‘So?’she probes, having the audacity to poke my arm.‘Where were you?’
‘I stayed with Zayden.’
Her eye twitches, and I shift back from her, slightly concerned that this information is not being processed quite right with her.However, her smile would convince me otherwise.If it gets any wider, the corners of her mouth will disappear to the back of her head.
‘Oh?’she asks, voice dropping a little lower as she tilts her head, as if studying every little detail about me.
‘Yeah.’
‘So,’ she continues, running a tongue across her teeth as she mulls over her words.‘You two are a thing then?’
‘Yes,’ I say, lifting my chin.‘We’re dating.’
She stills, and for a moment I’m tempted to wave my hand in front of her face, to see if anyone is still inside.The stare she’s shooting in my direction feels like a laser that’s burning holes into my skin.I wait another beat and she still says nothing.
‘Well, this has been a blast,’ I say, side-stepping her and hastily grabbing my matcha latte.I hightail it out of there, hoping to put as much distance between us as I can.
The lecturer’s voice drifts in and out as I try to focus, but I’m still thinking about the encounter with Avery.I shift in my seat, tugging down my denim skirt, and take a sip from my water bottle.It’s barely past ten, and I’m already counting down the hours until I can escape back to the house for a swim and some relaxation, although I do have an assignment I need to work on.
The lecture hall smells faintly of sunscreen and I almost trip over someone’s iced coffee that’s been sweating on the floor beside their bag when the lecture is over.The air-con’s blasting, but it’s fighting a losing battle against the heat bleeding in from outside.
Through the tall windows lining the back wall, I catch glimpses of blue sky and the tops of trees swaying in the breeze.Beyond them, the campus stretches out like a beachside resort with its open walkways, light-coloured buildings, and the occasional water dragon sunbaking on the grass.There’s something about being this close to the coast that makes everything feel more laid-back than it probably should.Even the tutors wear Birkenstocks.
I push open the heavy glass doors and step out into the heat.It hits me like it always does, thick and relentless, like walkinginto a wall made of sun.The concrete’s already radiating warmth, and my sandals slap against the path as I make my way across the carpark.I suspiciously side-eye a plover as it raises its wings as I pass, but thankfully, I don’t get swooped.
I fish my keys out of my bag, my skin sticking to the strap, as I head for my car, already dreading how hot the steering wheel’s going to be.
I skid to a stop.I do a quick scan of my surroundings but there is no one else in the carpark.A delicate rose sits tucked between my windscreen wiper and the windscreen, with a folded note underneath it.
A smile graces my lips.Zayden is unbelievably sweet.He could have gotten this for me and left it at the house, but he went the extra mile of finding my car and leaving it for me to find the moment my day of classes ended.How did I get so lucky?
I’m impatient to get home.The traffic is so slow, it takes me double the usual time.The house is quiet when I enter.I locate a vase and place it on the dining room table.It’s such a beautiful rose.
Dancing up the stairs, I barge into Zayden’s room.He’s sunken back into his pillows, mouth open, laptop and textbook open and on his lap.He startles at my entrance, and guilt immediately floods me for waking him up.
‘Sorry!’I quickly say.‘I didn’t realise you were sleeping.’
‘Oh, it’s fine,’ he mumbles, fighting off a yawn.‘I wasn’t supposed to be sleeping.’
He shifts everything off his lap and onto the floor beside him, and I crawl onto the bed.
‘I can’t stop thinking aboutyou,’ I say, quoting his note.
He studies me for a moment.‘Did you just read my mind?’
‘What?’I say, but then he crashes his lips to mine and everything else just doesn’t seem important anymore.
I don’t know why I’m this nervous.
It’s not arealdate.It’s dinner.With Zayden.Who is not my boyfriend.Still, I’ve changed outfits three times.
We agreed to go out to dinner tonight to run through some things before meeting my family dinner tomorrow night.We thought it would be a good idea to touch base about things moving forward, and would also be good for appearances.
I stand in front of the mirror and smooth my hands down the sides of my dress – olive green, slightly loose fitting with a low cut front that makes it a bit risky.I tell myself I’m going for a casual look, but I hope he notices the effort.
My bedroom window – well, the window in the spare room at Zayden’s – is cracked open to let in the early evening breeze.Somewhere down the street someone is blasting a Triple J remix from their car.
I lean towards the mirror and fix a strand of hair that refuses to sit right.Then I hesitate.Lipstick, or would that be way too much?
