"Sasha, I bet some senior boy is giving you a sticky stare," Hailey said while trying to make herself comfortable despite how clamorous the cafeteria was.
"Stop being annoying, Hailey," Sasha said after she took a huge bite of her clubhouse sandwich.
"I am not trying to be annoying. I am just trying to be observant and honest."
"I don't care," she ended her note.
"I swear, and he's good looking, huh." Still, Hailey wouldn't stop. "You two look better. Right, Jenna?"
"Jenna was more like the serious one of the three of us. She will always give us words of wisdom, which sometimes, she sounded the same as Mom. Please, Jenna, don't pay attention to Hailey. She's just trying to annoy me."
"You know, I don't tolerate you doing funny things." Jenna finally sat down.
"I told you, Hailey. Jenna was never really the person who teases us with things that are too hollow. Keep it that way, Jen."
"But yes, Sasha." Jenna started smiling as she thought what she witnessed came out from a fairytale. "He's giving you obvious interest and he's not that bad."
"What the hell, Jen? I gave you my compliments for free. I have no time for it. You know that. I don't give two cents to guys that I don't even know personally."
"Stop pretending to be honest," Hailey rebutted. "You know no other guys. You've shut them as if you're allergic to them. And that's not even nice."
"Your life revolved around your mom, school, and your two annoying but beautiful girlfriends. You must have the most boring life, I guess."
"I don't care if I have a boring life. At least, I am protecting my heart at all costs."
"What a petty and poor excuse," Jenna said, slightly fed up. "Well, it's now time to go back to classes. See you around after dismissal."
Both Hailey and Jenna took the same course, which was business, while Sasha took arts so she could enhance her passion for painting and writing. Both of them hated Sasha's choice of going to different classes but loved the idea that Sasha knew how to follow her heart's desire to pursue. They had always been Sasha's motivators, telling her they loved her poems even before they started reading the first sentence. They loved her art so much that they turned out to be her first clients when Sasha was a beginner at painting. They never regretted spending a penny on the things Sasha loves to do.
Sasha was left on the bench while finishing her half-done clubhouse sandwich. "Hey," a man's voice broke into Sasha's peaceful moment. He was tall, with a fair skinned complexion and the brightest brown eyes she had ever seen in her life. He wore a branded shirt and a cap worn rearward. He had slightly curly hair, and his perfume was moderately strong, but it was pretty obvious that it was a luxury.
"Excuse me?" Sasha said, not knowing how to handle situations that involve a man, especially if it's a stranger.
"Wow, that's a bit floppy for a sentence starter. Hi, I am Tyler."
"Hi, I am Miss-I-don't-care."
"But your friends do. They told me to approach you. They permitted me to take my bravery out."
"My two friends are losers. If you believe what they say, you will lose."
"I see no reason for losing something. I just want to make friends. Nothing more. Nothing less." Tyler sat in front of Sasha, not minding how alienating Sasha's responses were.
"Sorry, but I am currently studying for my quiz. I don't mean to sound antagonistic or rude, but sorry, I can't entertain you."
"I see no notes and all that you have in the table is your sandwich and your iced tea. I never expected you to be this..."
"Disrespectful?"
"No, not at all. I never expected you to have this strong personality," Tyler replied, as he successfully retrieved a lighter word to replace disrespectful.
"You don't need to sugarcoat. I know I sounded rude and I won't apologize for that."
"No, I am not sugarcoating. I am just amazed. People I've known lately were too soft and fragile. I am glad to meet someone who's on the opposite side of the door."
"Thank you for your compliments. But that's something that I don't need right now. And please, I am not used to talking to random people. It makes me anxious. I hope you understand." Sasha instantly regretted her darting responses, but she started shaking, let alone knowing that talking to arrogant men triggers her anxiety.
"Okay. I am sorry for ruining your day. I'll just leave then." There's an apparent disappointment in his tone.
"That's the nicest thing that you will do, and I will gladly thank you for that."
"Just take my handshake and remember me. I am Tyler and I am qualified to be a good friend."
Sasha just smiled and refused to extend her hand to accept the handshake. Challenged as he was, Tyler walked away completely embarrassed.
YOU ARE READING
In Between Seasons
RomanceThis is a story about a girl named Sasha who constantly lives with the trauma of her past, brought on by her heartless father leaving her when she was twelve. Although she was longing for the absence of her father, she was still overwhelmed by the l...
