humans challenge, week 4, day 2: prequels
this is a prequel to @lightsaberlesbian’s college au
“I thought you said sport wasn’t your thing,” Odi said, combining raised eyebrows with that gentle smile he had, so she could never quite tell if he was being serious or not.
“It isn’t, really,” said Mattie, twirling her spoon in her drink. “But I have a friend on the cheer squad, and…” She braced herself to reveal the one fact she’d been specifically hiding from her football-obsessed, jock boyfriend for almost four months. “My mom’s the, uh, the basketball coach. So I go to the important matches as, like… an apology for the fact that I have never even slightly wanted to be in one.”
Odi gave a low whistle. “Your mom’s the coach? At Highbridge? Do you realise that basically makes you basketball royalty around here?”
Mattie half-smiled. “Yeah, they do kinda have a reputation. Although I’m surprised anyone from Park cares about the lowly world of basketball enough to know that.”
“Mattie, I’m not some kind of shallow, one-track-mind football player,” he said, grinning. “I care about plenty of other things.”
Mattie couldn’t help grinning back. “Yeah, like flavors of jelly.”
“I dunno what to tell you, the menu said apricot, and it just wasn’t. I can let a lot of things slide, especially on a second date, but not that.”
She laughed. “Well, it wasn’t enough to put me off a third date, so I guess it can’t be that weird.”
He made a small gesture of victory. “Score one to apricot jelly.”
Mattie took another sip of her drink. “So what do your parents do?”
“My dad’s a philosophy professor,” he told her.
“Oh, neat. College or high school?”
“College.” He paused, glancing down at his drink and then back up at Mattie. “My mom was a nurse, but, she died when I was six.”
“Shit,” said Mattie immediately. “Sorry, I had no idea.”
“Not your fault. I never said.” Odi smiled, and to heal the awkward silence, he added, “Hey, you didn’t ask what college my dad works at. Hint: they have a really great basketball program.”
“No way!” Mattie spluttered. She wrinkled her nose. “I can only think of two philosophy professors at Highbridge. One’s a woman…”
“And one’s this kind of old guy with a striking taste in sweaters. Yeah, that’s my dad.” Odi winked. “I was a miracle baby, they were nearly in their fifties.”
“Huh,” said Mattie. “I was a teen pregnancy. I mean, only just, she was twenty by the time I was born, but… opposite ends of the spectrum.”
“We have a lot of those,” Odi observed. “Interest in sport. Jelly flavor sensitivity.”
“Taste in sweaters, apparently.”
“Hey,” Odi looked down at the burnt-orange one he was wearing at the moment. “Don’t knock it. When I change out of my football gear after practice, this thing is like the world’s softest hug.”
Mattie snorted. “So lame.”
“Guilty.” That slow smile again. “Anyway. The game sounds good. I’ll pick you up at five-thirty?”
She nodded. “Perfect. Oh, and if they win, which, they probably will, there’ll be a party after. All the players and cheerleaders will go… so I’m sort of counting on this whole ‘opposites attract’ thing to hold out, even when I’m surrounded by your fellow jocks.”
“I can tell you now, it definitely will,” he said, still smiling. “You have nothing to worry about.”
Mattie found herself smiling back. She’d only been joking, really - Odi definitely didn’t seem the kind of guy to have his head turned at a party, or anywhere else, and he was easily the sweetest guy she knew (after Max, but that went without saying). And besides, she didn’t have any jealousy issues with the other girls. The closest thing to an awkward encounter she and Odi might have would be with Leo. He was bound to be there - he was dating the team captain, after all. But Odi was so good at glossing over tense moments that Mattie couldn’t bring herself to worry, even then. It would be fine.
“So,” she said, changing back to the previous subject, “How weird is it that our parents probably know each other? They’ve probably, like, sat near each other in meetings and fought over funding.”
“Super weird,” Odi agreed. “Should we tell them? Or see how long it takes them to work it out on their own?”
“I think the second one sounds more fun,” said Mattie. “I mean, it took us…” she paused to work it out precisely.
“Three months and three weeks, and a day,” said Odi. “Wait, was I supposed to style that out? I have no idea. I’m a guy, I don’t pay attention to dates.”
Mattie burst out laughing. “Nice save.”
“It’s what I do.”
The fact that he’d known the numbers without having to think was almost ridiculously endearing. As if she needed more reasons to warm to him. Mattie gave a disbelieving shake of her head. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“It takes one to know one,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye.
❛ Do you ever get the feeling like you were meant to do something extraordinary? ❜
HEROES STARTERS - accepting!
This conversation had taken a rather philosophical turn, considering the water to the face Valerie had recently taken, and like a trooper might she add.
“Hm..Good question. My honest answer? No. I don’t feel like I’m meant to do anything.”
“I know being on Olympus has this air of ‘fate’ and ‘destiny’ and maybe that’s true! But I like to think I choose where I go and decide what I’m going to do that day. If I happen to do something extraordinary? Well, maybe I can treat myself to a drink.”
3.Carrying out a full conversation with an animal and answering for them.
“Now, Glaux I’m going to ask one more time and then I’m bringing out the big guns -- Did you eat the last slice of pizza.” she stares, deadly serious at her owl companion; Glaux. Not looking very amused as the owl just sits there in dead silence.
“Don’t take that tone with me young lady! -- I DO NOT need to lose weight, we both know I’m rocking it body-wise you’re just trying to divert the blame.”
A gasp escapes Valerie’s mouth and she stands up straight, looking more serious than before and perhaps...slightly dangerous. “That’s it, you leave me no choice -- You’re grounded!! Yeah that’s right this is a suitable punishment for your crimes -- Nu-uh don’t bring out the water works you’re wasting your breath..”
And then she notices a figure a few meters away...and she pauses dead in her tracks.
[ *slams boat on the riverbank* reincarnation of styx is finally here! her application can be found under /app ]
You know what they say right? Row your boat, GENTLY down the str-- hey, settle down there! We’re glad you’ll be reunited with your sister, but we kindly ask you to watch where you’re STEERING that thing. OATH or not, we won’t take any collision lightly!
