Othello

Act 2, Scene 1

Look, this is hard to write... the first few scenes of Othello are boring, and stuffed with information irrelevant to the main plot. It'll get better once Adri-ago forms his real plan.

Adrian sits in the university café, watching the table opposite him intently. There, Grell and her boyfriend William eat together and discuss random topics. They're surrounded by friends, including Ronald, who remains a fringe member of the group despite - or perhaps because of - him being Grell's ex.

"I haven't seen you in some time," William supposes, scrutinising Ronald behind the glare of his well-polished glasses.

"Oh, I've been real busy with classes..." Ronald shrugs, taking a small bite of food and chewing with tension. His eyes roaming the café, they meet Adrian's cold stare for a brief second. Adrian is the one to break the stare, however, when his fiancé slams a binder bulging with papers on the table beside him.

"You gave me a heart attack!" His bottom lip juts out in a pout.

"Apologies dear, it's not time for you to die yet," Vincent reaches up, threading his fingers through Adrian's hair. It makes the latter shiver under his touch. "I hope you don't mind, I invited Grell and her friends to sit with us,"

Adrian stares at Vincent with suddenly wide eyes, frantic horror ripping his heart from its place and dropping it into his stomach. "That's... absolutely fine," he croaks out, his voice cracking to falsetto.

Grell and her friends move over from their table. Despite ending up in the seat opposite him, Ronald refuses to acknowledge Adrian whatsoever.

After everyone else introduces themselves, Grell nudges Ronald's arm. "You're being rude," she mutters, loud enough for only him to her.

"I didn't know you were seeing someone..." Ronald spits through gritted teeth in his only admittance of Adrian's existence.

"Even I knew that," William scoffs. "And I've never spoken to the man," He turns to Adrian. "You're lucky - so am I,"

"I am, aren't I?" Adrian grins, leaning into Vincent and resting a hand softly on his forearm. Ronald never thought the liar capable of such tenderness. "There aren't enough words to speak or write how beautiful my partner is, to attempt so would be an injustice,"

Grell blushes with his romantic words. "Oh, I hope none of you mind. I've invited Professor Othello to join us, he should arrive once his class ends,"

Adrian and Ronald briefly meet eyes once again. The latter's face has turned a shade of horrid green. Adrian kicks him under the table, a warning to act natural.

"I don't mind at all,"

"Are you sure that's wise?" William sighs, shaking his head with incredulous dismay. "A horrid rumour was spread around the university about Professor Othello and Grell, I feel so bad for the man,"

"Fucking racists," Grell takes a sip of her latte.

Adrian gulps down his drink, harsher than he intended to.

"It might have been someone who's jealous of you being the TA," Vincent suggests. The pounding in Adrian's chest grows deafening, the beating of his hideous heart drowning out his rationality in the situation.

"That leaves everyone in my class with motive," Grell shrugs, her eyes softening with hopelessness. "I mean - aside from everyone here. You're all too honest to do such a thing,"

With that, Ronald claps a hand over his mouth and rushes to the bathroom.

"What on Earth got into him?" Vincent glances past William to watch him slam open the toilet door.