Sophia left an exhale to escape her lips after a tiring day of six hours that she had passed in lectures. She dragged her feet slowly and lazily till the bus stop but before even had the chance to take a seat at the bench, a honk was heard behind her which startled her enough to jump on her place.
Her body tingled from the fear that travelled through her senses briefly and as in her mind, she proceeded to curse to whoever that irresponsible driver was she turned to look behind only to be met with the sight of a sports car stopped at her feet.
The window of the driver started rolling down making Sophia keep to herself the offensive words she was just about to throw for she was on the right at that moment and was standing at the side of the road, not even close to bother any vehicle, much more to make it stop because of her.
"Come on, get inside Sophia." Jamie invited her in with a smile on his lips as he picked his head outside of his window, and she stood there surprised for a moment yet took on his request soon enough.
Sophia opened the door and entered the vehicle, greeting him awkwardly, considering that she was about to throw a tantrum at him a moment ago. Who could blame her after all? She was not used to anyone coming to pick her up much more that someone being someone she barely knew but since he was her boyfriend's close friend and roommate, it would not seem inappropriate to accept a ride from him.
"Aren't you going home?" Jamie asked while establishing eye contact with Sophia then gifted her a smile full of friendliness.
Sophia nodded as a response and Jamie suddenly leaned closer, making her freeze in place for a second at the unexpected proximity but he just proceeded to fix her safety belt for her and then took off.
He gifted her a soft smile once again in an attempt to make the atmosphere between them not too weird for he had stopped once he saw her without thinking much but once with her by his side, he could understand that they had nothing eeping them from not being awkward. Sophia didn't overthink much of his intentions and just turned her gaze out the window speaking to herself inwardly in a reassuring manner that she had no reason to be feeling awkward despite this being the first time she was alone with him.
"Do you mind if I stop by the supermarket for a bit? I have something I need to buy." He asked her, breaking the silence that had been created inside the car.
"Eh? Oh! Of course not. I will take some stuff too since we are stopping by." She responded then gave him a small smile, not wanting to come off to him as unfriendly or rude. It sure was hard for someone as antisocial as she was to be normal to the point that she herself questioned often how the heck had she managed to get a boyfriend for herself and actually have friends, to begin with.
After some minutes the vehicle stopped at the parking lot of the supermarket and they both stepped out of the car, heading towards the entrance of the market.
"Tell me, Sophia, if you don't mind of course, how did you and Shiro meet?" Jamie displayed his curiosity once the two had entered the supermarket and were walking down a corridor, his eyes travelling around the products on the shelves.
"One day, I was sitting on a bench at the park and he was taking pictures. He was focused on his photographic camera so he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, so he tripped and landed with his head right between my legs." Sophia told him while laughing slightly at the recalling of that day, it sure was ridiculous yet somehow Shiro had managed to turn that embarrassing moment into his advantage and get her number.
Jamie however didn't hold back his laughter at all, filling the place with his loud laughter that sounded quite melodic strangely enough and Sophia's heart suddenly skipping a beat at the sight, finding him too cute and joyful.
" Now I understand why every time I asked he avoided the question. Such an embarrassment." Jamie commented while he kept laughing like crazy because he couldn't help but picture her words in his head and the image contradicted his friend's serious and cold persona way too much to not seem incredibly funny to him.
Sophia turned her back at him, slightly embarrassed by the attention his loudness was attracting even though she personally didn't mind him being so comfortable and enjoying himself but she surely was not good with handling unnecessary eyes on her. However the more he kept giggling the more she started being influences and cracking up herself here and there.
"His energy is contagious"
She concluded in her thoughts then turned to face him again with a smile on her lips and hopes that befriending this guy was looking like an easy task that maybe even she could do.
---change of set ---
"Where are you going?" Lisa asked Dimitra once she saw her getting out of her room all dressed up.
"I have a date~" She sung her answer happily while jumping up and down around herself.
"Whaaaaat?! Do you have no shame?! Are you cheating on my best friend?!" Lisa shouted, throwing a pillow at Dimitra's smiling face.
"The heck are you talking about you idiot. Joel is the one I am going on a date with!" Dimitra shouted back and threw the pillow back at her, annoyed that she didn't hesitate to accuse her, but unfortunately her pillow missed its target once again. Why the heck was she so bad at aiming when it comes to her, she couldn't help but complain inwardly at the unfairness that the pillows of this house had towards her for they obviously biased Lisa a bit too much.
"Haha, you missed again." Lisa teased her as she stuck out her tongue at her, making mocking noises like a little brat.
"You little... Agh... You are so lucky that I am in a hurry or else I would have shown you." Dimitra threatened as she bent down to put on her shoes.
"Say 'hi' to him from me and tell him to remember that he has a friend too and not make time only for his girlfriend. It's my fault that I introduced you to each other. See now, I am left behind." Lisa rumbled out her complaints for her friend has been literally ignoring her existence lately and Dimitra turned around and flashed her a satisfied smile, for she knew that she was Joel's priority.
" Is it jealousy what I am smelling? "Dimitra told her and stuck out her tongue just the way she did earlier to her then she burst into a fit of laughter as she got out of the door, feeling satisfied that she got to return her the favour.
" What a meanie! "Lisa murmured now talking to herself since she was alone at home.
The quietness of the house didn't last long though as the sound of her phone going off grabbed her attention and she rushed quickly to the couch where she had left it, hoping that Sophia might be the one that texted her, telling her that she is on her way home because Lisa didn't like much stayed home alone.
Who will she annoy after all, if she is alone?
Lisa opened the text message and her facial expression dropped instantly for it was not her friend that texted her to her displeasure but Shiro.
-"Come up so we can work on the project. I am alone so we will have our quietness to finish this as quickly as possible."
An exhale of disappointment escaped her lips as she really had no desire to go but since they have a project together she didn't have a choice.
She grabbed her bag with her books and everything else she might need while arguing inwardly with her own self but she knew she could not avoid this for even if she was to not go now she had to do it another time. She stepped out of her door wearing still her house slippers as she wasn't going far for they had already moved to the apartment right above hers and entered the elevator finding herself nearly three minutes later at his doorstep where she pressed the bell of his apartment and Shiro opened up the door rather quickly.
"Wow! You really came?!" He exclaimed a little surprised once he saw her standing at his doorstep. As if it wasn't him that literally invited her over.
"Why wouldn't I? I have nothing to fear after all." She held her chin high and pushed him aside to enter, not carrying to appear polite when it comes to him.
Lisa took a seat on the floor and started pulling out of her bag her books and notebooks, ignoring Shiro's presence completely.
"Make yourself at home." He commented sarcastically then took a seat opposite her at the table.
The two went straight to work, leaving any unnecessary talk aside as the only thing that was connecting them at that moment was that project and the sooner they finish it, the sooner they will be free to avoid seeing each other's unwanted faces.
However, their will to cooperate started facing some obstacles soon enough as they found themselves disagreeing on many things and proposed solutions for one another.
"Yeah, it's not a bad idea but I prefer something more innovative," Shiro said, turning down for the third time Lisa's suggestion related to the theme of their project and that rejection seemed to be the last straw on her nerves that he was testing for some minutes now.
"Don't worry, I will unfold all my imagination at your funeral." She responded, fed up with all the shit he would come up with as an excuse to reject her ideas while he himself had not even proposed anything decent yet.
"Hey, are you going to be cooperative or how is it going to be?" He told her, now a little pissed off at her, as his stare indicated.
"Me?! You are the one that is being an ass for half an hour now!" She retorted, glaring back at him while her nails started hitting rhythmically against the surface of the table, leaving her irritation show through that movement.
"Hey! Be careful with your use of words if you don't want me to get mad. And stop with that fucking noise. It's annoying!" Shiro glared at her, the tone of his voice rising as he spoke.
"And what will you do if I am not careful? Will you scold me?" She scoffed at his absurd words and fastened the pace of her nails against the table on purpose, making the sound louder and as thus more annoying.
" I said cut it out! "Shiro yelled as he smacked his fist against the table, having reached the peak of his patience.
Lisa froze for a moment at his action that got her unprepared but it also made her angrier, for how did he dare to raise his voice at her like that and expect her to obey.
" Seriously now! You are gonna act like a tough guy and all? Aren't you the one that kept whining like a little bitch all this time?!" Lisa yelled back at him and stood up, completely furious and ready to take him on in a fight if needed. She was not scared of him and she was ready to show him that.
"What did you just called me?! Say that one more time and I swear..!"He yelled back, now looking pretty pissed off himself and stood up at her level, his taller height intending to intimidate her a bit.
" What? Do you think I would be afraid of you? I said that you sounded like a little immature bit-"Her words got interrupted as Shiro grabbed her by her arm and pulled her closer making her freeze momentarily and close her eyes shut out of reflex once she saw him raising his hand.
Instead of a painful feeling that she was expecting, however -out of the assumption she had made that he was most likely gonna slap her- her eyes grew wide as she felt a pair of lips crushing against hers instead with great force and anger, making her lose her words and the whole world in general.
---To be continued...