Rush for a Lost Face

I watched as students flooded out of the classroom, their chatter filling the corridor. Snow joined the stream of people heading towards the gates, but my attention remained fixed on the crowd, searching for one face I had been longing to see.



"The class is dismissed. Let's grab our bags," Snow said, breaking my reverie.



After returning the racket to its place, we made our way back to the classroom. Most of the students had already dispersed, some lingering in small groups, chatting away about classes and other gossip. As we passed through them, I couldn't shake the feeling that the face I was looking for must be among them somewhere.



Lost in my search, I didn't notice when we entered the classroom until I collided with something solid. It wasn't a real rock, but the impact felt just as painful. His presence was as immovable as a boulder, and I felt as though I had been wounded in the collision.



It wasn't any physical wounds, but an ache deep within. I felt the drops of anguish dripping like a relentless downpour from the storm cloud within my heart. This guy seemed to possess a knack for cutting through a girl's defenses, leaving her bleeding internally.



"I'm so sorry," he said.



"No, I should be the one apologizing. I didn't see you," I responded, my words tinged with regret.



"It's okay," he reassured me with a gentle smile.



Denver approached us, my bag dangling from his hand as he handed it over to me. "Thanks, Buddy," I said, taking it from him.



Denver and Daniel exchanged farewells as he gestured for me to accompany him. Daniel shot me a glance, silently asking about my decision regarding the offer he had presented me with the other day.



As Denver led the way out, I followed behind him, leaving Daniel behind in the classroom. Just as we were about to exit, I called out to Denver, "Wait."



"What...?"

Since we had become good friends, it became a habit for us to head home together, especially since my house was conveniently on his route. Today was no different, as Denver offered to walk me home, and I accepted without a second thought.



However, today was different. I had made plans to meet Daniel for coffee, a commitment I couldn't break. I hesitated to tell Denver about it, unsure of how he would react. In hindsight, I realized I should have been upfront about my plans, but it was too late for that now.



"I think I'll visit the library today. You can head home if you want, I'll catch up with you later," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.



Denver stepped closer, studying my face as if searching for any sign of deception. "Are you sure?" he asked, his gaze unwavering.



I nodded firmly. "Yes."



"Okay, see you later then," he said, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, before turning to leave.



As Denver departed down the corridor, I knew he wouldn't wait for me at the library, not with his football match scheduled right after college. With a sigh, I turned back and entered the classroom where Daniel patiently waited for me.



"You're still here?" I asked, surprised to see him.



"Yeah, just waiting for you," he replied, hoisting his bag onto his shoulder.



"So, you were confident I'd show up? What if I didn't?" I teased, studying his expression.



"There's no room for 'what ifs' when it comes to you. I had faith," he said smoothly, once again demonstrating his ability to charm with words.



He gestured for me to lead the way, and I obliged, guiding us out of the corridor and towards the cafeteria situated at the back of our block.



As we settled into our seats, Daniel pulled out a chair for me with a gallant flourish before taking his own seat opposite me.



"I'm short on time, so let's get straight to it," I said, getting to the point.



He smirked. "Relax, girl. I won't take up too much of your time."



The waiter approached, and after we placed our order for two mugs of hot chocolate coffee, he left us to our conversation. The cafeteria was quieter than usual, most of our peers having already headed home for the day, leaving us with a more tranquil atmosphere than the usual midday rush.

"You wanted to discuss something?" I interjected, breaking his focus from his cellphone.



He glanced up at me, a smile playing on his lips. It was a strange smile, one that grated on my nerves more than anything else. I briefly entertained the idea of trying to sneak a peek at his phone, but the thought felt too invasive, too beneath me.



"What would he think of me if he caught me trying to snoop on his phone?" I wondered, quickly dismissing the notion.



Instead, I decided to confront him directly. After all, he was sitting next to a girl – me – and he should be giving me his attention. He had invited me, I reminded myself, and I was short on time. Plus, I was far more important than whatever was happening on his phone. If he wanted to spend his time engrossed in his device, why bother inviting me at all, especially knowing how busy I was? After college, I had a mountain of work waiting for me, not to mention taking care of the kids.



"Well, actually, there's nothing particularly special. We haven't interacted much, so I thought it would be nice to meet up and have some casual conversation," he finally said, setting his phone aside.



My face contorted in disbelief, my mouth hanging open. So, he had summoned me here today just for some random chitchat? Was I some sort of joke to him?



As he continued to bury himself in his phone, ignoring my presence entirely, I couldn't help but feel frustrated. I had initially held him in high regard, thinking he was a good and considerate person, but now he seemed clueless about how to treat a girl.



My first instinct was to storm off, but I resisted the urge, realizing it would reflect poorly on me if I left abruptly. So, I begrudgingly decided to stay and finish my coffee, which the waiter had just brought over.



"Have you found a partner for the farewell party yet?" he asked, finally tearing his attention away from his phone to take a sip from his cup.



"A partner for what?" I replied, puzzled by the question.



"For the farewell party," he clarified.



"Oh, right. I completely forgot about it. No, I haven't found one yet," I admitted, the thought slipping my mind amidst the chaos of my workload. It was only after saying it aloud that the idea of asking Denver to be my partner crossed my mind.



"Oh, that's great!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.



His question jolted me out of my regret-filled thoughts before I could spiral further into self-blame.



"Will you be my partner?" he asked directly.



I nearly choked on my coffee, hastily blowing it out onto the table, narrowly avoiding spraying him in the process.



"Wha... what?" I stammered, caught off guard by his sudden proposal. I hadn't anticipated that he would ask me to be his partner, especially not after our awkward start to the conversation.



My mind raced, scrambling to come up with a response. It would be incredibly rude to reject him outright, especially after implying that I had already chosen a partner.



"How could I backpedal now?" I thought frantically.



His question felt like a test, and I was at a loss for how to navigate it.



"I'll... I'll think about it," I finally managed to stutter out, buying myself some time.



"Of course, take all the time you need," he replied, seemingly unfazed by my hesitation.



As I left for home, the weight of uncertainty settled heavily on my shoulders, even heavier than the burden of my textbooks. My mind buzzed with unanswered questions, and I faced the daunting task of making a decision that felt like the toughest I had ever encountered.