Spitfire in Love

Original Edition: chapter 1 - find me

When they didn't, I turned around and stared at the microwave screen. When it hit two seconds, I jerked it open like my life depended on it. I hated that beep it made when it hit zero.

Why couldn't they make it a single beep? Or even a nice catchy song? Something from BTS or Ed Sheeran.

I hit Clear to reset the timer, pulled down my sleeves to cover my hands so the Tupperware wouldn't burn my skin and went back to my table.

"It's not your Gaspard Ulliel," I teased. She was obsessed with him. "But enjoy."

She giggled. "It's alright. You're forgiven." Gingerly she opened her lunchbox. "You know that cute archi student I told you about? We had a moment in the library this morning. He looked at me," she gushed. "I think he can have my babies."

"Oh really?" I raised a brow. "Like the nursing student you want to marry in Vegas? You cheater."

She laughed and threw a piece of rice at me.

The cafeteria was filling up quickly now. People eyed our table, gauging how long we'd be staying to eat our food so they can take over our spot. When I made eye contact with one of them, my smile said, I feel you.

"Don't you think with the ungodly amount of tuition that we pay, they could afford to build us a spaceship for a cafeteria?" I said, sneering at the wobbly table and orange plastic chairs.

"Seriously. Don't forget the sexy alien servers." She ate a spoonful of her food. "Because you know, spaceships? Aliens? Except they're very sexy aliens," she added, giggling. She used to offer to share her food with me, until I told her I didn't eat meat. "How are you finding it now that you're back in college?"

"It's good," I answered.

Money was and continued to be a problem in our household, so I took a little over a year off from college to help my dad with expenses. It didn't help that I had a deep and lasting love affair with clothes and makeup, but I knew my priorities.

I worked two part-time jobs and one full-time: a clerk at our auto repair garage where my dad and younger brother worked, a cashier at a coffeeshop during the weekend, and a full-time job at a personal care home. I had to quit the latter when I went back to school.

"It's a little bit of an adjustment," I added truthfully, debating whether I should lick my plate clean. "But I'll get used to it. I'm taking one of the advanced electives they're offering for second and third year students."

It felt like the semester just started and I had so much catching up to do. I didn't mind college, but it wasn't exactly my favorite. Some people knew from the start what they wanted in life. Congratulations! I don't like you.

And I hands-down bow down to you to be honest.

I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life... yet. So just like any practical wannabe college student who couldn't decide what they wanted, I took Business. I would have a lot of options to work at any field when I graduated.

"That's great, that's great." She chewed on her lip.

I watched her for a few seconds. I knew what was coming. Tala was a self-proclaimed psychic.

I didn't believe in that sort of thing, but I also didn't not believe it. What I believed was that I was not a very patient human being, so I asked, "What is it?"

She put her spoon and fork down. Huh. Must be serious. "Have you... met anyone new today?"

"Like someone not stupid?" Screw it. YOLO. I licked my plate. "Nope."