40
There was a pin drop silence in studio a a site which rarely occurred. Tahti's course mates stared at Prof. Lee, with batted breaths, with batted breath as they watched her eye Tahti's piece from top to bottom.
"So, is this crumbling down or is there a being made?" Prof. Lee finally asked and Tahti swallowed.
"That's up to interpretation, ma'am."
The professor sighed as she veered to look at her and everyone's heart fell at the expression on the professor's face. Clearly, Tahti had blown it again.
"It's good. You seem to have regained your focus." She said and everyone gasped in surprise on hearing that, as they hadn't seen that coming.
"Thank you ma'am."
"It's so cool. Just a few days ago, there was nothing." April said.
That had been true, though. The past few days that had gone had strengthened her relationship with Demir, which had taken a new turn. She had found peace with their new relationship and she guessed that had given her the inspiration to make three artworks within five days.
"April Martins..." Prof. Lee called and the smile non her face froze. "When are you going to show me your piece?"
Everyone's head slowly whipped round to look at April, who went to hide behind Derek, with a smile.
"When will you start to focus on your work?"
She could finally take a breather for now, Tahti sighed after the professor had left once she was done inspecting other pieces. She'd spent the recent nights, going on fast foods as she worked herself, without getting a wink of sleep, but all of that could end for now.
Her stomach grumbled, as if it was adding to what her mind thought and she ran a hand around her stomach as she headed out of the studio to grab a sandwich and a cup of milk.
The campus premises looked rather empty, she noticed tartly as she headed towards the cafe. And why was that? It was Friday and most students had gone home to relax fr the weekend.
"I'd like to grab a sandwich and a cup of milk, please." She told the woman, behind the counter on arriving.
"Sure."
"Yeah, I'm here." The blonde, who was seated not too far from where she stood, was saying and and her ears pricked up on hearing the blonde's voice. She was sure she had heard her voice somewhere before, but where was it?
"It's nothing much. I just thought I should cut my hair short...I didn't go to a hair salon in England, so my hair's all messy...I should cut it then...I guess I'll do that."
A frown knitted Tahti's brow on turning to look at the strangely familiar girl.
"Here you go." The woman returned with her order in a paper bag, before she could ponder on where she had seen her and she slipped out a note from her wallet, before passing it to the woman.
"Thanks."
Tahti was returning her wallet to her back pocket as she made to return back to the studio, when the blonde neared to bump shoulders with her, dropping a key holder on the floor in the process.
"Oh, I'm sorry." The girl drawled.
"I'll get it for you." Tahti said, crouching to pick up the key holder but froze on seeing the costumed insignia on it. It was the same with Demir's customized key holder. Did they know each other?
She picked up the key holder and straightened to hand it over to the girl, with a fake smile.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." She replied.
"Are you Tahti Lee, by any chance?" The blonde asked and Tahti frowned, wondering how the girl knew her.
"Do you know me?"
"Demir Wilson said you were a friend in the same department." The girl replied, confirming her first thought.
"Are you here to see Demir?" She asked.
"Yeah. I missed him all of a sudden, so I dropped by to say hi."
"He's probably busy. We have tons of assignments."
"Really?" She asked and Tahti frowned again, on hearing the smugness in her voice. "He said he would come out now. I feel sorry already for dragging him out when he's so busy."
Tahti spun to leave when the girl dipped her hand into her bag to return the key holder, wondering how the girl knew so much about her when she didn't even know her and from the way she spoke, it seemed a little obvious that her relationship with Demir wasn't just ordinary friendship.
She had experienced that first-hand herself too. Demir wasn't the type to open up about his personal life.
"Excuse me." She said, after turning back to the girl. "What's your relationship with Demir Wilson?" She asked, knowing she was being outrageous, but she couldn't stop herself.
"We used to date." She replied, confirming her thoughts.
"I see."
"And..." The girl's voice faded as she veered to her. "We're seeing each other again."
It was then, she recalled where she had seen the girl before her. She was the girl Demir had gone out to meet at the entrance of the school the night she'd stalked him. So she was Stella.
"But are you really just friends wit him?"
"Yes. We're just friends." She replied. She'd stopped being his sex partner a long time ago.
"That's a relief. I thought...maybe I said something I shouldn't have."
Was she trying to provoke her? Tahti thought as she spun to leave. Just meeting her and this blonde had managed to make her stomach curl in annoyance. She was the female version of Demir Wilson himself. But damn her if she just left just like that.
"You should..." Tahti was saying as she turned back to Stella. "...just leave your hair that way."
"What?"
"Demir...likes having sex with girls who have their hair tied up."
Mic drop, Tahti applauded herself silently on seeing the dumbstruck expression on her face before she turned on her heel to leave, whipping her hair out of her ponytail, the hairstyle which she'd been carrying for days.
