Who Are You Again?

Ring! Ring! The mobile on the desk silently vibrated for the fourth time now. It wasn’t like it didn’t catch Oliver’s attention but he was purposely avoiding it. He had quite good reason for it. He was in a class while to his good luck professor hadn’t noticed him looking at his phone time to time. If he had, he must have been standing outside the class by now. Mobile went silent again and Oliver sighed continuing to write his notes... Now that he was thinking, lecture was really boring. He wondered why everyone was failing this class. Half of the students were dozing off either way. Blame it on the boring looking professor. But Oliver was quite serious about his studies. He had to. Or else who will give him scholarship. Not like he had any parents who would have some back up plan set for him if he doesn't do good in his studies. Okay, let’s be real. He just had few assignments pending. He was quite good in academics. But this was not school to be easy. And discrete mathematics was not helping it at all. Before he could concentrate on the third step of some shitty maths problem, his phone vibrated again. The caller Id of “My Bro” lit up on the screen. Oliver just sighed. He picked thr phone to message his “bro” who was constantly bugging him by calling him knowing that he was still in class. ‘Can’t talk now. Will meet in canteen after this lecture. Ttyl’ After pressing send he didn’t wait for the reply but still not even a minute later a ding caught his attention. In the notifications bar he clearly saw the middle finger emoji sent by his bro and he huffed a chuckle before looking down in his notebook. ___________ After class as his routine was Oliver started heading towards the canteen which was at the far end of the building C of their campus. He stood in the entrance of the canteen to trace the whole area. Many kids were hanging out as it was obvious place for their casual hangout. Some people were busy having their lunch while some were here just for their entertainment. Among his thoughts he saw a familiar figure sitting at the corner table as usual with a obvious scowl on their decent face. “Bro!!”, Oliver called out to the figure which looked up. There was she. Mia. Oliver’s best friend and “Bro”. Why bro? Well she was very much like tomboy. Not like any of the girl out there. Short hair with bold red highlights. A lip piercing, face void of make up, torn jeans and and her favourite white convos and a punk hoodie. She was beautiful but alas, he didn’t have any romantic interest in her. But who cares? They were each other’s besties. Best bros. “Don’t ‘Bro’ me. I swear if you would’ve cut the phone one more time, I would’ve cut all the ties with you.”, Mia snarled while stabbing the beef cutlet with the fork. ‘What has it ever done to you? Poor juicy cutlet!’, Oliver thought. “Don’t gawk at my cutlet. I’m not gonna share it with you. Go buy your own.”, Mia barked again. Few students turned their heads in hopes of some free entertainment. But then it was Mia who would not hesitate to break there jaws for looking at them, so they just looked away. And Oliver just chuckled lowly. “Don’t be like this now Bro. I’m not looking at your cutlet. And for your first blame, you knew I was in class so I couldn’t pick up.”, Oliver reasoned while crossing his hands over his chest like some professional lawyer. Mia narrowed her eyes at him. “Aren’t you being two goodie shoes now?”, She huffed while pointing her fork towards him in blaming gesture. “Oh, mind you!! I am two goodie shoes. You just chill out and do nothing. While I’m the one who takes care of your attendance. Why do you think you’re allowed in the exam halls? It’s because of me who keeps your attendance under the required limits. I sit in the classes which you miss. That is every class.”, Oliver claimed back. “Okay. I will give you that one.”, Mia said calmly looking at Oliver when he raised his voice unintentionally a little. “Have you had your lunch yet?”, She asked sliding her half eaten plate of beef cutlets towards him. “I had some snacks before going to the class. So I’m not hungry. I’m sorry.”, Oliver said sounding apologetic when he understood Mia’s quiet gesture when he raised his voice. He smiled internally realising how much Mia knew him. Even when he became hyper over some trivial situations, she would handle him just well. He wasn’t a hyper or really vibrant person or anything. On contrary, he was quite a quiet person. But he was a little sensitive. That’s why even little things like nothing would affect him much. He would raise his voice unintentionally when he felt threatened or blamed even though it was nothing. But Mia had her ways to handle him. He didn’t have any friends. Considering Mia’s attitude, it was surprise that he had became friends with her. They knew each other since the very first day they meet at the orphanage. Yes, they both were from the same orphanage. Plus they were the same age so it was given that they will keep crossing the paths. They had to interact with each other with one reason or another. And that’s how a few little things led to their unending friendship. Even though their attitudes varied so much, they were closer than ever. “So let’s go to the Tennis club. I’m craving some hard battle after eating so much.”, Mia announced as she jumped on her heels to stand up. Oliver huffed once again. “Seriously why did you join the college?”, He asked while sarcasm dripped from his voice. “Because they won’t take non graduates to the tennis club. I had no choice. And that’s what I hate about this system.”, Mia snarled skipping through the mass of the students in the hallways skillfully while Oliver was trailing behind her. “Don’t blame the system just because you’re not good at the studying.”, Oliver smiled smugly. “Yeah that too. Ugh, it’s so irritating. How can one even love studying?”, She barked with genuine amusement. Oliver chuckled knowing her thoughts. “Mia, no one, absolutely no one loves studying. People study because it’s the crucial part of our lives. And it doesn’t go to waste.”, He reasoned. “I don’t understand. Why the hell do I need a graduation certificate for hitting a tennis ball over the court!! Does that even have any logic??”, She snarled again. Oliver just shook his head knowing there was no way he could win against her in any argument. She just had that tongue who could be defeated by no one. And probably that’s why no one in the college even dared to speak up against her. “Fine. Fine. I declare that I loose. Gosh you’re so whiny..”, Oliver mumbled under his breath. And suddenly, Mia gave him a glare. “Did you just call me whiny? Tell me did you?”, She almost threatened but not in a scary way. She was just playfully angry on him. Which made Oliver smile sheepishly. “I was jus—“, Oliver’s pace was broken as suddenly collide into someone making both of them stumble on their feet. However it impacted Oliver more as his books were now lying over the ground messily. “Sorr—” “Are you alright?” Before Oliver could complete his apology a voice disturbed him. More like the voice of the person whom he collided with. And boy, wasn’t it a familiar sound. Way too familiar. He lifted his gaze up from the ground and felt his breathe hitch as he saw him…