𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓⁰²ʰᵉᵐᵐⁱⁿᵍˢ

ㅤㅤㅤ xi ──two to three

asari

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The 30 minute ride back was spent in silence. It was as though the car engine was just as intimidated by everything, attempting to hush its loud noise so as to accommodate the uncomfortable feeling all around.

Calum took the liberty in riding at the front seat, so I sat right behind him. Mike was still on the driver's seat, silent, too, surprisingly.

I could feel Calum's thoughts and opinions on the meeting churning the air, mine, too. I didn't know what to make of it all. Everyone certainly seemed to expect my return, waving me off as though they'd decided for themselves that I would show up again.

I had not yet decided if they were wrong.

"So!" Mike perked up after a solemn 10 minutes. "What do we think of the meetings?" He asked this like he was a dad asking his two children how school went, all with the optimistic tone and awkward side chuckles.

I saw Calum shrug lightly. "Not bad," He murmured, leaning back and looking out at the scenery outside - whatever scenery one could make with complete darkness.

I could tell he was still deep in thought about it all and I couldn't blame him for it. The memory of it was already so muddled in my mind, all mixed and matched oddly despite it only being not a whole hour before.

I was still overwhelmed with everyone's bodies pressed against mine, loud, cheerful voices talking over one another, and offered no peace until I returned to Mike's car. It was the epitome of inviting.

They were in of itself the word. They laughed like you'd been their 5-year friend, hung their arms around you as though your shoulders became their home.

No doubt, I wanted to dive into their chaos again and experience it anew.

"Will I be picking you two up at Saturday?" Mike posed the question and let it hang in the air for a while. I guessed that he knew this would be an answer to contemplate on.

I leaned to my side so I could be nearer to the window, catching Calum's eyes on the side-view mirror, as though asking me if I wanted to return.

It was like a secret language through stares, and mentally, I asked him if he wanted to go again, hoping he'd feel that I did.

He blinked for a second then looked down, a small smile pulling the corner of his lips before he looked back at me and sighed.

I don't know what that meant, needless to say.

"Uh, yeah. Same time?" I answered Mike, figuring that if Calum didn't want to go and that I'd gotten his reply wrong, he'd interject and say something. "I remember there being other timings on the bulletin board,"

Something lit up in Mike's eyes, though I was unsure if it was by my positive answer. "Yes, yeah, there were other timings," He screwed his eyes to slits as though trying to recall something. "Since it's a weekend and everyone has more time, all the group meetings are on four-times that day. Eleven to twelve, two to three, five to six, then eight to nine,"

He recited the times as though he'd said them a thousand times before, striking me that he must've really been invested in, either, the meetings or staring at that bulletin board.

"You can pick which timings you want to go on, but I can't guarantee that they'll be the same members you met today. They're open meetings, you know, so people come and people go. Usually they stay, but they stick to particular timings and maybe don't go to all of them,"