Skylar and I didn’t exchange another word after that. We parted ways as soon as we entered the classroom. I sat on one side, and he settled at the back, his usual spot. After a while, the professor entered, and class began.
When the class ended, I wasted no time and quickly left the room. Skylar didn’t follow me, which relieved me. For the past few weeks, Skylar had been the type to follow me around, so I was glad he didn’t that day.
There was still an afternoon class, so I headed to the canteen to grab lunch. Unexpectedly, I saw the same man from the morning-whom I had thought was a post-graduate student or from another department. He was eating alone in a corner of the canteen. Unfortunately, it was crowded, and the only available seat was next to him. I swallowed nervously and approached his table, stopping when I reached him.
I cleared my throat. “Excuse me,” I said.
The man paused what he was doing, causing me to smile. I had initially thought he might be a jerk who liked to tease, but seeing him stop changed my mind.
He looked up at me, a hint of scorn on his face. “What do you want?” he asked.
His calm tone caught me off guard, despite the annoyance on his face.
I forced a smile. “Can I share the table with you?” I asked.
A few seconds passed before he nodded and looked back down at his food. I gulped again and sat down in the chair opposite him. I placed my tray on the table and slowly began transferring my food. Occasionally, I stole glances at the man. He seemed lost in thought, paying me no mind as I studied him.
He had a tan complexion. His lips were pinkish and thin, with a long nose and deep, thick eyebrows. I was startled when our eyes met.
“Did your university not teach you not to stare at someone while they’re eating, Miss?”
His comment quickened my heart rate. I immediately lowered my gaze and began eating the food I had ordered. I heard him snort. “What’s your name?” he asked.
I gulped hard, reached for my glass of juice, took a sip, then placed the glass back on the table. “Azora S-Sirai…”
“Surname?”
“B-Briones.”
Silence followed. I kept my eyes on the table, not daring to look up at him. I could feel his stare burning into my face.
I wanted to ask his name and what department he was from, but I couldn’t find my voice. My heart was still racing because of his presence. His commanding aura didn’t help calm my nerves, so I let out a breath of relief when the man stood up.
He didn’t say anything. He just placed all his utensils back on his tray and walked away. What I didn’t expect was the slight disappointment I felt. I should have asked his name so I could search for him online.
I raised my head and looked around, but with the increasing number of students in the canteen, I couldn’t spot him. I sighed. Who was that man?
Before I could dwell on his appearance again, someone sat down across from me. I glanced at the person who occupied the seat where the man I had met earlier had been sitting. It was Skylar.
He didn’t say anything; he just started eating his food. I snorted and focused on my own meal. Minutes passed between us when Skylar asked, “Who were you talking to earlier?”
The spoon I was holding stopped midway to my mouth. I placed it back on my plate and raised my head to look at Skylar. He wasn’t eating; instead, he was staring at me as if I had committed a crime. I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t talk to liars.”
His brow furrowed at my words. “Azora–”
I stood up and was about to leave, but he called out to me again. “Don’t go,” he said.
“What if I want to?” I challenged him, squinting at him.
He stared back at me, about to say something, when someone approached us and grabbed my wrist. “Come with me,” the newcomer said.
I looked up at the man holding my wrist and realized it was the same man I had shared the table with earlier. I blinked; I hadn’t seen him when I looked around earlier.
“Um… who are you?” I asked.
I held my breath, waiting for his answer, but Skylar stood up and grabbed my other wrist. “Dude, let go of her,” Skylar warned.
The man just snorted and ignored Skylar’s words. Without saying anything, he started to pull me out of the canteen. But Skylar still had hold of my other wrist, so the man stopped and looked back at Skylar.
“Let her go,” the man calmly demanded.
Skylar didn’t respond; he just pulled me closer into his arms. I gasped as I was released from the man’s grip, and Skylar’s arms wrapped around my shoulders.
“Who are you?” Skylar asked through gritted teeth.
The whole canteen fell silent. When the man didn’t answer Skylar’s question, I immediately felt the burning gaze of the other students in the canteen. I lowered my head and tried to hide my face from the crowd; my cheeks burned red with embarrassment.
Finally, the man replied to Skylar, “It’s none of your business, young man.” Then, he wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me out of the canteen. Only then did I realize I had been holding my breath for quite some time.