at all.
i go to work, come home, shower, and cry
most days lol. i don't even talk to people
anymore because i'm so overwhelmed
all of the time and my social battery gets
diminished halfway through my days
(shout out to introverted servers fr).
but i've finally gotten a chapter done !
i'm in love. i missed them. but jefflina
are cute as fuck and i just want them to
be happy. thanks.
what do you guys think ?
how'd you like the chapter ?
any favorite parts ?
thank you for reading!
feedback is greatly appreciated!