Loving The Wallflower

Chapter Four : Iced Latte

It was finally the first day of Orientation Week and Astra made her way to the Main Hall with her roommate, Skye Dewi Devenson .

Skye came from interracial marriage parents, just like Astra. Her mother is Indonesian and her father is American. Skye and Astra was the same age and they studied at the same faculty as well. Skye was a Cognitive Science major.

They bonded pretty quick due to their similar food palate and similarities in their daily used languages.

The Main Hall was crowded with first years and students were either socializing or minding their own businesses. Astra and Skye decided to get some drinks from the vending machine at the corner of the hall. Astra was trying to reach for any coins in her jeans pocket while letting Skye bought her drink first. Astra finally managed to find some coins in her purse instead. She chose to buy canned iced latte but she was short of 50 cents. Skye did not have any extra coins on her either. They were just standing there, staring into the air trying to find a solution. It was not helpful that the machine only accept coins.

Someone patted Astra on the shoulder and she turned around to see a man taller than her. He was wearing glasses and he threw her a judgemental look.

"Are you gonna stand there all day long?"

Astra just realized that she was blocking his way. She jumped to the side and muttered a "sorry".

He pretty much ignored her and went to buy his own drink. Astra was quite dumbfounded by the whole situation.

He's a bit rude. I know I was in his way, but still... I said sorry too.

Astra looked to the side to see Skye looking at her. They both exchanged  conversation through their eye contacts.

He's kinda cute.

Astra cocked her head to the right and gave Skye a judgemental look.

You're not serious right now. He's kinda rude, is what he is.

Still doesn't change the fact that he's cute. I mean, we were also in his way. Like literally. Skye shrugged her shoulder.

Astra rolled her eyes at Skye and gave out a defeated sigh. Deep inside, she admitted the male student in question was pretty cute.

Not cuter than Darian tho, she could not help but compare this man to the man she loved at that moment.

The man turned around, causing Astra and Skye to stop their telepathic conversation. He walked to Astra and stood right infront of her. Skye was about to protect her friend when the male student handed out a 50 cents coin. Astra was blinking at the 50 cents in his hand and did not know what to do in such situation.

"What's this?" Was all Astra could think of asking in that moment.

He flashed her a genuine smile, which made Astra feel a bit of guilt for judging him earlier.

"It's for your drink. I noticed that you were short of 50 cents. So, here."

Astra took the coin from him hesitantly.

"Thank you. Sorry, may I know your name?"

"It's Aiden. Aiden Alexanders. May I know yours?"

"Thank you, Aiden. My name is Astra. Astra Raphaelia Evans."

Aiden raised his right eyebrow and smiled at Astra. "Astra, like the star?"

Astra was quite surprised by that because she did not expect him to guess the intention behind her name correctly.

"Um...yes. My parents did name me after the stars. How did you know that?"

"I love to read. Came across it when I was reading a list of baby names that are all based on stars and galaxies. It's a cool name, by the way."

Astra thanked Aiden for his compliment. Aiden excused himself when he spotted his friend entering the hall.

As soon as Aiden left, Astra turned around to see Skye throwing her a smirk.

"What does that smirk mean, Skye?"

Skye walked slowly towards her and giggled. Astra raised her right eyebrow. She went to the machine and bought herself the canned iced latte.

Astra moaned at how good the iced latte tasted like. She was in heaven.

"Nothing can beat iced latte on a hot day. Especially when it's from a vending machine." Astra looked proudly at the can in her hand.

"That was quite a convincing ad, my friend."

Astra made a small bow at her friend.

"Well, I might as well expect calls from advertising companies."

"Don't forget me when you're famous."

They both laughed at their own skit and made their way to the seats. Skye had to sit with the Cognitive Science first years, while Astra with the Psychology students. That was when it hit Astra that she had to go through the whole Orientation Week without Skye. She already had enough difficulty in making new friends, now she had to mingle with seniors too. Astra quickly finished her latte and threw the can into the nearby recycle bin.

Astra joined her department and took a seat at the end of the row. It was easier for her to avoid too many conversations and people.

Astra knew it was just in her mind, but she could not help but to assume that people in the hall were judging her appearance. It felt like she was in secondary school again. She did not like it when she overthink about people's opinions, but she could not help it.

Secondary school was such a nightmare for her. Except it was all during daytime, and those taunting moments followed her to her sleep.

She could hear the whispers from the students in the hallway all the time.

About how she was ugly. About how she did not look like the rest of her family members. About how she was so big, she must have bought her clothes from the thrift stores or bundles. Not that all those whispers were untrue.

She truly did not look like her parents or her sister at all. She did think of herself as an ugly person, and she was indeed, obese. None of those were wrong. Where else would she find affordable clothes her size other than the trift stores and bundles?

As true as those words were, Astra could not stop her heart from hurting. Darian was there to help her to make it through the whole secondary school life, but she was now in university. He was on the other side of the town, and she only had herself to help her.

Skye had been amazing, but Astra could not bring herself to tell her about the whole self-esteem issues she had been facing for years. To repeat those horrible words from her bullies... Astra could not do it.

She mentally hit herself and shook off those thoughts.

"I have to ignore those thoughts. Right now, what matters is me going through this Orientation Week." She tried to keep a more optimistic mindset for herself. Astra inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. A breathing exercise that she learned from one of the counselors she consulted with in the past.

Astra shifted her focus to the lecturer on the stage and pulled herself together. Astra mentally hoped this day could go faster than it already was.

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