The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 1

Friday

Staring at her lunch in a campus café, Allison just poked her mashed potato lazily. She glanced at her boyfriend, Sean, who was sitting opposite her while reading a book from behind his glasses. Her appetite dissipated just like that to see him not engaged in their conversation. She let out a blustering sigh.

"Is that book more interesting than me?" Allison asked.

But Sean didn't give any response and just kept reading as if no one was talking to him. It made her upset. When she slammed his book shut angrily, a pucker surfaced between his thick eyebrows.

"What?" Sean looked annoyed.

"Did you hear what I said? I've been trying to talk to you in the last twenty minutes, but I've got no response."

"Can't you see I was reading my book?"

Allison clenched her fists, peeved. It was not the first time he was disregarding her like that which, in fact, had been happening since a few days ago. Every time she tried to talk to him, he always gave her a mumble. She had no idea what put his head in a fog like that. Indeed, he was not a talker, except for he had never been so wordless when he was with her. Somehow, prejudice about him was gradually coming to her.

Pissed off, Allison boosted herself up and beetled off toward the café entrance, leaving Sean alone with his book. But before she could reach the door, someone grabbed her arm and turned her around. She could see her boyfriend's brown eyes behind his geek glasses clearly because he pulled her so close to him. His mouth opened and closed, working on a word to say, as she silently waited to hear what he was going to say.

"Look, Alli," Sean finally talked after his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat, "I'm sorry."

Allison kept silent.

"I was... I was just reading my book," he lifted it in one hand, "I didn't really pay attention to you."

Regret reflected in his eyes, but she just stayed quiet.

"Please, say something." His eyes dug deeply into hers. "It seems like you don't want to forgive me."

"I said a million words to you but you didn't hear me, and now you want me to say something? I doubt you'll hear it."

Sean took her hand with his free hand and held it tight. "I'm sorry, babe, I really am."

Her heartbeat got louder she was afraid he could hear it. "Okay, apology accepted," Allison rasped as she looked away. She hated it how she could easily forgive him whenever he held her hands and looked at her that way.

He chuckled then lowered his head, whispering very softly, "Hey, how about we go to the movie after class today? I'll pick you up at 5:00."

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you," she replied and smiled back at him.

Strolling out of the café together, Allison saw only two or three students around, so she held up a hand to stop Sean. When he turned to her, she tiptoed as she slightly pulled the front of his navy shirt to lower his six-feet-two body, trying to kiss him. But not like what she had expected, she sensed he backed away. She rucked her brows as she searched for his eyes, but they cast away instead as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose like he did when he was nervous.

Standing awkwardly a few inches away from her, he gulped then checked his watch. "Um... sorry, babe, I got class in a minute. See you later."

And without looking at her, Sean left Allison in front of the café all by herself.

***

Scarlett's teeth chattered as the weather turned cooler and windier today. It was November already and she had forgotten to wear her coat. Sitting on her own in the backyard of her campus, she mulled over a favor from this junior—Harley—a week ago. He had asked her to be his photo model for a photography contest that still didn't make sense to her. Like, why her? There must be many girls out there willing to be his model who were way more beautiful than her.