Sweet Epiphany

Chapter Seven: Speak of the Devil

Clicking the bathroom door shut, I randomly brush my damp hair with a towel as my last attempt to dry it and leave the room, only to return seconds later to retrieve my jacket since it is still cold, just like that damn shower.

Just as planned, I drop by the bakery for a bagel and drain a double-shot espresso instead for an added boost. I manage to reach Glenworth in just a little over fifteen minutes, so I should expect Terra to be somewhat appreciative, but she skips that part and goes straight down to business.

It's okay.

"What's so important that I have to abandon my sleep for?" I ask as I stand in front of the table she is sitting, no, hiding behind.

"I'm not going to talk to you until you sit down." She sulks, crouching behind the chair in a fetal position. She looks even tinier like that.

Refusing to delay, I do as I am asked and wait for her to explain. She sneaks a peek at me to make sure that I'm no longer standing and drags herself off the floor, finally settling down.

Regarding what she was doing, I have so many questions, but I'm too lazy to ask.

"Um..." she clears her throat, suddenly nervous. "I just realized that this is going to sound stupid."

"I am already here." I say matter-of-factly.

"Fine, I'll just say it." She takes a deep breath while clenching her fists. "It's about a guy."

"...okay." I nod slowly, secretly thinking about what to have for lunch.

"He's..." she swallows. Mac and cheese sounds good, but then again, pizza.

"...my ex." She blurts, and that's all it took to catch my attention. So she has some sort of dating experience, after all.

She pauses, then she starts slapping herself. It's normal, it has to be.

We've been partners for less than twenty-four hours and she is prepared to tell me something she seems to have not told anyone else before. I didn't think the support group could work.

"Okay." I say while propping my arms up with my elbows against the table, covering part of my face as I allow the afterthought of pizza to linger a little longer.

She groans in frustration while burying her face in her hands.

"I saw him this morning, on campus. He's really here." She depletes.

"He studies here?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"He's not supposed to, why is he here?" she hisses as she slams her head against the hard table, earning a dirty look from the librarian. Never mind that, that looked like it could really hurt. "I thought I didn't have to see him anymore."

"Where did you see him?" I ask.

"He was standing in front of room 4-2. I sort of panicked and ran as far as I could to hide." She admits.

"4-2?" I contemplate. "That's where my class is at."

"What?" she gapes, looking alert.

"My class with Mr. Lee." I elaborate. "Is he studying art, by any chance?"

"Yes." Terra replies instantly. "He has this interest in designing illustrations. He wasn't that great when we were dating, but according to his social media profiles, he seems to have improved a lot."

"What's his name?" I ask.

She hesitates. She probably wasn't planning on revealing his identity, but now that we've gotten this far, it is rather tempting for me to know.