Chapter Twenty
1921 Words
Some Path II
“How’s engineering? You look tired. It must be exhausting.”
Right. My bags were still here. “Yeah… projects left and right… And minor activities to be finished. Then I have to stay after class for training. It’s a lot, really.” I lied. Of course, I’d lie. No one would know.
Unless of course, Aiden butts in again and ruins everything for me.
“You should drink enough water to stay hydrated then.”
I bobbed my head. “Mhm, I do. I think I even take more water than the information I get in school.”
He chuckled. “It does get overwhelming when it comes.”
The only thing that makes me exhausted is not sleeping for a failed game that I had high hopes for. I pouted and nodded anyway. “It’s overwhelming, alright. All these numbers are juggled in my brain. I can’t even remember most of my minor subjects anymore.” Or maybe that’s just my brain refusing to take in more information because it’s overheating.
He laughed anyway, even if I knew he was effortless with his studies. He just looked like it, the type who would read everything and he’d immediately get it. Photographic memory, was it. “That goes to every course.”
“Fair enough.” I raised a brow, chuckling at his fair comment.
It was quiet between us for a few seconds, which I took the moment to eat graciously, before he spoke again. Him, talking out of nowhere, almost had me choked. “You seem close to that guy you were with last time we met.” He suddenly said. “Is he your… boyfriend?”
I sighed. I’m getting sick of people asking me of my status with Aiden. “Aiden’s just a friend and yeah, we’re pretty close since we’ve been friends for years. People often mistake him as my boyfriend but he’s really… not that.” I said, making sure I wasn’t internally crushing him.
He bobbed his head. “That’s some friendship you have. You both seem solid together.”
“You know,” I sit my fork down, completely giving him my attention as I spoke. “I get asked that question so much, I’m this close to having Aiden’s friend only tattooed on my face just so people can stop pestering me about it.”
He laughed at this. “I’m certain it’s against school policies to have tattoos that evident.”
“Pretty sure, it’s illegal too.”
“I’m sure it’s not.” He smiled. “You must be good in Math.” He comes up with the most random things to say. Sometimes it’s surprising, but if he wasn’t cute, I’d probably be fed up. I can only assume he had these all prepared to keep the conversation going. I don’t really like talking that much especially if it’s too random for my liking. “Every engineering student appears to be that way. You can’t really survive the course without being good at it.”
“I mean,” I paused, unsure if I should just be confident about it or not. He was smart, so maybe he wanted a smart independent woman too. “I’m not the best of the best but I can do Math.” I said, trying to sound as quirky as I could and much less of the super smart one who’s super serious about it. “Like one plus one, two. That’s easy right?”
He chuckled. “It is actually.”
“What about you? You seem to know every way to the library?” I asked back. “Are you memorizing every book in there?”
He cracked a laugh, covering his mouth. “I’m not. But I am very familiar with the library since I often go there and help arrange the books, and sometimes attend the reception during my free time.”
I gasped in shock. “How do you go along with the librarian?”
“Mrs. Jones is pretty nice. A bit strict, but nice.” He smiled.
I had absolutely no idea that he would help work in the library during his free time. Only smarty pants like him would enjoy doing that in leisure.
After the tragic breakfast with library guy, who I by the way don’t still know his name, I walked back to the classroom wearily. Being with library guy made me realize how easily I get bored from one guy to another. That just goes to show how sinful of a woman I am. At first, the idea of having breakfast together at the cafeteria with him seemed good and worthwhile, looking back, I just had to talk to him about random things that just crosses his mind.
It’s not fun when you know a guy likes you already. The game just stops when you realize a guy’s so into you, he would do anything and everything to keep talking to you. The first three days are fun but after that, everything’s just dull and bland and I don’t like dull and bland. I mean, except Aiden. It’s always fun teasing him about liking me. That never gets old. He’s the only dull and bland that I enjoy.
Speaking of Aiden…
“Where’s my drink?”
I froze, smiling slowly at Aiden in guilt. I could tell he already knew that I forgot to get him a drink despite telling I wouldn’t absolutely forget. “I…”
He sighed. “Very nice, Gwynn. Very nice.” He said sarcastically.
Of course, I forgot. Boys make me forget things. My mind naturally slips off important things. “I’ll go buy you one right now. Do you want cake? I’ll buy you a whole cake too! I’ll be a back in a flash.” I frantically uttered as I try to make my way out of the room.
“No.” He pulled me back inside the room by my hair causing me to grunt at how painful it was. “You don’t have to go back all the way there to get me the drink or a cake or whatever you did that made you forget.” He added, dragging me back to sit next to him so I frowned. “I’m not really thirsty so hold your horse a—”
“You mean, you?” I smirked at him which he responded to with a frown. Okay, that was rude. I just forgot to buy him a drink and I’m making fun of him. I’m so bad. I chuckled patting him by the shoulder as if it would make things better. “Sorry.” I said. “It’s fine though. I’d walk 10,000 hours just to get you a drink.” I teased.
“Try miles.”
“10,000 miles. Sure.” I shrugged confidently, knowing very well I wouldn’t be able to survive the first mile. “I can even do a hundred thousand if you want.”
He squinted his eyes at me. “You’re more important that the drink.”
I hissed, crossing my arms. That was really unamusing. “You’re so serious about everything. Loosen up, Andy. How are you gonna get a girl if you’re that serious?”
“So am I with you. Always been serious with you.”
There he goes with his smooth lines again. I patted his cheek, “Try harder, buddy.”
Last class for the day. I was just walking to my classroom like a normal boring weekday, waiting for training to start, when someone suddenly tapped me by the shoulder. I turned and saw an oddly familiar looking guy. Where have I seen this small face before? I feel like I should know but I don’t know. I have no clue. I have no idea.
“It’s you!”
It’s me? “I…”
“We met at the pub.”
Ah…
Pub guy. The one I was pissed at for not getting his name.
I snapped and my expression immediately changed. It’s the guy I thought I’m never going to meet again. He was wearing the same ID lace as everyone so I’m guessing he goes to the same university as me and everyone here, including me. “I do remember! Hi! You’re the guy that dropped the important hanky, right?” I said, as charming as I could possibly do.
“I was hoping I’d bump into you at the pub again the next day but I never saw you.” He sounded disappointed. Just as disappointed as I was when I thought I wouldn’t get his name that night.
I pressed my lips together, trying to act cute. “I don’t usually go to pub. I told you I went with a friend, remember?” I looked back at him and God, he looked even finer with university dress code outfit. What a gorgeous man! Definitely got no regrets saying yes to Aiden that night and picking up the hanky like I mentioned back then. “I never got your name, by the way. You seemed like you were in a hurry.”
“Ah,” He extended his hands towards me. “Yang Yichen.”
Yang Yichen. Sounds a bit like a nickname but whatever this gorgeous man’s name is, I’ll take it. I grabbed his warm hands to shake and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Yang Yichen. I’m—”
“Achelois Bartel.” He cut me off, basically introducing for me. “Everyone here kind of knows you. It would be a surprise if I didn’t.”
I’m so popular, it’s starting to feel nice and scary at the same time. That must be the reason why he didn’t ask my name because he already knew who I was and it slipped his mind. “It’s nice to meet you, Yichen.” I greeted. I mean, he’s the man I wanted to know his name so I really am happy right now. Nothing can possibly ruin my mood now.
“Are you here for your drawing class?”
I nodded. “My last class actually.”
He smiled, bobbing his head. “Nice.”
“Are you from this department?”
“Not specifically but you could say that.”
Interesting
“I’m a performing arts major but yeah, I guess it’s the same department, anyway? People always assume I paint like those other students from my department just because I’m here. They just automatically assume I’m one of them.”
And he talks a lot too. He won’t be boring like library guy. He knows how to converse with other people well in a less discomforting and funner manner. You did the right decision to pick up the hanky for this man, Lois. I’m proud! “I actually have a class and I’m late.”
“Oh, I—”
“Let’s talk some other time though. I’d like to talk more with you.”
His eyes widened a little, probably wasn’t expecting me to be interested in him, and he smiled right after. Cute – cute smile. And he wasn’t as tall as the other guys I’ve met and dated but still fine. He was still a little taller than me so I don’t really have an issue with that. ”Yeah, sure.”
“I’ll see you around.”
Yang Yichen. Let’s decide what to do with you the next time we hang around.
- Writer
