It was 2536. Last year. I was reading alone in the window corner of the cafeteria. It was pouring heavily. Steve and Mac were absent that day. Mac had to fly back to Australia around this time every year due to family business. Steve had a sudden asthma attack again last week and it was pretty horrible this time. So he has to stay hospitalized for a month and half.
Had no appetite so I was just taking my caffeine to get past the rest of the classes. The stormy weather and loneliness is making me all the way sleepier than usual.
But enjoying the rain and coffee with just the perfect book in my hand keeps getting harder and harder due to the everyday fuss in the middle of cafeteria. Yeah... Of course it's around that Mr. Austin Hanson who is making my life harder unknowingly. I kind of hate people like him, going around making people feel special and stuff only to break them apart. Going out with a million girls at a time he never even loved. I mean it's not even just a rumour now, everyone knows it and are still head over heels for him. Even he didn't succeed in making me believe a guy can be attractive. So I just don't understand what people find in him. I don't even get what's so fun in being popular either. Maybe I don't get people in general. Shit! I'm overthinking about normalization again.
My eyes reverted towards Austin and it can actually spot him through the crowd. He was laughing. But to my surprise he looked at me and stared right into my eyes for a good couple of minute. I cringed and moved my gaze from him to the book. All of a sudden he got up from his seat and made his way straight towards me neglecting the whole crowd. I was sitting crossing my legs over one another holding the book with one hand and the coffee cup with another. I partly tilted my head and gave him a what-fuck-you-want-now look.
"May I sit here, Ms. Evelynn?" he whispered so only I could hear. I choked on my drink a bit.
WHAT? HOW? How does he know my name? Moreover all people of our school knows me as a guy except a few. And I can't remember ever talking to him to be honest.
"Go ahead?" I raised an eyebrow towards him.
"Much obliged," he said giving me a quick smile taking the seat across me.
"Girls~ Can you leave me alone for a moment? I got some scores to settle with this guy here."
Bruh for real? Why me? What're you playing at Mr. Dumbstin? Ok now's time for people to gossip about me. Cool. I can already hear whispers.
"Well what shit would Austy have to settle with that pale and half-dead guy anyways."
I would like to know that too, miss.
"Do you think that guy did something bad with him?"
No, miss. I'm too busy for that.
"Oh no! He must have. I hate guys who are jealous just because of Austy's popularity!!"
Yeah me too. But I hate you both more.
"Ugh! He should have been with me right now!!"
Yeah please take him away.
"Why'd he had to steal Austy from us now? Ughhh!!"
I'd rather get smashed by a meteor than steal him from ya'll.
So all of them like him huh? Good for him. But luckily they all leave him alone and I can relax at last.
"Finally, I'm alone!! Thank you!" Austin said getting up from his seat and wrapping me up in a tight surprise hug almost lifting me up from the ground.
"Yeah yeah bro, anytime. Let go of me now MAN , can't fucking breathe-"
"Sorry," he went back to his seat, "but you are pretty light for your height and age."
"Yea yea whatever," I rolled my eyes and asked, "so what's your purpose?"
"Oh. My purpose? Haha. It's to know you," he said with that never-fading grin on his face.
"Why you want to know me all of a sudden?" I raised another eyebrow towards him sipping my coffee.
"You know, you're too pretty to not be interested in~"
"Those stuffs don't work on me, go find someone else."
"Hey! Don't be mad. But you really are interesting and pretty mysterious you know."
"Oh? Why would you think so?"
"Because I've spent a lot of time watching and observing you last year," he said in serious tone and a scary grin all over his face. His eyes were glowing and suddenly a huge thunderstorm striked lessening the tension between us a bit.
He grabbed both of my hands as his face became more serious.
"You don't know how unique you are. You are the only girl I've ever found interesting in my whole 17 years of life. I know you have dated two other guys before, and though you didn't really love them they did increase your trust issue by hurting you over and over again. I've always wanted to go near you, hug you, comfort you, make you mine. But you always got Steven and Mac around you. I envy them. They are too lucky for their own good," he paused for a bit and again started loosing the grip a bit,
"You see, I've never dated anyone in my whole life. I always get proposals but I know they are just for my looks. So I decided to never fall in love. But fortunately or unfortunately, I don't know, you appeared before me 2 years ago. Since then I've never come to terms with my own feelings and never had the perfect chance to approach you for letting it all out-"
KRINNGGGGG!!!
And, the bell rang. He let go of my hands and got up from his seat. All this time I never said a word and just processed each of the words coming out of his mouth.
"Guess we'll apart now. Oh and don't take me as stalker. I just tried to modify your situation whenever I encountered you inside school mostly, sometimes outside. Bye, see you around!" he waved at me with that same smile on his face.
I waved back at him unconsciously. I was so shocked that I forgot about the class and ended up skipping it...