Never Again

Chapter 3

Small, slow steps.

I made my way inside our room, I saw Wendy browsing her books half-asleep. Vera was scrolling her phone, half-smiling while typing.

"Kaia you're here!" Vera said, excited.

"Oh hi." I said with a smile.

"I think transfering here is one of the best decisions I made on my own for the past 18 years." She said laughing.

I laughed too. I can hear Wendy's murmoring on her own, detested.

"Wendy come here for a moment, please?" I pleaded.

Wendy made her way to my bed and lazily sat beside me.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Wendy, don't you like me?" Vera asked sounding childish.

Wendy shrugged and lie down on my bed. Her face is full of ignorance and uncertainty.

"Let me sleep here for tonight. I'm so tired." She said yawning.

"Wendy! That's my bed." I slapped her in the arm, but she managed to unfold my blanket and cocooned herself in.

I looked at Vera and exchanged smiles.

"She'll like you soon, don't worry." I assured her. She nodded and finally went to bed.

After some time I found myself getting a hard time sleeping. I have been staring blankly in the ceiling for minutes, thoughts about Hunter again. I finally decided to go out and get some fresh air.

I sat on one of the dorm's few benches outside feeling the cold breeze all over my body.

Hunter Williams

I was enjoying myself alone, staring at the stars above and playing my favorite playlist on shuffle. I was stretching my fingers all this time, one strange habit of mine which I never fail to do whenever I'm bored. I scanned the whole place and to my surprise I saw Hunter seating on one of the benches staring at nowhere.

He was holding a notebook and a pen. How can he keep on doing his stuffs here? It's dark and cold. Not a really good place for schoolworks.

My heart raced, faster this time. I don't really know if Hunter saw me coming since he came here first and I'm certain about that. I gulped, my hands getting sweaty, heart still beating fast. I am confused of what I should do; should I sit here and hid in the shadows, wait for him to enter the dorms first, or should I go back since it's past 11:00 and once the clock strike at 12:00 it's curfew and I'll have to spend the whole night here, freezing?

I couldn't think properly. I dare not open my phone, since he'll surely notice my existence here if he saw the light coming from my mobile phone. I have no choice but to wait for him enter the dorms.

The shuffled playlist is nearly done. I'm pretty sure this is the last song in my Korean pop playlist; "One of these Nights" a song by Red Velvet.

Is he really planning to stay here up all night? That's a no no for me. It's 11:55 in my wristwatch, 5 more minutes and I'm dead meat.

11:57 p.m

I really wanted to stand right now and make my way inside, but my legs are frozen. Stupid me.

11:59 p.m

I'll be staying here all night. I'm pretty sure. Thanks to my crappy feelings, I will get a chance to spend my night in a dark and cold bench with a handsome lad two benches away from me.

12:00 a.m

I'm afraid that once the sun rise, he'll see me here with huge bags under my eyes, mosquito bites all over my body, having a horrible sleep in this stiff and cold bench.

Should I talk to him instead?

No. I'm too coward for that.

If Wendy sees me now, she'll probably smack me in the face and say that I'm letting this oppurtunity slide just like this.

How foolish.

I glanced on my wristwatch.

1:20 a.m

I stared at him from a distance and he's writing something in his notebook. I bet he's thanking the post light beside his bench for the company and cooperation. He's weird, but cute.

The leaves are being swayed by the cold winds, I'm only wearing my usual pajama and at this moment I can really feel the cool breeze slapping me in the face, and if it can talk it would probably put all the blame on me for being a crappy coward. My legs are almost crumbling as my muscles were weakened by the bitter cold breeze.

This is hellish.

"Aren't you cold?" a familiar voice startled me.

Fuck it. Did he just asked me a question? So he knew I'm here right? It's impossible he's talking to himself or the trees,right? 

Its Hunter William's voice, I'm certain.

I gulped twice. My eyes widened not sure of what I'm going to say.

"Not really." I said my voice, unstable.

"Wearing your pajamas in this cold night? I bet you are." He sounds teasing.

I kept quiet. I was lost of words to say. My heart stopped beating, he's talking to me. He's talking to me right now, Come on Kaia keep the conversation going. Say something.

"Hunter?" I sound uneasy.

"You know me?" He asked.

"Huh? Of course I saw you in a café shop – I mean you're sitting behind me." I bite my lips, wrong move.

"So you were the shy girl in front of me?" he said half-laughing, I guess.

"What? Shy?" I nearly shouted.

"You're the only girl in class who didn't take a picture with me." He said arrogantly.

"Oh – I'm used with pretty boys, you know? Korean Pop." I said being dishonest right now.

"So you don't find me interesting?" He laughed.

"That's not what I meant! I'm just shy. No I mean – " I am indeed a foolish and crappy girl with a big and shitty mouth. I hate myself.

He didn't respond. I am hitting myself in the dark, cursing on how stupid I am.

Fuck you Kaia. Go to hell right now, you made Hunter embarrassed you idiot!