Page 52 of Wonderstruck

Side note: this oral exam had snuck up on me out of nowhere. And, honestly, I didn’t need it right now. Public speaking was bad enough on a good day. Public speaking in a language I clearly wasn’t meant to speak? That was a special kind of torture. Then there was Burton still on my ass, my roommates somehow deciding my half-hearted attempts at cleaning the other day were an invitation to crown me the apartment maid, and, of course, I had to navigate this newsituationwith Rory whilst fighting the urge to tear down the walls that had kept her out.

Just another Tuesday, I suppose.

Nudging the cap of my pen against thetable, I flicked it back and forth, stealing a glance at her. “The universe hasn’t been on my side for the past eight years. I really doubt me chanting to myself that I'm gonna to be fine is going to change anything.”

“You never know.”She hummed.

And as my eyes caught hers again, I wondered where she got all her optimism from—if it was real or just something she’d learned to wear, like armour. She’d been through heartbreak, through the kind of losses that changed a person, yet she still smiled like she didn't know when life might flip on her again. Maybe that was why she held on so tightly to hope—because she knew how quickly it could slip away.

So I nodded, “I’ll bear it mind.”

Her eyes barely skimmed mine as my wordssettled in our quiet corner of the library, before she dipped her hand into her bag, shuffling to face me with a stack of cards. And I knew exactly what was coming before she could even open her mouth.

“Oh, no,” I groaned, dragging my handsdown my face. “Don’t even thinkabout it.”

“Yes. We’re doing it.” She peeked at hercards again before eyeing me. “Besides,it’s not like you have a say anyway. For this entire hour, I basically own you.”

God, she was merciless—the kind ofruthless you could only get away withwhen all she had to do was pin me with a stare and I was putty in her hands.

We’d done this twice since the firstsession at my place, and as time went on I realised that the girl she showed the world was exactly who she was in private too. You could tell she cared about this—cared about helping me.Even when she didn't need to. But what was new to me was the spark I never truly got to discover. The hidden fire that no-one would ever guess layed under that innocent smile and sparkling eyes.

Part of me loved the thought, loved that I was lucky enough to see that side of her. The otherpart regretted agreeing to this because shereallywas mericless.

I let my hands flop onto the table. “But I hate—”

“Hate pronunciation because—”

“It’s embarrassing—”

“It isnotembarrassing.” Her hushedlaugh rang out—a soft siren call thatbounced off the library walls and threaded through the shelves. She tucked her hair behind her ear, not even looking at me as she spoke again. “I think the reason you’re finding this so hard is because you aren’t trying. Not properly. And if you don’t try and pronounce the words right, then come your oral you’ll be screwed, and this would have all been pointless.”

I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms ina sulk. “You’re being mean.”

“You’re being a baby.”

“Yeah well, you’re…” My words stalledunder the weight of her stare, her eyesglimmering with earnest persuasion. Daring me to keep going because she was stubborn, and kind, and so annoyingly patient. And she wasn’t going to give up on me, not with this, not with anything.

And just like that, another brick crumbed from the walls.

“Fine,” I mumbled, leaning forwardagain. “One more time.”

She shifted in her chair, dragging itcloser with a soft scrape against the floor. It was a small move, but with the air conditioning blasting in the library, it was anything but. The scent hit me before I could think about it—sweet and warm, like almonds coated in syrup.

It took me a second to connect thedots. She’d just come from her shift at Flo’s. Of course that’s why she smelled like that.

Would it be selfish of me to ask her toschedule all our study sessions after hershifts?Jesus, who was I kidding? Of course it was selfish. She was probably drained from a long day, and instead of getting the rest she deserved, she’d be here, helping my sorry ass.

Or should I say, aider mon deseee…

Oh forget it.

“Ready?” Her voice pulled me out of myhead, and my eyes snapped back to hers.

“No.”

Rory shrugged, unfazed. “Too bad.” Her shoulders shimmied, and before Icould sneak a breath, she began to fireoff words. “Squirrel.”

Oh fuck. I knew this one.

---