Vintage Red [GL]

 

As the lesson roster for the second semester hadn’t changed at all compared to the first, we would have math class to start the week off in our home room. We were a little bit earlier than we usually were, which meant that we also were the first ones to enter the classroom. At least, that’s what I thought when we walked in as I didn’t really see anyone at first, yet the sound of the tea kettle boiling away in the corner proved to me our lovely class president had already arrived. Although she was nowhere to be found at the moment. 

We installed ourselves at the desk next to where we found Pres’s backpack neatly set down on the ground. 

The tea kettle whistled as it finished its job well done and as if summoned by its high tones, Pres finally showed herself, walking into the classroom.

“Ah, you two are early.” She gave us a polite nod. 

“Early bird catches the worm as they say.” I quickly replied. “Already time for tea.” 

Pres smiled softly and gave us a light shrug as she walked towards the tea kettle. “I don’t know what you are talking about, it’s always time for tea.” I don’t know if it was my imagination but Pres really looked happy to see us. “Do you two want to have a cup as well?” She asked while pouring her cup. 

“I think I’ll pass.” 

Ria on the other hand nodded. “I think I would like one, yes.”

Like clockwork Pres picked out a bag of tea from her wide selection and started filling a second cup for my girlfriend. Putting a couple of sugars on the side for her to add to her own taste, before she walked towards us, deftly carrying the two cups at once. With a certain grace she sat down at her chosen desk and handed Ria’s cup over. 

“Thank you very much, Pres!” 

“You are more than welcome.” Before she started to sip from her tea however, Pres reached down into her bag and took out a box. “While you aren’t drinking tea yourself, Aurora, feel free to take one of these.” When she opened the box it revealed neatly stacked chocolate chip cookies. 

“Oh, cookies!” Ria exclaimed to which Pres slightly shifted the box over towards Ria. Of course she couldn’t resist picking one out. 

“I do think I’ll take one of those. Thanks Pres.” I took one of the cookies out and laid it on my hand. Without being a real expert in chocolate chip cookies, I could tell these were really well-made. 

Ria had already taken a bite from the cookie she was holding as half of it had disappeared. “These are really good! Did you make them yourself, Pres?” 

President Rosehip nodded while she took her first sip of her tea. “I did. I made a little bit too many of them so I thought I would bring some to school to share here and in the dorms.” 

“Did you make them for a special occasion, or just because?” I asked after which I took a bite from the cookie myself. The cookie was dense but not too dense, crispy but not too crisp and chocolate to cookie ratio was pretty great too. 

Pres slowly tilted her head one way to the other. “It is a bit embarrassing to admit, but I got a little bit bored last week. And when I get bored, I tend to start baking.” 

“Did you also miss school?” Ria continued with another question. 

To which Pres could reply. “Admittedly I did, yes.” 

“We missed you too, Pres.” I gave her a wink. 

Pres rolled her eyes but the smile on her face was something she couldn’t hide from me. “To change the topic, I heard that Claire and Anya spent time at your house thanks to the snow storm?” 

“They did, yes.” I nodded and then continued to regale about what had happened, though it seemed that she already had heard most of it from Claire herself through messages. 

“That’s a very kind thing for you to do, to open up your house like that. Although you are definitely the kind of person from whom I would expect such a thing.”

“That’s a compliment, right?” 

Pres chuckled and gave me a single nod. “It is, yes.” 

It was very nice to hear that Pres thought of me in such a way. Sure, we were pretty good friends, but Pres is not a very wordy kind of person. So hearing her say this… it leaves quite the impact, that’s for sure. 

“You should come over too!” Ria put down her cup of tea and put her hand on Pres’s arm in a gentle, inviting way.  

“Definitely.” I agreed. “I will go and stock up on your favorite tea. I might even attempt to bake some cookies of my own.” 

Pres squinted. “Wouldn’t it be better if I brought the cookies?” After she said that the most tiny of minuscule smirks crept up on the corner of her mouth. 

“Don’t get too cheeky with me, I’m pretty good at baking.” 

“Aurora likes weighing things a lot.” Ria added. 

“It’s just fun to get the proportions right and get things to work out.” I replied. 

Pres just smiled while Ria and I were doing our little back and forward. “In that case I’ll gladly accept.” 

 

We caught up on our winter holiday for a little bit longer while Pres slowly emptied her cup of tea. It was about halfway empty when the next couple of students came in and quarter to empty before Em joined our group. 

That finally gave me the opportunity to tell her about Ria’s appreciation of her thighs, which had the desired result of her turning as red as I had expected. 

“A-Auro, not so loud. The others might hear.” She looked around with her blush painted all across her visage. The giggling of a couple of the other girls did immediately tell us they had in-fact heard us. 

“Don’t worry, Emma, we completely agree!” One of our more brazen classmates replied with a huge smile. 

I chuckled. “Don’t you try to run off with our girlfriend, Elsie, it will not be appreciated.” 

“Don’t worry Aurora, I’m just appreciating the aesthetics, I’m straight as a plank myself.” Elsie’s expression made everyone present in the classroom laugh, Em included. Even Pres had to turn away her gaze to not start chuckling. 

The spirits were high in the classroom, admittedly a very pleasant atmosphere to be around in after a while in relative solitude. 

Those spirits were maintained for the rest of the time while class filled up completely apart from one student who had unfortunately gone down with a fever according to Pres. 

Even during the first hour of Math from Miss Halvorsen everyone seemed more then happy to cooperate during the lesson. Something Miss Halvorsen had definitely not expected. Around the end of the lesson period she seemed almost ecstatic looking over the classroom. 

“Well, class,  I hope you will keep this energy up for the rest of the year because I have to say this was probably the most fun lesson I’ve given this entire year.” 

I raised my hand. 

Miss Halvorsen glared at me with a smile. “I meant school year.” 

I lowered my hand again with a cheeky smile of my own. 

“Let’s try to continue like this tomorrow. If we can keep up this pace we will be done well ahead of schedule and maybe we can try to add other side-activities to fill the extra time we have won.” She gave us a polite nod, grabbed her things and moved out towards the next class she was teaching. 

Which meant it was now time for History. 

But before Miss Peeters could enter to give my favorite course, Em poked my arm and leant in to ask me something. “What do you think Miss Halvorsen has in store for us if we manage to get ahead of schedule?” 

“I honestly have not a single clue, Em. More ‘fun’ math exercises?” 

Ria, who had obviously been let in on the conversation, puffed up her cheeks. “That’d be a little bit lame.” 

“It would, but then again, she is a math teacher and she can’t go too much out off her field, right?” 

“Maybe a little bit of an origami class, that includes geometry?” Claire added. She had taken the spot right behind us. 

“What makes you say that?” The girl next to her asked. It seemed like Em’s whisper wasn’t as silent as she had intended. That, or everyone just was interested in this mystery activity we had just been somewhat promised. 

“Well, rumor is that Miss Halvorsen is quite the origami aficionado.” Claire explained. 

“Really? Where did you hear that?” I asked back. 

“There might be some truth in that.” Pres agreed as she prepared her second cup of tea of the day. “I have also heard that rumor before but I do not know its origin. So take it with a grain of salt if you would.”

Claire gestured towards Pres in an affirming way. “Still a possibility though.” 

“That’s true.” Pres replied with a nod. 

This building mystery did make me wish we could keep our energy up for a while to find out what’s what. It has definitely piqued my interest.