The Distance Between Us

Two.

I anxiously fiddled with the hem of my skirt as I looked for the classroom in which my class would be held, which was starting in 10 minutes. I kept unlocking my phone to make sure I was walking to the right classroom, then repeating the process over and over.

You would think that me being here for 3 years would mean that I have the whole campus memorized like the back of my hand (which I do), but my nervousness gets the best of me and I have to make sure I'm going the right way; my mind starts to play tricks on me and makes me think of the craziest theories like if the building were to have moved overnight and I'll never make it to class in time.

Nevertheless, I knew where I was going and eventually made it to my first class of the day. I liked to sit either in the first row, and if all those seats were taken, then I would sit on the second row. I was in luck since the first row was still somewhat empty once I arrived, so I took my opportunity to snatch a seat.

Everyone looked tired and on their phones, which is typical since everyone was at Pat's the night before. As soon as I recalled last night, I remembered my encounter with Cillian. I thought about our entire conversation, from the moment he asked for my lighter to when we parted ways, but still making eye contact once back inside the bar.

I thought about his bright blue eyes, how captivating they were and as much as I tried to look away, I just couldn't. His eyes were so beautiful, and the way his hair was slightly in his face and how well-defined his cheekbones were had me in a trance.

I must have been thinking about Cillian for too long because I hadn't even realized that the professor had walked in and was prepping their desk and the board for the lecture.

I quickly snapped back to reality and started to unpack my belongings onto my desk to get ready for the class before the professor started talking.

"Hey, you're Lily, right?"

My head quickly looked to my right and I noticed a guy had been looking directly at me. I was confused since I had never seen him before, and even more confused as to how he knew me.

"Yea, that's me. And you are?"

He kept looking at me and by the look on his face, he seemed to have read my mind and replied, "My name is Joel. And I know your name because we were in the same class last semester and I know you play in that band."

"Oh really? I'm surprised you were able to tell that I play in Daydream. And I've never really seen you before, what class did we have together?"

Joel gave a small chuckle before responding, "well you play the guitar very well, it's hard not to recognize a pretty face like yours with a guitar. And we had statistics together with Professor Garrison."

I nodded my head as I remembered the class, trying to conceal my cheeks as they slightly turned red when I caught on that he was trying to flirt.

I had been single since right before graduating high school, and I hadn't really been trying to look to date anyone. I had been happy with my friends, I kept myself busy with my schoolwork, fitness, and the band, so I didn't really go out of my way to look for someone.

"Thank you. I think the professor is going to start now and I don't want us to get yelled at but it was nice to meet you," I said in a quiet voice as I saw the professor start to open their lecture slides on the projector.

"It was nice to meet you too. I'll talk to you after class." After Joel had said that, he hadn't even let me respond and he turned and gave his attention to the front of the class while I was left thinking about how he hadn't really mentioned talking to me after as a question- it was more of a statement.