Her Senior School crush

First Impressions (Part -2)

Elle's POV-

Curiosity is a strange thing-it pulls you toward something, even when you're not entirely sure why. It was that mix of excitement, nerves, and perhaps a bit of pressure that led me to send him a follow request on Instagram. I wasn't expecting much, maybe just another silent interaction in a different space. But to my surprise, he accepted it almost immediately and followed me back within minutes. It was a small gesture, but it felt like the start of something, even if neither of us had yet found the courage to reach out.

Days passed, though, and just like in person, we kept our distance online. He didn't text, and neither did I. It felt like there was a barrier-unseen but undeniably present-that kept us from crossing that line. I thought about it sometimes, wondering what would happen if I broke the silence, but I never did. I guess part of me was waiting for him to make the first move.

Then, one night, out of the blue, my phone buzzed. It was him.

I wasn't sure what to expect-maybe a casual conversation or a friendly greeting. But his message was anything but typical. He didn't ask how I was or make small talk. Instead, he jumped straight to the point: there had been some incident earlier that day, and he wanted to clear the air. He told me that if any of my friends were interested in him, I should let them know he wasn't interested in return.

The message caught me off guard. It was unexpected, direct, and strangely impersonal. I couldn't help but feel a bit confused. Why would he bring this up, out of nowhere? Did he think I was trying to play matchmaker, or was he just trying to make things clear before any rumors started?

Whatever his reasons, I couldn't deny the odd feeling that settled in after reading that text. This wasn't the conversation I had imagined having with him, but in a way, it broke the ice. We had finally crossed that invisible barrier, even if the beginning was far from what I had expected.

It was a typical evening, the kind where I wasn't expecting anything unusual. But then, out of nowhere, my phone buzzed, and there it was-his name lighting up my screen. For a moment, I stared at it, unsure of what to feel. He had  messaged me before, but what would he say now?

When I opened the message, it began casually enough. He introduced himself as if I might not know who he was-almost formal, in a way. Then, he rambled on about random things, like he was trying to ease into the conversation. It felt a little awkward, but I could sense he was working up to something. And just like that, he got straight to the point, all in one go, as if he didn't want to leave room for any misunderstanding.

He told me there had been some confusion earlier in the day, and he wanted to clear it up. Apparently, there had been a rumor or some incident involving one of my friends and him. He was quick to let me know that if anyone in my circle had developed an interest in him, they should know he wasn't interested in return.

It all came out at once, almost like he was rushing to get it over with. I could tell he didn't want to give me the chance to interpret things the wrong way. It was almost as if he feared that if he didn't say it now, I might make assumptions or think there was something more behind his silence.

His message, while straightforward, left me feeling a bit off. It wasn't the kind of  conversation I had anticipated with him. It was as if he wanted to build a wall before anything else, to make sure things were clear before we even started talking. But even in that clarity, there was something that made me curious-why was he so eager to set the record straight with me?

It wasn't the start I had imagined, but it was a start nonetheless. In that moment, I realized that this might be the first of many unexpected turns in whatever path lay ahead between us.

As I read through the message, I couldn't help but feel a bit thrown off by how sudden it was. It was almost like he had rehearsed the entire thing, determined to say everything in one breath before I could even respond. His words came at me like rapid fire-an introduction, a few random comments, and then straight into the heart of what had been bothering him. It was as if he was racing against time, making sure I didn't misinterpret any part of his message.

He didn't linger on pleasantries or ease into a normal conversation. Instead, he seemed almost tense, like he was carrying the weight of needing to get this off his chest. I remember rereading the message, trying to understand why he was so urgent about it. He went on to clarify that if any of my friends were interested in him, I should make it clear that he wasn't interested in return. He didn't want there to be any confusion or rumors.

At first, I was a little puzzled. Was this what he thought I wanted to hear? That I needed to be the go-between for some friend who might have a crush on him? But there was something else behind his words, a subtle sense of relief-as if by saying this, he could somehow break the ice without complicating things between us. He seemed almost nervous that I might think there was something more behind his decision to message me, so he cleared the air before anything else could be said.

Part of me wanted to laugh at the randomness of it all. Here was a guy I'd barely interacted with beyond exchanged smiles, and suddenly, he was unloading this strange piece of information on me. But I didn't laugh. Instead, I wondered if this was his way of testing the waters, seeing how I'd respond to a conversation that wasn't about class schedules or event coordination.

There was something raw about how he sent everything in one go, like he wasn't used to opening up but felt compelled to do so in this moment. It wasn't the smooth, charming guy I'd noticed during National Pharmacy Week; instead, he seemed almost vulnerable, trying to make sure nothing was left unsaid that could complicate whatever was-or wasn't-there between us.

I stared at my phone for a while after reading his message, unsure how to reply. It wasn't the kind of conversation starter I had expected, but it told me one thing: there was more beneath his calm exterior than I had originally thought. Maybe, just maybe, this was his way of showing that he cared-at least enough to make sure I didn't misunderstand his silence. It wasn't the romantic beginning you see in movies, but it was real, and in that moment, it was enough to keep me curious about what would happen next.

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A/N

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