Chapter Two: Mr. Gay
1793 Words
By the following morning, Amara had almost forgotten about Toba Veymont.
Almost.
She was halfway across the courtyard when she spotted him near the fountain.
The moment Toba saw her, his entire body stiffened.
Then he turned around.
Not casually.
Not subtly.
He turned so quickly that his shoulder nearly collided with a passing student.
Amara stopped.
Toba glanced over his shoulder.
She was still looking at him.
He immediately faced forward and started walking in the opposite direction.
Amara blinked.
Was he running away from her?
“Toba?”
He walked faster.
Amara smiled.
Then she followed him.
“Toba!”
He broke into a hurried stride.
Amara quickened her pace.
“Mr. Gay!”
Toba stopped so abruptly that two students behind him had to walk around him.
He slowly turned.
His face was already red.
“Must you shout that across the entire courtyard?”
“You were running away from me.”
“I was walking.”
“You were fleeing.”
“I was going somewhere.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere that wasn't here.”
Amara folded her arms.
“Why?”
Toba looked away.
For a moment, he seemed genuinely embarrassed.
Then he sighed.
“Because of yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“You know exactly what happened.”
“You mean when you panicked outside the women's changing rooms?”
“I did not panic.”
“You hid behind a door.”
“I was trying to avoid a misunderstanding.”
“You created one.”
“I know.”
Amara stared at him.
Toba rubbed the back of his neck.
“And then you called me Mr. Gay.”
“You earned it.”
“I was hoping you might forget.”
“I have an excellent memory.”
“Unfortunately.”
She stepped closer, smiling.
“So you were actually trying to escape me?”
“I was trying to preserve what little dignity I have left.”
“You should have thought about that before hiding outside the changing rooms.”
“I wasn't hiding.”
“You were crouching.”
“That was strategic.”
“That was hilarious.”
Toba gave her an offended look.
“You find that amusing?”
“Very.”
He shook his head and started walking again.
Amara caught up with him.
“Don't worry. I won't tell anyone.”
“You've already told your friend.”
“I didn't tell her. She guessed.”
“She guessed?”
“She saw your face.”
“My face was normal.”
“Your face looked like you had just been arrested.”
Toba stopped again.
Amara nearly walked into him.
He looked down at her.
“Are you finished?”
“Not yet.”
“Of course not.”
She tilted her head.
“Would it make you feel better if I stopped calling you Mr. Gay?”
“Yes.”
Toba relaxed.
Amara smiled.
“Good morning, Mr. Gay.”
He closed his eyes.
For a second, she thought he might actually walk away.
Instead, he let out a long, defeated sigh.
“You're impossible.”
“And you're my senior.”
Toba opened his eyes.
“What?”
Amara pointed at him.
“You're my senior, aren't you?”
“Yes.”
“Then act like one.”
“I am acting like one.”
“Running away from your junior?”
“I was avoiding an embarrassing conversation.”
“That's not very senior-like.”
He stared at her.
Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.
It was brief, almost reluctant, but it was enough to surprise her.
Amara had never heard him laugh before.
“There,” she said. “So you can smile.”
“I smile.”
“I've never seen it.”
“That's because you've never spoken to me.”
Amara raised an eyebrow.
“Neither have you.”
“Exactly.”
They stood there for a moment.
It was strange.
They had spent almost two years attending the same university without saying more than a word to each other, and now they were standing in the middle of the courtyard arguing over a ridiculous nickname and seniority.
Toba glanced at the building behind her.
“Are you heading to Professor Hale's class?”
“Yes.”
“I'm going there too.”
“I didn't ask.”
“I know.”
She started walking.
He fell into step beside her.
Amara glanced at him.
“You're following me.”
“We're going to the same place.”
“Convenient.”
“You're suspicious of everyone, aren't you?”
“Only people who stand outside women's changing rooms.”
He sighed.
“I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?”
“No.”
“Fine.”
They walked the rest of the way without speaking.
But neither seemed uncomfortable with the silence.
---
Sophie was already in the lecture hall when Amara arrived.
She looked up from her phone.
Then looked at Toba.
Then at Amara.
Then back at Toba.
Her expression changed.
Amara knew that look.
“Don't.”
“I haven't said anything.”
“You're about to.”
Sophie smiled slowly.
“Since when do you walk to class with Toba Veymont?”
“We're going to the same class.”
“And?”
“And nothing.”
Toba pulled out the chair beside Amara.
Sophie stared.
Amara sighed.
“This is not what you think.”
“I haven't told you what I think.”
“You don't have to.”
Toba sat down.
Sophie leaned toward Amara.
“I'm watching you.”
“You're always watching me.”
“Exactly.”
The professor entered before Amara could respond.
The conversation ended.
For the moment.
---
The lecture was supposed to be simple.
It wasn't.
Professor Hale had barely finished explaining the assignment when he announced that they would be working in pairs.
Amara looked at Sophie.
Sophie looked at the student sitting behind her.
Then the professor started calling out names.
“Amara Vale and Toba Veymont.”
Amara closed her eyes.
Sophie covered her mouth to hide her laugh.
Toba leaned toward her.
“Don't say it.”
Amara opened her eyes.
“I wasn't going to.”
“You were thinking it.”
“Maybe.”
“Mr. Gay?”
She smiled.
“Exactly.”
He shook his head.
For the first time, she noticed that his irritation wasn't genuine.
They spent the next hour discussing the assignment.
Amara had expected Toba to be difficult.
He wasn't.
He listened.
Not the distracted kind of listening people did while waiting for their turn to speak. He actually considered what she said.
At one point, she challenged one of his suggestions.
“I don't think that'll work.”
“Why?”
“Because you're assuming the company already has a loyal customer base.”
“And if it doesn't?”
“Then the entire strategy changes.”
He studied the page.
Then looked at her.
“You're right.”
Amara paused.
She hadn't expected that.
“You're not going to argue?”
“Why would I argue if you're right?”
She smiled.
“That's surprisingly reasonable.”
“Were you expecting me to be difficult?”
“Maybe.”
“Because of my reputation?”
Amara hesitated.
“Proud.”
He laughed quietly.
“That's what you think of me?”
“I did.”
“And now?”
She looked at him.
“I haven't decided yet.”
“That sounds promising.”
“Don't get excited.”
He smiled again.
She returned to the assignment.
Neither of them noticed Sophie watching from across the room.
---
They finished the assignment just before the lecture ended.
As everyone began packing up, Toba handed Amara the notebook.
“You write the final section.”
“Why me?”
“Your handwriting is better.”
She looked at him suspiciously.
“That sounds like an excuse.”
“It is.”
Amara laughed.
“You're honest.”
“Sometimes.”
She stood and slipped the notebook into her bag.
Toba picked up his books.
“Amara.”
She looked back.
“Hmm?”
“About yesterday…”
Her expression softened slightly.
“I haven't told anyone.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Sophie hasn't mentioned it.”
Toba nodded.
“Good.”
Amara smiled.
“But I still have the nickname.”
He shook his head.
“You're impossible.”
“See you later, Mr. Gay.”
She walked away before he could answer.
This time, she heard him laugh behind her.
---
Amara was halfway through lunch when Toba appeared beside her table.
He looked at her plate.
Then at her.
“You're not finishing that, are you?”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“You've barely touched it.”
“I'm eating slowly.”
“You've been saying that for ten minutes.”
He reached for a piece of food.
Amara slapped his hand away.
“You have your own.”
“I didn't like mine.”
“That's not my problem.”
“You weren't eating that.”
“I was going to.”
She pulled the plate closer.
“You're lucky you're supposedly gay.”
Toba stared at her.
“Supposedly?”
Amara smiled innocently.
“Did I say that?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe I was talking about someone else.”
“There are no other men here.”
She looked around.
“You're right.”
Toba laughed.
And Amara found herself laughing too.
She didn't think much of it.
Neither did he.
---
That afternoon, Amara was leaving the library when she noticed Toba standing near the steps.
He was talking to a girl.
She recognized her immediately.
Celeste Laurent.
Everyone knew Celeste.
She was beautiful, wealthy, confident, and rarely walked anywhere without attracting attention.
Toba was looking at her.
Not casually.
There was something different in his expression.
Amara slowed for a moment.
Then she remembered the changing-room incident.
Her eyes narrowed.
She walked past them.
“Goodbye, Mr. Gay.”
Toba turned.
Celeste looked at him.
Then at Amara.
Then back at him.
Toba's expression changed.
“Amara—”
She kept walking.
He watched her disappear through the courtyard.
Celeste folded her arms.
“Who is she?”
Toba looked toward the direction Amara had gone.
“She's a friend.”
Celeste's eyebrows lifted.
“A friend?”
He nodded.
Then, after a brief pause, he added,
“She's… interesting.”
Celeste smiled.
Toba didn't notice.
He was still looking toward the courtyard, wondering why her opinion suddenly seemed to matter more than he expected.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD