The sky is still dark, and the rain is about to fall. I brought an umbrella, and I checked the time of possible rain. I don't want to repeat what happened yesterday. I didn't sleep well last night, wondering why my mother kept me away from them. I think she knows their parents. But why did I have to avoid them? Did something bad happen between them? I hope he will answer all my questions. It won't shut me up until I know the reason.
 
I never get anxious going to the university, but today I feel different. I can’t stay still and relax. I am very nervous. What if I came across them? What should I do?
 
But why am I nervous? I always push them away, so I don’t have to worry too much. I will just push them harder and not talk to them at all. I used to like it. I shouldn't make it hard for myself.
 
"I’ll get going now, Miss Carmi." I bid my goodbye.
 
"Thanks for your good work, Alexa. Have a good day at the university." She said this and waved her hand at me. I nodded and muttered, "Thank you."
 
 
I just finished my shift at the diner, and it is now time to go to the university. I hope our paths will not cross. But I think heaven is playing with me.
 
I haven’t even stepped foot inside the university. I've already crossed paths with him. He’s near the entrance, looking at the people entering the campus. And his eyes land on me—incredible. How can I avoid him when he’s looking for me?
 
He’s smiling at me. My heart starts pounding. My nervousness doubled. I don’t know what to do. How will I ignore him? There’s no other way to enter the campus aside from this gate. Very unlucky!
 
The distance between us is decreasing second by second, and now I am in front of him. I can’t look at him straight. I don’t know if I can talk to him without stuttering.
 
"Hey, are you fine now?" he started a conversation.
 
I just chose to nod and not bother to speak. It feels like I’m betraying my mother. I promised her that I would never talk to him again and to stay away from him.
 
"Are you sure?" he asked worriedly. He tried to check my temperature, but I pushed his hand away, which shocked him.
 
"I’m good. You don’t need to concern yourself with me." I turned my back after I said that and walked away from him.
 
I didn't even try to look at his face after I said those words. I can’t look at him. No matter how many times I deny it, I know to myself that there’s something pulling me towards him. I don’t want this feeling to grow, or else I will start to hate myself.
 
I don’t need emotions like this. I need to stay focused on my goals. I don’t need to get distracted. I don’t want to get hurt. I need to protect myself.
 
I stopped walking when someone grabbed my arm.
 
"Hey," he said.
 
I removed his grip on my arm and had the courage to look into his eyes. I looked at him without any emotion on my face. Compared to him, who was full of wonder and shock, I just stared at him. I couldn't say a word to him. He wanted to speak, but he chose to keep his mouth shut. He slowly backed away from me. That was the signal for me to start walking again. I can still sense that he's still looking at me, but I didn't dare to look over him. I have decided that I will follow my mother's order.
 
 
I haven’t seen Ria anywhere. and it’s a good thing for me. I guess she’s also avoiding me. I want to ask her; I know she knows something. She’s hiding something from the very start when she approached me. Now I know why it seems weird when she starts talking to me. She has something in her palm.
 
"Yo Alexa!" I look over my shoulder to see who it is.
 
I frowned when I saw him. He’s wearing a white shirt under his jacket and some jeans. He’s beaming at me. I haven’t seen him these days. They have a strict practice now. The game will start soon. That reminds me of the bet.
 
"What are you doing here, Keith?" I asked.
 
Ria wasn't here, but he takes over. I thought to myself.
 
"I haven’t seen you in a while. I’m quite busy these days. I just want to say hello." He casually said I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.
 
"You came over here just to say hello?" I asked annoyingly. He laughed at me, but I sent him a death glare.
 
"Okay, okay, let me get straight to the point. I am so frustrated." He averted his gaze from me and looked somewhere else.
 
"What?" I blurted it out.
 
"You always declined my offer to take you to your home. You didn’t want to talk to me for even a minute. I really need to say that it's very important to you." He sighed and looked at me like he was pissed off.
 
 
Is he going to confess? Oh, don’t get ahead of yourself; he may always ask about my whereabouts and even offer to take me home, but it’s just a way of being helpful.
 
"You know what, you better stop..." I want to shut up, but my mouth doesn’t want to cooperate with me. I don’t want to embarrass myself, so I better stop talking.
 
"But I haven’t even started." He said it in surprise.
 
 
"I know what you want to tell me." Oh, please, I better stop talking.
 
"Really, that’s good! So, what do you think about it? And if you already know, why do you keep on staying away from me?" He said it excitedly. He almost jumped for joy.
 
"I don’t need distractions, okay? I have goals already that I want to achieve first before I make that commitment." I think that's safe, right? Whatever he wants from me, that will be the answer.
 
"Wait what? But I just need you to help me. Do you think that I like you?" He paused for a second, his eyes widening. "Woah, I didn’t expect that."
 
"W-what? No! Why would you think that I thought about it? No way."
 
"Did you just stammer?" he teased me.
 
"NO! You said, you’re going to get straight to the point. Go on, you’re wasting my time." I tried to get away from him, but he’s fast, and he blocks my way.
 
"Okay, slow down. Breath in, breathe out." He even uses his hands to guide my breathing. I don't need that.
 
"I like your friend." He whispered, but I was able to hear it.
 
"Friend?"
 
"Yes, your friend Ria." He excitedly said
 
"Are you serious?" I asked him. This is very unexpected. When did he develop his feelings for her? They just met when they had a friendly match with our basketball team.
 
"Do you think I will just joke around involving an innocent person?"
 
"Okay, what does it have to do with me?"
 
"Because you’re the one who knew her. You will help me to know her, to be close with her, and hopefully to make her like me," he said. He was restless where he stood. It's like he's thrilled. I never thought that a man would have a side like this. What I thought about them was that they are very tough and cold-hearted humans.
 
 
"Don’t ask for my help. I’m not her friend, and you’re not my friend either." He looks hurt, but I shouldn’t care.
 
"Oh, please, Alexa, just this one. Please, I’m begging you."
"No so you better shut up." I rolled my eyes.
He keeps on following me and begging for me to help him. Why I can't just abandoned hime here? What's going on with me?
"Fine, fine so please stop following me and shut your mouth."
 
"YES! Thank you, Alexa!" He put his arm around my shoulder and almost hugged me. I know the people who will see us will interpret us as a couple. Or I already said yes to Keith, and they definitely think that I’m a two-timer. Tss.
 
"Take your arm off! You know people are very assuming and delusional."
 
I pushed him hard because my eyes caught Travis. He looks angry and sad at the same time. I hope that's not what he was thinking about what he saw, or should that be what I asked him to think so that he would avoid me forever?
 
"Sorry, I’m just carried away. But I’m very thankful and happy right now. Thank you, Alexa. I know you always hide your kindness." He puts both his hands in front of me, which looks like a defensive mode for my attack.
 
 
"Are you mocking me? Do you want me to help you or not?" I want to punch him, but I need to calm down. I know that my punch will be worthless.
 
"Okay sorry. I'm just stating the truth." He looks behind him and says, "Did you see someone you know? Did you see Ria?" He asked.
 
I can’t stop myself from looking where I saw Travis, but he’s not there anymore.
 
"No, I didn’t see her. Honestly, I haven’t seen her since I entered campus. That’s why I don't know how I will help you." I crossed my arms and sighed.
 
"That’s fine. I know eventually she will be on your side." He winks at me and says, "You can start helping me by telling me basic information about her."
 
Why do I have to be in this situation?