Disclaimer: Mine, suckers.
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Calm down. Deep breaths.
This was his mantra, his foremost thoughts as he walked around the bright, familiar building, waiting patiently. He wondered how long would it be until his patience dwindled though; it was slightly past the allocated time and she hadn’t-
Text message.
He raised his eyebrow at the not-too-clear message, and replied, before everything dawned on him and he realized that-
Her next text confirmed everything, and he tore himself away from whatever he was looking at, gathering whatever remaining wits he had, as he strolled, trying not to look nervous, to remind himself it was just her and some strangers and there was really nothing to it, but the fact that she was there seemed to change everything anyway.
He looked up and saw her, as well as a familiar face and a couple of non-familiar ones. He wasn’t surprised to see she was the smallest one there, and chuckled silently at the thought. He wondered briefly what she’d tell the others if they started asking questions, before seeing that smile and he smiled back, still on edge but at least, at least she was here. With him.
The introductions were slightly awkward, and she seemed apprehensive, and he knew everything was new to her, but she grinned anyways and soon he was nodding and smiling at the people she had grown up with, the people she had left behind in favour of paving her own path. They seemed nice enough, he decided. Different, definitely. There were a few girls that were friendly enough to make small talk and his apprehension eased as well. Somewhat.
He felt out of place with the amount of estrogen surrounding him though, and he stayed back, at the back of the giggling, chattering crowd. She stayed with him too, joking a little, smiling a lot, and he was glad he could see that smile today. She was beginning to be less reserved as well, more open, more, well, herself, he guessed, and he was thankful for that too. He didn’t like it when she hid things from it, didn’t want her to doubt him anymore.
The awkwardness level rose though when they sat for lunch and he shook his head, wishing she brought a few guy friends along as well, because, it was, literally, a 10 to 1 situation and never had he felt more outnumbered.
“I’m hungry.” He chuckled at her predictability and relished in the chance to tease her again and again, and he laughed at her pout and eye-rolling, eating off her food anyway and grimacing at the taste, before taking another bite.
He saw how close and how unique her friendship was with that one particular girl though, and he smiled inside, glad to know that someone was keeping an eye out for her as well. The dark-skinned girl seemed a bit odd though, but then again, the petite figure beside him wasn’t like many people he’d met too. Maybe that was why they complimented each other so well.
As they got up and walked towards the other end of the floor, he wondered, not for the first time, whether this place was really all there was to this country. He’d lost count of the many familiar faces he’d encountered, as well as the polite waves and greetings he gave and received during the hour and a half he’d spent there.
Suddenly, more familiar faces swarmed around them and he raised an eyebrow, before wondering if they’d pick up what he was doing here with her. He wasn’t exactly the closest person with her around them, after all. But he screwed logic and smiled anyway, letting the curiosity on their faces play for a little while longer.
“The movie’s about to start; why don’t both of you go first? I’ll wait for the rest.”
He nodded his okay and chuckled at her admitted cluelessness, before leading both of them inside the dark hall, pleased to find that they had gotten the good seats at the back. The screen flashed pictures after pictures in succession and soon her friends started trailing in. He was mortified at their profound ability to be blunt as well as oblivious though, laughing helplessly at the embarrassing question posed at them and the stares they received. Not long after everyone else arrived and he settled in his seat, intent on enjoying the movie.
He watched the screen without paying much attention to anything else but her, and halfway through the show he deliberated whether-but she was sitting too still though, as if she was uncomfortable with something but still trying to hide it as she leaned back in her seat, concentrating as well.
He saw out of the corner of his eye, her talking with the people to her left, but he didn’t think much, too engrossed by the movie as well as the urge to just-
She placed her arm on the armrest, effectively slightly leaning against him. He grinned at the warmth, but still hesitated.
Gosh, this is cheesy.
Finally, somewhere towards the end, when her posture wasn’t too rigid, he laid his head on her shoulder, grinning idiotically to himself. She relaxed a moment after and his grin grew wider as she leaned back against him slightly, and they watched the remainder of the story, just like that.
They walked around with the rest afterwards, and he raised his eyebrows at exactly how weird and unfathomable her friendship with her best friend and he stepped back, just so he wouldn’t feel like a pole anymore. Which was difficult to do, when she was a whole head shorter.
He regretted how fast the day ended though, and when he had to go, he gave her a half-smile before hugging her tightly, just slightly longer than usual, already missing her, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. She hugged him back just as hard, and he knew she wouldn’t hesitate to say the same as well.
And he waved to the rest and left, sighing softly to himself.
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A/N: I TRIED to make it not as cheesy as before. No worries, an emo one-shot will be coming up soon. ;) Hehe. In the meantime, comments, you know where my tagboard is. =P
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