Chapter 13 - Team up with me

When they reached classroom for Artificial Intelligence lecture, Vivian perked up noticing Gabriel sitting towards the middle of the classroom.

Sarah tugged Vivian's sleeve and whispered, "Do you want me to give you some privacy?" she is aware that Vivian likes Gabriel and wants to give them space to be more intimate, if possible.

"No need. Not like I can do anything during lecture. If you sit at another place it will just appear awkward", Vivian rejected the offer.

They took their seats next to Gabriel, and Sarah was between Vivian and Aiden.

Vivian tried several times to start a conversation with Gabriel, but he only responded to her questions with short responses. After few minutes, she gave up and looked in front of her while glancing at Gabriel.

Aiden was observing Sarah and thought how her profile is very pretty. Her lips are bright pink and glossy. 'Lip balm?' He could not stop himself from wondering how it tastes. She looked at him and smiled. Aiden saw her lean toward him and whisper, "Yes?"

He was not sure what to say. She noticed that he is staring at her and assumed that he wants to say something. 'Think, think, think!' Aiden smiled and leaned toward her. 'Closer, just a bit closer.' He inhaled scent of her hair, 'Shampoo?' He observed shape of her earlobe for a second before he got an idea and spoke, "I thought that you sit front and center."

Aiden heard Sarah breathe in and hold her breath. He moved a bit looked at her face. Her eyes are closed. 'Did she just smell me? How I did with her shampoo scent?' Aiden smiled, hoping that he is right, and that she likes his scent.

Sarah opened her eyes, moved away from him and smiled. "Only when I don't have friends in the classroom". With her head she pointed Vivian's direction. Sarah became aware that few moments ago she held her breath, enjoying his scent, and panicked. 'OMG, I hope he didn't notice what I did! This is so embarrassing!' Sarah blushed and forced herself to look forward.

When she looked forward, she noticed number of classmates looking at her, shamelessly observing and not looking away. She was feeling uncomfortable. Sarah covered her face in her hands and sighed.

Aiden noticed her pink cheeks and saw her holding her head. 'Is she sick?' Her expression didn't look good. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"You seem to be very popular", Sarah blurted out while looking down. She immediately regretted saying this, but she could not take it back.

"Well, he is one of the most popular guys on campus", Vivian said with a hint of mockery in her voice. Her quiet mood from lunch was gone, and she was back to her usual chatty self. Vivian was talking to Sarah, "I told you earlier that if you don't avoid him, you will attract jealousy", Vivian gave a warning glare to Aiden.

Aiden didn't seem to react. For him, Vivian's existence was not significant. He was focused on Sarah.

Sarah was upset hearing Vivian say this, "I don't care what others think. If I try to please others, I will not get out of my room.", she responded to Vivien. "Besides...", Sarah wanted to say that she enjoys his company, but the words were stuck in her throat when she remembered that Aiden is right next to her. She didn't want to create any misunderstandings, or are those misunderstandings? She can't deny that she finds him very attractive, and even when he is teasing her, she can't get angry at him. Sarah looked toward him and saw that Aiden was observing her with an amused expression. His bewitching smile was plastered on his face, making Sarah hold her breath for a second.

"Please continue", he urged.

"Maybe next time", Sarah mumbled.

'Next time... It seems she says that a lot.' Aiden watched her cheeks get more red.

...

At the end of the lesson, professor was talking about their upcoming practical projects. "I will provide you next week with a list of acceptable topics for practical part. I recommend that you pair up for this work. If more than two are in the group, points will be deducted. That's all for this lesson, class dismissed."

"We are a team for this project, right?", Vivian asked Gabriel before professor finished talking. "Hm", he nodded as an affirmation. Vivian was happy. Sarah secretly gave her a thumbs up.

"Do you want to team up with me?", Sarah heard Aiden's voice. She turned towards him and their eyes met.

"What?", she asked with confused look on her face.

"Do you want to team up with me?", he repeated.

She shook her head. "I work alone." More than once before classmates would approach her to work together, and it ended up that Sarah did all the work while they only put their names there. Since then she decided to work alone, and not let anyone mooch off her.

"It's better in a team." Aiden persisted. He saw that she is about to reject him once more. "I can be a good partner. Give me a chance."

Sarah thought how his words are ambiguous, but while looking him in the eyes, she had a feeling that he is sincere. She succumbed and gave a small nod.

He exhaled and showed his devilish smile. "We can talk more about it when we pick the topic."

"Yes." Sarah forced herself to look away, fearing that he might see that she is getting attracted to him.

After class, Vivian could not wait to be with Sarah out of earshot of others, "We need to talk".

Sarah checked time. "Sure, there is time until dinner. Do you want to go to the café?"

~At the café~

Sarah and Vivian sat at a table in the corner. They warmed their hands while holding hot cups of coffee.

"Can you explain the recent developments?", there was anticipation in Vivian's voice.

"What developments?", Sarah was not sure what Vivian expects to hear.

Vivian tilted her head, "You and Aiden".

"There are no developments." Sarah shook her head. "We are friends."

"Friends?", Vivian didn't believe it.

"Yes, friends.", Sarah responded before explaining further, "We spoke more than once, and we have some things in common. I enjoy talking to him. So, if I need to label our relationship, I believe that 'friends' is the most appropriate"

"And you will be working together on a project for AI*...", Vivian wanted Sarah to continue.

"Are you trying to say that there is more to it?", Sarah started getting suspicious of Vivian's intentions.

Vivian hesitated when she heard that Sarah's voice is getting colder, but she could not drop this topic. "He is very friendly towards you, and he is known not to approach opposite gender...", she said carefully.

Sarah frowned before responding, "I don't see anything wrong with being friendly. I'm also friendly towards him without any hidden intentions. As for him not approaching women, I heard about that already. But he is not approaching me, it's not like that… we are just talking". Sarah discovered that she is a bit disappointed when she said that. Part of her hoped that it can be more than talking.

"I see...", Vivian decided not to push this topic anymore. 'Sarah is definitely new at this. Does she not see how he is looking at her? Why her?'. Vivian could not help but feel a hint of jealousy. Aiden is very popular and being with him is something that many women from campus dream of. "Where did you hear that he is not approaching women?"

Sarah told Vivian about young man with short hair from morning lecture. Vivian wanted to figure out who the man is, but with Sarah's vague description it was impossible to find out who he is. Sarah agreed to point him out to Vivian next time she gets a chance. Then Sarah told her about Mimi and Megan.

"It's amazing how many people directly approached you in such a short time just because you talked with Aiden! I don't know about that man, but Mimi and Megan openly showed that they are not friendly. You should watch your back.", Vivian said while observing Sarah's reaction.

Sarah was in her own thoughts for few minutes before speaking, "All of them are just like flies who can be ignored. If they come at me, I'm ready. Aiden is nice, and I don't want to tell him to stay away from me just because others are not approving."