A few years passed, and Misaki and I stayed exactly the same. Close, but not really. Sometimes I would deliberately put some distance between us, mostly because I didn't want Bryan and the others to start noticing again. I didn't want trouble. Not for me, and especially not for Misaki.
This was my first day in college. From kindergarten to elementary, then high school, and now college, I could proudly say I had been loyal to Glorious Legendary University my whole life. And honestly, it was not just loyalty. My mom is one of the most respected chemistry teachers there. That alone explains why she never allowed me to transfer to another university back in high school. Trust me, I tried.
I took a seat at the very back of the classroom. There were only a few students around, and it was obvious many were not showing up today. That's college life for you, especially on the first day. Some are not enrolled yet, some are still asleep, and sometimes even the professor doesn't bother showing up. And really, who can blame them? The first day is always chaos, with everyone still running around fixing enrollment issues and missing requirements.
More than forty minutes had passed, and our Mathematics 1 professor was still nowhere to be found. One by one, students started leaving, probably tired of waiting. It was pretty clear our professor was not coming. Yet there I was, still sitting quietly. My heart is used to waiting. You know, I'm not the type to give up on people easily.
I was staring at the door when my neck suddenly stiffened. My crush walked in. Wait. Into this classroom? Does that mean we are crushmates, I mean classmates? Calm down, Anthony. No assuming. Maybe she just got the wrong room. It is her first day too. Or maybe she came here for me. Wow. I'm being so full of myself again.
My eyes widened, and I blinked three times as she started walking straight toward me. I was not moving, but my soul was already panicking. What do I do? Do I look extra handsome today? Or maybe handsome, but with bad breath. Please let it not be the second one.
I looked up when Misaki stopped right in front of me. She was staring at the desk I was sitting in, so I immediately stood up. Maybe she wanted this seat.
"Do you want to sit here?" I asked, feeling awkward all of a sudden.
"So yeah, sure, you can sit here. I will just sit beside you," I said, answering for her like the helpful gentleman that I am. I moved to the empty seat next to mine and offered it to her. She glanced at me briefly before sitting down. At least we were seatmates in math class. That counts.
More students left until only a few of us remained. It was obvious the professor was not coming anymore. I turned to Misaki and smiled without even realizing it. She looked even prettier up close. I slid my chair a little closer to her and started thinking of my next move. What should I do? Flex my abs right here? Tell me! Comment down below!
"Hi," I said, finally trying to get her attention. She turned to me, and I smiled so wide it probably looked ridiculous.
"Hello," she replied softly.
I almost lost my mind right there. It was rare for her to talk to me, let alone acknowledge my existence. I could listen to her voice forever. Even when she sounds quiet and distant, like she doesn't really feel like talking. Still cute. Always cute.
"How are you?" we asked at the exact same time. See? It's called destiny. According to people who love overthinking, talking at the same time automatically means fate. Whoever started that idea, I hope you have a better life now, and I wish you longevity, your majesty.
The class period ended without our professor ever showing up. So Misaki and I finally left the classroom. There was no point waiting for someone who clearly was not coming. As we walked, I tried to keep pace with her. I teased her, asked for her phone number again, and reminded her about my Facebook friend request she had been ignoring for years. I was used to this. I had been like this since high school. She stays quiet, I talk nonstop, I try to be funny, and I end up laughing at my own jokes. And that is fine. I know she listens. Even just a little.
I still couldn't believe she asked how I was earlier. Knowing she's a quiet person, but maybe she misses me too. I felt giddy, but I did my best to stay cool. Of course, it'd be a waste of this cool vibe if I lost my composure that easily. Even though her voice sounded kinda off earlier, I could still feel the sincerity.
That is just how Misaki sounds. Soft and flat, making it hard to tell if she is angry or just uninterested. That's why I was shocked when I found out she joined the taekwondo club. With how quiet she is, of all places, she picks that club to join? I honestly can't even picture what she looks like when she gets into a fight.
"You're annoying," she said quietly. Guess she finally reached her limit. I had been talking nonstop, sharing random stories, anything just to keep her engaged.
"It is fine. Annoying guys are cute. So tell me, Misaki, am I cute?" I asked with a grin, leaning down to peek at her face. We kept walking the whole time I was pestering her.
Then I caught a faint, fleeting smile.
"Hey! You smiled! I saw that!" I teased her. I practically jumped with excitement, pointing at her with a huge grin. She looked away, but her cheeks were visibly red. Seeing that just made my smile even wider.
"You're not gonna tell me you have a crush on me too, are you?" I was startled when she suddenly threw a notebook at me and it fell to the floor. I stopped in my tracks while she just kept on walking. I picked up the notebook first before catching up to her.
"Wait up, Misaki, my love. I was just kidding," I called out, then broke into a run to catch up to her, who'd already gotten pretty far ahead. I was out of breath by the time I reached her. Man, I might be out of shape. I get tired way too easily lately. Maybe I just need an exercise, or should join the Taekwondo club too. I could pretend to ask her to help me train. But then I suddenly remembered, Carl's a member there too. He'd probably figure things out even more and tattle to Bryan.
Before I gave the notebook back to Misaki, I couldn't help but mess with it a little. I frowned at how it looked.
"This notebook is pretty rough. Where'd you even get this, my love?" I asked her, noticing her steps quicken as she walked ahead.
"From my mom." she replied shortly. Her mom must be into old-fashioned stuff, 'cause even though it looked new, the design felt outdated. I held it out to her, but she wouldn't take it. I moved a little closer until our arms were touching, but she kept her head down. She's really something. She's been like this the whole time.
Oh c'mon! What's the point of being this good-looking if she won't even look at me?
I cleared my throat just to get her attention. But she still didn't say anything. Slowly, I lifted my arm behind her. This was my chance. I was ready to get punched by a black belt if it meant I could put my arm around her. My hand finally reached her other shoulder, and I bit my lip, bracing myself.
Worth it.
Just trying my luck,
—Anthony