I was feeling very down on myself as I used a stack of papers I was nowhere near finished correcting as a pity pillow. I love teaching, don’t get me wrong, but some days when I’m too exhausted I just don’t have the energy or motivation to correct papers before I headed home. Partially because there was a massive stressor from home that I didn’t want to deal with.

Someone flicked my head. There was only one person who flicked my head. I looked up to see Caya Kilander. She towered over me, and even in casual wear instead of her usual military clothes she had an imposing presence.

I should probably explain a bit about Caya before I continue, even if I don’t really wanna. Caya’s also a teacher at Rising Shards, but she isn’t a doctor like me, though she has enough training that she could probably be a Cani doctor. She’s also a member of the VCV’s Cani army, with her active career focusing on void tours in various dimensions that were embroiled in various wars. Once she had seen enough battle, she decided to go back to teaching, because Cani teaching still let her see battle in a more comprehendible way than wars in the void. Caya’s fierce, determined, tough as hell, and a whole lot more. Included in that whole lot more: she’s also my ex.

“You’re groaning a lot,” Caya said, always one for polite greetings.

OK, I should probably explain a little more about Caya with the whole ex thing. We were sweethearts in high school (well, I was a nerdy punk loser and she was a tough loner, so maybe less sweethearts and more whatever that combo makes), we dated in college, and even with Caya’s tours we kind of held together. Until we didn’t. It turned out that long term, our personalities just didn’t jive as romantic partners, so we kind of completely and devastatingly fell apart. We didn’t talk for years after that, and then she ended up marrying into the Kilander family. We did finally start talking again at the start of the school semester, and though we hadn’t deeply talked things out, we did admit to each other that we made better friends than girlfriends. I missed having her as a friend more than I missed her as a girlfriend, so even though I had hurt deep down, it was hurt I could heal from.

“Yeah, I just…had a long day.” I said.

“Well, chin up,” Caya said. “Because it’s annoying when you groan.”

“Thanks for the support,” I said.

“The snowstorm got you down?” Caya asked. “You only live a few blocks away.”

“It’s not entirely that.” I said.

“So the roommate again?” Caya asked.

I sighed and attempted to return to my pile of papers pillow. Caya caught me as I fell with a single finger in the middle of my forehead and pushed me back up.

“I’ll tell you what I told you last time,” Caya said. “The sooner you drop that roommate the better. If you were better with your money, you wouldn’t have to rent either, you know.”

“I know,” I said. Caya had the situation partially right, but not enough that I felt she could be so judgemental about it. I knew better than to argue with Caya when she was scolding me.

Caya’s never been the type to listen with someone, it’s always listening at them.

As Caya continued to scold me, I nodded along, feeling smaller and smaller the longer Caya went. Outside of our goals being vastly different from the military to medical science (despite us ending up at the same workplace later), one of the reasons we weren’t compatible long term in college was because in my opinion, I end up giving too much, and Caya ends up too willing to explain everything I’m doing wrong for what felt like hours at a time. When Caya finally left, I gave up on the papers and ended up stumbling towards the cafeteria, lightly massaging my poor shoulders along the way.

I stared out at the blizzard. In addition to getting scolded by Caya, not finishing my papers, and my dumb shit at home, I also had a blizzard to deal with.

“What a mess,” I said. “Freaking. Ugh. I hate. Roommates…I don’t need to be better with money, I’m great with money…”

I was so busy feeling sorry for myself that I barely registered the sound of footsteps approaching.

“Oh! Evy!” Stella said.

It took my brain a second to register Stella’s greeting. First off, holy fuck, she had maybe the most simultaneously precious/attractive winter clothes on. I didn’t want to immediately ogle her, of course. But as I mentally expressed that I didn't want to, I was also staring at her fur boots, her yoga pants, her turtleneck—I somehow stopped myself from saying the first thing that came to mind, which was “It shouldn’t be legal to look that good in a turtleneck.” Which probably would have made her run away in revulsion.

“Stella!” I said, basically yelling but whatever. “What are you doing—oh my god was today the interview?”

Stella nodded.

“Congratulations! You made it through!” I said. “If I had known I would’ve gotten you a coffee or something, but…” Stella held up her gingerbread latte, shaking it slightly. It smelled delicious. “You already have that covered.”

“Thanks,” Stella said. “I’m glad I ran into you, though.”

“Me too,” I said, immediately hating myself for how pervy that came out. I don’t normally talk like that to people even if I’m into them, OK? At least usually not that early. “I mean. You look great! Love the. The whole look, very stylish! You’re looking very stylish.”

I coughed and prepared an escape plan. Smashing through the glass window may be the most dangerous and dramatic option, but it’d be one of the quicker exits.

“Oh? I uh. Yeah, thank you!” Stella said. Was she blushing? It looked like she might be blushing. I hoped I was making her blush. “I had more…professional clothes for the interview but I wanted to change into habitable clothes right after.” She held up her clothes bag.  

“Nice!” I said. “And meanwhile I’m here in my…” I looked down at myself to confirm that she was wearing one of my typical jumpsuits. “Garbage bag uniform.”

“Oh, stop, I dig your look,” Stella said. “It’s like you stepped right out of a lab. It fits you.”

“Thanks,” I said, mercifully stopping myself from saying the first reaction that came to mind there, which was, of course, ‘holy fuck.’ But like a shocked and gratitude filled ‘holy fuck.’

“I thought about stopping by the offices to see if you were still there.” Stella said.

“You probably shouldn’t see my office, it’s a disaster,” I said. “Save that for when you’re employed here, I don’t want you to lose all respect for me already.”

“That bad?” Stella laughed. Even her laugh was cute, it wasn’t fair.

“That bad.” I said. “How about I walk you to your car?” I looked out at the snow again. “Or, wait. You’re not driving home in this, are you?”

“I took a cab here,” Stella said. “But I’m suddenly realizing they’re gonna jack up the price from the blizzard. I guess I could take the train back unless they also jack the price up in snow.”

“They might, yeah,” I said. “I don’t even know if the train’s running today actually.”

“Great.” Stella sighed.

“Hey, you don’t have to plan anything right now,” I said. I desperately wanted something nice today, and seeing Stella was already nice, so I swung for the fences. “You have to celebrate, big interview day! There’s a bar/grill by here, I personally am in desperate need of a burger after my day so if you’re down I could treat you.”

Stella thought about it for a second. She seemed to realize what I’d just said out loud right as I did.

“Oh, sure! That’d be…yeah! I can pay too, but if you’re treating…” Stella said.

“You wanna go right now?” I asked. “I need to get the hell out of this school like now. Please. Save me.”

“You’re making a real great sell on this school as a job, Evy.” Stella said.

“Oh, you haven’t even heard my good pitch on this place—oh.” I said, noticing the same cute smile as when she held up her latte. “You’re teasing. I do think it’s a great place to work, I’m just. Having a day. That isn’t entirely even related to the work, mostly. I am behind on some papers…”

“Are you ready to go?” Stella asked.

“Yes, let’s go before I ramble incoherently to you all day.” I said. “I’ll walk you to my car, then.”

We got our coats, hats, and gloves on, and left for the parking lot. Today had sucked so far, but I was going to get dinner with someone incredibly cute out of it, so maybe my luck was turning around.