Haven

"Hello, dear. Are you looking for Hannah?" An elderly looking woman walked into my direction, probably noticing the lost look on my face as I had been standing in the library for a while.

Nodding, I made eye contact with the woman, "Yeah, Ms. Hannah. She was supposed to be here today, I believe? I mean, I'm part of this project where I help other students and she said to be here on Wednesday.. she'd introduce me to the student. Not that I don't know him already but-"

"The library is supposed to be a quiet place, my dear." She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes for a brief moment, making me blush a little at my own chattiness.

"Oh! Right.." I hesitated, biting on my lower lip.

She laughed when she opened her eyes again, then pointed at the chair and table I had been sitting at last time I helped Zephaniah. "Hannah is sick. She told me about it, though. I'll make sure to bring the guy to you."

"Okay! Thank you," I gave her a smile and sat down at the table, taking my own notes out of my backpack. I wondered why Zephaniah still wasn't here, as he was usually always here earlier than me.

Not a minute later, though, he walked into the library, his eyes questionable as he looked around himself. He wiped his fringe to the right side of his face, some strands falling right back onto his eyes.

I wanted to call for his name, but before I could- the old woman had already walked over to him. He looked down at her as he was taller, his expression soft, though a little confused as he glanced over at the desk. He fiddled with his fingers, not making eye contact with the woman as he listened and spoke to her.

Eventually, he gave her a small, forced smile and looked straight into my direction, our eyes meeting. I gave him a smile, but he quickly looked down at his shoes as he slowly walked over to me.

"Zephaniah! Hey.." I trailed off, realising I sounded way too excited.

"Hello," he said quietly, giving a tiny smile, the left side of his mouth curling up lightly. He didn't make eye contact. He simply sat down across me and quietly grabbed his notebook, brushing his fingers over the latest page he scribbled on.

"Uhm," He said, surprising me as I thought he wasn't going to speak up first. "Am I- am I too late?"

He glanced at me, his eyes averting to his notebook after a brief moment of eye contact. "No, no. Not at all. Just on time. I heard Ms. Hannah from the library is sick. She was going to introduce us properly, but, I guess we don't need it, do we? I mean, we're classmates.. We can still talk about anything, though? First, to warm up maybe."

Zephaniah had a slight frown on his face as he glanced at me again, as if he didn't understand what I just said. "Sorry, I-I could not quite follow.." He trailed off, his cheeks tinting pink as he started staring at his pen.

Okay, maybe I was chatty. It was just excitement, perhaps.

"Don't say sorry, it's all me," I chuckled, my own cheeks turning rosy as well due to my own behaviour. "I meant to say that Hannah, from the library was going to properly introduce us, even though we're classmates. I thought maybe we could talk about, I don't know, anything? To get to know each other better."

Zephaniah shifted in his seat, and when I looked up at him, our eyes met right away. He was staring intensely, as if he was analyzing my words, searching for a deeper meaning to it all. It confused me, because after a moment, he blinked his eyes and nodded, looking away.

He stayed quiet, though, so I knew I had to start. He was still the reserved and quiet guy after all, which I didn't, at all, mind. "Okay, so I've lived here in Bradford for over six years. I grew up in Manchester but moved due to my father's job as he became the headmaster of this school here. What about you?"

"Uhm," Zephaniah played with his fingers, looking at them as if they were the most interesting creatures in the world. "Bradford, my whole life."

"That's nice. I quite like it here. Very historical." I nodded, giving him a smile. He let out a short, soft but genuine laugh, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. "Do you have any siblings? Pets? I've got two brothers and a guinea pig. He's called cookie."

Zephaniah parted his lips and licked his upper one before answering, "Cookie," he gave me another tiny smile, his eyes roaming all around the library, the emerald colour fascinating me. "No siblings. I've got a dog."

"A dog? No way! I've always wanted one. What breed do you have?" I wondered, genuinely interested.

Zephaniah suddenly started smiling, his eyes lingering on one of the cracked shelves. "Cooper. German Shepherd and Golden Retriever mix. He is, uhm, eleven and very loyal. Super funny and- and playful. Too much, sometimes. Uhm, actually a seizure-"

He suddenly stopped, cheeks turning rosy as he shrugged. It disappointed me, as he was just opening up. I didn't think he had talked this much before.

"Seizure?" I couldn't help myself, but wanting him to elaborate. He was mystery enough, I needed to know at least something about him, before I was going to coach him. How would I be able to find the fitting guidance, otherwise?

"He was, I mean, is, uhm.." Zephaniah looked up when someone walked past, making him quiet for a minute or so as he seemed to be deep in thoughts. "Epilepsy Seizure Alert Dog." He suddenly said, surprising me.

"No way, so he, likes, helps you, or?" Slouching back onto my chair as I listened to him speak, I started playing with my earring, something I did when I was feeling calm, comfortable.

Zephaniah nodded, his green eyes suddenly bright as he talked about his dog. "He knows when I get a seizure. And, he warns Dad and Mum and he makes sure I will not- will not hurt myself."

I couldn't help but smile, noticing how talking about his dog made him feel comfortable for some reasons. It warmed him up, and that made me so happy as I liked talking to him, liked getting to know him better.

"That's insane. I've always wanted a dog," I sighed softly, staring at him in amusement. Maybe that was one benefit of him not making eye contact, I could glance at him without him noticing.

He made eye contact briefly, "Which one?"

"A Beagle. Not sure why, though. They seem awesome." I chuckled, playing with my pen now.

Zephaniah nodded, staring up at the ceiling. "Fun- loving dogs, also a little stubborn and they require a lot of patience." He whispered, more to himself than to me- it looked like.

"How'd you know all of that?" I wondered, frowning a little in confusion and amazement.

Zephaniah suddenly blushed, shrugging. "Oh, uhm, research with computer time and a breed book when- when I was little."

Computer time. He was pure. That's all I could say.

It stayed silent after that for a while, until he quietly shoved his notebook towards me, questions he had gotten during the lecture written down onto it.

"You want to get into work?" I asked, observing his expressions.

He simply nodded, playing with his fingers, like he always did.

"Alright, so this lecture was about critical thinking. Do you know the five critical thinking skills?"

After we had worked and pointed out all the details from the lecture, we decided to stop for today and go to the canteen to get some tea- chocolate milk for Zephaniah. Tara was there, and her father would bring them home. He had surprised me a lot during this hour. His thinking was deep, even deeper than most of our professors wanted us to think.

He was very observant, a very analyzing person, who definitely thought things through in a very interesting way.

It made me wonder and question so many things about him. He, sadly, hadn't opened up much more after he talked about his dog, only giving the needed answers to questions I had asked him.

Back to square one, was what I thought. But I surely didn't hope so. I hoped he had made himself feel more comfortable around me, so talking would go easier. What holds you back, Zephaniah? What is going through your mind?

"Hi, Tara." Zephaniah smiled at his cousin, standing close to her as she was ordering some coffee at the canteen we had.

Tara gave him a look and softly shoved him away, "Hello. I'm ordering, take a step back." She chuckled, though it came out sarcastic. Zephaniah didn't seem to notice. He simply listened and fiddled with his fingers as he stared up at the 'menu'.

Once she had ordered, she noticed me and smiled widely. "Haven! Where were you? I was looking for you minutes ago."

"Coaching project, remember? Hannah, the woman from the library was sick, so an elderly woman helped us out. She was a little slow at first, that's why I'm later." I explained, as we had agreed to study in Norah's dorm later, where Luke and Abel would come too. Taking my tea from the woman in the canteen, I thanked her and gave her one pound, sitting down across Tara and Zephaniah.

"Hannah's always sick, lately." Tara mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"That is not true," Zephaniah defended immediately, frowning at his cousin. His hands were empty. I wondered where his chocolate milk was.

"It is true, don't deny it. She's always nauseous and stuff. What's wrong with her?" Tara asked Zephaniah, making me frown in confusion, because how would he know what was up with the library woman?

Zephaniah glared at her, tugging at the strings of his hoodie. "Just sick, Tara. I don't know. Baba does not- does not tell me."

"You're just being defensive because it's your mum. You can never face the truth, can you?" Tara mocked, pulling at his cheeks.

"His mum?" I blurted out, not wanting to make any of them uncomfortable, but again, that was me. I spoke before I thought at times.

Tara chuckled, looking at me. "Yeah, Hannah is Zephaniah's mum."

No wonder he kept glancing at her in the library the very first time. No wonder he seemed upset about the fact that I was helping him instead of her. No wonder her email had been so detailed.

"Oh," I said, though it came out more as a question. I wondered why he hadn't told me that, as it wasn't a bad thing, or something, at all. My mind wandered to her, suddenly remembering how young she seemed, especially to be a mum to a nineteen year old guy.

How on earth? But, it wasn't my business.

Zephaniah nibbled on his bottom lip, not saying anything.

"You have to go home with my dad alone. I'm studying in Norah's dorm this afternoon. So, bye." Tara said as she stood up, motioning for me to follow her. Glancing at Zephaniah, I could swear I saw his eyes glistening, but he covered it up.

"Why?" He asked quietly, nervously playing with the hem of his hoodie.

"Because," she answered shortly.

"But Dad-"

"Said he was going to pick you up but then Hannah became sick and your grandma came by so he asked my dad to bring you home. I'd join too, but now I don't. My goodness. Your poor structure is all messed up. Get over it, Zeph." She huffed. "Don't be so dependent on other people all the time."

"I'm not," he defended, standing up himself.

"Tara, come on." I said, remembering how she escalated the situation last time as well. It clearly upset him for some reasons, and I couldn't handle seeing that.

Tara waved at Zephaniah, "He's here already, so you better hurry up. He doesn't have much patience."

She took my wrist in her hand, a firm grip as she dragged me over to the side of the University where dorms where placed.

I glanced behind me for one last time, wishing I had gripped his wrist with this firmness instead, his green eyes standing helpless, standing lost.

~~~

Zeph and Haven.. heart eyes

Zephaniah enthusiastically talking about Cooper??

Haven finding out Hannah is zephs mum?

Why do you think Tara is acting this way towards Zephaniah?

Info;

Positive stimulus can win from negative stimulus. For Zephaniah, negative stimulus could be that he finds it hard to talk to people he doesn't know well, but since Cooper is a positive stimulus as its something he cares about a lot, he loves a lot- he may ramble and chat about him as if he doesn't struggle with talking to people at all.