The Architect's First Love

Chapter 1: Mood Twists

It’s the middle of my freshmen’s second semester. Exams are fast approaching. I need to think of a good concept for my midterm project, which is a chair. It’s not just a chair, it’s a furniture that would express my knowledge and passion for architecture. It would be the basis of what our future trademark would be. It can be made up of concrete – but that’d be too heavy for anyone’s liking, or wood – typical, or maybe steel – I can think of a form already, or even paper – paper, it would obviously promote green architecture! I guess that’s it! I’m going to design a chair that’s made up of recycled paper materials that would not only be environmental friendly, but would also provide comfort and sustainability. I must read more of this manual one of the professors gave me so that I’d be able to come up with a fantastic chair.

“Good morning, Michaels!” Okay, my ecstatic mood towards my project just dropped. Guess who’s here to interrupt me and my thoughts again. It’s no other than the great Jansen, who greeted me in his always cheery tone. I never bothered to look up from the book I’m reading at the moment. I already know there’s a grin plastered in his face, as always.

“Hey, you’re not responding again. Is something wrong?” He asked. I’m not interested in engaging any conversation with him, I think that’s an enough reason for me not to respond.

“What the fudge?” I exclaimed. My day’s already ruined, I mean partly ruined. I won’t allow him to get on my nerves today. Ignore him, ignore him.

By the way, this is not the first time he grabbed my book while I’m reading just to get my attention. He’s the best in this kind of thing. He can be awarded as the school’s most infuriating and annoying guy of all time. And before I can control it, my anger seeped out of me. “Didn’t you see I was reading?” My, Kirsten, I said ignore him!

“You’re talking to me, finally! What’s up, buttercup?” He said with a grin that disappeared right away as he saw my face enraged. “Are you okay?”

“Okay? How can I be okay if you keep on annoying the fire out of me?” If looks could kill, he’d probably be dead by now.

“What did I do again? I just greeted you, and asked if something’s wrong.” He answered while scratching his head in an awkward manner. He keeps on doing that whenever I scold him or something. What is he, a child?

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you, I just wanted to know how you are. Here’s your book.” He handed me back my Manual on Chair Design and walk towards his seat with a resigned face. I don’t think that would last actually; in three, two, one..

“Have a nice day, Michaels!” He turned his face back to me for seconds and worn that grin again like nothing happened and started chatting with our other classmates circling him. How could he do that? I can’t believe how he can shift moods that fast from a resigned one to another.

He’s really weird, and I that’s what I hate about him. I mean, I don’t dislike weird people; I’m weird myself. I just don’t like the way he’s being weird. He's the one who can set the fire out of me. I'm a calm and collected kind of person, but with him, I can be outrageous.

With this, I regret the day I first spoke to him, it was a semester ago.

 “Excuse me, miss, do you know where this building is?” A guy who approached me in sweats asked, pointing to his catalogue of class schedules. Actually, I’m not sure if it’s me who’s he talking to, so I decided to just walk away from where we were standing moments ago. And, I don’t talk to strangers, that’s why.

“Hey, that’s so rude of you! I asked you politely and that’s how you’re going to response?” He questioned-yelled. So, it was me he was talking to. “My bad, mister. I didn’t know it was me you were referring to, I apologize. What building were you looking for by the way?” He looked confused for a minute or so that made me changed my mind and walked away again without any word.