New Encounter
798 Words
Debbie’s Pov
The moment Elaine saw me turn and walk away, she immediately left Jason’s side and started running after me.
“Debbie, wait.”
I kept walking.
“Debbie.”
Still walking.
She finally caught up and grabbed my arm.
“Wait.”
I stopped.
Slowly turned.
And gave her a look.
Not angry.
Not dramatic.
Just one very simple expression.
Explain.
She immediately sighed.
“Oh come on, don’t look at me like that.”
I folded my arms.
She pointed behind her.
“I literally just stumbled into him.”
I raised an eyebrow.
She continued.
“He was telling me about the internship he got at Vogue and I just listened.”
I stared.
She sighed dramatically.
“What was I supposed to do, scream and run?”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Elaine.”
She raised both hands.
“I swear.”
I looked at her for a few seconds.
Then nodded.
But gave her one last look.
The type of look that says I hope you know what you are doing.
She immediately understood.
Then, suddenly, her entire expression changed.
“That aside.”
She linked arms with me and started shaking me dramatically.
“Tell me.”
I looked confused.
“Tell you what?”
She gasped.
“YOUR FIRST DAY.”
“Oh.”
She practically bounced.
“How is our hot professor doing?”
I almost tripped.
I turned and looked at her.
“He is not a hot professor.”
She stared.
I continued.
“What he is, is a happily married man.”
Her expression became suspicious.
“Interesting answer.”
I ignored her.
And then because she refused to stop bothering me...
I told her.
Everything.
How I got there early?
How I accidentally did the cleaner’s work.
How embarrassing that was.
How I bought coffee.
How Professor Sullivan somehow knew immediately that I knew his order.
How he gave me actual tasks.
How I almost embarrassed myself several times.
Elaine stopped walking.
She turned slowly.
“You bought him coffee?”
I froze.
Wait.
That sounded bad.
“No.”
She stared.
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened.
“You know his coffee order?”
I pointed at her aggressively.
“HE MENTIONED IT IN CLASS.”
She looked unconvinced.
“Debbie.”
“It was academic observation.”
She laughed so loudly people turned.
By the time we got back to the hostel, I was exhausted.
I dropped my bag and immediately opened my laptop.
Professor Sullivan had given me reports to finalize and research topics to compile.
Apparently, being a TA meant actual work.
Who knew.
I opened documents.
Started reading.
Made notes.
Typed.
Researched.
Then typed some more.
Meanwhile, Elaine was unusually busy.
She sat on her bed smiling at her phone.
Typing.
Smiling.
Typing again.
Then randomly giggling.
I looked up.
Who smiles at their phone this much?
Suspicious.
I looked at her.
“Who are you chatting with?”
She looked up.
Too quickly.
“No one.”
I stared.
No one.
Right.
Two minutes later she laughed again.
I looked.
She quickly locked her phone.
Definitely suspicious.
I looked at her again.
“Elaine?”
She smiled.
“What?”
I narrowed my eyes.
She looked away.
No progress.
I returned to my work.
Thirty minutes later, I realized I was not concentrating.
The room suddenly felt noisy.
I closed my laptop.
“You know what, I’m going to the library.”
Elaine barely looked up.
“Okay.”
Interesting.
Very interesting.
I packed my books and left.
The library was quiet.
Perfect.
I found a spot and started arranging my books.
Then I remembered I had forgotten a notebook.
I turned.
And immediately slipped.
My books fell everywhere.
Fantastic.
Very elegant.
I bent down immediately to pick them.
Then another hand bent down too.
Long fingers.
Nice watch.
Who notices watches?
I froze.
We both picked up the same book.
My fingers brushed his.
I looked up.
And for one second...
Everything stopped.
He had glasses.
Dark hair.
Sharp features.
And the kind of face that looked illegal to exist in a university library.
His eyes met mine.
He smiled slightly.
And suddenly I forgot what subject I came to research.
He held out my book.
“You dropped this.”
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then took the book.
“Thank you.”
He looked at the title.
Then smiled again.
“Literature major?”
I stared.
How did he know?
He pointed.
My notebook.
Written boldly.
Debbie Greene, Department of Literature
Oh.
I wanted the floor again.
He held out his hand.
“I’m Damian, Comps Eng..”
And for reasons I cannot explain...
I suddenly had a feeling my life was about to become more complicated.
- Writer
