Blue Eyes in Mine (Hollowheart)

Jake.

*** I'm adding a new chapter today cuz I know I'm traveling in the next couple days and will be too busy to post, and then I won't be back till September, so I hope you enjoy :)

     So mystery boy is the boyfriend... I should have known. They were obviously together at the lecture yesterday, as in "together-together". I can't believe I was so dense. 

     Wait.... why do I even care if this boy is Emma's boyfriend? I don't like him like that, I don't even know the boy for bird's sake! I don't like boys in that manner to begin with!! Then why are these thoughts popping into my head? 

     I was so stuck in my own thoughts that I did not even notice Victor was trying to grab my attention, kicking at my toes. "What?" 

     "Introductions, Enoch..." Victor whisper-yelled at me, looking quite flustered. I did not know why he was so tensed until I realized everyone, including the teacher was looking right at Victor and me.  

     "Oh. I-I'm--" the intense blue gaze of mystery boy distracted me, making me catch my breathe. I looked away quickly, opting to stare at my hands and saying, "I'm Enoch. Uh-- freshman, studying biology." 

     Everyone's attention was finally taken off me, and I felt myself able to breathe again. I hate being the center of attention; I felt like a helpless bug being inspected under a microscope. When I had the courage to look up again, I noticed the blue-eyed wonder was still staring, half his body turned to one side so he can look at the back of the classroom with ease. I was determined to keep up with this staring contest, not backing down. "Who are you looking at?" Victor asked quietly. When he saw, he grumbled insults under his breath. The boy broke the contest, leaning over to whisper something to the other boy he came into the classroom with earlier. 

     The class ended 50 minutes later with the first assignment of the course, which was to read the first three chapters of our assigned book. I was walking with Victor by my side, preparing to get lunch in the cafeteria. Then I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. I whirled around, surprised to see who it was. 

     "I-it's Enoch, right?" The boy asked. 

     "Yeah...... and you are---" 

     "Jacob!" He said in a rush. "B-but I-I go by Jake. I mean, you can use either one, I don't mind." He said sheepishly. Huh, so his name was Jake. Sounded like a common name to me, but he made the name seem unique somehow. 

     "Okay, Jake." I liked the sound of his name on my tongue. Not in a weird way of course... 

     "Okay, Enoch." 

     "...okay." 

     "Maybe okay can be our little thing." 

     "You are not referencing 'The Fault in Our Stars'... are you?" I deadpanned. 

      "Oh, so you admit you've read the book?" Jake's laugh was infectious. 

     "No," I felt my cheeks burning up. "My friend forced me to watch the movie with him... or I'd have to do something very embarrassing." I don't know why I kept talking and revealing stuff about myself. Honestly, I really don't know why this boy, Jake, had such an effect over me. 

     "What was the very embarrassing thing you almost had to do?" 

     "I aint telling you!" 

     Jake started laughing some more. "Ha ha, calm down I was kidding." There was an awkward moment of silence, where I felt my cheeks turning pink and Jake was just staring, a smile working its way of his porcelain face. We both heard Victor clear his throat, around ten feet in front of us, obviously eavesdropping but pretending not to notice us. "Anyways, I just wanted to say hi. I remember you from one of the lectures from yesterday, and you seemed interesting. I was hoping we could get to know each other?" 

     "Sure!" I said a bit too eager. 

     "Oh," Jake said surprised, like he expected to be rejected in the first place. "Umm.." he started searching through his backpack, taking out a ballpoint pen and a scrap of paper. "Here is my phone number, in case you ever want to talk, I guess." After writing it quickly down he handed it to me. Our fingers brushed slightly, and I felt a tingly sensation devour me. When I looked into Jake's eyes, I noticed his face flushing red. He rubbed his neck, looking lost for a moment before awkwardly walking away, waving all the while with that little smile glued on. "See you later, Enoch." 

     I watched him leave before catching up with Victor. "Ooh, you got a new friend!" Victor exclaimed. 

    "I guess..." Too bad he has a girlfriend. Wait, where did that thought come from? Gee, Enoch, calm down. 

     He. Is. Just. A. Boy. 

     And a friend at that...nothing more.