The Message
394 Words
Of course,
A week passed.
Ryan became part of our class very quickly.
He wasn't the loudest person in the room, but somehow everybody knew him.
He was funny.
He helped people with their assignments.
He always had something silly to say whenever the class became too serious.
And somehow, he and I started talking.
It began with schoolwork.
Then music.
Then movies.
Then random things that didn't even matter.
One afternoon, I was sitting outside after class when Ryan walked toward me.
“You're always alone.”
I looked up.
“I'm not always alone.”
“You are right now.”
I looked around.
Sarah had already gone home.
“Okay. Right now.”
He sat on the bench beside me.
“How was your day?”
“Fine.”
“Just fine?”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“You always give one-word answers?”
“Sometimes.”
“Interesting.”
I laughed.
“You ask too many questions.”
“And you don't answer enough.”
We both laughed.
There was a comfortable silence between us.
I liked it.
That scared me a little.
Ryan suddenly looked at me.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Depends.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Just asking.”
“No.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Why did you ask?”
He smiled.
“I told you. I was just asking.”
I shook my head.
“You're strange.”
“You're strange too.”
“I'm leaving.”
I stood up.
He laughed.
“Wait!”
I turned around.
“What?”
“See you tomorrow?”
I smiled before I could stop myself.
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
I walked away.
My heart felt strangely happy.
That night, I was lying on my bed when my phone vibrated.
It was a message from Ryan.
Ryan: You got home safely?
I smiled.
Me: Yes.
A few seconds later, another message arrived.
Ryan: Good.
I stared at the screen.
That was it.
Just good.
Yet somehow, I kept smiling.
I put my phone down.
Then picked it up again.
I checked the message.
I didn't know what was happening to me.
Ryan was just my friend.
At least, that was what I kept telling myself.
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