Carson's expression when he discovered I was texting Rayden was a cross between a terrified cat and an entranced squirrel. His eyes opened like saucers, his jaw dropped lower than a stock market crash, and his brows rose up so high they could have auditioned for a job in a circus show. I half expected him to sprout a pair of antennae and begin broadcasting signals to aliens. It was the kind of gaze that would make a Renaissance sculptor reassess the proportions of his most famous works.
Carson had been my dependable buddy, my emotional support bulldozer, my dazzling knight... well, Rolex in this case. He's the type of guy who could win Mr. Universe while blindfolded preparing a soufflé. But, as much as I adored him, I had to tell him that my heart's GPS was heading in another direction.
I'd often catch Carson sending me glances that could only be described as a mix of desire, intrigue, and maybe a dash of "Am I finally going to get that promotion?" as we maneuvered our schedules that were more coordinated than a ballet routine. There was an unspoken tension in the air, like a suspenseful scene in a romantic comedy where someone is ready to make a meaningful confession but instead gets a pie in the face. The pressure was building, and I was faced with a decision bigger than whether to binge-watch another season of a show or finally go for a workout.
Then, like a telepathic squirrel's message, my phone vibrated with a text from Rayden: "Meet me at the parking lot." This is your final class, as well as Carson's. Do not accompany him home. It would destroy me." It was like getting a coded message from the universe's most tenacious matchmaker.
Carson's grip on my arm tightened as we walked out of class together, as if he was determined not to let me float away like a helium balloon. He walked beside me, generating an unexpected gravitational pull on the female population surrounding us, who were casting amorous glances his way as if he were a rare Pokémon. It was like trying to get to the coffee shop next door through a swarm of photographers.
Rayden emerged at the entryway, almost wearing a scowl like a protest banner, in a dramatic turn of events that could rival a telenovela confrontation. The tension between him and Carson was palpable, like two alpha wolves assessing each other for supremacy, but instead of growls, there were intense looks and flexing jaws. Carson's grasp on my arm was so tight that I worried he'd accidentally twist it into a pretzel.
"Do you have any commitments with this guy, Sid?" Carson's comments were urgent, and his protective posture rivaled that of a bodyguard. He would have worn sunglasses significantly if he had them.
Rayden, never one to back down from a challenge, arched an eyebrow and took a step closer, as if preparing for a duel. "Sidney should accompany me. So, don't act like you're a fantastically charming partner because you aren't. It will never be." It was like seeing a Shakespearean duel, only with modern clothing and no rapiers.
Carson, wanting to be outdone, tightened his grip even more, as if attempting to imprint his DNA onto my skin. He locked his stare on Rayden with the intensity of a thousand scorching suns. "Sidney, I'll take you home. Leave this girl alone, Rayden." If this were a movie, lightning would have struck in the background, thunder would have rumbled, and perhaps a dramatic gust of wind would have swept through to complete the effect.
Rayden, with all the arrogance of a rebellious adolescent, flung his hands up and yelled, "Wow!" as if he had just watched a magic act gone awry. "Sidney, we really need to talk!"
I chose silence and moved passed him, fully aware of the eyes on my back. I felt like the main character in a reality TV show, with the entire globe rooting for my romantic indecision.
Carson and I were leaving campus and hailing a cab, and the quiet between us was as oppressive as a lead balloon. The atmosphere was so thin it could have been cut with a butter knife. Even with the weight of the world on my shoulders, I couldn't help but wonder, "Why can't falling for a guy be as simple as falling off a log?"
When I got home, the comedy began with Tiya Iya's inexplicable joy, as if she had discovered a winning lottery ticket under the couch cushions. It was like walking into a sitcom episode when the laugh track was on full blast.
It was like if Tiya had disclosed the secret formula for turning water into gold when she declared that I didn't have to make dinner. The buzz in the room was thick enough to cut with a butter knife (I swear I'm not fascinated with butter knives). Just when I was going to ask, "Did Rayden—"
Rayden appeared at the doorway in a spectacular entrance that could have been choreographed by the cast of a Broadway musical. His ensemble screamed "casual elegance," as if he'd stepped out of a fashion magazine. If I had to sum up his appearance in one word, it would be "effortlessly perfect." It was like watching a live runway performance in the comfort of my own living room.
Rayden's wicked charm was turned up to eleven before I could say anything. "That's my six-pack!" he laughed. Lower your sights!" I couldn't help but snicker as it felt like a lighthearted jab that hit precisely the right area.
My heart was doing the cha-cha like it was auditioning for Dancing with the Stars as he continued his flirtatious conversation. And just when I thought things couldn't get any more sitcom-like, he leaned in, and for a single second, I believed my life had turned into a rom-com scenario. The surprise kiss was like a narrative twist that even the screenwriters didn't see happening.
As he drew away, his hands still grasping my shoulders, the look on his face was a mix of longing and remorse, like a soap opera character trapped between two options. It seemed like the conclusion of a forbidden romance tale, when everything is hanging in the balance.
"I promised your aunt that I'd respect her house rules," he stated, with the hilarious timing of a seasoned stand-up comedian. I should refrain from kissing you for two days." It was the punchline of a joke that had been developing throughout the episode.
I looked at him with equal parts bemusement and perplexity. What, two days? Was that the rom-com equivalent of a commercial break? My heart was still racing from the unexpected turn of events, so I couldn't help but giggle. It was like riding a roller coaster through a rom-com amusement park, full with heart-stopping moments and hilariously timed surprises.
And when Rayden's dimples grew with his own laughter, I couldn't help but think that love wasn't always a well choreographed drama - sometimes, it was an unanticipated blend of hilarity and romance that left you wanting more.