Right Where We Are

Second Impressions

MISAEL-

The next day, after his first class, Misael's phone buzzed.

Meet me at the café?

Misael furrowed his eyebrows and frowned at Luke's text. After sleeping off the emotional rollercoaster of the day before, he felt a bit... stupid. He'd shown his weakness, even if that's not what his new freckled friend called it, and now Luke knew a side of him he never let people see. He had been vulnerable, and he didn't like it at all. It gave him an uncomfortable sinking feeling.

But he also knew that he'd end up seeing the guy again eventually. Was there a point to trying to ignore him?

He didn't answer. But he did go to the café. Luke was seated near the windows, his head bent over a paperback textbook, a pen at his lips. The tips of his hair looked blond in the sun.

This guy was seriously strange to Misael. He didn't seem to hesitate to tell Misael things as they were like most people did. Didn't seem to dance around topics in case it annoyed him or upset him. Luke was so adamant about being a friend, about helping.... Maybe he had a white knight complex. Maybe he was just one of the few honestly good and kind people in the world. If it was the latter, Misael didn't want to stick around long enough to ruin that goodness in him.

But he also didn't want to let his new friend go just yet.

Someone walked past Misael, brushing his shoulder, and apologizing before continuing to laugh with their friend, and it pulled him out of his thoughts. He walked over to where Luke sat and pulled the chair across from him back to sit down.

Luke looked up and raised an eyebrow. "You know, usually people- friends- communicate and text back when asked a question." He shrugged and raised his eyebrows slightly as if to say, Crazy, huh?

Misael sniffed and cleared his throat. "Yeah, and some people don't sit where the sun beats down on their back." Luke looked over his shoulder and the sun glinted of off his hair and made his eyes look lighter. The outline of his face seem to glow.

Then he turned back, smiling, and Misael wanted nothing more than to leave the stupid café and the stupid sun, and his new stupid glowing friend. "I like warmth. Light."

Misael snorted and leaned back in his chair and extended his legs. "Then you won't like being my friend for long," he muttered.

"I meant that in a literal way, not metaphorical, Mr. Dark and Broody. And I don't know. There's a little light in everyone, I think." Misael furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you have plans for lunch today?"

"I- wait what?" he stammered, blinking away the confusion. "A-Are you...? Wait. What?" Luke furrowed his eyebrows and glanced around before looking back at him. "What, like a date?" he hissed.

Luke's eyes widened, and his cheeks turned red. "No! Sael, friends go-"

"Misael."

Golden eyes rolled at his expense. "Misael. Friends go out to eat sometimes, you know? Haven't you ever gone to eat something with Sebastian or Caleb or something?"

Misael furrowed his eyebrows. "On campus, I guess if they stop at my room with their food. But I don't really like going places with people."

"You go to parties."

He snorted. "There's alcohol there. I get fucked up. I don't have to pretend to be having fun. At least not as much." Luke hummed and twirled his pen between his abnormally long fingers. Misael found his eyes drawn to the rapid movement, the total control with which he manipulated the pen as it blurred for Misael. He shut his eyes and sighed. "I usually only go somewhere nice with someone when I want something from them," he admitted in a quieter voice.