Say when

37

Meredith climbed the stairs of her first class trying to get a good seat in the middle.. she didn't want to be in the first row she wasn't a suck up nerd and didn't want to be thought as a teacher's pet either... but she wasn't looking to be easily distracted either and sitting in the back would lead to mischief, considering that this was one of her classes she shared with Derek she knew that it would lead to A LOT of mischief.. so middle.. was safe.

She sat down looking over her schedule waiting for him to come back from the bathroom.. she had her nose in her papers when she felt someone sit beside her.. expecting it to be him she smiled as she turned her head looking up and felt it fall the second her eyes clashed with a pair of dark brown ones...

"No one was sitting here was there?" he asked with a slight southern accent.. she opened her mouth to respond when he cut her off "Cause if there was I just took their seat."

"Oh." She replied pressing her lips together and raised an eyebrow, "Rude.. you'll make an excellent doctor."

"You're quite quick." He laughed nudging her with his elbow.. he frowned not finding the amusement in it seeing as she was quite serious... "My name is Gary by the way.. and you are beautiful... lucky me." He moved to wrap his arms around her shoulders to which she shrugged him away...

"Yes." She nodded "And also wanting to focus on this class so if you don't mind, there's this thing called personal space."

"Oh I see." He smiled "I get it, I'm irresistible and you have a hard time concentrating... well I will keep my hands off of you."

"Thank you." She said relieved...

"In class that is."

She felt her throat start to close off when she glanced over and noticed Derek climbing the stairs with a scowl on his face... she simply looked at him annoyed and shrugged her shoulders not knowing what to say to the cackling cowboy seated in his seat... he shook his head and rolled his eyes knowing he would need a seat and class was about to start... he took the seat behind his and sat just as the professor walked in and started to introduce the class...

Halfway through his introduction he turned around to the board and started writing on it... Meredith was trying to focus on it trying not to think of what Derek was thinking at that moment... she felt the man lean into her and tried to lean away from him but he just leaned further..

"So what is that?" he whispered out

"Huh?" she whispered back "It's the class outline.."

"No." he whispered back "What you're wearing... it smells divine and.. delicious!"

Meredith felt her stomach curl and was thinking a crude come back when they heard a loud throat clearing behind them.. her eyes widened recognizing it as Gary sat up straight in his seat and pretended to focus on the class..

She closed her eyes for a moment to focus on her breathing hoping she could explain to Derek by end of the class and pray to god he understood... just when she opened her eyes she saw out of the corner of her eye Gary leaning in again... oh god what does he want now...

"So what is good to eat around here.. besides you I mean." He chuckled out... Meredith glanced over at him with a curled upper lip of disgust...

"I don't know." She hissed back "I'm not from here."

"Oh yeah?" he asked "Where you from... maybe I can take you to some authentic place."

"Seriously." She grumbled thinking this had to be the most thick headed man she'd ever met... she heard another throat clear knowing it was the same one... Gary didn't sit up straight this time...

"No need to act shy my baby, just tell me what you like." He said slyly...

"Ehem!" they heard finally form behind him.. Gary got an annoyed look on his face and turned around in his seat to face the person behind him..

"Hey man what's your problem?!" he whispered out harshly.. Derek narrowed his eyes on him and gave him a cold stare...

"Nothing other than the fact that I'm sure this lady is getting rather annoyed by your constant interruptions in her concentration."

"Yeah well its not really any of your business now is it."

"Really." He said with a raised brow "Well I'm sure the person who's paying for both yours and her education would love to know how you're wasting it on casual conversations and cheap pick up lines." Meredith felt a knot tighten in her stomach as she felt the guilt kick in.. she should have moved.

"Yeah well he aint here is he!" he retorted snobbishly "Besides aren't you a little old to be in this class?"

Derek looked at him with a fallen expression and shook his head...

"You are a fucking genius!" he said amused as he leaned into the man giving him an intimidating look "I don't know about the application you or should I say your oil digging daddy filled out but the one that I filled out didn't say anything about age requirements."

"Okay class!" the professor called out.. they all stiffened up and looked at the front of the class at the ancient professor as he turned around "So that is today's class I expect you all to be prepared come Thursday's class... you're excused."

Derek stood up and walked down the steps with a skip wanting to get any unmissed notes from him knowing that he'd most likely missed it in his dispute with the ignorant asshole...

Meredith stood up quickly nervously gathering her things and walking down the stairs herself stopping at the door of the class waiting for Derek and thinking of how she would explain that one... She felt a hand grab hers and pull her out of the doorway and looked over to see Gary standing there with a goofy grin that she knew she hated...

"Girl I'm glad we got rid of him!" he retorted "So what kind of coffee can I buy you?"

"None." She said pulling her hand away from him "I'm really not interested and you're way too pushy for my liking."

"Ah I see." He said not being turned down easily "You have a boyfriend."

"Took you that long to figure that one out did it?"

"Well." He said stepping closer to her with a smirk "He's not here now is he."

She opened her mouth to respond when she felt a hand wrap around her waist that fit perfectly as it did every time and she felt her body instinctively breathe a sigh of relief as she looked at Gary's shocked expression...

"If you're done running your mouth and wasting both your and my girlfriend's time I promised her that I would take her out for a cup of coffee after our first class." Derek said huskily... Gary stood there with a stronger look of shock plastered on his face and Meredith couldn't help but be slightly amused at it... "Oh." Derek felt he had to add "And the person paying for her education would be me so unless you want problems.. I suggest you find another seat in class."

Meredith rolled her eyes as Derek pulled her along keeping his arm around her waist as they left Gary to choke on his words in the hallway.. Meredith let out a grumble and raised her brow in annoyance...

"Did you have to go there?" she moaned..

"What?" he grinned "It was fun."

"Fun." She nodded "Next time you piss all over me at last give me a warning so I can pack a poncho.

"Ah." He chuckled and leaned in giving her a soft quick kiss, kind of like a habit and smirked "Now where's the fun in that?"

She gave him a warning look that caused him to laugh.. she was glad he wasn't mad at her about the situation but wasn't so sure that the territory marking he was doing.. it was annoying but also arousing as hell and they still had another 4 hours before they could retreat to the seclusion of their apartment.