ELLIE JONES

"Isaiah? What are you doing here?" The professor asks. How did he even know him? Is Isaiah my age? Is he a transfer student from a different university? If only he had told me more about himself, then I wouldn't have all these questions.

"Mrs. Hall wanted me to hand you this note. She has an emergency at home and needs your help with something" He replies nonchalantly while walking over to hand him the note. The professor dismisses him and I feel my eyes unintentionally follow his every move as he walks back up the stairs and towards the exit. As he reaches the top, he turns to look over at me giving me a smirk, as if knowing that I've been staring at him. That short second where we stare at each other is enough to make me lose all concentration.

"Miss Jones, whenever you're done staring at Mr. Philips I would like to continue with the lesson" the professor rudely interrupts our brief eye contact. For the second time today, all eyes are on me and I cover my face with my notebook. I wish that universe just do me a favor for once and let the ground eat me whole right this instant. 

"Don't forget that the next assignment is due in two weeks." The professor reminds us before dismissal. I quickly take my belongings, making sure to zip my bag up this time, and exit the room. A small part of me wishes that I will be able to bump into him again, accidentally or not. I look around trying to spot the familiar chiseled face mystery boy who has been occupying my thoughts.

"Looking for me?" I hear him ask. I turn to my left and notice how close he is. "Coincidence" really seems to be our thing. No words have to be said as we stand face to face, only a centimeter of empty space between us. He is so close I can feel his breath against my skin. What are we doing? What is this?

"I didn't know you study here too" I finally say trying to break whatever it was between us, and before I actually pass out from the level of closeness we are at. He takes a step back and I'm not sure if I feel grateful or disappointed.

"Me too" He says.

"This is actually crazy" I say, giggling.

"What's so funny?"

I think back on how I was rushing to get to class on time this morning and left him all alone in front of the store, yet we still ended up meeting each other again, though not in the way I quite expected.

"Nothing" I reply.

He smiles and I notice his smile is always kind of reserved. It's almost like he's trying not to smile and I wonder why. He looks absolutely charismatic when he smiles, not that he doesn't already look charming. I ask him if he wants to have lunch with me since I am getting really hungry. All the running around today definitely stirred up my appetite. Also, it is my excuse to spend extra time with him.

"I don't know" he says, brushing his dark hair back.

"Oh come on, think of it as saying thank you for giving you shelter twice. And anyways, at the rate we're going, we might just run into one another later" I plead. He rolls his eyes and finally gives in. After some deliberation and minor disagreements, we decide to eat at a small café near campus.

"We'll have the fish and chips please, thank you" I order, handing the waitress back the menu. I look over and find Isaiah staring at me. We continue staring at each other for what feels like forever until he finally speaks up. Thank goodness. We appear to stare at each other more than we talk. Though, his good looks really do speak for themselves.

"Since we keep bumping into each other, I think I should know your name." He says. I forgot that he doesn't know my name till now, which makes our coincidental meetings feel more odd. It made me feel like we are just strangers, and nothing more.

Actually, more like one-sided strangers since I knew his name from the very beginning.

"What about your no attachments rule?" I ask, taking a sip of water. I was excited that he would break that little rule of his just for me. It made me feel... exclusive. He chuckles and says it's more of a preference than a rule.

"So you're okay with just walking around never knowing anyone's name? Sounds like a rubbish preference to me" I say. Oh my god. Did I really just say that out loud? I think I did. 

He smiles. Really smiles. Was it something I said?

"Are you going to tell me your name or what," he asks again.

"My name is Ellie. Ellie Jones." I finally reply. It feels strange, like this is our first time meeting. It definitely did not feel like we had already spent two nights together.

"Well hello Ellie. It's nice to meet you again." There's just something about the way he says my name that's different from everyone else that makes butterflies form in my stomach.

As we have our first official meal together, and I am not counting the cake and snacks we had in the café and store, I ask him questions that I've been dying to know the answers to. Like, how old is he and what he is studying. I learn that we are both studying business, another coincidence, and he is 21 years old this year. 

"Since I've grilled you with enough questions, you can ask me some questions about me" I say. He suddenly asks if I am currently dating anyone and I almost choke on my fish. I have never even been in the same room as another boy before, well other than him of course, let alone date anyone. I compose myself, and remind myself that he probably just wants to get to know me better. I shake my head in response to his question.

"How about in the past? Have you ever date anyone before?" He asks.

"Why are you interested in my love life?" I throw a question back at him, trying to avoid his question.

"You mean the lack of love in your life?" He says cheekily. I gasp and throw one of my chips at him. He laughs and returns the favor by throwing a couple of chips in my direction. I think we forgot that we are in public, where everyone is watching us food fight. That is the joy of being with him, I don't care what anyone thinks of me. I can just be me.

"Okay okay you're right, I've never dated before" I say, finally admitting defeat.

"Why?" He asks, looking genuinely curious. I pause to think about his question. No boy had ever really stood out to me, and I've always been too shy to approach anyone, let alone a person of the opposite sex. Also, my mum would disapprove of me dating anyone so I didn't bother even trying.

"Why is dating considered a social norm these days? I just don't feel like dating and haven't really found a guy I want to be with romantically yet." I reply, leaving out the part that my mum is an absolute psycho and would lock me in my room for the next decade, or more if she's able to, if she found out that I was dating. She's more of a conversation ender than a conversation starter if you can't already tell. He nods and we go back to alternating between eating, asking questions, and just chatting. It finally feels like I have a friend.

"Thanks for having lunch with me" I say after we both finish our meal. He smiles and waves at the waitress to get the bill. I shouldn't let him pay right? I stop him and say "Hey, it's okay, I'm the one who asked you to eat with me, so I should pay." I reach for my wallet that is on the table when he suddenly grabs my hand, his other hand still in the air. Okay, so we're moving on to physical contact now? I feel the cold metal of his ring on my hand and it's the most comfortable discomfort I've ever felt.

"Don't be ridiculous Ellie" he replies, grabbing the bill from the waitress's hands before I even hand the chance to remove my hands from his right grip. Not that I am complaining. The waitress must find Isaiah attractive because she constantly shoots him flirty looks and smiles. Even though I've never dated before, I know what flirting looks like, and on a scale of one to ten, that girl is for sure a level 10 on the flirty scale. She winks at him when he hands her the cash, and although he doesn't wink back, he smiles. Not the way he smiled at me, but it was definitely a smile. Is she serious?  I could have been his girlfriend. I shake my head, what was I even thinking. I've never felt this before, even though I'm sure it is jealousy. Snap out of it Ellie Jones! Why would you even be jealous? You've literally only met this guy a few days ago, get a grip! I tell myself subconsciously.

He removes his hands from mine and I thank him again for the meal as we leave the café. He nods in response and tells me he has to meet up with some friends.

"I'll see you around Ellie Jones" he says before leaving me exactly how I left him this morning. 

Alone. What a turn of events.