NOW PLAYING —— slow dancing in the dark,
joji.

"you should be with them,
i can't compete."

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WE SAT opposite each other in the school library, which I had requested we should go to work on the project in. I left my seat to search for the criminology textbooks on the shelf, while he sat there, his gaze fixated on his phone.

I hadn't even left for a minute to find the book, when I had come back to the womaniser flirting with a couple of girls a few seats away. I stopped in my tracks, a glare now present on my usually collected face. I walked towards our table in quick strides and hit the light-weighted criminology textbook on his head.

"We're here to work on the project, not for you to be a manwhore!" I yelled at him, my face slowly increasing in raging heat. I was a committed student. I didn't need slackers like Michael Kaiser to ruin my streak of repetitive good grades.

"Ouch! I'm sorry I guess..." He trailed off, rubbing his head in pain with a small pout on his face, the girls he was previously flirting with watched in shock, obviously not used to seeing Kaiser apologise to anyone, let alone a girl.

We had continued to work on the project for an hour and a half before leaving the library. Kaiser who finally decided to focus, managed to finish a fraction of the project.

We walked side by side in uncomfortable silence. I had never talked to him before, besides that interaction at that party, which honestly was the first time I had met him in person.

"Do you want something to eat? It's kind of late." He announced, breaking the excruciatingly awkward silence between us. I looked over to him in immediate shock, Michael Kaiser offering me food?

I mean it was surprising to say the least, he was a cocky guy with a giant wall of pride, it sounded absolutely bizarre that he of all people had wanted to buy me food.

"Um yeah sure, I am kind of hungry." I said indifferently, trying to my best to not present how stunned I really was. Also, free food? I'd never pass an opportunity like that. Anyone who would is clinically insane.

We walked to the far end of the hallway, where a vending machine stood, filled to the brim with fulfilling snacks. I watched in awe at all the possible choices, everything looked so good, I wanted it all.

Kaiser turned his head to look at me, who had an awe-struck expression on her face. His lips casted the hint of a smile which went unnoticed by me , not wanting to showcase his soft side.

After a moment of deliberation, I selected a pack of Oreos, my fingers wrapping around the familiar packet as I retrieved it from the compartment below.

As I straightened up, I found myself locking eyes with Kaiser, whose cerulean gaze had been on me for several moments. In that suspended time, the hallway around us suddenly became that of a suffocating tunnel, as if the world had narrowed and caved in.

The sliver of fiery eye contact remained for a few seconds, before we snapped out of our daze. I cleared my throat aggressively, as if I was about to rip a war cry, and pushed past him to walk in front. He walked next to me with his imperfect posture and his hands in his pockets. I, on the other hand, walked poised but nervous due to the previous event.

I didn't feel anything for him. But why did it feel so different? I didn't have time for such love in my life, I was a workaholic, drowned in studying and revision on school days, even on my free nights.

I walked ahead of him, getting closer and closer to the university entrance. The horizon shone rays of pink and light red, casting a sheet of fluorescence onto our youthful faces. I turned away from him, about to commute to my home, when he grabbed my hand,

"Can we work at my house next time?" He asked in a hopeful tone? To be quite frank, I cringed. I heard all the 'high and mighty' shit about him, but in my eyes he looked like a pouting puppy.

"Yeah sure, we can work at your house." I said nonchalantly, before turning on the other direction to take off on my quest to my home. I had told Akari earlier to not wait for me since I would leave school at a late hour.

I walked with my backpack straps on two shoulders, my feet dragging slowly along the pavement. My body was drenched in fatigue, I looked like a living corpse carrying itself on the Earth's soil.

I had finally reached my home, quickly kicking off my shoes and sprinting to my chamber. I took a shower and changed into my sleeping attire. I was about to shut my eyes when my phone vibrated, signalling a text notification.

I opened my phone to check what the notification was. A mysterious number had texted me.

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XXX-XXX-XXX

hey
its kaiser

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sorry its short chat, i've been kind of busy
love u all mwah 🩷

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

ⓒr1ntoshi