I was in class when I got a text from my roommate.
-Can we have lunch together?
Recalling his timetable, he had something art. For someone who liked design and drawing if his sketchbooks were to go by, shouldn't that lesson be more enticing to him?
-There's a guy I don't like here...he keeps flirting.
And Rashid's face came to mind. That guy loved art, painting, sculpture making...you name it. But each waking moment had him buzzing around. He was hit once for it...I should hit him if I find out it's him.
-I'll pick you up in ten.
Our buildings were a great distance from each other. I send a text to Krattin to have a bike and car sent over. The reason I hadn't thought of it before was school had shuttle buses...and my brother's fantasy of mr having other friends was tempting.
Or maybe if needed someone would just send it over.
People with triangles and pattern sheets, portable stands...same scenario as early morning but now a bit more hurried with food packs huddled. I noticed him sat in the steps looking at his phone...Rashid by his side.
"Riley!"
"Riley?"
Rashid was first to stand. Blane looking between us then stood and took a step back. Damn this guy, didn't he know to keep himself away from cute guys? Beating him up when I didn't even know it was safe to go after cutie would be a sin.
"It's not what it looks like."
"What does it look like?"
"I...okay. I just thought he was cute. Asked for his contacts, he assumed me."
"During a lesson?"
"That was my bad. I just thought..."
"That you'll be leaving?"
"Yes! Sorry cutie."
He waved and took off. Okay, maybe I didn't need to give explanations and what not. I turned to Blane who was eyeing me wearily now.
"That one's Rashid. One of my childhood friends."
"Together with those in the forum?"
"Forum?"
He handed me his phone, showing me a photo...quite clear, taken of us under that tree. I nodded. He'd meet them eventually, whether I liked it or not.
"He likes flirting...he could even flirt with a rock if he finds it nice to look at. I don't mean that what he did was right..."
"It's fine. With him there everyone else took off."
Should have thought of that. Of course he was cute, I didn't want him leaving the dorm this morning yet he just has the formal uniform on...blue shirt and black pants on.
"Let's go eat."
"Won't he question you not following him?"
"Let's hope he stays dumb for a good while. How were your lessons?"
Having to share this lesson for the first semester is a good thing. Somehow he made himself Blane's protector. Although Blane didn't talk to him much, it seemed to just make Rashid happy to be there and it was getting on my nerves.
"Riley?"
"Why are you here?"
"I don't have class and he asked for some water colors. Why are you here?"
"Came to pick someone up...it's his last lesson of the day."
"You?"
He seemed to not want to believe it but well, he'd find out soon so better to air it out.
"Yeah!"
"I thought he had another lesson."
"Not talking about Rashid."
"Riley!"
Yeap, I still like this voice a good lot. I smiled as I turned to the two coming down the stairs. I know behind me someone's reaction was ...to be expected but I don't think I care.
"Who's this?"
"My question exactly."
"Blane this is Quint, Quint meet Blane. I am sure we're all busy people so bye..."
"I am free."
Knew it, but problem is I am not. I take Blane's bag though I am always wondering why it's this heavy then took his other hand into mine. Two pairs of footsteps behind me telling me it wasn't the end of everything.
"So?"
We were at a food court outside school. I had promised Blane to eat here once the week was over. To tell the truth, it was also a way of easing him into knowing I might not be around the coming week because of work. It was my own way out until these two...
"Blane's his roommate."
"Uhuh, I gathered... anything else?"
" I like him and I am trying to get to know him better...so, can you ease up?"
Good thing he'd taken a 'bathroom break' to let us talk.
"You like him?"
"Yeah!"
"Yet you let me flirt with him?"
"You want to get hit?"
"I asked and he said you'd stopped...you just hover around him which he doesn't mind as it keeps other predators away."
"Damn I am a tool."
I knew in his subconscious, he saw Blane as someone he had to take care of after he'd seen me there the whole week but as I had said before...maybe not loud but Rashid wasn't the best at reading some things.
How many times had he flirted with people only to want them as friends at the end of the day? Not caring...no, not knowing whether they had caught feelings or not.
Few moments later, Blane came drugging someone with him.
"This is Taffy. We're in the same class."
"Hi!"
"I am Rashid nice to..."
"Enough!"
I turned from him to Quint. But anyway, the guy hadn't even gotten over learning and was jumping into a pit.
"We were waiting for you. Order, we'll eat then they'll leave. They have classes."
"Okay!"
I hadn't realized he'd made friends. And his friend was cute as well...not my type of cute. But they were really birds of a feather. They ordered... seemed like they also have the same tastes.
"The fruit salad isn't as good as at Viki's."
"Then we'll get take away from there."
"Okay then...pasta...no, the burger looks juicy. Can I get a zesty sauce..."
"Make that two babe."
"Okay two burgers and colas."
Babe...wait, hold up, babe?
I leaned back and looked at the tiny humans on my side of the table and somehow saw Quint's raised brows at me. Before, I'd have said I hadn't heard clearly but with his reaction, that had been real. I turned to Rashid who was still going over the menu and frowned...what was there to look at, the walls had food drawn all over with names and all... pretending to be sophisticated in a fast food joint.
"Riley..."
"Fries...spicy wings and a cola as well."
"Same!"
"Do you do take aways?"
"Yes!"
"The wings for takeaway, as well as the burger. I'll have fries, and the burger...with a cola."
"You also take fashion design Taffy?"
"Yes, my first year."
Simple questions... ask something more tangible, more meaningful.
"Are you seeing someone?"
There it was. Even Quint spared his phone a few seconds.
"No!"
"So you two aren't dating?"
"We're friends, just known each other five days. Can people date after that long?"
"If you aren't dating then I can make moves on you right?"
There Rashid goes... he'd been doing okay all this while but he's just destroyed it. And you can even tell he wasn't interested in the kid.
"No!"
I turned to the voice, I'd wanted to smooth things over a little but now I don't know whether to feel sorry, joyful or sad about it. Even Quint didn't seem to believe that answer had been brought out.
An utter refusal was bad but on his part, Rashid didn't seem that shocked or hurt about it. Maybe I should sit him down and ask but he's been like this since we met.
Like, he doesn't believe anyone would be there or something.
"Okay, fair enough. But you're cute."
"I thought you liked my friend?"
"I do, he's also cute...but out of bounds as well so I am still single and searching."
"I am also single and searching."
Kristoff!!! The hell was he here for?