“Wait- you were meant to make the eyelash wish, not me! Damn…oh well.”
She chuckled a little, over her mistake, yet everything felt fuzzy. Sounds, his vision, even his sense of touch. Everything, except for the stark beating of his heart, which hadn’t slowed down a second at all.
What is all this?
He shook off the sensation. It was nothing, just surprise at her close proximity.
That was all.
As the two reached the train stop and exited the station, Nina turned to Seth with a grin. She shivered a little as a cold, chill breeze brushed through, and her hands tightened around the hot mint chocolate cup that Seth noticed she drank everymorning. He’d never really been accustomed to mint chocolate, thinking it tasted like toothpaste.
“I better be off,” she told him, nodding toward the light rail that took her to uni.
“Yeah, I’ll see you,” Seth replied, returning her smile. Yet, as she watched her walk away, he was seized with an impulsive idea. Rather than linger on it too much, he stepped forward, calling her name.
She turned around, perplexed.
“Did you want to catch the train home together, today?” he asked. A blush settled on his cheeks before he could stop it. Nina appeared surprised at the ask, so Seth quickly scrambled to add, “It’s just that - we both live so close you know and - well -”
“Of course,” Nina responded, cutting him off, which he was glad for. He wasn’t sure how many more words he’d be able to pull from his lips. “Of course, it’s better than walking home alone at night. I’ll meet you here again, say around…5 pm? Does that work for you?”
A sigh of relief left his mouth before nodding.
“Yes, yes it does. I’ll see you again soon.”
He was used to being a little bit of a loner. After graduation, when Seth drifted from most of his friends, he hadn’t made the effort to really reach for new connections. Other than his first deskmate and now close friend, Jae, he didn’t have many others.
The closest he’d gotten to other people was probably the women he’d hooked up with during the first year of university, when dating apps were all the buzz and he wanted to feelsomething. But really, it gave him nothing.
Not that he minded. He’d grown content in his own company. After all, he’d learnt to in Year 9, after his parents separated and the house had one less person.
Yet, with Nina, he didn’t mind her company. Had even grown fond of it, over the last few days of catching the train to and fro with her.
If only it was like this in high school,he thought.
He would’ve loved to be friends with her back then. Not that he tried hard, outside of being polite.
It was hard because she liked you. Now, she doesn’t.
Seth’s gaze stayed glued on Nina as she walked down the path, wondering once again if it was possible she could still have a crush on him. Even just a small one. Or, whether it was going to be reignited now, since they were spending all this time together.
What would Seth do then?
He shook the thought from his brain. He was being silly, jumping to conclusions. Still, it lingered in his brain and found himself smiling at the thought of it being true.
Today’s class featured a guest speaker from a popular indie company calledLocksnap, where they presented an early demo of an upcoming game in development. The presentation really intrigued Seth, who jotted down the possibility of one day opening his own company, if he was bothered.
Excitement over the speakers came from the offers for internships and placements. Seth, himself, wasn’t looking, which eased his worries. But Jae, who he sat beside in the lecture, was practically buzzing with excitement.
“Ineedthat programming role, if it’s the last thing I do,” Jae groaned, as they exited the large lecture room.
Jae was amongst one of the most talented programmers that Seth knew. Beyond his talents, Jae was also one of the kindest people he’d ever met. It was Jae who was able to snake hisway into Seth’s aloofness on the first day of orientation with his charisma.
Whatever he’d seen in Seth, that had him stick by his side the past three years, he’d never understand. But he was grateful. If it weren’t for Jae, Seth would most definitely be alone.
“You’ll get it, don’t you worry,” Seth assured, and it was true.
To that, Jae sighed, loudly, the type of sigh that reverberated from the chest. It was a little dramatic, but Seth’s friend was like that.
