Not a Stranger

“So you’re going to the library now?” Bobby asked cheerfully.

“Yeah, I’m starting the research on my assignment for Advanced English,” I nodded, shifting my bag on my back.

“With Georgia?” Bobby added.

I scowled. “Yes, with Georgia,”

“You’re going to be nice to her, right?” Bobby asked, frowning slightly.

“Don’t you have a bus to catch?” I sighed, looking down at him.

“Nuh uh, Oliver’s giving me a ride home,” Bobby said, grinning as he shook his head.

“Well you don’t want to keep him waiting,” I muttered.

“Fiiine! At least try to be nice?” Bobby said.

“I’ll try my very hardest,” I said mock-sweetly.

“I’m assuming that was sarcasm?” Bobby sighed.

“See? You’re learning every day,” I snickered, “Now get out of here,”

“Whatever. I’ll see you at home. Be nice!” Bobby said firmly.

I didn’t say anything as Bobby walked away towards the main entrance, turning left myself to go down towards the library. Georgia had cornered me this morning to ask me to meet her in the library after classes finished so we could start the assignment that we were given yesterday, and I’d said yes, just wanting to get the damn thing over with. The red-head looked like she was going to piss herself when she asked me, so I applauded her mentally for the guts to speak to me in the first place.

The old Georgia didn’t have half that courage.

The old Georgia also didn’t have cuts on her arms.

Yeah, I still can’t get that image out of my head, her scarred arms revealed by her dropped cardigan. Every time I let myself think about those mutilations, I feel a little bit nauseous. It’s not arrogant of me to think that I caused at least some of those scars – and that only makes me feel even sicker. At least I have a little clue to why she disappeared 3 years ago. I just wish…no, I don’t know what I wish.

Do I wish she hadn’t done that? Obviously. But I also wish that I knew exactly why. It wasn’t all because of the way I treated her, was it? Maybe her family, her overbearing parents and brat of a sister, had some influence. And I know I can’t ask her. Her fear and flush of embarrassment when she saw that I saw yesterday showed me that this was all still too close to the surface for her.

All I can hope is that she sees that I’m not the person I used to be. That’s all.

It was fairly easy to find Georgia in the library, her red hair sticking out like a sore thumb in the dreary dusty room, and she smiled briefly as she noticed me walking towards her. She waited until I’d sat down to speak.

“Frankenstein, right?” Georgia said nervously.

Don’t be nervous around me. Don’t. I’m not that same person. Although by the looks of things, neither is she.

“Yeah. Frankenstein,” I mumbled.

Silence.

Well, this is going well. Not. Come on Cas, man up.

“So…did you think of any essay titles or any themes we could talk about? Anything that interests you? All I could think about were the supernatural themes,” I asked softly.

Well at least I said my part. It’s not my fault if she doesn’t like it.

“I actually liked the supernatural themes too,” Georgia replied, biting her bottom lip.

Really? She thought of that theme too? Well…maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“So, like, a title could be ‘In Frankenstein, the supernatural is used to tell us more, not less, about people and society. Discuss the relationship between the supernatural and the social messages of the novel’…how about that?” Georgia suggested hopefully.

I fought not to let my jaw drop. She came up with that all by herself? Holy crap. I forced a small smile onto my lips thought, so she wouldn’t second guess herself. That wouldn’t be a good start. Especially not with how she’s just kick-started our assignment.

“Well that sounds a little complicated but I’m sure we can manage it. Um…do you want to split the essay in two, each doing half, and then we can work on the presentation together?” I asked.

Georgia’s eyebrows shot up in surprise for a few seconds – she probably thought I’d make her do all the work – before she smiled. Good. At least she’s figured out that I want to do my part in this assignment. I’m not the asshole I used to be. I’m not.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Georgia nodded.

“Fine. I’ll go research some books on the supernatural and society the computer, and you can sweet talk the librarian into any specialist texts that she knows about,” I told her.

“Why me?” Georgia frowned.

She’s far too innocent for her own good.

“She only likes me when I’m with Bobby. Besides, you can probably pull off the puppy dog look better than I can, right?” I said with a small smirk.

Georgia blushed slightly. I didn’t understand why my stomach clenched at the sight of her pink cheeks, so I just laughed softly.

“Go on then. I’ll meet you back here,” I prompted.

Georgia bit her bottom lip but nodded, and stood up from the table. I groaned softly once she’d left, counting to five under my breath before leaving for the computer on the far side of the room. Screw my early thoughts of this assignment being okay - something tells me that it won’t be as easy as I thought. Not in the slightest.