Posted by Lieutenant Alexandra Garfield (Xenobiologist) in AP Bio 210 — Twelve Years Ago —

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“So what do you think of the academy so far? I know we are just in for a few days, what brought you here though?” Chris opened up as he sat leaning back ever so slightly as he looked over at Lexi. Everyone had different reasons for wanting to join, but when you went down the science fields you were joining for some more of the poindextery of reasons. Not that Chris could say different himself wearing the blue uniform just as much as she was.

“Stiff, competitive, and filled with people who are all pretty much bordering on a narcissistic psychiatric condition present company included of course,” she winked at him with a smile. Chris would know exactly what she meant by that comment and if he didn’t she was about to explain. “Everyone thinks they are the top dog but in reality, you are just average here. For example, I shall use my pool analogy. When you were young and growing up there were a few people that had a pool and you maybe even befriended them on a sweltering hot day in July even though they wanted to talk about igneous rocks or their mom’s gave out strange snacks you choked down. You wanted that pool and in some ways, you put that person on a pedestal because they had a pool and you didn’t. Now move to secondary school. You have someone that has an inground pool and that is so much better than Dexter’s above ground pool so you mosey on over to Priscilla’s house. The snacks are better and she doesn’t have a hump or smell like cat hair and ham. You think you are moving up in the world but a part of you is like do I really belong here. I am didn’t like cats or ham so that is why I left Dexter. Now I am sitting around a different pool with better snacks but the conversation has changed to everyone saying how nice or bless your heart,” Lexi shoved a forkfull of lasgana in her mouth. After chewing a few seconds, she continued.

“The academy is a bizarre cross between the inground and above ground pool. Half the people here are weird as all heck and are barely able to carry on a conversation that doesn’t include them pointing out how smart they are or having to wear an arm sling from patting themselves on the back so much they blew out their own elbows. They all are crooning about their brilliant IQ’s and how they got here a year early because they graduated high school in their third year instead of their fourth but,” she held her hands out, “who doesn’t have a close to genius IQ. I mean it is Starfleet Academy and not Billy Bob’s Po Dunk U. If we cling to the water analogies, everyone is normal and no one is special. Can you pass the salt,” she pointed across the table.

Chris passed her the salt as he leaned back taking a garlic breadstick as he seemed to spin it in his hands a few moments as he pondered at what she said before taking a bite out of it. “I can see that, I mean I know my strengths, and it isn’t this…” he said as he used his hand the gesture down his body as he couldn’t help but smirk ever so slightly before taking another bite of the breadstick.

“I am brilliant at astrophysics, propulsion and trajectories as well as astronomy and cartography. Hell I thought about engineering for a time as I seem to straddle the line between the two departments, but ultimately I landed here. That said, I know biology, as much as anyone is expected but… well you saw how class went for me. Physical sciences tend to bore more, I like the theoretical or the explosive… and before you say it yes it is completely typical male.” pausing he went and grabbed his beer bottle as he took a sip.

“I mean for pete’s sake my brothers and me used to build old petrol ute’s and race them out next to Spencer Lake , making things go fast was always something of a hobby. Though Nathan was always more one to crash things, he always had my older brother Paul try fix his mistakes. Granted as much as I love propulsion and vehicles I loved stars… I guess it’s why it combined so well together. I learn how to make better engines to chart the stars I wanted to see.”

Hours seemed to fly by as the two sat and talked, only the plates of meals past seem to be a sign they had eaten as Chris’s laughter seemed to resonate through the building. “Yeah and that’s when I told the guy that he had it upside down, needless to say once he turned it right side up and saw just how big the tip was supposed to be he wasn’t as eager…”

Lexi let out a full-bodied laugh that seemed to resonate in the room.  Her whole body shook and Lexi began to tear up.   Waving a hand in front of her eyes she tried to fan away the moisture forming there.   Chris’ story was funny but Lexi was obviously entertaining herself at this point.   
“Oh my god I know that poor guy,” she started to try and talk yet large alligator tears began to run down her cheeks.  The more she tried not to cry the worse it became as she kept sharing her story between her fits of laughter.   “Melanie Burke and I were his lab partner at the start of the quarter.   I’m sorry,” she cried out an apology as she continued to cry but clearly wanted to share the story.   

“We were in immunology and plating agar with differing strains of bacteria.  I tend to make faces or patterns in it so I can easily spot mine. That day I was going for Bomer Dipson but that is not part of the story,” she waved a hand under her eyes trying to dry them. “Anyway, I set the inoculator down on what I thought was the lab table. Turned out is was his notebook. Three days later he came down with Streptococcus,” she started to laugh again. “I felt so bad but I wasn’t going to admit it. He was fine a few hours later,” she took a sip of her coffee. “What I can say is he does not want me for a study buddy.”

“Oh lord please… you didn’t.” he said as he felt himself smiling wider than he had in a very long time. Lexi seemed to hit all the right boxes, yet Chris still couldn’t point to himself why he felt like he shouldn’t hit on her. This didn’t mean there wasn’t flirting but by this point he always began planning the best way to remove her clothes and what she would look next to his body. Yet Chris felt a pang of not wanting the evening to end.

In the faint background a sound of a bell could be heard, the door was old fashioned with the coming and going bell that many older places sometimes had, remnants from a bygone era. “Christopher?” could be heard faintly from behind them as Chris turned his head to see who’s voice it was that called his name. As his eyes made contact with the figure his body sunk as he wondered just how well this was going to go.

Lexi’s eyes followed the voice coming over. The willowy, hehe type that needed help bending over to tie her shoes due to her endowments was exactly the kind of girl Alexandra expected to be on Chris’ arm. What did surprise her was his reaction.

“Tiffany?” he said, looking her up and down as if he was staring down the face of a old foe come to claim his life, he knew the name was wrong the second he saw the furrow of her forehead.

“It’s Tiana… I…” Tiana paused as she looked from Lexi to him confusing changing to anger as she stared. As figures go, she was typical for the women one might figure associated with Chris, blonde, perk, large chests with listless dull eyes with atypical names such as Cinnamon Apple, and Ruby. “You, didn’t call… I thought you said you were going to call. Ian said you got home safe but you didn’t contact me.”

“Ian is so bad at that,” Lexi inserted a comment where one wasn’t needed or asked for. It just seemed appropriate on some level.

“Ian? My roommate? How did you find where I live? I mean… I....” Chris seemed a lost for words as he bit his lower lip looking from Tiana then back to Lexi. “Something tells me I think we had the wrong impression here doll. We had fun, and well… that was all. I didn’t even get your comm number, nor you mine.”

“Well not in so many words but you have to keep that information on file so I put it in your book for the class…” she said as she looked at the table, it held his bag in the free chair as she leaned down to unzip it bringing out the AP Bio book as she opened it. “See, here.” she showed, her name and number written across as Chris looked at the ink then back to here.”

Alexandra leaned forward and looked at the book where Tianna was pointing “Well look at that. It is right there. Up at the top. In bold,” Lexi confirmed tapping the spot with a perfectly manicured fingernail. “It is kinda hard to miss,” Lexi nodded locking eyes with Chris. Her expression was neutral and hard to read especially since this was the first time she had spent any real time with Chris.

“Well… I hadn’t quite gotten to read it, but I was… ” he said looking at Lexi then back to Tiana. Lexi leaned back in her chair and gave Chris a few long steady nods as if she was responding to something he was saying. The problem was Chris had gone as quiet as a catholic nun in the middle of a mass lead by the Pope. Tiana’s face held a different expression. Her jaw was set and if you looked at her neck you could see the small veins starting to bulge a bit. This was bad, worse cause he hadn’t done anything truly wrong yet he knew Lexi wouldn’t see it that way. In this moment he just was trying for once to get to know someone he felt would be lost in a case of wild oats being sewn.

As making bad to worse, Francesca came by seeing the three as her eyes lit up, “Wait what are you back for? Wasn’t he with you last week? He never brought the same girl twice here…” she said, before looking at Chris with a slight grimace as she realized she let her mouth run before her mind caught up. “I mean… who are you?” she tried to cover with but found it all too little too late.

“Tianaaaaaa I didn’t get the last name. I am not sure he knows or that she feels it should be necessary to supply it,” Lexi announced to the cute little waitress. “If it is possible however could you supply me with a fresh cup of coffee,” Lexi asked politely. “I am dying to hear about how all this ends. Depending on the answer I will tell you if I want dessert or not but a menu would be fabulous.’’ Slapping her palm on her forhead she waved the woman off. “Never mind. I am sure Chris here has it memorized doncha cowboy.”

“This is Alexandra Garfield, and this is…” Chris paused as he looked at the woman before him then back to Lexi as his eyes got wide.

“TIANA!!! Tiana Berkenstein!” Shouted the woman as her whole body seemed to thrust in anger as she began to nearly huff like an angry dog ready to bite.

Francessca looked between the two women and then to Chris trying to figure out what to do next.

“Really? You couldn’t wait five minutes to come back to the table?” Chris said with a sense of defeat in his voice, knowing today was going to be bad he might as well accept the fallout.

Cadet Christopher Robin

“Or told your little doxy here that you and I are seeing each other and that she probably should give us a minute,” Tiana leveled a gaze at Alexandra. ‘We have a few things to discuss so why don’t you mosey on to the bar or something.”

“Oh sweetheart we were never seeing each other… I mean… that would require me remembering your last name… or your first for that matter.” Chris countered as he felt a swelling anger. He liked Lexi, maybe in ways he didn’t understand but he felt his anger at Tiana daring to insult her. Lexi had done nothing here and this hussy had the audacity to come and try and insult her.

Lexi had nothing to lose at this moment with Chris. She didn’t know him enough to like him or hate him but she knew enough of Tiana’s type to become judgy Judy. Alexandra was probably never going to have dinner with Chris again so she didn’t care if he liked or hated her after this but sometimes one just had to go with your gut. “Oh by all means,” Lexi stood up gesturing for Tiana to take a seat. “How about I give you five minutes,” she looked at Chris as if for confirmation of the length of time.

Chris began shaking his head no, he didn’t like this plan at all. Eying the table he began moving knives off the table as if any moment someone would come thrusting at him for the kill.

“That will give me enough time to freshen up my makeup in the ladies room and make that call to your mom,” Lexi looked at Chris sincerely. “She wanted us to come for dinner next week and I told her I had to check my schedule but your Nana Cassie did text me to say your little sister won that science fair with the project you helped her with.”

Chris began to nod as she spoke as he snapped his finger as he pointed at her as if a revelation had come over him as his eyes got wider. “Yes yes… correct…” he added as he looked over at Tiana.

Lexi was making all this up on the fly. She had no idea if Chris would back her or not. All she cared about was taking the chance to put someone like Tiana in her place. There was a fine line between confidence and arrogance and so many times people hide behind arrogance due to low self-esteem trying to put others down so that they seemed to sparkle. Tiana had strutted in acting like she had the inside scoop. Knowledge was power and right now Lexi hands down created a mythos that the perky little trollop either could debunk with a single word or slink away realizing she was playing on the B Team.

“Be right back baby,” Lexi said confidently strutting from the table. As she walked away, Garfield thought about her next move. If Tiana was still at the table when she returned, Lexi would walk out the door and never look back. If the seat was open, she might try the cannoli. Places like this had amazing cannoli.

Cadet Alexandra Garfield

“No no no no…” he said as he got up sliding in between a fuming Tiana and a befuddled Francesca as he came between them hurrying to Lexi’s side as he pulled her aside he whispered closely in her ear for none to hear. “I owe you, big time.” he said with as soft of a whisper as he could as he looked back at Tiana and then decided he needed to sell this as he kissed Lexi’s check as he wrapped his arm around her like he did this every night.

“Well we must be off it was so good to see you please you can put this on my tab…” Chris said, rushed tones as he didn’t wait for any replies as he began to march Lexi and himself out of the restaurant as he looked back as they got out and then back to Lexi. “You might wanna walk a little faster doll.” he said as he grabbed her hand in his as he began to run away like a pair of criminals from the scene.

Cadet Christopher Robin