Research On You

Chapter 5 : The Misunderstanding

It started with a photo.

Eli posted it on the school page on Thursday morning.

Caption: The faces of thesis survivors. #ResearchOnYou #AllNighter

It was us. Me, Theodore, Sera, Cass. All of us in the diner at 5 AM. Hair messy. Eyes tired. Smiling like idiots.

The comments blew up in 10 minutes.

randomclassmate: are ana and theo dating???

anotherperson: they look so cute together

seraphina.s: MIND YOUR BUSINESS

cass.v: ...

theo.a: just research spouses

eli.t: for the memories

I saw it during my break at Rel’s Cafe.

My phone buzzed nonstop.

Sera: GIRL. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS

Sera: YOU LOOK SO SOFT WITH HIM

Me*: We’re tired. That’s all.

Sera: Sure.

I was putting my phone down when the door chimed.

Theodore walked in.

With someone else.

A girl. Pretty. Blonde. Laughing at something he said.

My stomach dropped.

"Reyes," he said when he saw me. "Hey."

"Hey," I said. My voice sounded normal. Good.

"This is Bianca," he said. "Bianca, this is Anastasia. My thesis partner."

"Hi," Bianca said, smiling. "I’ve heard so much about you. The color-coded notes girl."

I forced a smile. "Hi."

Theodore ordered two coffees. Caramel for him. Black, no sugar for... her?

"She likes black coffee too," he explained. "Weird, right?"

"Cool," I said.

They sat at a table. Not far. But not with me.

Rel came up to the counter. "You okay, kid?"

"Fine," I said. "Why wouldn’t I be?"

"You tell me," Rel said.

I didn’t.

---

That night, group chat was dead silent.

No one mentioned the photo.

No one mentioned Bianca.

Me: Are we meeting tomorrow? For revisions?

Theo: Yeah. Library. 9 PM.

Me: Okay.

9 PM. Library.

He was there. On time. Alone.

"Hey," he said. "Got you coffee."

He pushed a black coffee toward me.

"Thanks," I said. "For Bianca too?"

He paused. "What?"

"You got her coffee earlier," I said. "Black, no sugar."

"Oh," he said. "That. She just... she asked. I was already ordering."

"Right," I said.

We worked. Or tried to.

It was awkward.

He’d make a joke. I’d laugh, but too late.

He’d lean over to read my screen. I’d move away.

At 10:30 PM, he said, "Are you mad at me?"

"What? No," I said. "Why would I be mad?"

"I don’t know," he said. "You’re being weird."

"I’m not weird," I said. "You’re weird."

"Okay," he said. "I’m weird. Are you mad?"

"I’m not mad," I said. "I don’t care who you drink coffee with."

He went quiet.

"Good," he said. "Because I don’t care either."

The words stung.

"Great," I said. "Then we’re good."

"Great," he said back.

We didn’t talk for the rest of the night.

---

Friday. Class.

Professor Celes returned our draft with comments.

"Good work," she said. "But you two need to communicate better. Your sections feel disconnected."

"Yes, ma'am," we said in unison.

After class, Sera cornered me.

"What happened with you and Theo?"

"Nothing," I said.

"Don’t ‘nothing’ me," Sera said. "You’ve been weird since the photo."

"The photo means nothing," I said.

"Then why are you mad?" Sera asked.

"I’m not mad," I said. "I’m busy."

I walked away.

---

That weekend, I threw myself into work.

At the cafe. At the library. Alone.

No Theodore.

He texted once.

Theo: We still on for Monday?

Me: Yes.

Monday. 9 PM. Library.

He was there. Early.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I said.

We worked in silence.

At 11 PM, he closed his laptop. "Can we talk?"

"About what?"

"About whatever this is," he said, gesturing between us.

"There’s nothing," I said.

"There is," he said. "You’ve been avoiding me."

"I have not," I said.

"You have," he said. "And I don’t like it."

"Well I don’t like you and Bianca," I blurted out.

Silence.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Forget it."

"No," he said. "Say it again."

"I said I don’t like you and Bianca," I said, louder. "Happy?"

Theodore stared at me. Then he laughed.

"You’re jealous," he said.

"I am NOT," I said.

"You are," he said, grinning. "Admit it."

"I am not jealous," I said. "I’m just... I don’t care."

"You do care," he said. "That’s why you’ve been weird."

"So what if I do?" I snapped. "What does it matter?"

"It matters," he said quietly. "Because I care too."

My breath caught.

"What?" I asked.

"I care," he repeated. "A lot. And seeing you mad because of Bianca... it means something."

"Bianca is just a friend," he said. "A classmate. She asked me to help her with stats. That’s it."

"Oh," I said.

"Oh," he repeated. "So. Are we good?"

I nodded. "We’re good."

He smiled. "Good. Because I missed you. Even though it’s only been 3 days."

"Shut up," I said, but I was smiling too.

"Never," he said. "Now come on. We have work to do. Research spouses don’t fight."

"We’re not—" I started.

"We are," he said. "And we’re good at it."

---

The next day, Sera texted the group chat.

Sera: SO. ARE YOU TWO TALKING AGAIN

Cass: Obviously.

Eli: I have photographic evidence.

Theo: We’re fine.

Me: We’re fine.

Sera: KISSING YET

Theo: Sera.

Me: Sera.

Sera: Worth a shot.

At lunch, Theodore sat with me. Again. Like normal.

"Bianca says hi," he said, passing me fries.

"Tell her hi back," I said.

"She asked if you wanted to join our study group," he said.

"Your study group?"

"Yeah," he said. "I told her I already have a study group. It’s you."

My heart did the thing.

"Oh," I said.

"Oh," he said. "Eat your fries, Reyes."

---

Friday. Progress meeting with Professor Celes.

"We’re back on track," I said.

"Good," Professor Celes said. "I don’t like tension in my classroom."

"There’s no tension," Theodore said.

Professor Celes looked at us. "Right."

After, Theodore walked me to the cafe.

"You’re not mad anymore?" he asked.

"No," I said. "Are you?"

"No," he said. "But I am sorry. For not telling you about Bianca."

"It’s fine," I said. "I overreacted."

"You didn’t," he said. "You cared. That’s different."

We stopped at the gate.

"Thanks," I said. "For telling me."

"Thanks," he said. "For caring."

He bumped my shoulder. "See you Monday?"

"Monday," I said.

---

That night, Eli posted another photo.

It was from the diner. But a different one.

Me and Theodore. Heads close together over our notes. Both smiling.

Caption: Some drafts take all night. Some take longer. #ResearchOnYou

The comments:

seraphina.s: FINALLY

cass.v: ...

theo.a: stop

eli.t: never

My phone buzzed.

Theo: Saw the photo.

Me: Saw it.

Theo: We do look good together.

Me: In a research way

Theo: In a research way.

Theo: Good night, Reyes.

Me: Good night, Theo.

I stared at my ceiling.

Maybe this was just a thesis.

Maybe it was more.

And for the first time, I wasn’t scared to find out.

END OF CHAPTER 5