Uncommon (BWWM)

Chapter 2

Despite clarifying that Arthur is, indeed, studying the same course as her, Grace is still taken aback when she discovers him sat at one of the tables in the course library, head buried in an exercise book. Next to him, open on a page about some complex experiment, is his school issued lab manual.

"Got labs next?" She asks when he looks up at her with an inviting smile.

"Is the dread that obvious on my face?" Arthur jokes.

Grace smiles softly, taking a tentative seat across from him, "Clear as day, I'm afraid."

The brown-haired boy rolls his eyes, which are a beautifully deep shade of brown.

"I don't ever want to look at a circuit again." He huffs childishly.

"I did that experiment a few weeks ago, I can check if I have that book on me?"

Arthur's brown eyes light up and he looks at Grace like she just invented time travel, "Would you?"

Grace just smiles in response, reaching down into her black backpack for her exercise book and giving it to Arthur to examine.

"You smile a lot." Arthur comments. His head is tilted slightly to the side, and one side of his mouth is pulled up into a smirk. He looks ridiculously handsome, and all Grace can do is blink stupidly at him for a second.

"I..." She furrows her brows, "I hadn't noticed... Is that a bad thing?"

"No... I was just making an observation." Arthur assures her.

"Oh." Grace doesn't know what to do with herself and she frowns. Arthur's 'observation' has thrown her off balance, "Okay."

It's Arthur's turn to frown now. He watches as Grace busies herself with organising her books. He realises, rather dejectedly, that she is pointedly not smiling.

"I didn't mean for you to stop." He tells her softly, "Your smile is beautiful."

Grace, always consistent, responds with another sweet smile.

"So, what have you got now? You aren't in my lab group, are you? I'm sure I'd remember you." Arthur asks after a few minutes of silent working.

Grace fights the urge to scoff. She highly doubts that anyone would notice her in a big group like that. She's hardly even noticeable on her own.

"I just came to study. Elina and I are gonna work on some assignments together. I came early to get a head start."

"The maths stuff?"

"Precisely. Hey, where's Will?"

"Oh, he's going straight to the lab. He's the only person I know who actually has his life together and gets his prep done before the day it's due." Arthur jokes. 

Suddenly, a large hand claps him on the shoulder.

Grace looks up at the stranger who is clearly not Will. He's tall, not as tall as Arthur, but he would still tower over Grace's small frame. He has dark brown locks, perfectly styled out of his face. His eyes are a pretty shade of hazel-green and his teeth are a dazzlingly white.

He grins down at his friend, "Working hard or hardly working?" His voice is as posh as Arthur's.

Arthur groans, "I don't think you've ever sounded more like a suburban American father."

"It's my special talent," The guy jokes, sitting down next to Arthur, then gives Grace a cheeky wink and says, "Among other things."

Grace raises an eyebrow, unimpressed, causing Arthur to let out a delighted chuckle.

"Ouch. The eyebrow raise. How does it feel?"

"Not good." Pretty boy frowns, then schools his expression, plastering a confident smirk on his face, "I'm Richard, but most people call me Rich."

"Or Dick." Arthur quips, causing Grace let out a giggle.

"You're just bitter. I mean, it must be hard to have a friend as attractive as me." He looks at Grace, "Right, love?"

Grace just smirks, "I dunno... I think Arthur might have you beat."

It's meant to be light-hearted, but Arthur gives her a heavy look, eyes scanning her face, that stops her brain from functioning.

Elina appears then, saving Grace from her momentary malfunction. She seems to be doing that a lot lately.

"Oh god, there's more of you?!" She groans playfully when she sets eyes on Rich.

Arthur laughs, "Hey! I'm not that bad!"

Rich smirks, "He's right, he's worse." He says, turning on the charm as he grabs Elina's delicate hand to shake, "I'm Richard, but you can just call me-"

"Never." Elina shuts him down, yanking her hand away and sliding into the seat beside Grace, "Sorry I'm late, I was on the phone to my boyfriend" She gives Rich a pointed glance.

He rolls his eyes and murmurs, "Bet he's not as pretty as me"

Grace ignores him, "It's alright, I haven't started yet, we were chatting. How is Ben anyway?" Grace isn't too fond of her best friend's boyfriend, but she asks regardless, just to be polite. People like it when you show an interest in their lives, even if you have to fake it.

"Like always," Elina says, and Grace knows from experience that there's more to be said, but she doesn't bother to push it, "Anyway, let's do some differential equations."

A/N:
And that's chapter 2 :)
How is it? I'm not sure if everyone sounds too proper? I have Grace speaking how I would, but I'm told I'm quite posh, even though I come from South London.

Serena x