Met My Chance

Chapter 5

I was cheery before?

"Has it got to do with that brunette girl?" he asks gently.

I feel my stomach churn at his question. I didn't expect him to ask me if anything was wrong, or for him to even notice. But I shake my head and clear my throat, not wanting to talk about it to a stranger. 

"No. Just a long day and I want to go home." 

Slight guilt flashes through his eyes, but he shakes it off with a small reassuring smile. I was just about to ask him what the matter was but I stop myself, keeping my expression plain.

Who cares. I will not be seeing him again after tonight anyways.

He shouldn't care for me either.

"Hey, we're friends right?" Chance wonders again. 

Yet for some strange reason, his questions make it seem like he cares.

He wraps his strong arms around himself, protecting himself from the cold as we walk through the dimly lit pathways. The motion pulls his muscles out more, emphasising them. Goosebumps start to form on his bare sleeved arms, making me feel guilty for taking his hoodie from him.

"Considering how you stuck with me while I was a mess, it must mean that we're at least friends, right?" He adds further.

I advert my eyes back to his face, glad he didn't catch me staring. I shrug at his question.

"But I choose chocolate over vanilla. I guess it's a deal breaker," I respond, thinking I'm smart for using his own thing against him.

Chance lets out a chuckle. "That's sneaky! But only I can call whether it's a deal breaker or not, so we are staying friends."

Never mind.

I send him a visible eye roll, but he ignores it and responds by smiling at me. What a surprise. 

"You got any other friends here?" he asks again, trying to get more answers out of me.

I let out sigh and keep my gaze locked on the ground ahead of me as we walk. My brows pull downwards. "Don't you find these questions quite meaningless?" I retort back.

It is meaningless to me. I've never really been fond or good at small talk. Especially not now when I know that I'll never have to see this man again or that he might not even remember this conversation in the morning. Even if I happened to bump into him at school, I would turn the other way.

"I'm just trying to ask what I can because it's really hard to figure you out. I'm kind of hoping that you'll answer the small questions so they'll help me understand you more," he replies honestly.

"Not necessary," I say. I turn my head to meet his eyes. "We won't be seeing a lot of each other, so there's no need to understand me," I tell him. "...Or remember me."

He is only my ticket to a free ride home. Besides, people don't usually remember me. I've not got one of those striking faces or personality which makes people want to glance back for a second look. 

But I've learnt to like that. There's something comforting about remaining in the shadows, out of sight, out of minds, out of memory.

His smile slowly fades away and his expression turns neutral. However, I can see all the jokiness vanish from his face and his intense, dark green eyes then peer right into me. The look makes my heart rate pick up.

His deep voice hits my ears and leaves me speechless when he says, "But what if I want to remember you?"

I suddenly become quiet. Mostly because I don't know how to reply.