Chapter Text
Buried in his computer and a stack of paper work full of study guides and worksheets for an upcoming exam was not how Spencer liked to spend his afternoons, rarely. Sure, he was excellent in the matters of statistical probability, but of course, loads of work could be a hassle sometimes, especially with this exam. It'd secure his career in the long run, for sure, but sometimes people need breaks. He let out a long, exasperated groan as he scribbled down variables and numbers. He loved math, he really did, but all this studying is draining him.
He wanted to succeed. No. He needed to succeed.
"Still at that desk of yours I see." A voice interrupted his thoughts, making him look up from his work. Jade, she was back.
She opened the door all the way to let herself in, holding bags of groceries.
"Hey," He replied back, setting his pencil down. She was previously out running errands. "need any help?" He'd ask, standing up and stretching out his back.
"yeah, help would be great." She responded shortly, humming a small tune as she brought some groceries to the kitchen.
Spencer would walk outside towards her car and grab the remaining bags of goods, closing the trunk, then heading back inside to have the rest of the things settled in the kitchen. He blinked tiredly as he leaned against the counter, earning a slightly concerned glance from Jade.
"You doing alright?" she'd ask.
"I'm knackered." Spencer grumbled in reply.
"Figured," she mumbled, "math's tough."
After a moment, Spencer shrugged, watching as she carefully unpacked the groceries from their bags, loading them into the fridge and cabinets.
"It's not all that tough when you know what you're doing.." he muttered.
....
Both now working at their respective desks, Jade types away on her computer while Spencer begrudgingly handle's his hands cramping as he write's down multiple answers for different worksheets and study guides, along with notes. The pencil scratched the paper as he wrote and wrote, numbers, variables, and graphs filling the pages. Meanwhile, Jade scrolled on her computer, reading off something on a website.
"Hmm, the zoo nearby has a discount for student visits today." Jade interrupted the atmosphere. Spencer stared at her, his brow quirking up at the randomness.
"..Why are you looking on a zoo website?" he asked, confused.
"Because their site has a lot of good facts which could be a great help. They also have programs." She replied, turning to him. "This'll be a perfect time to learn some more stuff. They have an aquatic side, and speakers that tell you all about them." she smiled.
"Are you going now..?" Spencer asks curiously.
"Yeah, i'll just buy tickets there." she shuts her computer and grabs her things.
Spencer peered back at his work, then back at Jade. He was conflicted with staying or asking her if he could come along. When she put her hand on the handle of the door he spoke up.
"Could I actually come along?" he'd ask, standing up. Jade's gaze turned back to him.
"You wanna come?" she asked, slightly surprised. "Usually you'd be bored with this kind of stuff."
"Well..yeah..But I don't wanna be left here while you have a grand old time." Spencer replied, his voice slightly sarcastic at the end.
"Okay, then lets go."
Spencer smiled in reply and went to grab his jacket and shoes. As he prepared to make his way out the door, he paused and glanced back at his unfinished work on the desk. The guilt of leaving it behind nagged him. He immediately walked back and snagged a few papers and a folder, then hurried out the door, locking it. It's better to stay efficient, he thought as he hopped into the passenger seat of Jades car.
Upon seeing the work, Jade glared at him.
"What? My parents would be chuffed to know that I'm being diligent even when I'm away." he huffed, fastening his seat belt.
Without another word, Jade starts the car and they're on their way. The sunlight gleams in his eyes, making it difficult to see. Spencer squints as he writes down answers, even so, he was struggling with the car moving a lot. Maybe it'd be smarter to do this when they actually get to said zoo. With that being said, well.. thought of, he'd put down his pencil and focuses on just admiring the nature.
When they arrived, Spencer follows after Jade. He looked around at the decorations and such all around while Jade checked them in, getting discounts for them both being students. He followed after her as they walked through different routes, passing all kinds of enclosures. It wasn't as packed as it usually would be since it was the middle of the week, a Wednesday. Was there anything special about Wednesdays anyway? Spencer didn't pay all that much attention to his surroundings, however he was still aware he was behind Jade.
He'd occasionally look up to observe the people who would be laughing with each other, most likely the animals antics being the cause. Spencer would let out a small snort at tiger cubs play fighting, then quickly composed himself. The zoo wasn't as typical as the rest, it was more as a rescue center. With each animal they'd get, they'd be put into enclosures then released when it was ready. It managed to work too because the zoo was never packed with animals, even if they gained some every day or two.
Out of the blue, Spencer had lost his footing and tripped over the tip of someones foot, his eyes widening as he gets closer and closer to the ground. With reflex, he puts his arms out to to protect himself from the landing, but is surprised when he doesn't hit the floor. Someone had caught him, holding him up from the back of the shirt.
"Woah! Careful there amigo!" a voice chuckled, their strong arm keeping him from falling.