Dog Days Are Over

Who's the quiet one ?

Days passed by and we kept sending each others ridiculous notes. No more contests of the worst pick up lines nor salacious jokes, we started actually chatting. Well not actually but you get the point. It was fun, talking to Josh. He was kind of the highlight of our week, breaking our class routine with his silly, imprevisible one. We only shared two lectures, Art History and General Knowledge (which were pretty much the same), for a total of four hours a week, and I never thought I'd be enjoying these classes. I even found myself looking forward to the next lecture we had together, counting the days. It sounded very silly and yet it was true.

But the more I kept looking his way, the more something entirely else was taking space on my mind. It all started when we were exchanging notes per usual (or more precisely, doodles), and my eye caught sight of the person sitting next to Josh. Always sitting next to Josh. We both knew he was his brother, I mean they literally had the same face, it was no coïncidence. Something about him was bugging me. I couldn't really explain it, it was the fact that despite his brother and us having fun and getting to know one another through notes, he never did anything to talk to us or at least introduced himself. Was that really weird, or was it just my ego talking ? Sure we weren't as studious as him but still... the thought kept popping on my mind.

That's how I began watching him.

He was always very quiet, rarely moved his eyes from the teacher and his notebook, and his face was so stoic he could have been a greek statue. I knew from the start it was a risky game I was playing at and that eventually it'll have consequences, but I couldn't help myself from looking. It happened fast, dangerously so. It all started out of curiosity. Why doesn't he talk to us ? Are we boring ? Do we annoy him ? Are we making too much noise ? But we're just writing and sometimes quietly giggling. Not understanding got me thinking a lot and at some point, I got more focused on him than the lecture (not that it was difficult) or Josh and Mandy.

Resting my chin on my fist, with my body slightly turned to the left, I was staring at glimpses of him, hidden behind Josh, when a paper ball landed into my eye.

- Ouch !

It fell lightly on the wooded floor and I winced, placing a hand on the side of my face. I could already feel my eye watering as it stung a little. Josh looked so apologetic, with his mouth the form of a perfect O et his hands frozen in their movement, I couldn't be mad at him, accidents happened.

- You alright ? Do you want some water to put on your eye or something ?

- I'm good, I assured Mandy with a small smile.

It was our fault for being silly instead of studying, and probably God's punishment for my intrusive and slightly obsessional behavior towards Kiszka number 2. As my eyes were watering to heal the intrusion, my nose began running and I sniffled. And believe it or not, with all the dumb things we did on a weekly basis, it was that one little thing that caught his attention. The brunette was lost in his thoughts when he heard it, and seemed to snap out of it before turning his head to my direction, his gaze unreadable. I'd like to think he was feeling concerned about me but the truth is I couldn't read his reaction at all. He tapped Josh's shoulder before whispering something to his hear. It was funny how Josh's expression changed when his brother started talking to him. He went instantly serious, nodding before turning to him to speak face to face. The teacher's voice in the amphitheater covered their voices and I couldn't read lips. Mandy offered me a tissue just as the bell rang, and my teary eye followed Josh's brother's silhouette until he disappeared behind the door.

- Don't you think it's weird ?, I suddenly asked.

- I don't know, she replied honestly with a sigh, I'm not a doctor, but it seems pretty normal to me-

I shook my head, gently pushing his hand off my face as she had began to look very intently at my red eye.

- Not my eye, dumbass. Josh's brother.

- What about him ? We don't talk to him.

The students were quick to desert this classroom to go to their next lecture so we hurriedly stuffed our bags while talking, practically running on the stairs to flee from the teacher. We couldn't afford to push our luck with her, we both got the feeling that if we stayed in her sight for too long she'll start scolding us.

- Exactly my point !, I exclaimed while zigzag-ing my way between students. We're kinda friends with his bro, or so I guess we are ?, and he just... doesn't make any move.

- I don't know, maybe you're reading too much into it ? You keep staring at him maybe you freaked him out or something.

As we went pass the cafeteria, averting students running down the hallway, I could feel my cheeks burning. Of course she had noticed. She made a stop for the vending machine, fumbling to find some change and dropping her bags on the colored floor tile in the process. Sighing, I laid my back against the drinks dispenser. So I was that obivous.

- Do you think I fucked up ?

- I think, she said while sticking a cold soda to my forehead, that you should start by asking him his name.

As always, she was right. But I didn't told her that a lot or else I'd hear about it for weeks. We didn't even know his name. Sure at some point we must've heard it, like on the first day or something, when everybody introduced theirselves and stuff. But we were 40 or so, and they weren't in our department so we unconsciously figured it was useless to remember his name...

I'll have to ask Josh without looking like a total weirdo.