Walls

Phana's Second Choice

Yo's POV

"Be at my room tomorrow at 7 AM," Pha issued his command to me as we were walking into our dorms.

"Why? My dance practice doesn't start until 9 AM," I said.

"But my new block started and I have to be to class by 8 AM," he replied. Geez, I'm glad I'm not a med student.

"Okay, sure," I said, starting up the stairs to my room. Our dorm doesn't have an elevator and my room is on the fifth floor. Pha follows after me and he stopped at the 3rd floor when I suddenly realize I don't know his room number. "Umm, what room number?"

"Room 305, it's on the right," Pha said, then walks away without looking back. Why do I always have to watch him leave? Why can't I just walk away and not think about him again like any normal person?

Back in my room, I fall asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow. The next morning I wake up at 5 AM, excited to go see Pha first thing in the morning. I get showered, eat some breakfast, brush my teeth and get ready for practice, then realize I still have an hour and a half before I have to go to Pha's room. I guess it would be bad manners to wake him up at 5:30 and demand he let me in now. I lay back down on my bed, thinking that I will nap for a little while.

Unfortunately, a little nap turned out to be much longer when I woke up and my phone says it's 7:15. I rushed down to Pha's room, using my fingers to comb my hair back into place as I run.

"You're late," he opened the door with his hair still wet and his shirt mostly unbuttoned. Seriously, does he always have to be so good looking? I try not to stare as he allows me in to his room.

"Sorry," I said without an explanation. Not like he would care why I'm late anyway.

"There are some piles of notes on the floor there, I need you to separate and organize them for the freshman students in my faculty."

"You're giving your notes to all the freshman students in your faculty?" I asked. None of my seniors felt a burning need to help all the freshmen by giving us their notes. I guess he isn't always a total jerk.

He didn't respond, but walked around getting ready to go. I can't help staring at him as he's brushing his hair and putting on his tie. I need to pay attention to organizing these papers, but I keep being distracted by his handsome face.

"Want to know my secret for looking this good?" Pha said, he must have noticed my staring at him. I pretended like I wasn't interested, but I wanted to hear what he said. "First of all, you have to be born handsome."

What a conceited asshole! I give him a look that clearly says I find him underwhelming. I start paying more attention to the notes I am supposed to be sorting. There aren't any extra notes on these pages at all. It looks like someone just copied pages straight out of the book. Why would these even be helpful?

"You'll have to finish sorting those tomorrow," he said, putting his bag on his shoulder to go. "You have to go to practice right? I'll give you a ride."

It's not even 8 AM yet and my practice doesn't start until 9 AM, but I stand up and smile anyway. I'll take any chance I can to spend time with my handsome Pha.

"I don't have my bag," I said, worried that he'll leave me.

"I'll wait down at the car," he replied, opening the door and waiting for me to walk out in front of him.

I ran as fast as I could up to my room, picked up my bag, and ran all the way back down to the parking lot just in time to see him opening his car door for Pring. She smiled at me as she's getting in and I wai to her, but my heart was breaking.

"I'm going with Ai'Pring," Pha said to me, barely looking my way. His car only has two seats and given the choice, of course he would choose Pring. I am so stupid.

I go back up to my room and lay down on my bed. I can feel the tears in my eyes as I look over at my bureau and take stock of the photos framed there. All of those pictures of Pha are the perfect metaphor for our relationship. I'm always looking at him but he's never been looking back at me.