FRAGILE

That One Girl

***

"If it's not you, I will never eat chocolate ice cream anymore."

I closed my eyes and sighed. The girl on the video chat always said things with the same context.

The other day she said that she would stop drinking her favorite strawberry iced tea if she wasn't with me anymore. All her words I found very intriguing and annoying at the same time.

"You're talking too much about this, Haze. You know I don't like this kind of conversation."

I actually don't have the energy to respond her. I mean, who's talking about something like this at 1 a.m.?

To be honest, yesterday's lecture made me a little dizzy, plus the job I had to do afterwards. So, when I stared at the laptop screen, I would already ask her to sleep.

But Hazel probably didn't like the way I talk to her, that is why she responded to me with a sullen expression and then turned her face away from the laptop screen.

"I'm just saying. It's true anyway!" She said.

Ah, this girl.

"Come on, it won't happen. The point is, you're going to keep eating chocolate ice cream and drinking your favorite beverage or whatever, understood?"

Hazel looked satisfied with what I said, I saw the proof by the raised corners of her lips forming a smile.

I remember a few moments ago she cursed at one of the lecturers for holding a class too early, so I decided to stop this unnecessary conversation.

"Now go to sleep, you have a class at 7 in the morning." 

Fortunately, she listened to me and immediately get ready to sleep. Thanks to whoever the lecturer was and the class at 7 am.

"I love you." She said before closing her eyes.

"Good night, Haze."

Then I ended the video chat and decided to sleep.

I often have headache lately. Hazel said it happened because I think too much without telling anyone about what's on my mind.

Maybe she was right, but do I?

Before I closed my eyes, I flashed back to the first time I met Hazel.

***

As far as I remember, my first meeting with Hazel a year ago can be said to be quite cliché.

As a third-year student I began to visit the library a lot to find various writing references from there.

Then I accidentally saw a short girl trying to reach a book on the top shelf. Realizing I was above the average height, I took the initiative to help her.

The first impression I had of her was that she looked very innocent. I could quickly guess that she was a first-year student, although it wasn't denied that she was quite attractive.

But instead of asking what her name was or what she learned, I just said,

"Professor Emerson is an annoying guy. You have to go the extra mile if you want to impress him."

"W-what? how do you know?" She looked very confused but more in awe. Maybe I was right, because the response told me everything.

I smiled dismissively. Of course I know, the book she was trying to reach gives me clues easily.

A classic romance novel by the famous novelist in literary history, Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice, the same novel I had to complete to complete one of my first-year assignments.