Work Text:
“Thank you class for your time, class dismissed.” Our professor in Health Ethics said signalling for us that our 3-hr long discussion has ended.
Some of the students are all ready to leave the classroom, their stuffs already inside their bags or maybe they didn’t bother taking it out in the first place. Who even likes a 3-hr long subject, definitely not them, and definitely not me. No offense tho, I really like my course and I like Health Ethics but spending three hours on a single subject is torture. I’m ready to doze off if not for the matter of fact that we have midterm exams coming up.
I fixed my things, stuffed it nicely and neatly inside my tote bag and stood up from my seat. Oh, the pain from my back and buttocks, and the nearly numbing legs that I have.
You got this, Fluke. You love your course. You have a goal to accomplish.
I jumped lightly in order to get myself straight and went out of the room. Health ethics is my last subject for today and it’s only almost 5 in the afternoon, making it not too early for the sun’s rays to be a pain and not too late for it to be dark.
*bzzt*
I took my phone out when I noticed it vibrating signalling that a message has been received. I smiled when I saw who it was — P’Ohm. A senior one year older than me and to whom I share my student code number with.
P’Ohm: Class done yet? Reply if yes, ignore if not yet.
He’s a really great senior, he’s kind and caring, he takes care of his juniors well and he’s also very sweet and easy to get along with.
I typed in my reply and sent it to him.
Fluke: Yes Phi, I’m on my way to the stairs right now.
P’Ohm: Okay, alright. I’m outside of your building just look for me and if you happen to not see me text me. Focus while going down the stairs alright? Do not reply.
Really sweet.
P’Ohm always says things like that, I found it awkward and somewhat annoying at first but I somehow got used to it — him asking me to join him eat or study or just do nothing or do spontaneous things.
I went to the stairs and of the building I am at and went down minding my steps as to prevent accidents. The stairs are located on each side of the building and the entrance is located in the middle of the first floor. As soon as I got on the first floor I already saw him, P’Ohm, sitting on a bench with his back facing my direction, focused on whatever he was doing.
I walked out of the building and went to him silently. And that was when I saw what he was so focused on. He was reading, he was reading the book that I recommended and lent to him yesterday. I smiled and was about to continue my tracks when I noticed something else. Iced coffee, on his side were two cups of iced coffees.
‘P’Ohm does not like iced coffee, he finds the taste of it weird but why does he have two cups of it? Is someone else coming?’ I thought to myself.
“Nong” I got back from my reverie when I heard his voice. And that’s when I saw him looking at my direction while smiling and I returned his smile with a smile. I continued walking towards him and greeted him, “Sawasdee krap P’Ohm” .
“Wasdee” he wai-ed back, “Wait, I’ll just put your book inside and then we’re ready to go” he said while looking at me with his signature smile.
“It’s okay, take your time Phi, you already waited for me here so there’s no rush” I said to him, still maintaining our eye contact.
He was the one who broke it, our eye contact, and gave me one of the iced coffees, “Here an iced coffee, I know you like those” I accepted it and eyed the other one, maybe he noticed it or maybe he just felt explaining but, “And this one, is mine” was what he said, while making eye contact with me once again and then continued organizing his stuff.
I suddenly felt our surroundings fade away, it was just me and him. It felt like we were in our own world, the noise suddenly hushing and it was as if we were on a stage and the spotlight was on us. And that’s when I realized, oh I like this man . That realization struck me hard, it was my first time liking someone I am close with and it was P’Ohm.
“Nong let’s go” grabbing my attention with his hand placed on top of my head and his eyes looking directly straight at me.
Maybe it was the book or the coffee or how the rays of the setting sun is lighting his face or maybe how close his face is to mine but I just found myself staring back at him while smiling. “Let’s go” .
I like you. I like you P’Ohm.