Loving The Wallflower

Chapter Eleven - Imagination

Another week has passed since Astra last talked to Aiden at the library. They had one week left before the term break. Astra had her last paper today at noon and she was getting ready to call for a Grab ride to the exam hall.

Skye just woke up when Astra was spraying her perfume and getting ready to leave.

"Good luck on your paper today, see you later." Skye said to Astra, peeking from the underneath her blanket. Albeit feeling very sleepy, she still wanted to wish her roommate good luck.

Astra thanked her and left their dorm room.

The Grab driver arrived and fetched her from the main stairs. Before they drove off, a male student came running and waving to the driver.

"Hey!! Wait, please." He came closer and was gasping for air. Both Astra and the driver waited for him to catch up with his breath.

"Huhhh!", he let out a deep breath.

"Can I get on the ride with you? I have a paper at the East Wing this morning. I can't catch any ride. I'll be more than willing to pay the full ride price. Please?"

Astra was not very keen on letting a complete stranger get on the ride with her. The driver was looking at her through the rear-view mirror, signalling that he was waiting for her decision.

Astra wanted to help the stranger because she had imagined if she was in his shoes.

"Um, sure. Yeah, get on. We'll split the bill instead."

The male student got into the car and sat next to Astra. She was hoping he would take the seat next to the driver, to be honest.

She felt quite uncomfortable for a stranger to sit quite near to her, and in that small space too. She decided to take out her phone and went over her notes.

"My name is Raffi. I'm a first year at the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology. FCSIT. You?"

Raffi held out his hand, waiting for Astra to shake his hand.

Astra shook his hand and gave him a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Raffi. I'm Astra, first year in Psychology." He seemed like a sweet person, and that was the one thing Astra was feeling glad about regarding Raffi.

At least he's not mean and doesn't mind my appearance, she thought in her head.

The whole ride went on without any of them muttering any word afterwards. Astra was occupied with her notes and Raffi was looking out the window.

But she could catch him stealing a few glances at her phone.

After they paid the driver, Astra bid goodbye to Raffi and left for her exam venue. He got hold of her wrist and she turned to him, a mix of surprise and fear were building up in her heart.

"Sorry, but can I get your number?" Raffi still had not let go of her hand.

Astra could not react to his words fast enough. Her head was still processing the words that her ears had just heard. She had never been asked out before, let alone had her number asked by anyone like this. No one ever sees her, and no one had ever notice her enough to ask for her number. These were foreign concepts for her.

"Oh, um, what for?" That was all she could say and she was hoping he would say that it was a joke. That way, she could save herself the trouble of having to say "no". Saying "no" to anyone was not exactly her strongest point.

Raffi scratched the back of his hair and gave her a sheepish smile.

"If I am to be honest, I just want to talk to you more after this. I find myself interested in engaging in a longer conversation with you. Also, because I want to buy you lunch to thank you for the ride."