Between The Lines

Chapter 4: Mind Games

Jason had always been good at keeping his emotions in check. At least, that’s what he told himself. But after meeting Derby, something shifted. It wasn’t just attraction—it was the way she carried herself, the way she smiled at him like he was someone worth knowing. He hated how easily she lingered in his mind, how her voice replayed in his thoughts like a song stuck on repeat.

No, this wasn’t supposed to happen. He was here for school, not distractions. But some distractions were impossible to ignore.

After getting to his dorm, he couldn’t shake the image of her out of his head. He kept thinking about how beautiful she looked and the way her smile lit up the room when she spoke to him. He was almost lost in thought when his roommate, Shaw, showed up and greeted him, “Hope you had a nice day?”

Jason didn’t want to sound too happy, as he didn’t feel like sharing just how good his day had been. He replied with a simple “Not bad. Yours?”

Shaw grinned widely. “Very good, man. Very good.” He paused dramatically, as if to build up suspense. “You won’t believe what I saw today, Jason. A beauty so stunning, I almost couldn’t breathe. I swear, I wanted to tell her, ‘Choke me, take my heart, I have no use for it as long as I see you.’”

Jason rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the grin that spread across his face. Shaw’s over-the-top enthusiasm was hard to ignore, especially when Jason was reminded of Derby. He couldn’t help but smile like a kid who had just received the best gift.

Shaw noticed his silence and leaned in closer. “Hey, did you hear me? What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Jason snapped out of his thoughts, trying not to sound too eager. “Yeah, I heard. Did you talk to her? Get her number or something?”

Shaw sighed dramatically. “Nah, man. I couldn’t even talk to her. I just saw her from afar. But trust me, the universe will bring her my way one day.”

Jason gave a slight laugh. “Hopefully. It’s hard enough to meet someone you already know, let alone a total stranger.”

Shaw grinned. “Don’t worry. We’ll see her again. And when we do, I won’t miss my chance.”

As Shaw continued to talk about the “universe” and his grand plans to meet this mystery girl again, Jason’s mind wandered back to Derby. He wasn’t sure if he should text her now or wait until later in the evening. He felt conflicted, unsure of whether he was rushing things. Maybe I should just wait until tonight, he thought.

In the end, his curiosity and excitement won. As he lay down to relax, he grabbed his phone. He could feel his heart race as he typed: Hello, Derby. How has your day been?

He sat back and stared at the screen, anxiously waiting for a reply. His thoughts kept drifting to her smile, her voice, and how everything felt a little brighter since meeting her. But the minutes ticked by, and still no response. He checked his phone again, and again, then again. Each time, the same emptiness greeted him. Did I say something wrong?

The anxiety grew, and Jason found himself overthinking every possible scenario. Maybe she’s busy. Maybe she’s with someone else. Maybe she doesn’t care. He couldn’t stop the negative thoughts swirling in his head. He tossed and turned in bed, unable to relax. It was getting late—so late that he eventually drifted off to sleep, still clutching the hope that she would reply.

Then, in the middle of the night, Jason’s phone buzzed.

He jumped up, heart pounding, and grabbed it quickly. There it was: “I’m sorry for the late reply, something came up.” Three hours late, but she had responded.

Jason blinked at the screen, still half-asleep. Three hours... The sting of the wait lingered, but a wave of relief washed over him. She had replied. That was something, at least.

He wanted to feel angry, or disappointed, but in his sleepy haze, he just felt thankful. He put the phone back down, trying to ignore the mix of emotions bubbling inside him, and drifted back to sleep.

The morning came far too soon. Jason awoke to his phone buzzing again. He rubbed his eyes, still groggy, and glanced at the screen. It was Derby.

“Good morning! How was your night?"

Jason stared at the text for a moment, not knowing whether to reply immediately. His fingers hovered over the screen as he debated whether to share just how long he had been waiting for her message. But no, he couldn’t be that desperate. Don’t make it obvious, Jason, he thought.

He finally typed: “My night was good. I have to start preparing for class. Talk to you later.”

He hit send and let out a small breath of relief. He didn’t want to appear too eager, but at least they were talking again. The uncertainty of the previous night began to fade, replaced by a calm acceptance that things would unfold at their own pace.

The morning air was crisp as Jason stepped out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind him so he wouldn’t wake Shaw. He had an early lecture and wanted to clear his head before class. But just as he reached the hostel entrance, he nearly bumped into someone.

‘Jason!’ Nate’s voice carried a hint of amusement as he steadied himself. ‘Didn’t take you for an early riser.’

Jason exhaled sharply. Of all people to run into first thing in the morning.

‘Yeah, well… some of us actually care about making it to class on time,’ Jason muttered, adjusting his bag strap.

‘Relax, man, I’m heading there too,’ Nate said, falling into step beside him. Jason didn’t have much of a choice but to walk with him.

They moved through the campus pathway, the morning still quiet except for the faint rustling of leaves and distant chatter from other students. Then, out of nowhere, Nate spoke again—his voice was quieter this time.

‘So, tell me… you’re a smart guy. You ever notice when things don’t add up?’

Jason frowned, glancing at him. ‘What do you mean?’

Nate smirked, but there was something different about it this time—something off. ‘You’ll see soon enough.’

Jason’s steps faltered slightly, a strange unease creeping into his chest. But before he could say anything, Nate had already pushed open the lecture hall door, walking in like nothing had happened.