63
Sol was sleeping on the sofa in the studio, the next morning with Tahti, who was seated beside her, gazing into space as she thought about the previous night's incident. She was in desperate need of advice at the moment. "Sol." She called but she didn't respond and she moved her leg, to gently kick hers, stiring her awake.
"Sol." She murmured, with her eyes still closed. "What does it mean when someone says 'let's date' without saying 'I love you' first?"
Sol's eyes were still shut as she replied. "It's one thing or the other. It's either the person is a jerk or he or she probably thought it was unnecessary because it was so obvious."
It was probably the first, she decided immediately. Demir loved her? She wanted to laugh. It was like asking pigs to fly.
"By the way, what time is your progress report?" She asked, changing the subject before Sol could ask or guess who she was talking about.
"Progress report?" Sol murmured and Tahti turned to look at her.
"For the exhibition."
Sol's eyes flew open as a gasp escaped her lips as she sat yp to look at her.
"You are right. We are supposed to work on our progress report. When is it due?" "Tomorrow." She replied. "You didn't prepare for it?"
"I didn't." came her reply and Tahti frowned. It was so unlike Sol to have forgotten about academic work.
"Is something going on?"
"No." She sighed and Tahti's frown deepened. Something was definitely off with her.
An alien tapping sound from behind Tahti which sent her head whipping around to see a dull looking Jennie walking into the studio. "Hey, Jennie." She called and Jennie raised her head and was about to say something when her eyes met with Sol's for a minute before she tore her eyes back to Tahti and Tahti could see there was something up with the both of them.
"Tahti, I'll be in the lecture room."
Tahti frowned, wondering why she was leaving almost as she had just gotten there.
"Lecture room? Want me to come along with you? I'm bored."
"No. I have something to do there." She replied and zoomed out of the studio.
A confused Tahti turned back to look at Sol, who looked way.
"What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know." She shrugged.
April and Herley were looking over photos from the workshop as they had lunch in the cafeteria, which Josh had forwarded to her the day they had left Santa Barbara.
"The meat was so good that night." Herley said.
"Yeah." She replied and raised her head to see Derek making his way into the cafeteria. "What's he going around doing these days?" April muttered under her breath. She hadn't seen him, since they had gotten back from the workshop except during class, and Derek avoided her most times.
Herley must have heard her as he raised his head to see who she was referring to.
"Oh, you were talking about Derek. He works part-time at an internet cafe."
April turned to him in disbelief. "Derek works at an internet cafe?"
"You didn't know?" Herley asked as he leaned back in surprise. "I thought you guys shared everything in common."
Not anymore, she wanted to tell him. "The internet cafe has a romantic name, though." "What is it?"
"Perhaps Love." Herley smiled and April rolled eyes.
"Derek, do you want to drink? I'll pay for your drinks tonight." Herley said when he started nearing.
"I'm not going. I have gastritis so I can't drink." She replied before the record response and Haley frowned."Gastritis? That's impossible. You look totally healthy." He said and she wondered why he was so dumb that he couldn't take a hint. She wanted Derek to ask her if she was okay but he had just block him from saying a word.
"Whatever." She blurted, picking up the jacket she had used to cover her thighs, which happened to be the exact one Derek had given her, as she rose to head out. "It's probably stress."
"April." Derek called and she walked past him and she grounded to a halt to face him.
"Let's go somewhere and talk."
Were they going to make up.
"Just talk here."
"It won't take long." He replied and turned to head out of the cafeteria before she followed him out.
"What is it?" She asked, when they were finally out and Derek reached out to take a package from his backpack, before he handed it over to her and she gasped on seeing it.
"Oh...I..."
"Why did you order this to my place?" He asked and she raised her hand to her head, feeling confused.
"What?"
"We already broke up. Was there need for you to order your stuff to my place?"
She stared at him in disbelief. She hadn't mean to, if only he could just...
"Let's get one thing straight. Don't ever send your stuff to my place again."
"Do you want me to say I made a mistake and apologize?"
"Yeah."
She scoffed as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"I can't believe you."
"Is that my jacket?" He asked and she dropped her eyes to see he was looking at the jacket. "You gave me this to wear the last time I got drunk. Do you want it back?"
"No. It's fine." He replied and she lowered her arm, hurt written in her eyes.
"You are really petty, do you know that? Just have it." She told him and slammed the jacket into his chest before she spun on her heel to walk out on him.
