Secrets, Swirls & Subtle Signals

1. secrets

A new month, a new department. The only silver lining was that this new place would just take our attendance and leave us alone. I was sprawled on my bed after class, waiting for lunch time, my mind drifting aimlessly, when my roommate burst into the room. Her excitement was palpable, like a wave crashing into the quiet space. She plopped her bag on the floor with a thud and darted over to me, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Guess who I saw today?" she practically screamed, her voice brimming with energy.

I glanced up at her, mildly curious but mostly bemused. 'Who could she possibly have seen at the hospital building?' I wondered. It wasn't exactly a social hotspot where you'd run into someone and think, 'I want to marry them.' But not wanting to dampen her excitement, I played along.

"Who?!" I asked, putting on my best enthusiastic tone. "Ryan?!"

Ryan had been her old crush, the one who'd turned out to be a complete jerk. The mere mention of his name brought a mix of amusement and exasperation to my mind.

"No! It's Jeremiah!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening with excitement.

"Jeremiah?!" I echoed, my voice rising in disbelief and joy. "He's in your department now?"

Jeremiah, the guy I'd been crushing on since freshman year, was now in the same department as her. Wow, the universe could really be unfair. Just last month, I'd been in that department, but now he had to be placed there. The timing couldn't have been worse.

"Yes, girl! He looks so handsome, damn! You know he looks amazing in formal clothing with a stethoscope hanging down from his neck. I was awestruck," my roommate gushed, her words tumbling out in a rush. She was practically glowing with excitement as she relived the moment.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Don't forget, you've got a boyfriend," I reminded her, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged nonchalantly, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So what? Can't I have some eye candy?"

I shook my head, a smile tugging at my lips. Her infectious enthusiasm made it impossible to be annoyed. The image of Jeremiah, looking effortlessly handsome and professional, filled my mind. The thought of him being so close yet so far away now tugged at my heart.

"Anyways, why didn't you take his picture?" I asked, eager to see him. It had been more than a year since I last saw his face. Why, you may ask? Well, you see, he's two years my senior, and we have very different schedules. The only chances I get to see him are during college festivals, and only if I'm lucky.

"Oh, a picture! I totally forgot to take one. Next time, for sure," she promised, already rummaging through her wardrobe for a change of clothes. "Lemme change first."

I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment. How long until next time? I seriously wanted to see him. My mind wandered back to the last time I'd seen him, his face a blur in my memory. The idea of seeing him again, even just in a picture, filled me with anticipation.

As my roommate changed, I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling. The thought of Jeremiah being so close yet still out of reach gnawed at me. Why did he have to be placed in her department now, of all times? I sighed, resigning myself to the wait. But deep down, I couldn't shake off the hope that maybe, just maybe, I'd get a glimpse of him soon.

You might wonder how I ended up having a crush on him when our schedules rarely collided. Well, it all started during my freshman year at the college festival. We were in the same house for the events, but I didn't know he existed until our dance leader took us for practice.

*Flashback starts*

The college cafeteria was empty except for a group of final-year seniors teaching dance steps. That's when I first noticed him. He was there, among the seniors, constantly making silly mistakes and getting scolded for it. Despite his blunders, there was something endearing about the way he laughed off each reprimand, his smile never fading.