SEVEN

My drowsiness was fully gone by now. A lump formed in my throat preventing me from speaking as the familiar numbness made its presence known to me. But I had to speak. I had to. It was him we are talking about.

But since when did I start caring so much about a stranger?

"No, of course not." I managed to let out, trying to smile.

He stared at me with uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, wanting him to believe that it really was okay. In fact, good. I knew I wasn't in my senses to act normal but even in my senseless self, I couldn't help but adore this man. It wasn't fair.

"Okay, I believe you."

Butterflies. Thousands of them. In my stomach.

"Did he apologize to you?" I asked, trying to suppress everything that was stirring in.

"Yeah, he did. Perhaps a million times. I know he kicked me out in a split second, but he also said sorry all the while he was doing it." He laughed. "But I honestly didn't mind. I'm happy they are finally talking to get the closure they deserve."

I almost choked on my own spit. "Wait, how do you know about that?" I blurted in confusion. Suddenly, the question seemed stupid.

But I couldn't un-ask it now.

He smirked at me, making my breath get stuck in my lungs.

"Oh, God! You Greek God! STOP MAKING MY GOOSEBUMPS GET GOOSEBUMPS!" I mentally screamed. I wanted to slap his smirk away because of how he was making me feel foreign things.

"Summer," He started. My name sounded even better now. What the hell was wrong with me? Ew Ew Ew. "Jason is my best friend. That should explain everything."

"Oh... ye-yeah makes sense." I said, in a little above a whisper.

"I'm happy for him. I'm also happier that there is one more person who really and truly knows him."

For the first time, the mysterious aura around him seemed to disappear, replaced by warmth emitted from the love he had for his best friend. I saw him letting his guards down as he smiled genuinely. Something I didn't know I needed.

"I'm happy for them too."

"What's your major?" He asked randomly but it nevertheless touched me that he wanted to talk.

To me.

I found myself smiling at that.

"Journalism. You?"

He sighed. "Fine Arts."

"You are an artist?"

He turned to me. "Yeah." And smiled. SMILED. I could legit feel my heart melting now.

For the second time, I saw the mysterious aura disappear again. I felt his innocence in his smile but as they say, every good thing also has disadvantages, the stupid foreign feelings came back to haunt me.

Oh God, why? Why did I feel like this around him? And why did you give him such a beautiful smile? Forget his smile. Why did you create such a beautiful and perfect human being in the first place? Because it's not fair. It's just not fair.

I could feel the nervousness coming back and the next moment I knew what was happening, I found myself turning red. I quickly looked away before he saw it.

"What about you? What do you want to be?" He asked, his gaze still on me. I looked up then, having been reminded of the Netherlands.

"Netherlands." I answered.

"Wait what? What do you mean?" The perplexity in his voice was clearly heard but I took my time explaining it.

"Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to go and live there. It honestly never matters what I do there. I just wanted to live there. This is my dream."

"Wow. Just wow." He said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I laughed softly. We went quiet then. I expected awkwardness to come and overpower the peaceful silence between us, but it never did.

The comfortable silence was maintained throughout until I heard him breathing soundly. I turned to face him and realized he had fallen asleep. So fast?

But who cares?

I could calmly look at him now.

The rain grew heavier outside, but I didn't care, probably for the first time. I put my earphones away as I continued to look. He looked beautiful even when he was sleeping. His eyes were closed with such calmness as his steady breathing grew more soundly. I leaned back on my chair, still looking at him when a sudden thunder grabbed my attention. I looked outside for a second and in that very second, he whispered, "You are a very easy person to talk to. I hope you know that."

And you are a very beautiful person. I hope you know that.