said looking at the pile of books next to her.
"Nope, I have a lot of catching up to do, so I came early." Her emerald green eyes twinkled at him.
He plopped down his textbook as he took the chair next to her. "Wow, I thought we'd just catch up to where we are in the class. This looks like you have a serious study project."
"I have to catch up in all my classes, but most of this is for our geology class. I've been researching possible lab projects."
He caught her refreshing smell, a combination of bright, clean citrus, and a mysterious musk. Just like a California girl should smell, not the sometimes cloying floral aromas used by local girls.
"Look at all the possibilities Minnesota geology gives us for our project" she bubbled. "It ranges from the volcanic basalts and glacial deposits to limestone formations from the shallow prehistoric oceans that buried the state."
Sig grimaced. "Most of the volcanic outcrops are in the North and East, up toward Duluth."
She placed her small warm hand on his shoulder. "I'm thinking a limestone project. My uncle told me there are subterranean caves etched out of limestone in the area. Some even have stalactites and stalagmites. Wouldn't it be neat if we could find one and take the class there to explore?"
"Yeah neat", he parroted as he gazed down into her upward turned eyes. He though of deep green pools.
"Oh good" she said and hugged his arm against her chest. "Now it's your turn to tell me what I need to know to catch up."
Sig took a deep breath. "Let's start at the beginning. Ask questions as we go." He flipped open his text.
She got up and scootched her chair closer to look down at his book with him. Tendrils of her hair brushed his neck as she leaned forward to sit back down on a leg she curled under her. He shivered before he flipped pages until he reached his planned starting point.
He glanced down at the text then turned towards her. "Mr. Sanderson is pretty easy to study for. He gives lots of reading assignments, but if he talks about it in class, it'll be on the test. If he doesn't, don't worry about it." He murmured towards the side of her head. Her ear poked out between curly cascades of hair like a delicate seashell.
He pulled his attention back to the text. "Luckily, geology doesn't build on previous information like Physics or Geometry. We can just review what we've covered since the last test. I have it all marked in the book."
They spent the next two hours reviewing Sig's notes. Madeline dutifully copied Sig's notes into her text book in precise, elegant handwriting and highlighted passages that Sig emphasized.
Sig frequently found himself distracted by her scent, the glint of highlights in her hair, or the way she touched his arm when she asked questions.
After Dad died, he knew he withdrew into a shell. Dating didn't seem worth the effort, neither did most social interactions. Solitary activities and individual competitions against all but faceless opponents allowed him to hide inside the emotional walls he grew. Martial arts and fencing violence appealed to a need. The increasing number of fouls he committed signaled that he wanted to hurt something, but didn't know what. He had to be careful not to lose control.
Perhaps because of their shared loss, Mom became his mainstay. He had distanced himself from others. He regretted the sullenness he had displayed toward Grandfather Edward. He could never make up for it now.
His fencing and martial arts coaches were tolerated because they taught violent techniques to feed his pent up anger. The few friends he kept in touch with were science nerds like him. Of course, besides science, they had a shared passion—Mom's cooking.
He studied with Madeline because he needed her partnership to get the grade he needed for college. Surprisingly, he found he liked being with her. She had a calming affect and aroused an awareness that yearned to tear through the emotional shell he had erected.
"What are you thinking? You
"Nope, I have a lot of catching up to do, so I came early." Her emerald green eyes twinkled at him.
He plopped down his textbook as he took the chair next to her. "Wow, I thought we'd just catch up to where we are in the class. This looks like you have a serious study project."
"I have to catch up in all my classes, but most of this is for our geology class. I've been researching possible lab projects."
He caught her refreshing smell, a combination of bright, clean citrus, and a mysterious musk. Just like a California girl should smell, not the sometimes cloying floral aromas used by local girls.
"Look at all the possibilities Minnesota geology gives us for our project" she bubbled. "It ranges from the volcanic basalts and glacial deposits to limestone formations from the shallow prehistoric oceans that buried the state."
Sig grimaced. "Most of the volcanic outcrops are in the North and East, up toward Duluth."
She placed her small warm hand on his shoulder. "I'm thinking a limestone project. My uncle told me there are subterranean caves etched out of limestone in the area. Some even have stalactites and stalagmites. Wouldn't it be neat if we could find one and take the class there to explore?"
"Yeah neat", he parroted as he gazed down into her upward turned eyes. He though of deep green pools.
"Oh good" she said and hugged his arm against her chest. "Now it's your turn to tell me what I need to know to catch up."
Sig took a deep breath. "Let's start at the beginning. Ask questions as we go." He flipped open his text.
She got up and scootched her chair closer to look down at his book with him. Tendrils of her hair brushed his neck as she leaned forward to sit back down on a leg she curled under her. He shivered before he flipped pages until he reached his planned starting point.
He glanced down at the text then turned towards her. "Mr. Sanderson is pretty easy to study for. He gives lots of reading assignments, but if he talks about it in class, it'll be on the test. If he doesn't, don't worry about it." He murmured towards the side of her head. Her ear poked out between curly cascades of hair like a delicate seashell.
He pulled his attention back to the text. "Luckily, geology doesn't build on previous information like Physics or Geometry. We can just review what we've covered since the last test. I have it all marked in the book."
They spent the next two hours reviewing Sig's notes. Madeline dutifully copied Sig's notes into her text book in precise, elegant handwriting and highlighted passages that Sig emphasized.
Sig frequently found himself distracted by her scent, the glint of highlights in her hair, or the way she touched his arm when she asked questions.
After Dad died, he knew he withdrew into a shell. Dating didn't seem worth the effort, neither did most social interactions. Solitary activities and individual competitions against all but faceless opponents allowed him to hide inside the emotional walls he grew. Martial arts and fencing violence appealed to a need. The increasing number of fouls he committed signaled that he wanted to hurt something, but didn't know what. He had to be careful not to lose control.
Perhaps because of their shared loss, Mom became his mainstay. He had distanced himself from others. He regretted the sullenness he had displayed toward Grandfather Edward. He could never make up for it now.
His fencing and martial arts coaches were tolerated because they taught violent techniques to feed his pent up anger. The few friends he kept in touch with were science nerds like him. Of course, besides science, they had a shared passion—Mom's cooking.
He studied with Madeline because he needed her partnership to get the grade he needed for college. Surprisingly, he found he liked being with her. She had a calming affect and aroused an awareness that yearned to tear through the emotional shell he had erected.
"What are you thinking? You
Similar Books
