Vector to the Heavens.

Alright, I have a Latin dance class, aye? It's at 7:45am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 'N normally we meet in the Student Union on campus. But on Thursday it was a different case; some program was using our ballroom for a convention for somethin' or another. Needless to say, I was one of the bumrags (about 10 of us) who'd forgotten about meetin' in a different building. So, we all begin walkin' over to the correct buildin' after a certain point, right?

N' trailin' behind me like a goslin' babe, is this little Chinese lass. Now, this ain't the first time it's happened. For whatever reason at me other university, the Chinese exchange students would somehow wind up sittin' next to me in our lectures. Then, they'd deem me as their American friend who'd help them out with understandin' customs and clarify vocabulary, terms, instructions n' such. I guess that translated (hah) over to this university as well.

While walkin', this girl (who still had a painfully Chinese accent) came up n' started askin' about particular things regarding our class. After confirmin' n' clearin' up a few things for her, she asked my name. I told her (my real name) n' she repeated it back with a stereotypical accent, rollin' it around on her tongue and tryin' it out a few times. I asked hers in return, and she promptly n' proudly told me it was "Akikiko." Immediately after, she laughed n' apologized for her name being 'too long' and 'difficult' to say. In turn, I apologized on behalf of my name as well (my real name is uncommon, and fairly long...and has an 'L' in the middle of it. I swear every time she tried pronouncing it she became more n' more embarrassed by her accent.).

So, I suggested nicknames. I asked if she had any, and though she responded with a no, her face lit up when she had the idea of me coming up with one for her. Deciding to simply use a shorter version of her name, I proposed "Kiko" and she loved it. When she returned the question of a nickname back my way, I told her she could make-up one for me as well. N' just to make sure she knew my actual name, she asked me to repeat it to her again. I did so, and she (laced inside n' out with her accent) said it to herself a few times. Then, she 'hmmm'd' ........

"How about Deryn?"

I can't tell you how high my heart soared upon hearing that. Of all the things that could've popped into her head... *sigh* This was truly one of the happier moments in my life. Silly, but whatever.