“Nah, I didn’t date anyone in high school.”
“An old crush then?”
Seth shook his head and Jae groaned, impatient.
“So, just a random girl from your old high school?”
“Well…she used to have this massive crush on me.”
They’d reached the food court and the aroma sent Seth’s stomach churning. Jae punched his arm again, once he realised he was distracted.
“You’re starting to like a girl who used to like you?” he asked. There was a hint of a smirk on Jae’s face, an expression that deepened the growing heat in Seth’s cheeks.
Am I?
The entire ordeal felt ridiculous, that the urge to laugh suddenly bubbled at the pit of Seth’s stomach.
“I mean - like - I don’t know - I literally only saw her again for the first time in years like a week or so ago,” Seth was blabbering at this point, he knew, and he was really starting to hate the growing grin on Jae’s face.
“So, you have a crush on a girl you’ve only been speaking to for two weeks?”
When he put it like that, it reallydidsound absurd. Seth felt his cheeks grow warm.
“Okay you know what, whatever, it’ll just fade. I mean, it hasn’t been that long, right? Like - I never get crushes-crushes you know what I mean? This is probably just pure attraction.”
Even as Seth was saying it, he wasn’t sure where the truth ended.
He’d never been in a relationship, and he wasn’t sure if he was interested in being in one.
“That’s the beauty of feelings, my friend. Thenotknowing. Just go with the flow, and see what happens, you know? Keep doing what you’re doing, and if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”
Jae’s emparting of wisdom lifted Seth’s mood, and he felt a smile twitching.
“Thank you, Jae.”
He bowed, a little exaggeratedly, and Seth laughed. Though, Jae was right. He wouldn’t be overthinking this anymore.
If only young Seth could hear him now. He’d never believe that he’d be feeling this way about Nina Mendez of all people.
Nina Mendez, who revealed to their entire class, the entireschoolthat she liked him.
Nina Mendez, who never used to be able to look him in the eye, who’d blush at just a simple hello from him.
Nina Mendez, the girl who was always around, always there in high volume. The girl who didn’t seem to leave his mind, when he fought against it. The whole situation was absurd.
So, he’ll just let it go.
He’ll let it go.
By the end of the day, Seth wasn’t thinking of her at all. In fact, he almost laughed at himself for making such a big deal out of this supposed crush. He also regretted telling Jae, because he’d teased him non-stop in class.
Seth was just relieved that it faded as quickly as it started. Nina was only a friend, a new friend at that. They shared the same interests, yes, and she was really fun to be around.
So was Jae, and so was Anya, and every other friend that Seth has made. Besides, what did he even know about feelings and relationships?
Relationships never worked out, even when you’re still in one. His parents are proof of that, regardless of the mask that they keep on.
Seeing Nina again, after so many years, simply gave him a shock. So much so, it made him mistake these feelings of nostalgia as feelings for her.
