Chapter Text
{Sight}
Ava couldn’t explain it.
It had started with mild fascination, like someone stands out from the crowd and you’re suddenly curious about their backstory. An interest in something that would never ever involve her.
In the first semester of her first year in university, Ava was navigating those usual awkward introductions, forcing friendships with people that she would never otherwise associate with just to avoid being alone. Trying to find her ‘kind of people’ despite being an age where she’s still figuring out who she is.
Sitting in a self-designated spot in the lecture room, safely cocooned by newly forged friends, Ava found herself perfectly blended amongst every other student. Her attention was poured into the sweet Spanish girl sat beside her, curls bouncing animatedly as she described her boyfriend, Todd, who was pining for her back home. Camila was already a ray of sunshine in Ava’s new life of independence and she hoped that her future university days would continue to be decorated with her ebullience.
As she was celebrating her fortune in making a good friend, her gaze was stolen. Another student, tight bun and enviable posture, strode into the lecture room and sat in the front row.
Who does that? It was their first lecture with this professor, who knew what kind of teaching they used? What if they purposefully interrogated the front row for answers? Or called upon them to solve problems on the whiteboard?
Or even then, why sit alone? If that wasn’t social suicide, then she didn’t know what was. But instead of being weirded out by the loner, who dressed immaculately and embodied the sense of eager, Ava couldn’t wrench her eyes away from her.
From the fleeting glance she’d caught of her features, the girl had East Asian qualities, elegant eyes and a soft, rounded nose, exuding intellect wrapped in a reproachful look.
It was… addictive.
Ava’s neck ached from straining over other student’s shoulders just to absorb any new information on the mysterious girl. She had a library’s worth of textbooks crammed into a tote bag, and opting for a more traditional method of note taking, was already prepared with an open notepad and pen, tapping rhythmically and imbuing a small drop of order into the cacophony of chatter.
“Ava?” A distant voice prodded into her distracted thoughts.
“-uh.” She managed. Words were failing her and any street cred she’d managed to scavenge in front of her new friend was growing legs and about to toss itself out of the window.
“Are you okay?” Camila asked, her tone sweetly concerned.
Ava tore her eyes from the girl sat rigidly at the front, hoping that in her absence she wouldn’t miss any important details.
“Uh yeah, I was just- thinking…” Camila patiently observed her expression, undeterred by Ava’s lack of coherence. It made her want to trust her, fold away her hesitancy for connection and indulge in another’s thoughts. “Who’s that girl? The one sitting in the front row.”
Camila followed Ava’s gaze, recognition instantly blooming across her face.
“Oh, that’s Beatrice. She’s in my Language and Culture module.”
Beatrice, Ava thought. The name fit perfectly in her head, all the letters joined elegantly in cursive, refined but a demanding presence, just like its owner.
“It’s kinda crazy how she’s already known amongst the first years even though the semester has only just started.” Camila commented casually.
Her mystery girl had been turning heads everywhere else on campus? Wait, did she just say ‘her’ mystery girl?
Oh.. she was in trouble.
“She’s known?” Her attempt at a casual response was dogged by a pitch rise in her voice.
“Oh yeah, she’s kinda known as the mysterious loner who doesn’t speak to anybody but the faculty staff.” Camila shrugged. “I think she’s studying something like Latin and French but she hops in on pretty much every language module. She’s also a committee member of the Language Society.”
Okay, so Beatrice was intelligent beyond Ava’s understanding or just insanely eager to be the most studious person to ever exist. There was no way she was balancing all that and still indulging in an alcohol-fuelled student life.
“Why do you ask anyway?” Camila questioned, causing a warmth to flood Ava’s cheeks.
“I just- she just- seems different…” Ava fumbled, avoiding her new friend’s gaze and pretending to type something meaningful into her laptop. “Does she-“ She cleared her throat to rid the stupid high pitch that had attached itself to her voice. “Does she have any friends amongst the students?”
'Can I be one of them?' Ava thought.
“I haven’t ever seen her say more than a couple words to the other students.” Camila seemed to be in genuine deep thought, head tilted inquisitively. “Oh! There’s Lilith! Those two seem really close, they’re always talking in the corridors and I swear I heard Beatrice say she’d see her at home… maybe they’re housemates!” She exclaimed, as though having solved a great mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes himself.
What? Ava reads.
“Lilith? Who’s that?” Whoever she was, Ava already disliked her.
“You don’t know Lilith?!” Her tone aghast. “She’s a PHD student. Tall, straight dark hair-“
“Handsome?” Ava chimed in, smiling broadly.
“Huh? Uh- yeah that too.” Camila’s cheeks turned a notable shade of pink, causing Ava’s eyes to widen.
“Wait, I was just.. joking. Is this Lilith actually handsome?”
Camila cast a fleeting look in Ava’s direction, not quite meeting her eye.
“Should Todd be worried?” Camila’s head snapped up at Ava’s question, hands frantically waving away the suggestion.
“O-of course not!” She exclaimed. “She just has.. quite the presence.” Her voice quietened towards the end, shyness threading through the syllables.
As Camila was fidgeting in embarrassment beside her, Ava cast her eyes back to the front of the room and froze.
Almond-shaped eyes met her own and something combusted within her. Beatrice, perhaps sensing that she was the topic of conversation, had turned her head to the back of the room.
Presence, did Camila say? Oh yes, that’s the only word to perfectly describe this feeling. Beatrice was already forming a presence within Ava’s life and she ached to find out what kind of role she’d play.