A Love Story that Turned Ugly

Chapter 17

        Freddie was driving slowly, worrying about me who kept silent along the way. He even had turned off the tape—usually he had Metallica blasting from the speaker.

       "Sharona, please say something. You don't look good, you know," he said desperately. I turned to him and spoke.

        "I just feel that...this is wrong. I don't know why," I said in a low voice, almost sobbing. Freddie frowned.

       "I don't get it."

       "Are all guys like that?"

       "Like what?"

       "Nothing."

       "Oh, come on."

        "I'm okay. Don't worry. Keep driving."

         "Well, if that's what you want."

       Freddie didn't push me to talk anymore. He was always like that. When I talked, he listened. When I shut up, he became a good friend in silence. He was a very nice guy, even though he looked kinda gothic and scary. He had had a crush on Clarissa since we were children, but Clarissa despised him for some reasons—she even bullied him at school. When they were in middle school, I remembered Freddie had written a love letter for her, but Clarissa had made a joke of it and spread it across the school, making him embarrassed. I felt sorry for Freddie. But now that I thought about it, a sweet guy like him deserved a better person than my mean sister.

       Bradley called me when I was about to sleep. I didn't answer his call, and sent text messages instead. I still couldn’t get over it. The next day, I woke up and turned my phone off for the whole day. I just wanted to have a little time to think without him calling me. If he asked why I didn't answer, I'd say my phone was broken.

       I was sitting at the campus cafeteria, working on my assignment. Someone greeted me from behind.

       "Good afternoon."

       I turned around and took off my earbuds. Nick Reed was smiling, standing in front of me. He looked good in black turtleneck and khaki pants.

       "Good afternoon, Nick."

       "Mind if I sit down here?"

       "No, of course not. Come."

       I quickly tidied up the table, shifting my books and other stuffs which were scattered on it. Nick took his laptop out of his backpack and turned it on.

        "So, how are you, Nick?" I asked, trying to be polite and friendly. I hoped he already forgot I had ever refused when he asked me out.

       "I'm fine, thanks. Hope you so. Anyway, we took two same courses this semester, right?"

       I nodded.

       "Yeah. Database management system and advanced financial management. We've been in the same class for weeks, but never have the opportunity to talk."

       He laughed lightly.

       "It's because you always sit in the front row while I'm at the back. And every time the class is over, you are always disappeared right before I have a chance to say hi."

       "Okay, Hi then." I smiled.

       "Hi there, Sharona."

       Then we stared at each other's eyes in silence, both smiling warmly. Nick Reed was a nice guy. Too bad I already had Bradley. Only if we had met first...