Xaviers!

Katarina stomped through the corridors of the rec center, her head held high as she stormed away from the disaster that was the early-morning workout routine.

Pride and stuck-uppishness were one way to disguise hurt and anger, at least.

((open))

Trev’s face was buried in his phone fiddling with a playlist, wireless headphones in his ears, and workout shorts and a tee on as he sauntered towards the gym to work out a bit, so he didn’t see the girl stomping towards him until they very nearly collided as they each rounded a corner.

"Watch where you are to be going!" Katarina shouted, as Trev nearly bowled her over.

Trev nearly jumped out of his skin as the princess yelled at him, and he fumbled his phone briefly, barely avoiding dropping it to the ground.

"Holy shit. I'm so sorry. There's usually not many people here this early in the morning...are...are you okay?"

"It will take more than an derište to damage me today. I am fine.

You often smash through girls on your way to the workouts, no?"

Trev quirked his eyebrow, not entirely sure what he'd just been asked. "Uh. No. Not usually, sorry."

"You're...Katarina, right?"

"I am, yes. And you would be?"

“Trev. Don’t we have, uh...chemistry together?”

"I believe so. You are the one who falls asleep, yes?"

Trev stiffened, "I. No. I mean...listen, that happened like one time."

It happened almost every class.

"I'm getting an A.... Mostly."

"I am not as familiar with western grades. Is an 'A mostly' more or less than an A minus?"

“Heh...no I...well it just means I don’t exactly know my grade but I think it’s an A. Maybe an A-“

"Ah, I see. So you are not taking your classes seriously, then?"

“Wh-no, I—“ Trev was clearly getting flustered.

“I’m better at history than any of this science stuff, that’s all,” he recovered. Sort of.

"Then you must be super-good at history, if you're doing better than an 'A mostly' there."

Trev almost opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it.

Was she mocking him? Or was she complimenting him?

...was she flirting?

WHY ARE WOMEN SO MYSTERIOUS?

“It’s my major, and I want to teach it someday,” he replied after a beat with a smile. “So overall, yeah I am.”

"Well, I am glad you have a path in mind. Just make sure, in the future, it does not crash into anyone walking out of the gym."

“I’ll do that!” he replied, nodding with a nervous chuckle.

He stood there awkwardly for a moment, hands on his hips, not really sure what to do or how to end the conversation.