When It Rains

Chapter 2: Intro to Philosophy

Followed by muting my mic and resuming what I was doing before this time by adding some doodles to my notebook. A snowman in one corner and an eye that I try to make as realistic as possible. Without a thought in the world I can't even focus, as groggy as I am I don't even pay attention to the chat bubble blowing up with various students typing out their responses or random comments. Nothing to catch my attention all the students begin to blur together as sixty seconds feels like an eternity until I realize twenty minutes had passed. I continue my doodles until a voice cuts through the emptiness in my head like a knife, making my pen stop dead in its tracks.

*Oh no...*

I look up to see the striking aquamarine eyes looking directly at the camera. His dirty blond hair a jumbled mess and his dark circles dug deep into his cheeks. His white t-shirt loosely fit his strong physic. He cleared his throat as he began in his deep accented voice, "I'm Dimitri, I just transferred here from Ioannina, Greece. I'm a biology major and I'm not too sure what I would like to do yet." And with that he turns his camera off and mutes his mic. A million thoughts come tumbling through my head but the only one that stuck out was:

*What if he messaged you*

I focus in and open the chat box only to see various comments and messages from other students making fun of different majors or chatting.

Nothing from Dimitri. I couldn't tell if I was gravely disappointed or happy that he didn't recognize me.

After the short introductions the professor ran through the books necessary for the course. The syllabus and how the course will go. As well as his vary lenient turn in policy for late grades or even early grades. I keep my eyes swapping between doodling and the chat box. After a while I hear a rustle behind me and turn to see Bella sitting up. Her head getting close to hitting the ceiling as her hair flows in every direction almost like bright blonde tentacles.

"Are you in class?" She said it like she swallowed a piece of sand paper.

"Yes and you will not believe whose in my class." I said quietly turning to my computer to make sure my mic is still muted.

I turned back to see her eyes grow to the size of golf balls, this extenuating last night's mascara smears that she didn't bother to take off, "You can't be serious!"

"Any more serious than your hair right now." I said starting to laugh.

"Hey, I was out cold." She said throwing her covers off.

"I could tell." I said still giggling as I turn to the computer.

My professor still going strong I decide to look through the "Participants" tab. A grid of various students show up as I look for the specific name "Dimitri". I look everywhere following the grid from left to right and down and over again and again. Until I see the name "Dimitri Aetós" sitting in the 3rd to last spot. His camera still turned off and mic muted I doubted I was gonna get anything out of it. As my professor is still talking I turn away to see Bella walking around trying to calm her hair down with her hands. She marched over to the door where a full-length mirror was attached.  She turned and smiled confidently, "Turn your camera on lets see who I can scare."

"That's the stuff of nightmares, right there." I said chuckling.

"And that'll wrap up this class, today I just wanted..." My professor beginning to explain to end class early. I turn to see my professor's profile in the middle of my screen. He looks at his papers and explains, "We won't be meeting every week, I think in total we will meet 6 times in our 8 week course. Philosophy is not about how I lecture you, it's about your own interpretation and how it affects you as an individual. So I hope you watch the pre-recorded lectures and I'll hope to see you March 29th. Have a great day."

As the chat exploded with messages of thanks from various students, I find Dimitri's as it flies to the top of the chat box "Thanks professor". And when it hits the top the meeting is ended and I'm thrown back to the zoom login screen.

"Damn, nothing."

"You like him huh?" Bella said smudging her words through her pressed lips.

"What? No, he owes me a pair of joggers that's it."

"Yeah, one of his joggers." She indulged in the argument, "Ryan it's obvious."

"Your full of it." I say as I can feel my face turn red, "But obviously he doesn't know who I am so it doesn't matter anyways."

"That's not the spirit. At least try to find the brighter side." She explained while lightening her tone.

"What brighter side? We're stuck in a 16 week academic hell hole. There is no bright side." I said turning away and fiddling with my computer.

"We both know that's not what you mean." She tried to be gentle, but I could feel her stare at the back of my neck.

I ignore her, I hadn't even thought about Dimitri since my pants came out of the washer still smelling like pasta sauce. That had to have been three days ago, there was no obsession or anything. I just didn't like how everyone was forcing this on me. Dimitri was a cross country runner, he probably has a girlfriend anyways. I'm just a pale, 5'7 average guy who could look like a sixteen or twenty-five year old depending on the person. My unkept curly dirty blond hair gives me no justice.

I look at myself in the reflection of my computer screen and see my blue eyes look almost grey and empty. My face too square for my own good with a big round nose that centers it all. And my cheeks too full of red to show off how ghastly my skin looks in the light.

"Well I want breakfast. So you want to come with or not." Bella blurts out, changing the subject. I had the nagging feeling she knows she hit a sore spot.

I went to answer, but instead my stomach make a noise that I didn't think possible. My entire body shook as my stomach shakes the very earth with it's ungodly noises. I turn to see Bella looking at me with one eyebrow raised.

"Yea..." I say curling my lips into a innocent smile.