Our World

chapter 3: atlas

chapter 3: atlas

~atlas~

       Valeria sits down at the drafting table beside the one I'm at, something she has never done. I could be overreacting, but I have a feeling it's only because she wants to talk to me about Ari. She doesn't say anything to me quite yet. She just takes her project and places it on the drafting table.

       I start to relax a bit and think that maybe, Valeria just wanted to sit her because there isn't any other places she wants to sit. So far, she's just taking out everything she needs for her project.

       But then the moment she takes everything out and sets her backpack onto the floor, she says, "So I have a favour I would like to ask you."

       "What is it?" I ask. Please just be something about our projects and nothing to do with Ari. I'm sick of people asking me about Ari all the time. 

       "Do you think you could give me Ari's number?"

       And there it is. Forget the fact that I'm Ari's boyfriend. I just find it so weird when people ask someone for someone else's number. It's not their number to give out. If they want someone's number, they need to ask that person. Said person might not be okay with giving their number away.

       I don't even want to deal with this right now so I just give her the simple answer of, "No."

       Valeria, however, clearly was expecting some other answer because her reply is, "Awesome, thanks," before she even had the time to process what I just said. When she did, she furrows her eyebrows and asks, "Wait, did you say no?"

       "I did, yeah."

       "Why?"

       "Because it's not my number to give out? I don't know why you expected me to say yes."

       Valeria sighs. "Fine. If you can't give me his number, then can you at least put in a good word for me." I don't know why, but her adding the 'at least' irritates me a bit, even if I try not to show it. She makes it sound like I owe her for something.

       To signal I'm done with the conversation, I turn away from Valeria and focus on my work again. "You can talk to him yourself. I'm not his wingman."

       Valeria huffs, but she doesn't say anything else about it. She just focuses on her work as well.

       Since this class doesn't really consist of a lecture, it's just us students using the classroom to be able to work on our projects with the proper resources, I grab my earphones out of my backpack and put them in my ears to listen to music.

       As I work on my project, I suddenly get a text message. I pick up my phone and see that it's from Ari, telling me that this month's street race is scheduled from next Saturday if I want to go watch. Even though I go all the time to support him, he still asks each time just in case I might want to go. The races take place in the middle of the night, and sometimes Ari and I don't even get home until five in the morning. He knows how much I need my sleep, but I would still sacrifice it for one night if it meant supporting Ari.

       Besides, those races are one of the few times Ari and I can act like a couple in public since no one would dare to gossip about Ari outside of the race.

       I text my reply to Ari, telling him that I'd be more than happy to go with him. He, of course, decides to text something inappropriate as a reply. I ignore him and put my cell phone back down, trying my best not to blush.

       It doesn't work. Ari knows exactly what to say to get a reaction out of me, which is why I chose to put my cell phone back down, otherwise he would probably keep on texting stuff.

       I end up finishing my project, meaning I can leave school and head back home. I roll up my project and place it into my drafting tube to protect it from getting damaged, which probably would have happened in the rainy weather.

       Even though I take the bus home, I still end up soaking wet by the time I get into the apartment because of the short distance I have to walk from the bus stop to the apartment. Ari is sitting on the floor of the living room, working on a painting. He looks over at me and immediately stands up, going to get a towel to help dry me.

       "Atlas, you could have called me to pick you up," he says, placing the towel on my head to dry my hair.

       "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I would have still gotten wet if you picked me up on your motorcycle."

       "I have a car too, remember?"

       "Oh, right." I use the towel to dry my hair. "It's just a bit of rain, though. I think I can handle being out in it for a bit." I kiss his cheek. "Thank you for caring, though." I head into our bedroom to change into dry clothes and once I do, I walk back into the living room and flop down on the couch, like I normally do when I get home. "Did anyone flirt with you today?"

       Ari looks at me. "Yeah, I was flirted with many times even though I didn't leave the apartment at all."

       "I don't know where you've been."

       "Is something bothering you again?"

       I sigh. "Yes, but no. Just... getting annoyed at people wanting me to give them your number."

       "Tell them I'm old school and don't have a phone."

       "Hmm... I might have to try that next time."

       Ari gets up again and sits down beside me on the couch. "If it makes you feel any better, you know I'm never going to lead someone on or give them my number."

       "Yeah, I know. I trust you. It just gets annoying that I have a bunch of people asking me for your number when they can just ask you themself."

       "I have a solution."

       "I'm kind of afraid to hear this."

       "Every time someone asks you to give them my number, you and I get to have sex."

       "Yeah, I was right. I was afraid to hear it."

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ari is so silly i love him.

and atlas is so adorable i also love him.