The Fear Of Faith [2]

3. Bethan

A quick point guys, I love literature to the death, but I'm no expert🤪 so please, I only write about what I know and have learnt myself but feel free to drop me a message if you feel I need to be corrected anywhere🥰 ALSO, I'm British, not American and this is set in the US so any Americans can also feel free to correct me on any errors😎

Okay everyone,' Professor Fawkes began with a friendly smile. 'Now that we've gotten to grips with everything, let's begin.'

I was sat in the first row of today's seminar, to my misfortune, as I had ran late for the subway and arrived to class ten minutes into it, meaning I was forced to quickly manoeuvre to the only available space left. I ignored the stares of my classmates and thankfully, Professor Fawkes didn't embarrass me.

'This class is English 3920; that's Medieval English,' he continued, slowly. 'We'll continue swiftly now that introductions are out of the way. Today I would like to discuss a favourite of mine; Beowulf. Raise your hand if you're familiar. I expect that to be everyone.'

The class raised their hands, including myself and Fawkes smiled. Beowulf wasn't much of a favourite of mine but I was intrigued to learn a little more about it.

'Very good,' he said as he studied us. 'Because Beowulf is one of the most important achievements of Old English literature. It's set around the 6th century but does anyone know when we think it was actually written, uhh...Mr. West?'

Professor Fawkes glanced around the room to locate the student he had called from his registration list and the guy's voice spoke up from way in the back row and caused the hairs to stand up on my body. I knew that voice.

'Erm...well, I think it's estimated to have been written sometime after the 7th century right?' he answered.

'Thank you,' Fawkes smiled at him. 'Mr West is correct in saying so, however, some scholars now believe that Beowulf may even have been composed as further on as the 10th century...'

Professor Fawkes' speech trailed off as I ignored the murmur in my head telling me not to and turned around slowly to locate the voice. His glassy eyes met mine in an instant and that wide toothy grin spread on his face as he gave me a cheeky wink. So Brodie West was here at Columbia and in my class.

I smiled politely and turned back around, trying to focus on Fawkes but the information was going over my head.

Brodie was a guy I'd went to high school with here in the city before I moved to Pennsylvania. He had had a crush on me for years and had never been ashamed to admit it to me. He'd tried several times over the years to take me out but I'd always rejected him; finding his older brother Mattie more attractive, as much as he wasn't interested in a girl three years younger. I was a wild and carefree teen back when I knew Brodie and his crush was amusing to me; being a hot topic between my friends and I where we would take pleasure in laughing together at the constant rejections I gave him.

Now, as an older and more mature person, I didn't find it so funny to see him. I couldn't help but wonder if the crush might still be there and I really didn't want to have to deal with that when I was just trying to get my degree.

When class finally ended, I grabbed my books and scurried out of the aisle and to the door to get out onto the hall before the crowds of students held me back. I had a couple more classes, my next one in half an hour, so I planned to hide out in the library until it was time to head there and prayed Brodie wasn't in those ones too.