Status: Very Active

Study of Life and Love

Infectious Diseases

Thea

Pounding vibrated through my head making me sit up instantly the sound disorientating while I tried to process the drums that were followed by a voice.

A groan fell from my mouth when a loud knock sounded at my door over the unnecessarily loud music and Rhiannon’s head appeared.

“Time to get up!” She yelled happily before disappearing. I turned to my clock to see it was only six am.

I rubbed my eyes tiredly before moving my blankets and heading out the door curious as to why we were all getting up so early and so loudly.

“What the fuck is this!” Caydance growled, stomping out of her room opposite mine and staring around wildly. She was generally a morning person if she got up in her own time and was able to go for a run and generally avoid all human interaction before eight a.m.

We followed the crowd of people into the kitchen where the music just got louder. Sidney smiled at us all from her spot at the kitchen counter. She gestured everyone around her while Caydance stormed over to stop the music.

“Congratulations!” She said loudly, receiving confused glances from everyone. “All the little sisters standing in front of me have survived exactly one week of being a Grace sister.”

There was a small silence before the freshmen that were awake enough jumped up to grab onto each other, a few squeals let out.

“This does not mean that you will never be kicked out. Break our rules and you will be asked to leave just like everyone else in this room. You’re still going to be tested over the next couple of months.” Sidney told them all sternly as they quickly turned still, faces masked before smiling gently. “But mostly you are Grace girls now.”

“So why do we have to wake up at six to tell them all this.” Caydance groaned, her head resting on the kitchen counter. Sidney frowned and swatted her head making her stand up.

“Because we’re going to make breakfast together for the first time, as a house. Bonding.” She grinned brightly as Caydance moaned even louder.

“We need better music for this then.” She announced tiredly, heading towards the stereo and searching through the IPod placed there.

“Great! So who can cook pancakes?” A few people moved forward towards the section that Sidney and Rhiannon had already set up. “Eggs?” Everyone began to disperse themselves around the room, showing the new Grace girls where everything was as they all leant a hand.

Soon enough a different beat filled the large kitchen and probably the rest of the house as Caydance turned the music up even louder.

“Now we can dance!” She yelled happily, shaking her hips randomly before moving to stand next to Riley and helping her stir the eggs, her grumpy demeanor forgotten. I smiled over at her, despite her protest I think she grew quiet found of the hyper-blonde.

“Good bunch?” Sidney asked, coming to stand next to me. I smiled at her and nodded.

“I think they’ll be great.” I agreed with her.

“Me too. Come on, help me set the tables.” She gestured towards the three long tables in the connecting dining room. I moved towards the plates as Caydance spun a circle around me, laughing loudly and shaking her wild red, bed hair.

I fell into step with her as we did awkward half waltz moves around the kitchen isle before I headed back to the plates.

It took an hour before we were all finally sitting down to eat the food that was made leaving a large mess in the kitchen.

“Since the first week is over the eyes on you relax slightly but don’t think we won’t notice if you slip up. You will still be with your senior whenever they need you and normal house rules apply. Including no boys. Now we pay more attention to house activities such as the football game that’s scheduled against the Kings boys.” Sidney stated, standing up from her seat as Caydance brightened up from next to me. We had lost the game last year and I had a feeling Caydance and Sidney had made a lot of plans to win this year.

“You all don’t have to participate but you all have to attend to show your support. This game isn’t for fun and it won’t be easy. This is an annual game against the Kings boys and last year we lost. This year we are going to win.” Caydance let off a cheer next to me as the other girls soon joined in. My eyes widened in surprise at their excitement and competitiveness. I was a bit afraid how bloody Saturday might turn out.

-
I shifted slightly and reached up as high as I could, eye focused on the thick book above me. My fingertips barely brushed it before someone was leaning over me to grab onto it. I smiled up at Olivia as she handed me the book.

“Thank you.” I grinned, staring at the front cover to make sure it was the right book.

“You know there are stools around to help you.” She gestured vaguely behind her at the rows of book spread out behind her in the library. I shrugged and bent down to pick up the rest of the books I had piled at my feet. They weren’t light.

“I really thought I could grab it.” I grinned at her, she laughed and took two books from my hand to add to the one in hers before we both headed towards the check out desk.

“You’re doing an advanced class this semester aren’t you?” She asked, looking over the two veterinary books in her hand. I nodded at her and dumped the books down on the counter in front of an old unsmiling lady. She barely acknowledged us, just took the books and held out her hand for my student I.D. card. I happily obliged and turned back to Olivia.

“Yeah I’m kind of nervous but my teachers seem to think I’ll be okay.” I shrugged at her as the familiar churning feeling in my stomach rose again. It had been slowly getting harder to ignore the closer I got to my first advanced class which was tomorrow.

“‘You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.’” I stared at Olivia confused. “It’s the quote of the day by Mahatma Gandhi, so in other words. Just try and if you fail you fail and you try again but if you don’t do it, then you are always going to doubt yourself.”

We grabbed our books when the librarian was done and made our way out of the library and slowly back towards the house. We took the longer way, along the boardwalk that passed most of the restaurants that were open to the view of the river that surrounded one side of the University. It was nice and lit up at nighttime, fairy lights decorating the handrails and the poles surrounding us. There were small round lights in the path as well giving everything a light glow at nighttime. It was one of my favourite parts of the University to be around and the restaurants were often popular during this time. I glanced briefly over at said restaurants to see most of them full, people sitting both inside and outside in the beautiful weather we were still having. Olivia was staring down at her phone and smiling to her self; I had a feeling I knew who she was messaging.

“I’m going to go catch up with Connor, you cool to walk back?” Olivia asked me as I waved her away. Sometimes it was hard to keep Olivia away from her boyfriend Connor but I didn’t mind, I thought it was sweet.

I turned the opposite direction to her and continued past the tables that were situated under the fairy lights along the boardwalk, the river calm next to it.

I rounded the last table and moved further down the boardwalk before my hand was snatched by something warm and smooth and I was tugged to the grown. A grunt fell from my lips as my body fell against something hard and warm, my books spilling onto the dirt ground. It took me a moment to see an arm wrapped around my waist.

I spun around ready to scream if needed when my eyes met a familiar blue, a few stray pieces of light brown hair hanging in their way. I tried to breathe normally as I took in Louis’ tan face, his mouth set into a wide smile. I vaguely noticed Zayn kneeling behind the bush next to him, his face clearly showing amusement as he watched us.

“Hey! Thea right?” Louis said brightly as I continued to stare at him. His head tipped to the side as he waited for a response, a response that I hadn’t thought about yet.

“Uh, hi. Y-yeah. Thea. Umm what?” Not the sentences I probably wanted to start with but Louis let out a small chuckle in return.

“Let the girl go Louis, you’ve molested her enough.” Zayn huffed, shaking his head before looing back the way I had come from. That’s when I realised that they had pulled me behind a bush, which was a considerably more pressing issue then the way it felt to have Louis wrapped around me.

I cleared my throat and pulled myself out of Louis’ arms and off his legs, falling onto the ground next to him, where my books sat sprawled out. His eyes continued to stare right at me causing me to twitch uncomfortably.

“Right sorry, yeah. Didn’t mean to scare you but come on.” Louis turned to face the bush his hand beckoning me forward. I sucked in a deep breath before curiosity took over and I crawled over next to him to peek over the bush. We had a clear view of all the tables sitting under the lights at the boardwalk restaurant. Zayn and Louis would have just watched me walk past all those tables. I had no idea what we were spying on and I was starting to be slightly worried about the pair.

Louis looked from me to the tables and back again with a large smile on his face, obviously thinking that what we were doing was fun. I only stared at him confused. He sighed and leant into my space, my breath hitched and colour rose to my cheeks, his face got closer to mine. I tried to calm my heart rate wondering if Louis could hear it from where he was. It was that loud. He smiled brightly anyway and grabbed my chin directing it towards the tables again, his other hand come out to point at a certain pair. It took me a couple more seconds to realise why this pair was so familiar.

“You’re spying,” I realised, “on Niall and Sidney’s first date.”

“Yes.” Louis confirmed, dropping his hand and going back to look at the two of them. I stared at him for a long moment realizing that he was actually serious about this.

“I’m going.” I responded, moving to gather my books but Louis caught my wrist, his face pouting. I tore my eyes away from him to see Zayn staring ahead at the couple a small smirk evident on his face.

“Why?” Louis whined out, sucking his bottom lip in like a child, I tried to narrow my eyes at him but I failed miserably.

“Because I’m not spying on my house leader and friend while she’s on a date. Just like you should not be spying on Niall! If either of them knew you were here.” I warned as Louis scoffed, tugging me back to the kneeled position next to him.

“If Niall knew he would thank us for being wonderful friends and looking out for him. We’re just making sure he doesn’t do anything embarrassing, you know be here to save him if he does.” Louis tried to reason, his fingers still wrapped around my wrist; creating warmth that was slowly spreading up my arm.

“You told me that we were here to laugh and humiliate the lad later if he does anything embarrassing.” Zayn added, still keeping his eyes trained on the pair. Louis whipped his head around towards Zayn in what I assumed was a glare. I took the time his back was to me to try and focus on his hand around mine. I couldn’t take my eyes away, I couldn’t even feel my arm by this point it was just a whole bunch of tingles flowing through.

“Oh.” Louis said, turning around and noticed me staring. “Sorry I’m a touchy person, I don’t realise that it can be odd.” Louis quickly let go and I tried to stop the frown that wanted to spread across my face, the warmth slipped from my hand.

“I didn’t mind.” I said quickly, maybe too desperately as Louis smiled before looking forward again. My cheeks reddened considerably at my own words. I probably sounded like a desperate, touch-starved child.

“Oh look it’s Indi.” Zayn suddenly jumped up from behind the bush and moved to the boardwalk where Indiana was walking towards us. She stopped and stared at him confused before her eyes travelled to where he came from, where Louis and I kneeled in the dirt. I couldn’t help the flush that spread across my cheeks. I could only imagine what this looked like.

“Thea?” Indi questioned softly, ignoring Zayn who frowned and his shoulders slumped slightly while Indi’s attention stayed trained on me. “Why are you in the bushes? With Louis Tomlinson?”

Louis shifted next to me as I slowly stood up, brushing the dirt off my knees.

“Louis and Zayn were spying on Sidney and Niall. Their first date.” I motioned quickly to their table. Indiana turned to look before frowning at all of us, thankfully neither Sidney nor Niall had noticed us all. “They dragged me down to their level.”

“Literally.” Louis chirped in, standing up and taking a step next to me, brushing his jeans off as he went. Indi eyed us both for a moment her attention flickering occasionally towards Zayn.

“What are you doing?” Zayn asked, stepping closer to her, his smile back. Her attention stayed trained on him as she hunched her shoulders slightly. She always seemed protective of herself, I had only hung out with her a handful of times because of Caydance but she seemed like a nice girl but really reserved.

“Just walking back to my dorm.” She gestured randomly in the direction of the dorms over Zayn’s shoulder, her voice was soft and not for the first time I wished she talked a little bit louder. Zayn brightened considerably at her words anyway.

“Great I’ll walk you back.” He immediately offered. Indiana frowned and shook her head.

“Not, it’s okay. I’m fine, I can do it myself.” Her voice came out sounding stubborn and wavered towards the end but Zayn barely reacted.

“I insist. Come on.” He stepped to the side and motioned her forward. I was almost surprised by Zayn’s insistence; I don’t think I had ever seen him try for a girl; he was the type to rather sit back and brood letting his good looks and mysterious personality make girls come to him.

Indiana sighed before taking a hesitant step towards him. He smiled almost like he was encouraging her, like she was a wild animal.

“Bye Thea. Louis.” She half-smiled at us before falling into a cautious step with Zayn who barely shot us a look goodbye, his attention entirely focused on Indiana now.

“God, he is so pathetically in love with her.” Louis groaned from next to me.

“I think it’s cute.” I defended them slightly, a smile forming on my lips as they walked away.

“I suppose you would.” Louis commented his tone almost annoyed.

“What does that mean?” I asked him confused; his smile came out small, which was different to what I usually saw, to what everyone usually saw.

“Nothing, just… Caydance said you were almost too good.” He said lightly, turning his body to face mine, mine already was, always is angled towards Louis. “You know, believe the best in everyone, always nice. Good.” He emphasised heavily on the last word.

“And that’s a bad thing?” I could feel myself getting defensive but I couldn’t help but feel like Louis didn’t agree, like he was insulting me. It made me feel small and uncomfortable around him.

“No, it’s not. Sometimes maybe but its different, I guess. I don’t know many girls like that.” He said almost thoughtfully, his head tipped to the side again as his eyes roamed my face. I shivered under his stare and wrapped my arms around my body.

“I’m going to head home.” I mumbled moving to pick up the books that were still sprawled across the floor.

“Wait! You can’t leave me. Zayn already left me, I’ll be all alone.” He pouted towards me, taking a step forward. I sighed knowing that I wouldn’t be able to leave.

“Fine, but I’m not spying on those two anymore.” I gestured my hand towards Sidney and Niall who seemed to be too caught up in each other to even notice some of their friends standing not far away before trying to balance my books on top of each other.

“Fine, we can walk or something.” Louis grumbled, reaching over and grabbing the top three books leaving me with only two and moved to stand on the walkway, looking at me expectantly. I hid a smile and joined him as we continued along the path I had been taking before Louis had attacked me.

“Do you know Indiana?” Louis asked me after a brief pause of anxious silence on my behalf.

“Sort of. I’ve spoken to her a few times but it’s Caydance who’s close with her.” I told Louis honestly. He nodded and bit his lip, his hands shifting the books around unconsciously. I realised that he was actually worried about Zayn.

“Its just Zayn really likes her you know and Zayn’s like me best mate so I don’t want to see him get hurt.” Louis told me, his shoulders hunched in on himself, he was obviously uncomfortable with the topic. I found it endearing that he cared so much about his friends.

“I don’t think Indi will hurt him. But I do think Zayn might have his work cut out for him.” I admitted to Louis who glanced over at me. “She seems quite stubborn to not be around him.” I shrugged at Louis who nodded in agreement. “Maybe I think you should learn to stay out of your friends relationships though.” I teased Louis. He looked at me surprised before actually looking quite sheepish.

“I just worry about them you know. And I mean they were there for me when I needed them after the whole mess with Eleanor so I kind of owe them.” He shrugged almost helplessly as I tried not to smile about his mess with Eleanor, probably not the most appropriate response at this time.

“I don’t think they will agree with you owing them. You’re mates, it’s what mates do.” I reasoned with him as we continued to walk.

“So you playing in the game on Saturday?” Louis asked, suddenly changing the subject. I paused for a moment confused at the change before nodding at Louis.

“Yeah Sidney and Caydance have kind of gone mad with the whole beating you guys this year. You know, after losing last year.” Louis smiled widely as his eyes glazed over like his was replaying the memory.

“Yeah that was a really good win.” He murmured before smirking at me. “You girls barely had a chance and I don’t think your luck is going to change.” He continued to smirk at me, his competitiveness pushing through. It was like dealing with Sidney and Caydance again.

“Honestly does no one ever play sports for fun anymore?” I groaned at him.

“Where’s the fun in that?” He replied goofily. I couldn’t help the loud laugh that ripped through my body at his lame attempt at being funny.

“You did not just say that.” I giggled to him; his smile grew wider his eyes trained on me.

“Maybe. Doesn’t matter though. It got you to laugh.” He winked at me triumphantly like that was his goal all along. I forgot how to breathe, again.

“Soo, Sidney told me that you’re doing Vet studies right?” He questioned after we walked for a few more silent minutes. I hadn’t known what to say to him. “And you’re in advanced classes this year?” We were rounding the corner onto our street, Grace house coming up fast on the right. I nodded anyway.

“Just one class but yeah, it’s on tomorrow.” I told him, the nervous churning was beginning to grow bigger.

“Infectious Diseases?” Louis voiced, his eyes staring down at the books in his hand. I nodded at him earning a large blinding smile in return. “I’m in that class too. Tomorrow at eleven right?” I nodded again not knowing what to say. We stopped in front of Grace house and I awkwardly moved to take my books off Louis. He let me reluctantly and glanced between the house and me almost liked he was disappointed. I raised an eyebrow at him in curiosity.

“Well I guess I’ll let you get inside.” He took a slow step back, his eyes staring at the large white house behind me before snapping to me. “But I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye Louis.” I smiled self-consciously earning a wave in return before he turned around and headed up the street towards his own house. I held my breath to calm my heart rate before swiftly turning and hurrying inside making sure I didn’t turn back before slamming the door shut behind me. Leaning back against it I inhaled air quickly and dramatically while my cheeks stayed warm.

“Did you run back with your books?” I snapped my eyes open to see Caydance leaning in the doorway of the kitchen watching me curiously, a warm cup circled in her hands.

“I think I might be sick.” I told her, the churning in my stomach now becoming a full-fledged washing machine.

-

The lecture theatre for Infectious Diseases was large and I followed the crowd of students that were slowly piling in, I wondered if we would actually fill up the entire hall.

I frowned when I noticed that a fair few people already had friends, little groups easily forming together after studying closely for the last couple of years. I moved towards the stairs and headed towards the back of the lecture hall, trying to look less like a child around people who were only two years older then me.

I fell down into a seat at the back right in the center and only glanced quickly around before pulling out my laptop from my bag and setting it up. A few people sat around and near me, some in groups other by themselves but no one seemed concerned with talking to anyone new. I held in a sigh knowing that I would have more of a chance to meet people during the class tutorial sessions.

My eyes strayed towards the door just as a familiar figure waltzed into the room, his hair wild and pushed back like he just got out of bed, his clothes were rumpled and his bag was hanging half open. I smiled and shook my head at Louis, while he scanned the rows of tables. I almost hoped that he would see me until I noticed a group on the far side of the room to me wave at him enthusiastically. I shrunk down in my seat; of course Louis Tomlinson would have friends in this class. He would be hard pressed to not find friends in any class.

I turned my eyes back to my laptop and set the Internet connection up properly. For some reason my laptop always struggled with connecting as soon as I turned it on, it was always a frustrating experience to get it connected again.

I pulled a blank document once I was finally connected and checked to make sure my phone was on silent when a thud came from beside me. I turned surprised to see a body sprawled out in the chair beside me. I looked up and widened my eyes at a grinning Louis, he was slightly sweaty and panting which I assumed was from hurrying to get to the theatre. We were on the opposite side of the campus to where our houses were.

My eyes strayed from Louis to where his group of friends sat on the opposite side of the room, watching us oddly before I turned back to see him pulling out a book and pen, his mouth immediately chewing on the end of the latter. I watched transfixed while he swirled it around his mouth before pulling my attention to his eyes.

“Hi?” I didn’t plan for it come out as a question but Louis didn’t seem worried, only winking at me in return and flipping to a blank page in his book. I turned back to my laptop slowly and tried to settle down but I felt uncomfortable and itchy like everyone in the room was watching us. I was being paranoid but I could still see a few of Louis friends sneak us curious glances but Louis didn’t seem to care, just rummaged further into his bag making small disappointed noises.

My fingers twitched on the keyboard wanting to be able to do something but our lecturer was still slowly getting her notes together, the board behind her already set with the PowerPoint.

“Wow you look really nervous.” I snapped to Louis who was watching me, an amused smile on his face. I was more nervous about the fact that he was sitting next to me then I was about the lecture but I just nodded at him anyway, trying to smile weakly. He could interpret my almost hyperventilation in whatever way he wanted. “You’ll be fine, if the admission board and school board think you can handle this then you can.” Louis tapped the top of his pen lid against my shoulder. I just nodded in return.

We sat quiet for a few more moments and my hands started to shake before Louis spoke up again. “Hey if you really have trouble we could study together?” I turned to him wide-eyed to see him staring straight ahead, his eyes not straying from the unchanging power point.

“S-sure.” I mumbled out in reply and Louis finally turned to me to smile, his blue eyes lighting up.

“Or you know even if you’re not having trouble we could study together still, if you wanted?” He didn’t seem as confident this time but he still waited patiently for my answer while my insides went berserk and I though for one terrifying second that I might actually puke.

“Okay, sounds good.” I eventually replied with more calmness then I actually thought possible at this point of time. Thankfully I was saved as a lecturer finally stepped up to the microphone and greeted us. My head turned, glad to have a distraction and I tried to focus my whole body completely onto the lecturer’s words, ignoring Louis completely. Well I would be if he didn’t spread his legs out further so his knee brushed against mine. Holding in my sigh, I narrowed my eyes in on my computer screen and began typing.

The lecture went for a continuous two hours, the start was basic introductory, enlightening us on how classes were fun, assignments coming up and other beneficial programs that would be running through out the semester. The second half of the lecture focused solely on what we would be learning about the different applied veterinary aspects of infectious disease and would be including that pharmacology of anti-microbial and anti-parasitic drugs. It was a good introduction and hadn’t made me increasingly nervous as I thought it might have. I was able to understand the basic necessity for the lecture and I hoped that I would be able to say the same by the end of the course.

Louis was the first one to slam his book shut when the lecture finished; I jumped, startled by him but began saving all my documents on my laptop. I didn’t meet his eye, expecting him to just get up and leave now that the lecture was down but he stood there patiently next to me while I slowly slid my laptop into my bag and stood up, smiling tentatively at Louis while he led the way down the stairs after everyone.

“Now I can tell by your face that this was a bore and I wish I could tell you that it’s not always going to be like this but, well…” I rushed to cut Louis off, shaking my head.

“No, no. I really liked it actually, I’m really interested in learning more about it and when it comes to the practical side.” I told Louis earnestly, smiling while his eyes searched my face for a moment.

“Wow you are actually completely genuine right now,” I blushed at Louis’ unbelieving tone. I suppose he would see me as nerd or something for actually being excited for the course. He opened his mouth to say something else when a group of people cut in for him on our way out the door. It was his group of friends that had waved towards him earlier.

We were both swept up on the way out the door and Louis was unsurprisingly pulled away from me, I was still within their circle but having no idea who I was actually surrounded by. I shifted my bag and gently slid out of the circle to head in the opposite way of the loud, excited group.

I had reached the end of the hallway before Louis called my name out. I turned around to see the group waiting, confused, while Louis rushed down towards me.

“Where are you going?” He questioned, his eyebrows pulled together. “Don’t you want to have lunch with us?” He asked the question like it was unbelievable that I wouldn’t want to and I sincerely wished that his cockiness would be a turn off, it unfortunately wasn’t.

“I have a lecture to get to.” I gestured behind me vaguely, smiling apologetically when his face fell. I knew he was just being polite and that Sidney or Caydance had probably asked him to look out for me but it wasn’t necessary. I could make my own friends and I did have a lecture to go too so Louis would be fine.

“Well I’ll see you around then?” He asked, his face going carefully neutral. I nodded, a small smile still playing along my face. Louis turned and headed back to his group of friends who all pulled him in eagerly their voices once again echoing through the corridor.

I made my way across campus towards my lecture arguing with the butterflies in my stomach and the smile on my face, trying to assure them that Louis Tomlinson was just being nice, and being nice never had to mean more then just that.
♠ ♠ ♠
I haven't been getting many comments on this story which I'm bummed about, so let me know what you guys think? Do you like it? Or is it horrible the the point that I should just stop? Please let me know lovelies!
xx