Chase struggled to suppress a chuckle as he caught her muttering something under her breath. The fact that they crossed paths again seemed like a quirky coincidence. With a grin, Chase turned his attention to the young woman seated next to him. He was interested in striking up a conversation and forming a friendship, his preferred way of spending time during trips.
"Hello, um..." Chase began politely, but the young woman beside him seemed taken aback. He extended his hand for a handshake, but the blonde simply gave him a perplexed look. He stared as she shifted her focus elsewhere, engrossed in whatever was playing through her headphones. This wasn't quite what he expected.
Not at all.
He made another attempt to get her attention, but she remained unresponsive. Chase grew a bit frustrated by her demeanour. He was trying to start a conversation, yet she appeared to be deliberately ignoring him. So, he gently nudged her shoulder a few times, prompting her to finally look at him.
"What?" she asked, her tone slightly annoyed. Chase considered retreating, but his ego got the better of him. Taking a deep breath, he extended his hand again, hoping for a handshake.
"I just wanted to introduce myself," Chase responded softly, met with a dubious expression from the girl. He withdrew his hand when he realized she wasn't reciprocating.
"And why's that?" she quizzed. He shrugged, noting her 'I won't accept a vague answer' look, which led him to sigh lightly.
"I'm new here and planning to stay for a few weeks. I thought about getting to know you since this is the second time I've seen you," Chase explained with a shrug. She simply nodded in response.
"But why me?" He found her endearing as she scrunched up her nose.
"I don't know."
An awkward pause ensued, both fidgeting with their fingers, unsure of how to continue. "So, can we be friends now?" Chase blurted out suddenly, causing her to raise an eyebrow in surprise. "I mean, sorry," he quickly added, sensing her tension. He, too, was feeling a bit nervous. But why? All he wanted was to make friends.
"Well, I don't exactly make someone my friend right away," she said, pausing, and his expression fell at her words. "However, we can be acquaintances."
Her response brought a smile to his face. "Hello, I'm Chase." Once more, he extended his hand, hoping she'd follow suit.
"Aurora." He felt relieved as she gently shook his hand.
"I really like that name," Chase said, and Aurora raised an eyebrow at his words. He hurried to clarify, "No, I'm not trying to flirt or anything. I genuinely like the name. Like the northern lights, you know?" he explained, hoping she'd understand.
"Yeah," she nodded, "Just like them."
A comfortable silence settled between them for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed to escape him. Chase wanted to spend time with her, and learn more about her.
An inner struggle seemed to be happening within him. A slight frown formed as he saw her starting to stand up. He wanted to continue the conversation. But how? He didn't have her number or any way to connect on social media.
"Hey, Aurora?" he called after her.
"Yeah?"
"Could I get your number?"
He observed her eyebrows furrow, and he felt a slight nervousness creep in. There was something in his gut he couldn't quite explain. Almost like a feeling of apprehension about her response.
YOU ARE READING
Rainbows & Promises
Romance"I'm feeling emotions I've never felt before," he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers. "I'm keen on explorin' these sentiments with you. There's no pushing me off. I give you my word, my love." ...
