InsaneJournal

Who: Elena and Ren
What: Random encounter
When: Recently
Where: UCI Library
Ratings/warnings: Low/none
Status: Complete


The busy life of a medical student meant that Elena spent most of her ‘free’ time in the campus library. Apart from the large medical section containing a large portion of whatever texts she might need to study or write papers on, it really was a good place to do the actual studying. And it seemed Elena wasn’t the only one who thought so.

With finals fast approaching, the place was fuller than usual. Every study pod was occupied, study groups took up the tables, and there were people sprawled among the stacks, attempting to block out the chaos and do some good old-fashioned cramming.

That’s exactly what she did, too. With a soft sigh, Elena sank cross-legged onto the floor in the corner of a row and started the task of un-packing. Not only was there an entire binder of notes to go over, but several textbooks with key pages sticky-noted, and her laptop as well, when she wanted to go check something on the course website.

Slipping in earbuds, she soon found herself lost in thought, one leg extending out aross the aisle.

**

With everything that had happened in the winter semester, Ren’s grades had fallen more than he would have liked. Not far enough that he lost his scholarships, but he still knew he needed to pick up his grades in the spring and summer, which meant that he was studying extra hard.

He had a paper he needed to write, and so he’d found the criminology that he needed in the stacks, and was making his way back to his table, nose buried in the book. He didn’t notice the leg in the aisle until he’d already stepped smoothly over it, and then he paused, frowning to himself. For a moment he debated saying anything, but then he decided he really ought to.

“That’s dangerous, you know,” he said, and looked at the girl. He realized belatedly that she was wearing earbuds, and he waved to get her attention.

**
“Hmm?” Elena questioned, removing her ear buds as she looked up to the man standing over her. She’d heard a word or two among the music but it took her a minute to understand that he was likely commenting on her position.

“I’m sorry, did you need a book? I can move. I just…all of the chairs were taken.”

**

“No, nothing like that. I was just commenting that it may be dangerous to have your leg spread out like that,” Ren said. Now that he was talking to her, the girl looked familiar, though it took him a moment to figure out where he’d seen her before. “Weren’t you at Elizabeth Forbes’ funeral?” he asked after a moment.

**
“Right, of course,” Elena’s cheeks colored. She was being incredibly selfish taking up the aisle as she had been. She would have to be more careful.

“And yes...Caroline is my oldest friend. She needed me. And Liz was like a second mother to me so I needed to honor her.”

**

“I never had the chance to meet Liz myself,” Ren admitted. “I had only met Caroline a few months before, but it seemed like the right thing to do.”

**
“I’m sure she was glad to have you there.” Any support was a good thing in times like that. It was a fact Elena knew all too well.

“Liz was...tough but caring. After my parents passed away she took me and my siblings under her wing. She was a really good woman.” One who definitely hadn’t deserved to die so young.

**

“I’m sure she was glad to have you there too,” Ren said. His own parents had died when he was very young, and he didn’t know how he would have dealt with it had Nora not been there for him.

“That sounds nice. It seems as though she was a remarkable woman,” Ren said. Caroline had talked a lot about her, of course, but this only helped paint her as a great person.

***
“She’s my oldest friend,” Elena answered. “Of course I was there for her.” What else could she have done and still consider herself such?

“And yeah...she really was. She’s going to be very missed.”

**

Ren smiled softly. It was clear that Liz had been a pillar in many people’s lives, and he regretted never having the chance to have met her. “I’m sorry for your loss,” he said after a moment. “Though I should let you get back to your studying.” He eyed the pile of books she had surrounded herself with. “It seems as though you have quite a lot to get through.”

**
“Thank you.” For the sympathy, she meant. It was an automatic response at this point but still sincere. He hadn’t needed to say anything, after all. But he was just an acquaintance so he didn’t get too emotionally deep of a response.

“It never ends when you’re pre-med,” Elena answered with a smile and a shrug. She would get through it all eventually. She hoped. “But I’ll be careful this time, and keep my legs on one side of the aisle.”

**

Pre-med. That certainly explained the pile of textbooks surrounding her. He gave her an encouraging smile, and then stood to make it back to his own mound of books. Even if he wasn’t pre-med, there were still plenty of books to get through.