33. Fluent

My first French class at Ironcrest was with Alec, Kris, and Bear.

I spotted Bear taking a seat at the back of the room. Based on our brief but practical Russian lessons, I started towards him, hoping to partner up.

Kris intercepted me with a playful block, grinning broadly. "Nope, you're with me. I'm the only lonely one in here," he declared with a playful pout.

He wasn't lying. Across the room, Alec had already claimed a seat beside Nick, leaving Kris evidently solo until my arrival.

Reluctantly, I followed him to his desk, a little disappointed but curious about what dynamic Kris would bring to our partnership. I wanted to learn here but wasn't sure Kris was the best partner to help me comprehend something.

This was one place where his constant playfulness seemed like it would cause more issues than anything else.

As the class commenced, I was quickly wrapped up by the vibrant energy of learning a new language. The teacher, a vibrant woman with a sharp accent, launched into a re