Started with Goodbye

Chapter 8

Asher and I got really close with one another these past few days. True to his words, we really met before the exhibit, even though I really thought that would be the only time that Asher and I would be able to meet again.

I almost thought that he has some powers because he was always there whenever I needed someone to talk to, or maybe, this was fate saying that the two of us could get closer as a friend, or even more than that?

I did not know, but for me, I did not want to rush things between the two of us. It was already enough for me that the two of us could meet for almost every single day, and I was able to tell him things that I was not able to say to Aiden because again, she would tease me until her heart’s content and I was sure as h*ck that I would not be able to live peacefully.

Well, Asher was really a nice guy. He even always offers to me that he should buy me something, but I always refuse because I did not want him to spend his money just for me. I was already contented with the two of us talking about the stuffs that we could think of.

In a span of almost a week, we already got closer with each other. Which is very odd for me because I was having a hard time trusting anyone, but to him, I got easily comfortable to the point that I even shared every little information on my life to him.

It really seems like I have known him, and I have met him before, but I was sure that if ever I really met him in the past, I would be able to remember him, easily. After all, Asher is one of a kind man. He was unique, and a person who I could get close with, so I was sure that I would not be able to forget someone like him.

I kept on thinking about it these days, but I tried to shake it off whenever he was around because I wanted him to be comfortable with me too. I wanted him to feel that I really, really, wanted to get closer to him, even if it was just as a friend.

I did not want to ruin what we have, and I did not want him to get awkward to me because of my weird antics, so I was trying as hard as I could so that the two of us could get comfortable with one another.

And it seems like I was doing a great job, because whenever the two of us would meet, he looked so comfortable with me that it seems like the two of us have known each other for a long time, even though the both of us knew that it was not the case.

Right now, I was in a convenience store because I wanted to try something new, other than the normal food that I tried in the restaurant nearby our company building. I choose to take a sit on the table that was on the corner overlooking the busy streets of this city.

It was lunch time right now, and my boss had told me that I should take a rest for the rest of the day because I was working hard lately, and I did not have a second thought when he said that. I immediately packed the things that I brought in the morning so that I could immediately leave after I would have a lunch on some store nearby.

I choose to buy my lunch here at the convenience store because it felt like I was craving something I really could not point out, and as soon as I turned my head towards this store, I immediately thought of the sandwiches, and some carbonated drinks that I could buy here, so I immediately went inside without a second thought.

Though it seems like I bought too much because I could not finish all the instant foods that I bought, and the drink that I bought was only half-way done but I already felt so full. It would be such a waste if I would only leave it here, and I was sure that Aiden was not on our house right now because of her work.

I was contemplating if I should bring it to our apartment, which I did not want to do so because I was too lazy to carry another heavy bags, or if I should just leave it here, though I know that it would be such a waste because, again, no one would be able to eat it.

I just sighed again as I looked at the cars that were passing by on the road as I started to think on what I should do. I pouted as I looked down at the foods that was in front of me, and I was blaming myself because I could not seem to figure out on what I should do about it.

“You know, sulking in front of the food is really a bad habit,” the voice of a very familiar man said to me.

I immediately looked behind me, and I was not wrong when I found out that it was indeed Asher, the only man that I knew and I could easily determine, even though I was not looking at him. The only man that I got really close to, even if I was having a hard time getting close to anyone.

He was wearing a black casual shirt and a pants, and he had this smile on his face that made me grin at him too. It felt like I was not really expecting that I would see him, again, in a place like this.

“Asher!” I greeted him, almost excitedly, and I was about to stand up, but I stopped because I saw that he sat on the chair that was beside mine. “What are you doing here?” I asked him, because I never thought that I would see him today.

I thought that the next that we would meet would be on Sunday, the time that the exhibit would be held. It seems like I was wrong when I thought of that, because after all, he was right beside me, looking at me with a frown on his face.

“Why are you looking at your food, helplessly?” he asked, confused, as he looked at the foods that was in front of me. “Did these foods had done something to you?” he joked, that made me laugh a little.

Even though I knew that he was just kidding, I waved him off as I decided to tell him why I was here, and I also explained to me my not so little problem. I saw that he was listening to me, intently, and he was even nodding his head as if he was thinking of ways on how we could solve this problem.

“Then,” he said that made me look at him, curious on what he was about to say. He turned his gaze at me too and he gave me a small smile. “What about I will walk you home and I will carry the bag full of foods that you bought in this store?” he asked me.

I stopped moving and look at him in shock because I could not seem to figure why he had to do something like that for me. I mean, I never expected him to be here, and I never even thought of him offering me something like that.

This man never really fail to shock me. It seems like these past few days, he would always offer things that I never thought he would, or rather should I say, I never thought that a person who just literally met me not so long ago would offer, even thought we merely knew each other.

“Are you serious about that?” I asked him, just to make sure that he was not teasing me.

Though I personally think that he was not a person who would make a joke, because these past few days that we were together, he always looked so serious. I barely saw him letting out a loud laugh, and whenever I would caught him staring at me, there was still a hint of sadness on him. There was still loneliness in his eyes that I could not seem to figure out why he had an expression like that.

I saw him nod his head at me, as he smiled even more. “I am serious,” he said as he grinned at me. He even started to pack the foods that I bought earlier on a paper bag that was on my table too. “After all, it seems like you was really having a hard time with this.”

I looked at what he was doing as i slowly nodded my head at him, even though I could not figure out why he was doing this. After all, it seems like he really wanted to help me, even if my problem was really not that big.

He packed all the food that he saw on my table, and he even asked the man on the cashier for another paper bag so that he could easily bring it with him, then as he finished packing all the food, he looked at me as if saying that he was ready to go.

So, I once again nodded my head at him, still unsure if this was really alright, as I started to stand up from my seat. Even though I was still having a second thought, I just go with the flow because he really seems so eager to help me with my not so big problem.

“Are you really sure about this?” I asked him the moment that the both of us took a step outside of that store. “I mean... never mind that,” I told him as I waved what I was about to say off.

I could not continue my words because it seems like I could not find a right one about what I felt on what he did. It felt like I was embarrassed that he had to do something like this, but I also wanted him to accompany me on the way home, that’s why I did not dare to finish my words anymore.

We just walked home together because I told him that my apartment was close on that area, and he just immediately agreed that we should indeed just walk towards the direction of my home. And I did not have any complaints with that.

We were just silently walking on the way ton my home, but it was not awkward for the both of us. It seems like he also enjoyed the silence between us, so I did not dare to break it as I walked with him on my side.

We finally talked when we were already at the entrance of the building where my apartment is. I stood in front of him as he gave me the foods that I bought on the store earlier, and that made me frown.

“You will not go inside my apartment?” I asked him, confused, and I could see that he got confused on what I just said too. “I mean, you already went all the way here, and I thought that it would be such a shame if you will not go inside my apartment to have a drink. Also, you can think of that as my thank you gift because you accompany me right until here.”

I thought that he would agree, but sadly, he shook his head as he smiled a little. “Maybe, some other time, I would accept your invitation to go inside your apartment,” he told me with a small smile on my face. “It was already fine that I managed to accompany you all the way here.”

I slowly nodded my head at him as I said, “Then, I should get inside now.” He just nodded his head at me and he still did not turn his back. “Thank you for helping me on carrying the foods that I bought,” I added that made his smile widen.

“It’s nothing,” he said as he shrugged his shoulder. “See you until next time,” he bid his goodbye at me, so I just smiled at him and waved when I saw that he was about to leave.

I looked on the direction where he walked away, before I finally went inside my apartment. I put down all the foods that I bought on the dining table that was inside, before I took out my phone and started texting Asher.

These past few days, whenever Aiden was not around our home, it was Asher whom I got to talk to. He always replied to me, almost immediately, and I could say that I did not get bored whenever the both of us were texting each other.

It really like I finally found someone, other than Aiden, that I could really get close to, and I was glad that it was Asher, because I think that he was the type of person that almost had the same attitude as mine.

I did not notice the time that I was texting Asher, even though we just met earlier, and i just stopped when I heard someone cleared their throat behind me, and I knew that it was Aiden who just got off of her work.

I looked at her for a brief second, before I turned my attention on my phone again because Ashe just sent me another message that made me smile. It seems like Aiden also saw how a grin was formed in my face as soon as I turned my gaze at my phone.

“You know,” she said that made me hummed to tell her that I was listening to her. “I am getting jealous on whoever you are texting to.” That was the moment that I stopped texting Asher, telling him that I have something to do, when in fact, I just had to deal with my sulking best friend.

She was now sitting on a single sofa that was across mine, and she had this unimpressed look on her face that made me shook my head.

“Who is that someone?” she asked me, as if she was some kind of my lover, and not my best friend. “Did you already find a replacement for me?” She even held her chest as if she was hurting as she said that.

I just rolled my eyes at her as I cut her dramatic skit off. “It was Asher I was texting,” I told her to stop her speculations, and her dramas.

I heard a loud gasp from her, and she immediately went to sit beside me. “The Mr. Grocery Guy that you met almost a week ago?” she asked me, to confirm if the person she was hearing this right, or not.

I slowly nodded my head at her, and I started to ‘explain’ to her how the two of us, Asher and me, got closer to the point that the two of us were texting each other. I did not bother to wait for her to ask me, because I knew that I would just waste my energy ‘arguing’ with her to stop over reacting.

She immediately squealed as she hugged me as tight as she could when she heard all of my ‘story’ and that also made me roll my eyes because she reacted from over the top again, even if she did not have to.

“I’m proud of you, girl,” she said to me, and she even pinched my cheek that made me glare at her. “You finally have someone special!”