Games Of Hearts

19. Stranger in my memory

"Hey, are you okay?" the girl I collided with asks, her voice laced with concern. But as I turn to face her, my gaze drifts past her to the messy brown hair and familiar eyes of another girl standing nearby. My heart skips a beat as I'm suddenly transported back to a time and place I thought I'd left behind.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply, my voice distant, as I try to shake off the nostalgia washing over me. I force my gaze back to the girl in front of me, attempting to focus on the present moment, but my eyes keep drifting back to the familiar person.

"You seem to be new to the university?" she asks, her blonde hair with pink highlights cascading down her shoulders like a colorful waterfall. I struggle to maintain my focus on her, my eyes darting involuntarily towards Eva, who's still watching me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle. Yeah that is Eva! Time seemed to freeze, the world around me melting away, leaving only Eva's piercing gaze and the echoes of memories we shared.

"Yeah, I'm new," I replied, my wave was awkward and forced. "Cool, which course?" she asks, her excitement genuine, but her voice grates on me like fingernails on a chalkboard. "Data science," I mutter, feeling my face heat up under Eva's unwavering gaze. "Me too! I'm your senior, then," she says, her smile bright, but her voice laced with a hint of condescension that makes me cringe. I feel like I'm trapped in a nightmare, unable to escape the awkwardness that's suffocating me.

I force out a casual "Cool", my lips compressing into a thin line as I struggle to hide my discomfort. I'm clueless about how to converse with girls, my past interactions limited to brief hookups with no substance. I feel like a fish out of water, flailing to stay afloat in this unfamiliar territory. She takes a step closer, her hand reaching out to grasp my arm, and I instinctively try to pull away, my skin crawling with unease.

"What's your name?" she asks, her grip on my arm tightening slightly, her eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that makes me squirm. I feel trapped, my mind racing with ways to escape this awkward encounter. "Joshua Beck," I reply curtly, my irritation with myself and the situation evident in my tone.

She smiles, her eyes sparkling with a hint of playfulness. "Nice to meet you, Joshua Beck," she says, her voice dripping with a sweetness that makes my skin crawl. I try to extricate my arm from her grasp, but she holds tight, her fingers wrapping around my wrist like a gentle vice.

"So, Joshua, what brings you to our humble university?" she asks, her eyes boring into mine with an intensity that makes me feel like an insect under a microscope. I try to think of a witty response, but my mind is a blank slate, my thoughts scattered like confetti in the wind. "Uh, just wanted to, you know, learn stuff," I stammer, feeling like a total idiot. She laughs, a tinkling sound that grates on my nerves, and I know I'm in for a long, awkward semester.

As she extends her hand for a handshake, I deliberately ignore it and instead place my hands together in a namaste gesture, a subtle nod of acknowledgement without committing to physical contact. "Jennifer Harrison" she introduces herself, her smile faltering for a moment as she takes in my nonchalant response.

Just as I'm thinking I've managed to extricate myself from this awkward encounter, a voice calls out from behind her. "Jennifer!" The urgency in the tone is unmistakable, and Jennifer's eyes flicker with a hint of unease before she turns to face the newcomer.

Her friend whisper in her ear, and Jennifer's expression transforms from friendly to frightened. "Goodbye," she mutters hastily, her eyes darting back to me with a fleeting apologetic glance before she beats a hasty retreat.