✍🏻See You Again

12 🫐 Melancholy Hill

My anxiety made sure I didn't get enough sleep and rather than waste the time at home I headed out to TCC. As much as I felt kind of relieved when I was leaving Javi's place last night, now I was fearful again that he might have changed his mind overnight. Maybe he would decide it's too much trouble to deal with and I once more regretted that I cried last night, overreacting as if he did something despicable. I was replaying his actions over and over again, how much he craved me, how caring he was by bringing me the blanket, how much it upset him that I lied to him and how steamy the last kiss was. He even cooked for me. And I repaid him by crying when he touched me.

When I got to TCC I was just redoing my ponytail for the fourth time when I stopped in my tracks, catching on Yuzuru who was sitting on one of the benches at the edge of the parking lot. He was staring into his phone, earphones in his ears, and his foot nervously tapping against the pavement. He was in dire need of a haircut, his long fringe falling over his eyes that he didn't even see me coming.

"Morning," I smile and kick into his foot, laughing as he jumps up, tears the earphones from his ears, and quickly stuffs them into his pocket.

"Mo-morning!" His hands instantly fly up, brushing his hair behind his ears. "Ho-how are you?"

I laugh again, confused about why he's so fidgety. I raise my hand and as it gets too close to his head he's about to dodge but I expect it and change direction, managing to run my hand through his hair to push it back until I can actually properly see into his face. "There. Now you look less like a rebellious teenager. You really need a haircut."

He shoots me a glare, shoves his hands into his pockets, and plops himself back on the bench. "I'm getting one next Monday before we go to Russia."

"Good." I sit down next to him, playfully poking his side. "So what got you so jittery on this lovely, freezing morning."

"You seem in a good mood?" He instead changes the topic, like any time he wants to dodge my direct question, and turns his worried gaze to me. "Did the...last night. Did it...go..how did it go?"

"Not great," I answer truthfully, also shoving my hands in my pockets and extending my legs, tapping my feet together. I watch that motion, avoiding his forlorn face that got way too sympathetic for my liking. "But it's fine. Could be worse. I guess."

"Please don't do the short answers again."

I sigh and stop fidgeting, pulling my legs under the bench but still don't look at him while I tell him what happened. I mention how Javi put the effort in and cooked for us and how it then moved to a make-out session on his sofa a bit too fast for my taste. I leave out the details of how many clothing items were removed but do mention it got way too heated and that I panicked, and started crying. I describe how nice Javi was and got me the blanket but also mention he was agitated I kept such important information to myself.

Yuzuru carefully listens and when I get to the end of how we parted on good terms, how he kissed me goodnight and later texted me as well I start to feel better again.

"It's just a small bump on the road," I finish, finally raising my head. "I won't throw a fit like that next time."

"Ivy--"

"Oh!" I exclaim and start waving at Marco who's just walking alongside the parking lot to the main entrance. My arm quickly drops back as I see he's on the phone, frowning and running his hand through his hair. He leaves the hand there, clearly troubled about something as he speaks into the phone and even kicks the TCC door open. "Well, I guess it'll be another day of Marco pretending he's fine."

"Ivy--"

"Oh!" I exclaim once more but this time I also stand up, a large grin spreading on my face when I see Javi's car parking on the opposite side of the parking lot. He's early. I quickly tighten my ponytail and do the first step forward when the blood in my veins freezes. There is the waitress girl getting out of his car.