Loving The Wallflower

Chapter Twelve : Reconnected

Astra went on her day, ignoring the problem at hand with her best. She knew Jeremiah would do his best to help her. She wanted to tell Skye about the letter but she needed time to do so. It was not easy for her to open up on matters like that. Back in her mind, she calculated on several the possible outcomes: How her own personal matter might meant nothing for Skye. How she could burden Skye with her own issue. Or maybe, Skye would avoid her in fear of getting dragged into the whole thing. It was not easy for her to gain a new friend in the new place. She was not ready to risk her friendship for that.

Astra went back to her room and found Skye sitting on her own bed, with her headphones on. They waved at each other before Astra put all her stuff down and got into the shower room. One week from now was going to be their trip back to her home and Darian will be driving them to the vacation house. She could not wait to meet Darian. She was already imagining her first hug with him after so many weeks apart. She wondered if he would be looking different. They were entering early adulthood and she wondered if she will be seeing some changes on his face.

Astra's phone buzzed on her study desk and she grabbed it to check who was texting her. It was Darian, and a wide smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Is that Darian?" Skye asking from her bed. Astra nod and opened the chat to see what he sent her.

'Hey, I just finished packing my bags and I did my last paper today. Extra free time for me ;) What are u up to?'

'Thats quick haha i just did my last paper and I'm back in my room now. Had lunch with Jer on the way back too.'

'cant wait to see you. I've missed you so much'

'cant wait to see u too.'

Both of them said their goodbyes and Astra proceeded to take her luggage bag out. She can't wait to see Darian, to see that beautiful smile of his. She cannot wait to be able to hug him again.

Skye had already packed her bags since her paper finished yesterday. They only packed light and will be leaving the rest of their stuff at the dorm storage room.

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The semester break was finally here and Astra could not be any more excited.

Astra and Skye went to the dorm lobby to wait for Jeremiah, Aiden, and the other friends Aiden will be bringing along.

Astra took a selfie with Skye and sent them to Darian, telling him that they're ready and were waiting for the others before they went to the airport.

Darian reacted to the picture with a heart emoji and replied with 'pretty :) '.

No words could explain the way her heart was reacting to his words. The way those words were so simple and short, but enough to make her felt like she's on top of the world. In that moment, she felt pretty. She felt beautiful.

"Astra! Skye!" Aiden called out to the both of them and they turned back to seeing Aiden walking to them with his roomate, Connor.

Connor nod at both of them before settling his bags down on the floor. Aiden gave Skye a side hug and went on to hug Astra in a full one.

Skye raised her eyebrows at him. Aiden caught her gaze and immediately looked away. As if someone caught him at his most transparent moment. Skye was aware of the closeness between Astra and Aiden. And it interests her that Aiden was either pretending to not recognizing his own feelings, or he was just oblivion to his own feelings.

Deciding to let it go, Skye spared Aiden the scrutinizing looks and suggested them to take another selfie together once Jeremiah got to them.

Astra sent the picture they took to Darian and shoved her phone into her jeans pocket.

Jeremiah drove to the airport with Astra in the passenger seat, and the others at the back.

It was going to be a four-hour flight, so Astra made sure she slept well before seeing Darian at the airport later. Since Astra got the seat next to Skye, she just laid her head on Skye's shoulder while Skye's head on hers.

Astra could not wait to see Darian again.

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Their flight reached her hometown and Astra was awake even before the announcement was made. She slowly woke Skye up and they both did some touch up on their appearances.

Astra would not want to look like a mess when they see Darian later on.

They all gathered their luggages at the luggage bay and went outside to search for Darian.

He informed Jeremiah that he was going to be a little bit late because of the traffic. So they all found a table at a cafe in the airport while they waited for Darian to pick them up.

Astra knew she should not be feeling nervous just for the reason of reuniting with her bestfriend, who also happened to be her crush. This was her Darian. She should be feeling just fine, but her stomache disagreed with her.

Astra decided to get Matcha Latte instead of coffee. She did not want to upset her stomach. Aiden, who was sitting next to her scooted closer. "Hey, are you okay? You've been a little bit quiet than usual since we landed. You also look nervous and are spacing out for some reason. Is it because of Darian?"

Astra had never turned her head that fast. She never thought Aiden was that observant. Or she was just being very obvious.

Astra looked around to make sure Jeremiah was enganged in a conversation with both Skye and Connor. It was never her intention for Jeremiah to find out about her feelings for his brother.

"How did you know? I mean I haven't seen him for months and we did not text or call each other that much during the exam weeks. So yeah, I'm kinda nervous."

"Is it because of how he makes you feel?"  Aiden's question caught Astra so off guard she nearly choked on her drink.

"Oh my god. Astra! Are you okay?" Aiden did not expect that reaction from Astra. They caught the attention of the others in their group and they all were asking Astra, checking to see that she was okay.

She could feel her face burning up from embarrassment.

"I'm fine. That was so clumsy of me. Sorry..." She looked around for tissue papers while holding one hand up to assure them she was okay.

Aiden was about to hand her his handkerchief when someone offered her theirs first.

They all turned to that person and Jeremiah was slowly smiling at that person.

"I love that your favourite drink stays the same." That familiar soothing voice would've turned heads everywhere. Astra spun around and looked up to see Darian smiling down at her.

And in that moment, Astra's world felt different again.

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