THE LOBBY {matsuoka rin}

Chapter Two

September 10

It is only three days left until the high school field trip.

     Everyone's excitements got higher than what she thought. Surprisingly, almost sixty-five percent of her friends came to school with grin wide on their faces. She didn't do that, though.

     She thought Aoi probably thinking ways to get closer to Mr. Kimura while Honoka still the same as always. Though Aoi always denies her feelings for Mr. Kimura, Shiori somehow knew she's on the verge of lovesick. Shiori always thought love like that really is something—little did she realized, how she wants such an exciting love like that.

     Her hand moved softly; drawing damp-like locks after the competition. A tall body with black trunks to cover his legs, together with a goggle above his brows. She was mesmerized. She clearly was. The image of his profile ghosts her for days; making her feel such adoration and other uncertain feeling. Or maybe it's just vague. She possibly knows.

     The drawing was left uncompleted. She left the face empty. What kind of face should he make? She frowned before writing his name under the drawing. She is not as satisfied as she thought she would be before drawing him right on the back of her math book.

     A little sense of guiltiness she felt after putting her pencil back to its case; a) because she left his face empty and b) because it feels wrong drawing someone other than Daiki—while Rin and Daiki are the same age. She looked up and saw Daiki smiling after their eyes met. Though it's just a little smile formed on his face, her stomach did a little somersault because of it.

     It's all seems wrong in her head. Things are just wrong.

     Her sense of guiltiness almost consumed her before someone took her back to reality; Honoka tapped on her shoulder lightly from behind her.

     "H-Honoka!" She whispered, flustered.

     "Gosh, I was right," Honoka muttered. "you really were spaced out."

     A slight crimson color appeared across Shiori's face as she realized she caught spacing out amidst a math lesson. "W-well," With eyebrow lifted, Shiori turned her head back to the chalk board, embarrassed.

     This matter starts to get the best of her.

*****

September 12

She patted her suitcase after managed to zip it lock.

     Only a few hours left until her trip. Thinking about it makes her feel excited and pumped-up all the way since after school. She packed all of the things she would be needing inside a suitcase with navy blue color—classic.

     The dryness in her throat made her walks her way to the kitchen in order to drink. She turned on her laptop after wrapping her fingers around the drinking glass. She opened her browser and leaned back to the chair with brow lifted. She was quite bored and was trying to get some fun from the laptop before coming to a realization; she doesn't actually know what she wanted to do with it.

     She sighed and leaned in with palm meeting her chin—her hand propping her head. She hummed a little before got a name to type, "Matsuoka Rin".

     That boy definitely piqued her interest. Little did she realize, she can't get rid of him out of her head.

     Google image showed what she wanted to see while entirely, Google showed her what she wanted to know. Information about him—specifically, served in the internet. With grin wide on her face, she opened the entire related website. She giggled, thinking how she looked just like a stalker right now.

     From what she read, she finally knows some more things other than his name and his charismatic profile. Maybe he wasn't so charismatic. It is just her who thinks that way. There are many kinds of information she got except specific address, phone number, and private email address. She thought to herself, "Damn, it is okay not to get his phone number and private email address. It is very much okay.".

     He seemed fun and interesting. Yes, how nice it would be to meet this guy, she thought.

     Her train of thought was crushed by the sound of beeping.

*****

     She looked over to the source of the sound and found her phone buzzing around with the screen turned on. She took some lazy steps towards the phone to pick the call up.

     "What's wrong, Mom." She said after checking the caller's ID on her screen.

     "Don't be so mean to your mother," Her mom's voice rang out a second later. "how's packing? Are you done yet?"

     "I guess—I'm not so sure." She frowned, trying to make herself comfortable somehow.

     Her busy mother only stays at home for about three or four hours; usually after midnight. They keep in touch using phone calls and messages which are something Shiori doesn't really like. All she wanted is her mother to be home more frequently and stay beside her.

     Maybe her mother just don't get that which is also why she always feels a little uncomfortable when her mother calls.

     "Be sure, please. Have eaten already?"

     "No, not yet."

     "Eat and after that, please get your sleeping pills, okay?"

     "Sure."

     "Love you,"

     "I know, bye."

     She hung up and looked down her phone with a slight chuckle slipped out of her lips.

     She threw her phone to a nearest couch and walked lazily towards the kitchen; trying to grab anything edible out of the place. She sighed in relief when some instant noodles popped out behind a big package of flour in one of the cupboards.

     How is it very much distressing having sleeping problems.

     She even considered sleeping pills as one of her best friends for it helped her go to bed.

     The dark living room only filled with the sound of television and her; slurping noodles. She decided to turn off the television because there's nothing fun to watch; even the comedy shows.

     Turning on the laptop was a right choice. She re-watched the swimming competition between Matsuoka Rin and someone he knew. Somehow, it never bore her. Other people may think this kind of competition is boring; but not for her.

     The swimming competition is the thing that bring back lights to her eyes.