_ _ _
"Very good work today, guys!" says Hyde. With every study group on campus there needed to be a professor or some sort of admin to supervise the group or club so nothing would happen. Probably so the university wouldn't end up getting sued. In Tesla and Bruce's case, so they wouldn't accidentally blow something up. While analyzing DNA and looking at the chemical make-up of living—then freshly dead—animals was fun and all, trying to make things was even more so. However, since neither Tesla nor Bruce knew exactly what they were trying to do, it ended in the two of them accidently creating fires almost every time they had their little study groups.
"Tesla, Bruce, why not participate next time?" Hyde teases, knowing very well they'll do their work in minutes and spend the rest of their days until next week bored out of their minds. This'll lead them to potentially blowing something up without any supervision.
Tesla glances over at Bruce, who shrugs a bit. Tesla shrugs back at Professor Hyde. Hyde gives Tesla a tentative smile and sighs to the other three in their bio-chem study group. "All right, see you all next week."
Picking up her backpack, Tesla follows Betty out of the room. Bruce catches the door of the classroom and lets Jenny Prig and Owen Swords through before he slips out after them. He takes a few hurried steps to get to the girls. Tesla curses to herself for not leaving the door open for Bruce instead.
"So," Betty begins, smiling widely. Betty is always in a good mood; Tesla wonders if she'll ever see Betty not in a good mood, and she's not sure if she wants to see Betty upset. "Pizza?"
Tesla shifts under the weight of her heavy backpack. Spring break is coming up; the months after Thanksgiving flew by and it is crazy to think that Tesla's first year at Harvard is almost over. She has two tests to study for before break, so getting a pizza with Bruce and Betty isn't exactly the best use of her time, especially when she's been spending so much time trying to figure out why her father had a box full of information on a man that was friends with Captain America in World War II.
"Well, I—I actually have to study, and then I work at five—"
"We can order pizza at the restaurant," offers Betty quickly. She smiles again, not seeing any problem with the idea. "I'm sure Stephen wouldn't mind." Betty, Bruce, and Tesla have spent plenty of time at The Nook since Tesla started working there. Of course, the wait staff doesn't mind, but Tesla is lying about having to study. She hasn't said a thing about all the research she's put into her father's work only to have it lead to Captain America. She's irritated about it. In this moment, standing between Betty and Bruce, Tesla misses her best friend, Kimberly Adams.
Bruce, noticing Tesla's silence, frowns slightly, "Well, maybe—"
"I'll see if Jenny and Owen would like to join us," smiles Betty, hurrying after the other two biochem majors.
Bruce and Tesla watch their sweet friend turn the corner. Bruce glances down at Tesla, who continues walking, looking straight ahead. "You know, you can tell Betty you want to study alone."
Tesla opens the door, leading the two of them outside. She shakes her head, peering up at him. His dark hair is reflecting in the sunlight, showing shades of red and light brown. Tesla bites her lip, opening her mouth. Bruce waits patiently for her to say something.
"I don't have to study tonight. I just wanted to..."
Bruce nods. "It's okay," he assures. Tesla sighs loudly. Bruce stops in front of Tesla. "Tesla, you're okay." She nods at him. "Do you want to talk?" he wonders quietly.
Ever since that Wednesday night at the restaurant three months ago, Bruce made it a thing to come study while she was working. At first it made her nervous; she was afraid she would do something to scare him off. She accidently spilled coffee on his seat, but luckily it only got on his jacket. Tesla then proceeded to forget what he ordered one time; she became so flustered that Stephen had to wait on Bruce for two of her shifts while she had a panic attack in the breakroom.
It made Stephen not like Bruce. He feels that Bruce is making things worse for Tesla. She isn't focused, she's skittish, worried; only because she doesn't want to mess up. Not with Bruce. She likes him, he's nice and friendly and smart. She feels connected to him. He feels familiar: she just isn't used to the feeling.
The nervous feeling Tesla got around Bruce faded as their friendship continued to grow. They talk and work together very well. They understand each other. Tesla finds that she only grows nervous when he isn't around. This new friendship is one she wants to keep for a long time. Bruce has a heart of gold, and he's just so kind not to like. Tesla fell for his personality instantly.
She shakes her head at Bruce, her soft brown eyes staring up at him. "Not now."
"Are you all right?" he retorts, worry coming off of him in waves. "You don't need to be stressed out," he adds. Of course, if something's bothering Tesla, it's probably just unnecessary stress. Bruce understands that, why wouldn't he? He's just as smart and hard-working and busy as she is.
"I know."
"If you're...not focused, just focus on me." Bruce steps a little closer to her. His eyes never leave hers, and it helps. "Talk to me about your research."
Tesla sighs, dropping her shoulders. She looks down. She only told Bruce a little bit of what she was working on, just gathering information on some of her father's old work. Nothing more, nothing less. "I'm—I'm not working on that anymore. I just can't focus on it. I—there was nothing there anyway."
Bruce frowns. "You gave up?"
Tesla's eyes snap back to his and narrow slightly. "What? No, I just—I have a lot of stuff to do. I mean, I'm working at a junior level, Bruce."
"Yeah, I know. You're in my classes," he gives her a tiny smile. "You're also a nineteen year-old. Spring break is in a few weeks. You don't need to be upset or stressed or guilty about anything you have to do or haven't finished." Bruce places his hands on her shoulders.
Tesla feels her shoulders weighted down by his firm grip. She breathes out deeply, understanding that he wants her to relax.
"As a nineteen year-old college student you should be excited about all of this. You should be excited about the break. It's a time to forget about college. That's what it's designed for," he explains, trying to get her to lighten up. He gives her a timid smile.
"I never took you as one to love spring break."
Bruce shakes his head. "I don't. I hate the constructs that seemingly have to go with it, but when someone I know needs—deserves—those constructs, I'm gonna give it to her."
Tesla laughs a little. "Thank you, Bruce."
"You said you work at five?" he inquires, starting to walk again when he's satisfied that Tesla at least understands the importance of talking to him and attempting to relieve her stress. Tesla bobs her head, following him. She grabs at the straps of her backpack, playing with them to focus on something. "Great," he says. "I'll be there."
"Why don't we walk together?" she questions. A moment too late she realizes what she's said, and it may not be a bad thing, but she didn't exactly think it through, nor did she know how Bruce would react. Tesla bites her lip anxiously.
Unable to stop his smile, he nods. The two of them just can't seem to stop smiling at each other. "Yeah. Why didn't we think of that before?"
Tesla tries to not smile, tilting her head to hide her face. All this smiling can't be good for them. "Not sure, but I'll see you at five."
Bruce hums in agreement. "You know, all this coffee you're giving me can't be healthy."
"I tell Frypan the same thing about the cheeseburgers." She shrugs it off. "You just gotta deal with it."
Bruce snorts at her. "Thanks for your support."
Tesla raises her eyebrows at him mockingly, then rolls her eyes. She gets ready to take the right path on the split in the sidewalk. It leads to her dorm building. "See you."
Bruce stops walking, watching her go. He smiles: of course. "Yeah, see you."
Stephen ducks behind the bar to meet Tesla, as the girl cleans a few drinks from the bar. He stares at Tesla, who frowns and turns her face in the other direction to avoid his staring.
"Hey," he calls. "Betty told me you're not doing anything for spring break."
Tesla shakes her head. "Someone's got to watch this place while you and Lacy are gone; besides, it's not my idea of fun."
Stephen rolls his eyes. "You got to live a little, Tesla. You're—"
"I'm nineteen and in college, yeah I know that," she snips. Tesla wipes her hands on her emerald green apron. She looks down at the tiled floor that is covered in footprints of different elements, sticky drinks, and some old tabs. "What's the fuss about it?"
Stephen smiles. "Tesla Edison studying when she should be on a beach somewhere, that's the fuss about it."
Tesla shakes her head at him, slightly annoyed by the amused look in his eyes. She grabs the coffee pot for Bruce and walks toward the table where he, Betty, and Lacy are sitting—Lacy is on her break. Stephen follows, still talking, "You don't like the beach?"
"You don't like the beach?" retorts Bruce as Tesla reaches his table.
She huffs at the two of them. Her soft eyes struggling to give them a frustrated expression. "I never said that. Stevie just doesn't understand that I'm going to be at home for spring break."
Stephen raises his eyebrows at her, completely thrown off balance. Tesla gives him a tiny smile in triumph. "I...I don't like that name," he says softly.
Betty's eyes light up with an idea. "We should go to a beach one day for spring break!" She claps her hands together in excitement. "Oh, it'll be so much fun. We can invite Kim, too." Betty turns to Lacy for back-up.
Tesla pours Bruce a cup of coffee; she gives Bruce a curious look. He nods to Betty, "That sounds like fun. It'll be a nice way to take a break." Bruce stares up at Stephen. "Why don't you join us?"
Stephen looks surprised, even Tesla is a little shocked. Stephen's forehead creases together, he frowns a little. "For spring break? I, uh...I'm not..."
"You can invite that FT graduate," suggests Tesla, topping off Lacy's mug of coffee as well.
Stephen tilts his head, narrowing his eyes. "Who?"
Tesla scoffs. "Never mind." She taps the end of Bruce's table, signaling to him she'll be back later. She walks toward a different table, picking up the tab a couple left for her. She collects her tip and glances at Stephen behind her. "If you think it's such a shock to see me at a beach, then maybe you should come with. It might be good for both of us."
Stephen stops, picking up a few dirty plates from a few chatting customers. He smiles at them kindly and walks away. The two workers stop behind the bar. Stephen puts the dishes in the sink. "Spring break isn't my idea of a good time."
"Yeah?" she challenges. "And what is? Look, you and me...all we do is work and study and try and figure out if this is even worth it in the end." Tesla stares up at him. "I mean, doctors don't have to be so boring, do they? And they sure as hell don't have to be as mean as you." She pokes his chest teasingly. He's wearing an Asia band t-shirt underneath his emerald apron.
Stephen's eyes light up, ready to throw back a retort and squash her confidence with a little fact about how medical doctors are better than scientists. He smiles and Tesla shakes her head, turning back toward the buzzing diner.
"Hey," he says, quiet. Tesla throws a glance at him over her shoulder. Her brown eyes wide with warmth at his gentle side. "I'll come." Tesla nods, winks, then continues on with her job.
_ _ _
Tesla walks over to the usual booth Bruce sits at. He, Betty, Lacy (her boyfriend Ezra), Stephen, Kimberly, and Kimberly's boyfriend, Dan are all piled in and around the booth, waiting for Tesla to finish her shift. Tesla gives everyone a gentle smile, keeping up her work hospitality.
"Can I get anyone anything before I finish up?"
Dan shakes his head, and speaks with a tiny southern drawl, "No, thanks, Tessie."
From the moment Tesla met Daniel Garcia, she liked him. He's graduating NYU in May; originally from a small town in Florida. Kimberly and Dan met in a British Literature class; a very odd class for Dan to take, but a voice inside Kimberly's head told her to know more about him. Kimberly has always struggled to find peace and comfort in her life, but with Dan it is less of a struggle, and Tesla knows that.
"I was thinking pizza tonight after the beach," says Betty. "Like a pizza party."
Lacy shares a smile with Betty. "Sounds like fun, Betty."
Tim, one of Frypan's cooks, ducks his head out of the kitchen, motioning a phone to his ear to Tesla. Tesla taps her pen on the edge of the table twice, signaling to Bruce that she'll finish up and be right back. Tesla gives Tim a breezy look, then answers the phone in the break room.
"Hello?"
"Is this Tesla Edison? Elsa Edison's daughter?" a man asks; it sounds noisy behind him.
Tesla pushes the receiver closer to her ear, furrowing her eyebrows. "This is Tesla. Is everything all right? Who am I speaking to?"
"Miss Edison, your mother had a stroke. She's been admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital. She's stable and in good care. She asks that I contact you to let you know, but—" The rest of the doctor's words are drowned out by the ringing in Tesla's ears. She feels herself go numb. Someone comes up behind Tesla, calling out her name. She slowly sits down in the break room, and Stephen takes the phone from her. Moments later, she's being asked to gather her things.
"I'll bring you to the hospital," he assures. Stephen stares at Tesla. "I'll let the others know."
Tesla carefully gathers her things, leaving only a few seconds after Stephen. Kimberly is the first to reach her, brown eyes wide. Her curly hair obstructs most of Tesla's view as Kimberly pulls her into a hug. "I should come with you," she begins.
Tesla shakes her head, pulling away from Kimberly. She stares at everyone else. "No. Don't let this ruin your day. I'll be fine. She's okay, anyway." Tesla looks up at Stephen hopefully. He nods again. Tesla's eyes land back on Bruce. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," he replies. "This isn't something you could've controlled. Go home."
"Call us, if you can," Betty adds as Stephen walks to the exit. He has a hand on the door, waiting for Tesla. Tesla lifts her bag over her shoulder and ducks out of the open door that Stephen has opened for her. He gives the others one last look and closes the door behind them. He wraps an arm around Tesla as they walk. Tesla glances up at him wearily. "Fun pizza party, huh?"
"Don't worry about it, Doc."