Page 9

She didn’t actually attend any of their classes. She and Jae had met during a second-year networking mixer last year. She was a music major, and oftentimes, would show them snippets of projects that she was working on.

Jae’s demeanor lit up instantly as soon as Anya reached their table.

“Anya, hey!”

She swung her legs over the bench opposite to Seth, and leant forward against her arms.

“So, how were your mornings?”

“Oh you know, existential crisis here and there,” Jae responded with a grin.

“Actually, that’s scheduled for me today at 3pm, luckily enough,” Anya said, tapping the imaginary watch on her wrist.

Jae laughed and Seth observed as the conversation unfolded between the two, smiling knowingly at what he thought only he could see.

“I actually wanted to see if you guys wanted to catch some drinks tonight with us,” Anya offered.

“I’d love to!” Jae said immediately. The two turned to Seth expectantly. He knew that he’d be doing Jae a big favour by leaving them both to their own thing.

“I might pass for today,” Seth said. He placed a hand on Jae’s shoulder, smiling at him and Anya. “But you two have fun for me, okay?”

“You've got to join us sometime soon though, okay?” Jae exclaimed, slapping at Seth’s shoulder. Anya laughed, eyes darting between the two, before flicking down to the lit up time on her phone

She rolled her eyes.

“Ugh, I’ve got a class now, but I’ll text you later Jae,” she said.

Jae nodded, “Sure, I’ll see you then!”

Anya held up two fingers to her forehead in a mini salute, before skipping off down the opposite direction. Discreetly, Seth glimpsed Jae’s expression as he watched Anya.

God, could he be anymore obvious? Jae and Anya have liked each other for as long as Seth could remember, and yet, they always seemed to skirt around it. Whenever Seth brought it up with Jae, however, he’d always brush it off or try to change the subject.

It’s been a while, but Seth wondered what it would be like if he had a crush on a girl, especially now. Had he ever even had a crush that reached beyond the exterior and superficial?

Seth wasn’t sure how it was supposed to feel like, anyway.

Or if he’d be willing to take that risk, and find out.

5 pm.

On the dot.

Seth stood outside the train station, just beside a bubble tea store as per he and Nina’s agreement.

The sky sat in the in-between hour, with its coating of orange and pink. Crowds of students and workers around him were heading toward through the train gates. Seth’s eyes bounced across faces, hoping to see the familiar one with chestnut hair.

A chill breeze settled over the atmosphere, and Seth pulled his hoodie closer to him. He really needed to invest in thicker fabric. Ten minutes passed, and still no Nina. Seth sighed, glancing at the train timetable.

The one they usually took together would be leaving in five minutes, and unless Nina showed up soon, they’d miss it.

What if she already left?

Should I even wait for her?

Did she remember?

Seth shuffled back and forth, contemplating whether to go ahead. If he wanted to get back in time before it got really dark out, he’d need to catch that train.

Why didn’t they exchange numbers beforehand? Glancing at the time again, Seth figured that Nina probably forgot about their meeting spot.

With that in mind, Seth turned, heading toward the station gate.

“ Wow , leaving me behind I see.”

Her loud voice caught him in his tracks. Turning, Seth glimpsed Nina hurrying along in a mini jog. Her hair was stuck to her forehead, as if she’d been running even beforehand, and her cheeks were flushed.

“I thought you lef-“

Reaching Seth, Nina grabbed his hand roughly without a word and pulled him along.

“Well, come on if you want to make it in time!”

Dragging him, they made their way through the station gate and down the hallway, to the stairs that led to the platform.

They probably only had a couple minutes until the train departed. Tightening her grip, Nina pulled Seth up the stairs, her steps speedy. Thank god Seth had longer legs, or else he would’ve definitely tripped.

“Ouch - can you be more gentle!”

“Come on!” Nina exclaimed. Her fingers didn’t loosen their grip.

A beeping sound rang across the platform, signalling that the doors were about to close. The platform guard blew their whistle soon after. It was too late, they wouldn’t make it.

“Nina it’s okay-”

Reaching the top of the stairs, Nina tugged Seth harshly through the gap in the train doors, making it just in time. He heard the guard yelling at them over how reckless that was. But they made it and that was what mattered.

Seth leant against the train wall, catching his breath, his lungs burning from the overexertion. How long has it been since he’s run that hard?

And how was Nina not panting right now? The carriage was quite full, meaning there probably wouldn’t be any seats. Groaning, he wiped the sweat on his forehead.

He probably smelt now too, from the sweat. God, this is the worst.

“Gosh Nina, we could’ve waited for the next one,” he gasped.

Why was he so unfit?

Back in high school, he was considered one of the more sporty ones and always played soccer every lunch break. But all that skill, that fitness flushed down the drain the moment he graduated, and there wasn’t a reason to be sporty anymore.

“Says the one who was about to leave anyway,” she huffed. Seth opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came to mind.

She was right anyway. It was a relief to him that she hadn’t left him after all.

“Well I thought you were already gone,” Seth retorted, “You were late.”

Nina leant against the wall beside Seth, her breathing just a little deeper, but at least she wasn’t gasping like a fish. Her hair was a mess, and stuck to her face.

“Says the one who was about to leave anyway,” she huffed, raising her brow. Seth opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

“I was held back today,” she explained, “group presentation.”

Straightening herself against the wall, she brushed the hair from her face. She pressed her sleeve against her sweaty damp forehead.

She looked like a mess. Seth didn’t think it was a bad thing though.

“I’m kidding, you know,” Nina said, a smile creeping onto her lips, “I knew I was late, but I appreciate you sticking around long enough though.”

“Well yeah - I mean, of course I would,” Seth replied. Why wouldn’t he wait? He really liked having Nina around with him on these train rides home. Did she know that?

Nina just raised her brow, but said nothing.

“We should find a free seat,” she offered, and he readily agreed. Yet, one glance at both the upstairs and downstairs portions showed just how busy this time of day was. Workers finishing for the day had occupied most of the seats.

“Nevermind.”

Nina sighed, leaning against one of the train poles.

“Did you have a good day today?” Seth asked.

Nina dived into a detailed rehash of her day, including the woes of someone in her group project that refused to pull his weight. After a series of groans and complaints about that classmate, her mood shifted, and her lips pulled quickly into a grin.

“But other than that, I started listening to this new album on my run to the station. I mean, it’s not really new but it’s new to me because it’s my first time, you know? Anyways - Elena introduced this singer to me, and I’m loving the style. Here - listen -”

She pulled out her phone and earphones from her pocket and typed something into YouTube.

Laufey . He didn’t recognise the name.

Nina reached up with her earbud, and tilted her head as if to say, ‘ may I? ’. Seth nodded, and he felt her palm brush gently across his right cheek as she pushed the other earbud into his temple.

A shiver ran through him.

“Sorry, are my hands cold?” Nina asked, noticing his visceral reaction.

No, he thought.

He wished that her hands were cold, instead of the unexplainable heat spreading through his body.

Before he could respond, she pressed play, and a slow, jazzy melody started. The chords managed to calm nerves he didn’t realise he had. His gaze drifted toward Nina, who’d begun to sway her neck side to side. Her features had softened, her eyes closed, as though absorbing the song.

“The song is gorgeous, isn’t it?” she asked, her eyes still closed.

But Seth wasn’t watching the music video, nor paying much attention to the song.

He was watching her and couldn’t help but smile, his gaze trained on how happy she looked. Gorgeous.

The train shook a little on its tracks, and Nina lost balance a bit. She lurched to the side, gasping as she lost her footing. She bumped against Seth, her body falling forward, past the pole.

With quick reflexes, Seth caught her in his arms, holding her up so she didn’t hit the ground. Nina quickly grabbed at his shoulders for stability, her eyes wide.

“Shit,” she muttered, under her breath.

Her gaze met his, and Seth realised this was the first time he’d ever been this close to Nina Mendez.

Her lashes were really long, he noticed. And her eyes were a kind of honey brown.

A wave of deja vu washed over him. As if he’d noticed all of these intrinsics before.

An awkward smile formed on her lips as Nina pushed herself away from Seth, untangling herself from his arms.

“Sorry,” she said, “I miss our seats already.”

Seth chuckled, but it sounded nervous to his ears. Why was his heart quickening?

“Still clumsy, I see,” he said.

Back then, Nina was quite known to be a clutz, tripping over her own feet, so much so that it was almost effortless how much she’d stumble on air.

Nina gave him a stink eye, but it was lighthearted.

“Shut up, it’s the train’s fault,” she pouted her lips, “I promise I’ve changed for the better.”

The two of them laughed, the awkwardness from before dissolving. Nina repositioned herself, locking her knees and grabbing at the pole, holding it tighter this time.

“There, this way I won’t be falling on you again anytime soon,” Nina said, looking up at him with a smirk.

His pulse quickened, and he looked away.

Seth wasn’t sure he’d mind if she fell again at all.