Can I be your favorite?

Chapter 2: First Date

Anika's POV

Once my shift was over, I realized we had forgotten to exchange numbers. Since I didn't know anything about him, other than his first name, I decided to wait for him to walk back into the café. However, after two days of not showing up, it seemed like he wasn't coming. I can't believe Ricardo would ghost me like that! I thought he was a nice guy. I mean he was rude to me when we first met but he apologized after I busted him. Did he pretend to be nice to escape from having to pay for the bill? Was I scammed?! I should have known it was too good to be true. I feel so embarrassed for having fallen for his charm so easily.

For the rest of the week, I try to forget about Ricardo and his sexy six pack and his equally sinful green eyes. It's an impossible mission. When I try to study, he's at the forefront of my mind. During classes he invades my thoughts like burglar in a jewelry store. Passing the hallways or working at the café, I'm always hoping I catch a glimpse of him. Its like the more I try to push him away, the more prominent he becomes in my life. He has even managed to haunt my dreams. Dreams that are not innocent by any means, leaving me very irritable in the morning. As the week trickles by, my hope slowly turns into anger and hurt. By the time its Friday, I'm ready to kill the guy that fills my mind with nonsense during the day and haunts my dreams at night. If I ever see him again, it will be killed onsite. I've been losing sleep these past couple days due to 'Greek ghost'. I also have three assignments due Saturday, midnight, that I haven't been able to concentrate on. To top it all off, I got my periods today. High on caffeine, I was on edge. Anything could tip me over.

Class today was hectic. We had to team up in fours, create a blueprint of a historical building of our choosing and point out what makes it unique. Everything was going fine, until 'idiot jerry' decided to open his mouth. He started to squawk about architecture this and architecture that. He was a menace. When three of us would agree on one point, 'idiot jerry' would contradict it with his misguided sense of 'practical architecture'. Our patience began to wear thin by his fourth contradiction and I was ready to rip the douchebag a new one. How did this idiot get in the program anyway? I took in deep breaths to calm myself down, reminding myself of the hard work and sacrifices I made to get here. No jerk with stick up his but was going to ruin that for me. At the end of class, we decided to kick 'idiot jerry' off the team and deal with it ourselves. Turns out 'idiot jerry' was a legacy student; no wonder he got in.

My day only got worse after that. I missed lunch because I lost track of time completing my assignments. Professor 'dragon' screamed at me for being ten minutes late to her class. My last class was with my least favorite professor: professor 'entitled boomer' All that guy did was boast about he's own achievements. By the end of the day, I was exhausted, starving and depressed.

Thank God it's Friday.

I was heading towards the cafe for a much-needed snack, when I heard someone call out my name. I turn around and find Ricardo pushing his way through the crowd. Shit! He was the last person I wanted to see right now. I turn around and pretend to ignore him as I walk away. "Anika! Wait up!" he takes over me and blocks my route of escape. I try to run, and step around him but he doesn't allow me to leave. "What do you want?" I ask the man who has been tormenting my thoughts and me for the past week. He looks at me incredulously, "I don't know?! Maybe your number? So I can contact you?"

How dare he ask me for my number.

I was too hormonal to rationalize the fact that he couldn't contact me. Also, I was feeling hurt, since Ricardo had ghosted me. I was not about to take shit from someone who had ghosted me. Not even if he was Zeus. So, instead of being understanding, I got pissed "Not when hell freezes over. Not when it rains cats and dogs. NOT EVEN WHEN PIGS FLY", the last part I shouted. People around us stopped to stare. Some pulling out their phones to record. Not expecting such a harsh reaction, he stood there stunned, like a deer in head lights. I rolled my eyes "Don't worry Mr.Retarded once you understand that come find me. Better yet don't." I stormed out of there. Stomping my feet like a crazed, hormonal elephant, which I instantly regretted.