closed starter | @bigsisteroracle
Barbara had never been an extraordinary student. Intelligent and memorable, yes--her time had been entirely divided between sleeping through his classes and arguing with him for the sole purpose of stirring things up, all while getting near-perfect grades. And it was those things that ensured she was never extraordinary, at least in Jonathan’s mind. She had displayed very little engagement in the subject matter, very little interest.
Consequently, he had forgotten about her by the time the first email came. Smalltalk at first, catching up and talking about current events and future plans, the customary choice of topics for people who once knew each other and now have nothing in common. Barbara told him she had returned to college online; Jonathan told her he had hopes to take over his department when the current head retired in the next few years.
It was unexpected when she asked him to meet in person. Catching up, she had said, again. Jonathan would have refused, his schedule busier than ever as the Scarecrow grew in notoriety, but...
But there was something else. It was very unlike of the girl he had known to contact him at all, let alone make time to meet with him, for more smalltalk of all things. She had an angle. She was a smart girl. She must have wanted something.
And curiosity had always been Jonathan’s greatest downfall.
The coffee shop is close to the college, and Professor Crane occupies his customary seat by the window, an amalgamation of papers spread across the table. Lab work and research in favor of lesson plans and essays this time, but his foot is tapping lightly against the briefcase under the table, so that could change any minute. There is always too much work and never enough time, but Jonathan is staring out the window, a flash of silver wheels and red hair reflected in his pale eyes.
Barbara is older now, as she crosses the threshold of the cafe, but so is Jonathan, hair grayer and lines around his eyes more pronounced every time he looks in a mirror.
He doesn’t know how to approach this older, more mature version of once one of his most paradoxical students--not yet, that is. He doesn’t know what makes her tick. But he will. So Jonathan sits back, and for now, is content to observe, and lay in wait.
