It was the beginning of winter. So lavender had started to dress more heavy and decided to start driving to school herself.
Her mother usually drove with her to school. Ever since the car accidents Isabella seemed to hover over her.
Which is why she pushed for her own car and driving to school herself. After the car accident they eventually went back to Scotland where they stayed there until Lavender turned twelve.
The reason being Maverick suddenly being the one to take over the family business over his older brother who landed himself in prison.
Occasionally going back to Scotland to visit Isabella's side of the family.
Now it was Lavender's first year of college. To say she was nervous was the least of her worries.
Every class was quiet; she had no one to talk to but two other girls named Dahlia and Inez that were majoring in the same major as her. One of them being older than her by a year so they didn't talk much.
But they did have the same club which was art club. Lavender was more on the drawing side. Inez and Dahila were into taking photos.
As she was packing up her things in her biology class she had gotten a text message from the club leader.
Remember we're meeting in the club room today at 1:30. All members must come no excuses.
"Hm that's first". Lavender said, stuffing the rest of her books in her bookbag. Lavender had yet to meet all of the members of the art club.
Most of them were upperclassmen. It was mostly the freshman that would be in the art club and for most of the projects the art club did only the senior club members did the projects from what Lavender heard.
"Hmm well it's 12 o'clock ". Lavender said checking the time on her phone.
"I'll just step by the library before I go to the meeting".
There was a book that Lavender was interested in called Do No Harm by Henry Marsh.
Since the car accident Lavender had been interested in the brain and surgery's on it. Since her own brain injury had left her with hearing impairment.
The auditory cortex which is located in the temporal lobe which controls the auditory senses was damaged. Leaving Lavender with loss of hearing.
Hearing aids somewhat work for Lavender but without them she can't hear anything. Making lavender become more interested in the brain.
Now the book lavender had been looking for was just now put into the university library. It finally came from what the Librarian had told her.
So she walked to the library, the librarian showing and giving her the book she wanted. There was no one in the library, just Lavender and the librarian. Lavender found this peaceful and so she tucked herself away between two shelves and sat and began to read her book.
Time went on with just lavender and her book. The only sounds on the library was of lavender flipping the pages of her book and the librarian clicking away on her computer.
Then the door of the library opened and in walked a young man with this huge curly Afro on his head. It had begun to snow so there were snowflakes in his hair. He wore this black button up sweater that had a white shirt under it with dark blue jeans on with brown shoes.
He began to take off his black leather gloves only leaving his black peacoat on. He nodded to the librarian who smiled. "Hello Cedar". The librarian said.
"Hi Mrs.Ellen". This young man was Cedar Atticus Claude. His family, the Claude family, was a renowned and prestigious family. Especially in the world of law.
Unlike the Adell family who was considered new money, the Claude family was very old money. Some of the generations dating back into medieval times where the family wasn't that very well known due to the color of their skin.
But one of the heads of the family moved the family from England to America. In England the Claude family began to grow in the law business and when they had made the decision to come to America and grow the business even more.
It was the late 1900s where segregation was still around; they made an even bigger name for themselves than what they did in England even if they did serve the crown for a time.
The Claude family was known for their many arranged marriages. Most of the time marrying those from a family that was just as old money as them. Rarely marrying these from a new money family(even choosing those who were from England).
Cedar was the youngest of five siblings. He had yet to be married and the heir of the company was nowhere near in his sight (and to him neither was marriage). A legendary lawyer or prosecutor in the making maybe.
He fluffed the snow off of his hair and began down the rows of shelves looking for the section he was there for. "10 A". He mumbled under his breath.
Finally he had stumbled across it but what he had found there wasn't any book that he was looking for.
It was Lavender he happened to fall upon. She was all the way at the other side of the row of shelves.
He stepped backward looking at the section sign to make sure he was in the right section and when he saw that he was he looked back at Lavender who hadn't even noticed him.
"Hello". He said confused. She did not answer. She was busy immersed in her book. He continued to stare at Lavender thinking maybe she was one of the crazy girls who tried their best to get his attention.
The Claude family who was not only wealthy was sort of a famous family in both America and where the family originated.
Not all of them being in the law business some were in the entertainment business or fashion,etc you get the gist. And Cedar who was sort of an influencer. He was popular not just because of his family but because of the pictures and vlogs he did.
One of the reasons why he was in the art club was because he loved to take photos. He would mostly take photos and the vlogging was only when he went on a nature type vacation.
Not only was he popular and famous because of that. One of the reasons was because of his older sister who also went to nyu and was now a model.
"Does she not hear me"? Cedar said. He looked around once more and when he realized it was only her,him, and the librarian he took a deep breath and began looking for his book.
When he found it he was about to leave. But he looked at Lavender who was so into her book that he decided to open his book and read it.
After a short while which was short he sighed and closed the book because they book was for class not some book where you could just read.
He wondered what she was reading that made everything else without sound and invisible. She simply flipped the page not glancing up to look around or anything. He eyes going over every single line of the book. A smirk here and there.
He began to notice that he drew closer to her picking up books that he wasn't even reading and putting them back. Closer and closer he got to her and then he was standing right next to him.
He peered over her still pretending to grab a book to see what she was reading and Lavender maybe sensing the presence of him looked up.
He jumped, clumsily putting the book back and cutting his finger on a nail that was poked out in the bookshelf.
"Ah"! He said instantly sucking the blood off his finger. "Oh my goodness"! Lavender gasped and got up.
"Are you okay"? Lavender said, pulling his finger from his mouth and looking at it. "Uhh-". "Yeah". Cedar said, taken back by her boldness.
"I have a bandaid, it's purple though ". Lavender said. She rushed to her backpack and pulled out a pouch that had different colored flowers on it. Inside was all types of bandages and ointments and she pulled out a lavender colored bandaid and showed it to him.
"Wow". He said looking at the medical stuff on the pouch. "Why so much stuff"? "Im clumsy so I keep this in case I get hurt". Lavender smiled and began looking at his finger again.
"That's a nasty cut, what could've possibly cut you"? Cedar shrugged. "Something on the bookshelf".
Lavender dabbed the cut with an alcohol wipe and put a bandaid on it and went over to look at the book shelf where he had gotten cut.
Cedar went over with her peering over her shoulder like a child who had gotten in trouble. "Oh a nail". Lavender said removing a couple of books. "Your probably gonna have to get a shot".
"Um thank you". He said looking at the bandaid. "No problem". She answered. He rubbed the back of his head not knowing what to say until Lavender finally broke the silence gasping at the time.
It was an awkward silence after. Lavender with her awkward smile looked at her watch to push the awkwardness away. It was 1:15 and she gasped. "Oh no i'm going to be late". She said scooping up her book and bookbag.
Cedar watched her pack her things up in hurry panicking at the thought he hadn't gotten her nae and would probably never see her again after this her grabbed her sweater stopping her.
"Whats wrong"? Lavender worried that something might be wrong with the cut on his finger. "Is your finger hurting, maybe you should go to the hospital afterall". Cedar could see the worry in her eyes and was comforted by the thought she was worried about him but then again he didn't want her worrying about him. So the short comforted Cedar shook his head no.
"What's your uh-". "What's your name"? He asked, handing her the book she was reading. "Lavender". She smiled, and held her hand out. "Lavender huh". He said, glancing down at his bandaid.
"I'm Cedar". He said holding his hand out. "Cedar Atticus Claude". "Full government name huh". Lavender said giggling. "I hope to see you around". Lavender said, rushing off after shaking his hand. "Me too". Cedar mumbled to himself as she rushed to the librarian desk,checked out her book, then rushed out of the library. "Me too".