a Piece of Heart

Moment #2

   "I don't know, Naomi." I whined. Pouted.

   Alright, maybe I was being a bit childish. But I was short and petite, and  I've always been mistaken for being younger my age, so I could take advantage of it.

   "No, c'mon, Leah. I know you don't people that much, but you still need friends. I met these awesome guys and we've been having lunch together ever since classes started."

   Naomi and I had been in high school together. We weren't exactly friends. I didn't have many close friends to begin with, but we both were part of the same crowd. So when she heard I had been attending to NYU too, she forced me to join her.

   Apparently I wasn't social enough for her liking. Perhaps she was right.

   "It's just Jackson and Blake. I've told you about them."

   Yeah, that was the problem.

   "I think Jackson is in my Politics class." I left out all the details of our chat two weeks ago and how we'd been sitting together during our afternoon class sometimes without chatting, too focused in class, while others we (more like him) couldn't stop commenting on everything the teacher said.

   "See! You can do it, Leah." Her eyes seemed pleading, and I couldn't help but think if she was doing this for me or herself.

   I sighed. "Okay. Let's go to the cafeteria."

***

   I wish I would have said no, to be honest. Because that's when we became inseparable.

   I know that sounds like something good, but I wish it would be different. We started a routine, that would be difficult to break. And I could sense the tension.

   I managed to push it the first few months, but every time I caught his eye, it hurt most. He saw me as a friend, and would never be more and I was starting to become more eager each day for his attention. I knew it wasn't healthy.

   "So you indeed are the same Leah!" He said when Naomi and I finally arrived to their table. "When she mentioned you I somehow knew we were talking about the same person."

   I don't know why, to be honest. I didn't look particular, with my short blond hair and petite frame. No one knew me around here and I made it my job to be as invisible as possible.

   I smiled, anyway. "Hey guys."

   Blake merely nodded. He had this complicate aura around him, troubled, confused. I was sure he wasn't thrilled to have me there either.

After lunch, Jackson and I walked to our Politics class. He did the same the next day, and the next.

   Maybe it wasn't the best, but it was a start.