Hot & Cold Lotus

Adriana Torres

Anda's POV

(Note: I think we'll continue with this point of view till the end of the story. However, it's possible that this will change over time.)

Today's the day! It is your first day as a college student. You're incredibly excited to go to school because everything is fresh to you.

However, it isn't just that. You are also looking forward to meeting Lotus Suwan, your long-time high school crush and first love. You used to exchange letters with each other. She still has no idea of your true identity, though. She only knows you by the initials "A.T." And you're the only one who knows her nickname, "Kaew".

You are in the hallway, daydreaming and oblivious with the people around you.

"I follow Kaew on IG to stay up to date on her academic activities, as she is a member of the student council for our course, Business Administration." You unlock and access your locker.

"I remember when we wrote letters to each other. We used to share a locker and keep our letters in there." You place your books into the locker and then close it.

Suddenly, you notice a lovely lady standing next to you. Her locker is right next to yours.

"She's so pretty, huh." She smiles at you, and you return the gesture.

"I bet you're a freshman, too," she confidently says.

"Yes, I am." you respond timidly.

"My name is Shana, and I'm also a freshman. I hope we can be friends." She extends her hand to shake.

"I'm Adriana, but you can call me Anda." You give her a quick handshake.

"Anda? Such a cute nickname! But are we friends now?" Shana looks at you, waiting for your answer.

"Yes, we're friends now." You smile awkwardly. "Anda, just stay cool! There's no need to be shy. She will think you're weird."

"Cool! I finally got a new friend here!" She enthusiastically claps her hands.

"She has so much energy. I wish she could give me some. As an introvert, my energy depletes quickly." You sigh.

"Anda, I wish I had a nickname, but my name is too short. Who gave you that nickname, if you don't mind?" Shana says, clearly eager to get to know you.

"And she's also nosy, huh. Well, it's just a simple question. I should answer it accordingly." You stroke the back of your neck, feeling slightly uneasy.

"I hate myself becomes nervous when I meet beautiful women. I get shy easily with them."

"Are you okay?" Shana asks, worried.

"Yes, I'm okay. My father gave me that nickname because he was convinced I was lucky with money." You explained.

When she realizes it, her eyes widen. "Oh, it makes sense now! Anda is a gay slang term for money."

[Anda refers to Kwarta or Pera (Money). It's Filipino slang.]

"They said I was their lucky charm in business." You added.

"Well, you'll be my lucky charm at school. I assume we're also classmates because we're both first-year Business Admin students." Shana holds onto your arm.

"Let's head to our first class, Principles of Marketing." She drags you. "Don't worry, I'm already familiar here. I will show you around later."

When Shana told you that, you felt relieved. "Good thing, I've met Shana. I'm not a loner anymore."

Shana appears to be correct in her claim to be your classmate. She explains everything you need to know about school. The majority of your classes are held in the same building. She's easy to get along with, yet when you get a chance, you escape to the rooftop since you don't have the energy to socialize.

"Shana is full of energy and eager for conversation. I am pleased to have met her, but I would like to spend some time alone." You took a deep breath.

Then you hear lively music, which leads you to its place. You unexpectedly see Lotus Suwan, dancing alone. Your eyes widen when you finally see her in person.

"Oh my gosh... Lotus became more beautiful over time." Your heart races and butterflies begin to swarm in your stomach.

"Lotus enjoys dancing, singing, and acting. When we were in high school, she joined to the performing arts club. She's two years older than me. She's the same age as my brother, Ace Peter."

You still can't believe you get to see her dance again. She appears to be enjoying herself while dancing. It's impossible not to fall in love with her.

"This time, I'll tell her that I was her pen pal before. This is my chance to be close to her. I will not miss this chance again. I want to get to know her in person." You said it to yourself, being optimistic.

You collided with the small trash can due to your clumsiness. It makes a loud noise, causing Lotus to notice you. She hurriedly turned off the music.

"I-I'm sorry for interrupting you..." You nervously said.

Lotus glares at you, as if she is annoyed by your presence. "What are you doing here? I believe you're a freshman." She approaches you with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I just want to relax here." You answer.

"Don't you know you're not allowed here? This area is only accessible to student council members." Lotus appears to be really upset with you.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

Lotus abruptly cuts you off. "You should've known that! And you were like a stalker, watching me dance."

"Oh my gosh... What have I done? Lotus looks so mad at me. I didn't mean that."

You're struggling to hold back your tears. You don't want her to see you crying. You don't want to make her feel guilty because you know she's a kind person.

"Maybe I intruded on her privacy. This is entirely my fault."

"I don't ever want to see you again here. I hate it when someone invades my privacy, especially when they are so ignorant as to not know the rules." Lotus said firmly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" You try to explain your side.

"Please just leave now." She says impatiently, as if she's had enough of you.

"Fuck. I've already made a huge mistake. Great. Lotus hates me now. I'm completely hopeless."

~