Game Theory × NH

014 | silicone

× Horan

"I heard her parents died in a car accident."

"Someone told me she was dating three guys at once at her old university."

"No way, that can't be true. I heard she was a lesbian."

I had to bite down on my pen to keep myself from laughing. Did they not have anything better to talk about other than the new girl? They were sitting two rows behind me and despite them trying to be quite, it wasn't working in their favor. I could hear everything they were saying.

Remember when I said girls were always categorized for being gossipers? I still stick to my word, except I forgot to add that even though the males and females like to make shit up, at least the males were a little more realistic when they spread it.

Lectures weren't my thing, and if I've known there was going to be one in English that day, I wouldn't have bothered going. I put my head in my hand as I doodled on my paper aimlessly as the professor talked on and on, the two girls gossiping behind me.

The professor was talking about some story from Greek mythology I believed (I heard the words Zeus and Odyssey somewhere in there so what else could it possibly be?). I tried to pay attention the best I could, but anything mythology just went over my head.

I could feel my eyes start to droop and my attention span wonder to strategy moves to work on during practice later that evening.

I didn't understand what was so great about the myths. I mean, they were stories that people a long time ago actually believed in. It wasn't any different than it was in the present day with all the different religions. So whether it was back then or existing now, I still didn't give a shit about it.

"Martha told me she was pregnant but had an abortion," one of the girls continued.

"Someone in maths said she was a drug dealer who participated in massive drug fueled orgies every weekend."

"That would make sense. I've been told she was in the Mafia."

I couldn't take it anymore. Their gossip was entertaining in the beginning, but there was only so much bullshit one lad could take. I grabbed my backpack and stuffed my things inside, but before I could even leave my seat, the door of the class opened and a tall brunette reticently walked in toward the front of the room. If the deep sapphire blue eyes and tanned skin wasn't enough of an indicator as to who it was, then the abrupt silence of the conversation behind me sure was.

Professor Lawtherd stopped talking once he noticed the girl and smiled kindly at her.

"You must be Lynn," he said like he was expecting her, like she was supposed to be there. And let me tell you as someone who has walked her though her class schedule, she was most definitely not supposed to be there.

Lynn handed the professor a slip of paper with a smile and a nod before looking out at the class in front of her. If she was fazed by all the eyes staring at her, she didn't show it.

"There's not many seats to choose from, but you may pick where you like to sit," Professor Lawtherd continued.

The classroom wasn't huge, but it was definitely bigger than your typical one in secondary school. The seats were leveled with long desks that only broke apart at three places for the stairs to be located - the center and the two ends.

I watched Lynn intently as she quickly scanned the room for an open seat. There was one in the back, one on the edge a few rows in, and one just diagonally in front of where I was sitting. So naturally she took two steps and made her way to the empty chair in front of me. That was when our eyes locked. She didn't seem surprised to see me as she placed her books and laptop on the desk and took her seat.