After Alex and I parted ways I did some reading. The next day I organised notes and wrote a paper. I was productive and happy about my accomplishments during the weekend. When I entered our shared living room, I saw Aileen watching the new episode of The Bachelor. "Aren't you tired of seeing that?"

"No, I still believe that there are men like that out there. Men who prepare interesting dates for their girlfriends. I am getting some inspiration of what I would want to experience in my next relationship," she tried getting her point across with her stern voice.

"Oh, Aileen," I huffed. She really was the romantic one out of us three. And I guess she was right to have high standards for men. After all, she was drop-dead gorgeous, a brunette with warm brown eyes and legs for days. She wasn't only beautiful, she had the brains too. The beauty was the least of her. She was kind, smart and funny if she let you get to know her. I was lucky enough that she called me her friend.

"Okay you are right, we shouldn't settle for anything less," I agreed with her as I sat down on the couch. My stomach grumbled. I was hungry, my little productivity this afternoon took all my brain capacity, and I didn't think about food. 

"Should we order in or do I cook us something?" I asked her.

"Could you cook?" fright seethed in her eyes.

"Of course," I didn't want to put her out of her comfort zone by forcing her to eat takeout. 

"Baby steps," I thought to myself. "What would you like to eat?"

"Something with veggies," she smiled relief washing over her, "maybe pasta."

That was a step forward, I thought to myself as I cut some veggies and put them in the pan. Then l put on the water for pasta. I cooked and it relieved all of my stress from the week. It was relaxing, not thinking about how I did on an assignment, but rather focusing on how to cut the veggies and how to season them.

When the food was ready, I took it to the sofa. Aileen was lying on her side, like a cocoon. "Here," I put the plate in front of her.

She took it and slowly examined it. "Thank you," she breathed out and took the first bite. I started eating as well. We slowly ate, as we watched The Bachelor. 

At one point Aileen started shouting. "See, no one does that anymore," gesturing toward a romantic date that was going on before our eyes, "we need more of that."

She was in her element. She may seem cold on the outside, but she was actually a hopeless romantic. The collection of books in her room spoke for itself.

"Listen, I am working on a project," she started while putting the plate of half-eaten food on the coffee table, "I might be up some nights in the following weeks. I have some Skype calls to make with the agency." 

She sheepishly smiled as she had been telling me this. My interest had been peaked. I knew of her business calls. Despite what everybody thought about her not working enough, the girl had been busy. She recently started rereading scripts and correcting them for one of her friends. "So what are the stories about?" I asked.

"Just you know, Noemi. She has been working on a romantic series. It's pretty great. She asked me to read through it before they took it and turned it into a movie. A movie is still in a maybe phase, but maybe is still pretty good."

"Really? Noemi has been doing well, hasn't she?"

"Yes, she's hanging in there. I guess writing has helped her get through it all and I guess reading helps me keep my demons at peace."

I nodded, I understood or at least I was trying to. After we ate I asked, "Are you free next Saturday for coffee?" We planned to go to a coffee shop and shoot some promo.

"Yes, of course, you know how much I love coffee shops," she smiled. I was relieved, I didn't want to go alone. With Aileen, it was all so comfortable, and she made a great model.

It became our weekly meeting, we would go to coffee shops to shoot some promotional pictures for Instagram accounts of different coffee shops, which Aileen would then post throughout the week. It gave us enough money to rent out the apartment. But this little side hustle of ours also enabled us to talk about everything we haven't had time for during the week. After we ate Aileen offered to wash the plates. I thanked her and decided to get ready for bed. 

It was eight, and I knew I should probably be out at some party and live a little, but I honestly just wanted to sleep. My schedule didn't give me much time to be social or to live the typical university life. And honestly, I didn't mind it. So I showered put on a mask and cosied up in my bed. I took the phone from the nightstand and looked at socials.

You were tagged. alex_19 tagged you in his story. The notifications kept coming. I was bombarded by them. My mind was racing, Instagram crashed with so many messages and notifications from people I hadn't seen before. I deleted Instagram and re-downloaded it. 

I logged in, my heart racing with anticipation and dread of what was waiting for me on the other side. I checked out Alex's story first. It was a picture of the kickboxing studio I took him to, and then our food. Okay, I thought to myself, I didn't notice him snapping pictures left and right. Maybe, he just wanted to post about his day.

I was tagged as the post-workout lunch buddy - okay, not my face, not my face I prayed. He didn't post about me, just our day. Then why were all these people messaging me out of nowhere? Most of the messages were from girls telling me to stay away. "Stay back from what, exactly?" I wasn't on a date with Alex. There were a few messages from the boys, saying to be their lunch buddy too. "No thank you," I whispered.

I didn't know what to make of it. I guess this was the effect Alex was talking about. These were supposed to be the girls running after him. They didn't even know him, I didn't even know him. Despite everything I somehow managed to get intertwined with his world. I guess I didn't break any boundaries today when I wanted to know more. Maybe I had spoken some sense in him, maybe just maybe everything would be okay with him. How was this going to end, was the last question on my mind before I slowly drifted to sleep.

The next day, was a uni day all over again. I went to my lectures and sat through them, however, I couldn't follow the professor's train of thought. I noticed eyes from my colleagues on me. I guess they heard the news. I guess I was the news.

When Dylan came by my class, I was beyond grateful; he could shield me from those hostile glances that felt like daggers. "So, you talked to Alex," he greeted without a hello or a how have you been? 

I nodded. "Yes, I talked to him, hello to you too," I sarcastically answered. He and his friends started to complicate my life more than I would want them to.

"Look, I don't know what Alex wanted with that post, but please speak to him and discourage him from repeating that. I have been dealing with death stares the whole day," I tiredly smiled.

"I'll talk to him, once you'll make good on the promise on your end of the bargain," he puffed almost angrily at me.

"What bargain?"

"Alex. You should talk to him, not make him your boyfriend." 

I could tell he was beginning to get annoyed with me. "I did," I was defending myself, which didn't even make sense. What was I defending myself from?

"Oh, you did," he was mocking me. "Yesterday at our practice he was shit, he didn't score as he should. He didn't communicate with us about the passes. He didn't want to do cardio and told the coaches he had already done it. He was in absolute destruction mode. And today he didn't even show up."

He told me everything in one breath. So when he stopped he looked dead serious, trying to catch his breath. "But I talked to him yesterday. I thought he was making progress," I stuttered.

"Well you thought wrong," he turned on his hills and marched out.

"Dylan, wait," I shouted behind him, but he didn't stop. Once he was out, the professor came in. I didn't need to think twice. I had to make sure, Dylan was okay. This didn't seem alright not coming from him. I quickly took my bag and ushered through the door, "Sorry, I remembered I have a really important appointment. Sorry, I have to go."

With that, I was running through the halls and then into the autumn afternoon breeze. I noticed Dylan on the other side of the building. I ran behind him and put my hands around his arm, trying to stop him. "What was all that about?" I demanded an explanation. "You can't just go bossing people around. It was you who asked for my help. And I did help. I spoke to him yesterday, he told me everything. But there are some things he has to work through alone. There are some things he has to learn for himself."

I was out of breath. He looked as if I had slapped him, but he deserved it. He made me feel like shit in the classroom. He belittled me. Just thinking about his confrontation, I wanted to get in bed and stay there for as long as possible. He might have read on my face that he had crossed the line.

"I am sorry," his voice was stern, "you're right. I shouldn't have spoken with you in that manner. Alex ... the coaches are out for his throat. And even if he is our star player nothing but his hard work is keeping him on our team. And nothing but our dynamic is keeping us in the game."

He exhaled and glanced at the buildings. His eyes focused again on me, "Wait, aren't you supposed to be in the lecture now?"

"Yes," I lowered my gaze, "but I thought our friendship and my promise to you were more important than today's topic. In the end, my job will be to help people."

He rolled his eyes, "I have a bad influence on you."

I smiled, our hatchet was buried. "That you can bet. So, are we going to look for Alex?" I asked.

"No, he'll come around. Probably," he sighed. "And where would we even look?"

"I don't know, maybe at his favourite spots?" I rolled my eyes.

"Or maybe we should just leave him for a little while. Maybe he wants to be left alone. Like you said he has some things he needs to work out on his own," Dylan shook his head.

"Oh, okay," maybe Dylan was right, "then I guess I'll just head home."

"I am going out for lunch. You can join me," he offered.

"No thanks, I've already eaten. Some other time maybe." We nodded goodbye and went our different ways.

I walked on campus as I was thinking where Alex could be. Maybe he wanted to talk to his granddad for the last time before the game on Saturday. I knew I should leave it alone, at least for now. But I just couldn't. I told him, I would be there for him. And me finding him at that moment, was me being there for him. So I decided to search on Google to find out where his granddad was buried. When an important person or any person passed away, their death would be announced in the newspaper. 

I googled first the family tree of Alex Ainsworth, then I followed that with Mr Agnus Felix Ainsworth. He died on the 4th of March this year, buried in St Nicholas's graveyard. That was at the other end of New York City. Before me was a busy afternoon if I wanted to get there and back before nightfall. I quickened my step to the nearest subway station and then I followed Google Maps.