17
Her mind was occupied with thoughts of Demir as she shopped around and she couldn't seem to shake off the expression on his face when he saw Stella. She felt hurt to admit the fact she had known right away. Stella was the one Demir's heart belongs to.
She tried not to wear her look on her face as she walked over to the counter to pay for the stuffs she had bought.
"Oh, Senior."
She raised her head to see a familiar face behind the counter ad she wondered where she had met him.
"I sat next to you yesterday. You stole my water, remember?" He asked and it came back to her. The guy who had asked her about seafood and stuffs.
"Oh, the freshman. Your name is Dennis Alfred, right?"
"It's Dennis Allen.You're bad at remembering people."
"Sorry, there were so many people yesterday." She replied. "Do you work here?"
"Yes.Just in the evenings. I just started...Was it fun last night?" He asked with a groan. "I wanted to hang out longer, but I had to come and work...You haven't had dinner?"
"No, I was working on my assignment."
"In that case..." He was saying as he took out a bottle of strawberry milk from under the counter. "I was saving this, but you can have it."
"No, it's fine. You should have it." She protested.
"It's okay. I want you to have it."
Well, since he wanted her to. "Thanks...I'll enjoy this. Good luck with work." She smiled.
"See you tomorrow." He said.
"You too." She replied on her way out.
She was about to head for home when Dennis walked out of the store and she turned back to him, wondering if he forgot to mention something.
"Senior Tahti...can you give me your phone?"
"My phone?"
"Yes." He replied and she took out her phone from her jacket before she handed it over to him.
He returned it back to her a couple of minutes later and she realized he'd input his number. "That's my number. I'll contact you later."
She smiled, knowing where he was heading. "Okay."
"Take care, then."
"Bye." She replied and turned to leave.
"See you later." He called after her.
"You too."
"Do you know that? You can't seem to get your eyes off." Stella said. He had been looking towards their direction, ever since they'd walked up.
"He's a freshman in our department. He must work there."
"Not him." Stella said and he turned to her as she looked at the girl, wearing a jacket. "Is that girl a freshman too?"
"No. She's my senior...or maybe a friend." He replied and took his seat.
Friend? Stella wondered as she took a closer look at her. It was obvious his relationship with her was more than just friendship, she thought as she sat beside him.
Her eyes fell to his customized key holder, which bore the same design on his key holder, and she smiled. "You're still customizing your phones."
"What about you? Do you still have it?" He'd customized one for her, the same as the one on his key holder before she left the country.
"Me?" She asked as she looked away. "I lost it a long time ago."
"That's disappointing." He said as he ran his thumb around the star on hiskey holder. "That girl...Her name means Star."
"So you haven't grown up...You just found another star." She said with a wry smile.
"It's not like that. She's just a friend."
"You're lying." She scoffed and he turned to her. "You're a moon and she's a star." She said and veered to face him. "Is it fate?"
He smiled, one starting with a S. "Don't be ridiculous. You're my fate." He replied and she smiled.
Later that night, Tahti was laughing to herself as she watched a comedy in her phone while having dinner, when a message popped up on her screen.
«Hello Senior, it's Dennis Allen from a while ago.»
"He messaged me right away." She muttered before typing her reply.
«Hi.»
«Are you coming to the flea market? I'm serving at our booth...Or you can come to the after party. I hope you'll come.»
«Okay then.»
"Really? Then I'll see you there.»
Her heart fluttered when he sent her a sticker of a teddy bear and she tapped his display photo to zoom in on it. He looked cute.
«By the way, are there days when you don't have class?...Was that a little personal? My apologies.See you at the festival.»
«Sadly, I have class everyday. Goodnight.»
She responded before logging out to finish her meal.
Students in the Sculpture studio B were as busy as a bee, the next morning. Demir was particularly busy, working on a personal project in the studio, having the intention to gift it to someone.
"Demir."
He raised his head in time to see an almost disappearing Tahti on the Sculpture studio A stairs and he realized he hadn't seen her since the night at her house.
"No way, you can do glass art, too?" Adriana asked as she walked up to him from behind, diverting his thoughts from Tahti. "What are you making?"
"Huh? I'm making a sun catcher." He replied and lowered his head to resume working.
"It's pretty." Adriana smiled as she leaned close. "You're making a star again.You must really love stars..." She said before pointing to a shape next to it. "What's this next to it?"
A smile crossed his lips. "A moon."
Tahti coughed as she walked into the studio, looking tired.
"What? Do you have a cold?" April asked as she walked to her table.
"I don't know. I have a headache." she replied and April smiled as she leaned towards her.
"Are you sick from quitting Demir? Withdrawal symptoms?"
"What are you on about?"
"You haven't been hanging out with him. Is it over now?" April asked and she sighed.
"I don't think we really clicked."
April raked her fingers through her hair. "I'm disappointed. The quiet kids usually end up causing huge trouble."
Tahti was surprised. "That disappoints you?"
"Of course, I was looking forward to some drama. this is so boring." She clicked her tongue and Tahti leaned towards her too, causing April to back away.
"You seem to want to push me into hell's pit just for entertainment."
"Come on, don't say it like that." She smiled.
"Like when you told me to invite him over."
"What about it?" April asked, arching her brow as she slowly pulled back. "Hey, did something happen between you two?"
Yup, she wanted to say. They'd kissed, a steamy one which she'd only read about in books.
She cleared her throat, instead. "I mean, it was useless because nothing happened. You saw what it was like."
April slapped her forehead with her palm. "Do you know what you need to catch a big fish, Tahti?"
"You're going to say patience, right?...And he's not even a catch." She rolled her eyes.
"He isn't?" April asked, completely startled by her answer.
"Well, it depends..." She was wrong though. He had everything a girl would even want in a guy. The good looks, the charm...
Her voice faded on recalling the girl she had seen the previous night and April's warning about him.
"Anyhow, are you sure he doesn't date?"
"I'm sure. I told you.Why?" She gasped as her eyes widened. "Did he ask you out?"
"No. But it seemed like he was dating someone. Maybe I'm mistaken." She replied.
"Senior Tahti."
Their heads whipped to see Dennis, along with a couple of friends of his at the doorway.
"Hi, Dennis. Where are you off to?"
"Sculpture studio C. Some sophomores told us to come pick up something around here."
"Alright. See you later."
"You too." He smiled with a wave which she reciprocated.
April turned to throw a suspicious look at her once they had left. "What was that with him?"
"We got close recently...What? Is there something about him too?"
"No. Not that I know of... You're receiving attention as soon as you come out of your bubble." she said and clicked her tongue. "He is just a bit boring."
"Leave me out of your fun, okay?" She sighed and picked up her drawing book and pencil.
"So you are thinking of seeing him?"
"It's not like that."
"Ugh, this is really disappointing." April groaned as she dropped her head to her desk.
