These last few days has been crazy. We have been given several tours of the university and we've purchased the university shirt and sweatshirt as it is essential for the welcome party. It is not mandatory but it always looks good. Now I can more or less say that I know how to guide myself around the campus and I know in which buildings my classes are located, although they begin once the orientation week is over.
Today the societies fair is celebrated. In case you don't know, university clubs put their stalls in the campus courtyard and each normally joins the society that is most compatible with you, be it sports or arts. From what my brother has advised me, the best thing is to sign up for two or three clubs, because it is impossible to go to all the events they do and the more clubs, the more difficult it is to cope with. I hope to find one which suits me.
"Is it okay for you if Blake come with us?" Bailee asks from our bathroom as she tidies up her hair in a ponytail but she's having trouble with that since her hair is short-midi.
"Yes, of course, I'm dying to meet him!" I speak loudly so she can hear me from the bathroom. I really want to finally meet the boy that she hasn't stopped talking about for two weeks. "Why didn't he come to orientation day?"
"Oh, he sees it as a waste of time and anyway, his campus is far from ours" Bailee explains and I nod even though I know she couldn't see me. "He'll be here anytime soon, so could you please open the door for me? I'll be ready in a few minutes".
A few seconds later, someone knocks at the door and I look at my reflection before opening the door. I should look presentable, he's Bailee's boyfriend after all and I'm sure he'll be well-dressed. I'm wearing a white top with a ruffled polka dot shorts with white sneakers. They're part of my essential clothes.
I open the door and in front of me there is a tall boy with brown hair, a somewhat extravagant look that combines with the thinness of his figure. Somehow he reminds me of someone and then something in my head clicks and that's when I can't believe my own eyes. All this time that she has been talking about him, I have known him all along. Blake.
"All this time... was it you?" I try to speak correctly but the words fail me as I rub my eyes again, not believing what I see. Is my imagination playing a joke on me? He looks as confused and impressed as me but he doesn't say a word.
Without thinking twice, I pounce on him and hug him, hiding my face in his chest. I cannot believe it. Blake seems to react seconds later and wraps his arms around me.
"Uhm, what's happening here?" Bailee appears half dressed looking at us confused for the picture in front of her. We pull away as soon as we listen to her. I was about to explain it to her when Blakes responds without leaving me time to speak.
"Do you remember when I told you that I met a girl in a school trip and we've been kind of friends since then?" Bailee nods slowly and he takes it as a signal to continue talking , "Well, it's this girl over here" he smiles to her putting his hands over my shoulders.
"Wait, so you're the girl about whom Blake couldn't stop talking? He never wanted to tell me who you were, it was like his secret." I scream and Blake's face is getting redder.
"As much as I want to know all this story, I need to get dressed. And since you don't need any presentation since you know each other from before, it will not be a problem if you have to wait a bit, right?" We both nod and each sits on a bed, facing each other.
"So, you're Bailee's roommate... it's funny how things work, don't you think?" Blake start talking and I smile slightly at him as I play with my hands nervously.
"I still can't believe it but it will fade away soon." I laugh a bit when I see him smile widely at me. "And I must say you make a very cute couple, I definitely ship you".
"Yeah, she's the best woman I could ever ask for. Are Hannah and Amy here as well?" Blake asks intrigued.
"Oh no, Amy's at Trinity College with a sport scholarship and Hannah is taking a GAP year because she didn't know what to study." I comment him and he listens to me with attention. "And what about you?"
"Well I'm studying Liberal Arts here as you already know"
"In which branch of career are you in? I heard there's a lot"
"The artistic branch, you know, photography, commercial art..." Blake says like it's not a big deal but deep down I know he's very excited.
"Good, it suits you perfectly. The photos you have been uploading in your Instagram account are amazing! I'm very happy for you!" Not being able to contain my joy for a long time, I cover my face so that he doesn't see me smile like a girl who was given a sweet before going to sleep. "And are they here as well?" I try to ask without sounding desperate.
"Oh no, George and Reece are studying at Leicester University, they're 20 minutes from here, so we share an apartment." I let go of the air I didn't know I was holding and can't help my heart skipping a beat. He's so close, just a few minutes away.
"And is he doing al-" I start to ask but Blake cuts me.
"Giselle, I really adore you but don't you dare ask that question" Blake threats me and I can't help but feel a little confused for his behavior change.
"I still care about him, Blake. I just want to know if he's alright, is it bad?" I admonish him pressing my lips to prevent tears from falling. Blake looks away, thinking well of what to say.
"If you really cared as much as you say, right now you wouldn't be asking me that because you would already know." And that's when realization hits me. I should have known that Blake would hate me afterwards, I hurt his best friend's feelings, but god. And Reece must be hating me since then, he blocked me after all.
"I'll be out waiting for the both of you." I stand up quickly unable to lift my eyes from the ground. I'm not going to have this conversation right now, I don't want to.
"Please, Giselle, don't do this." Blake begs me leaving the bed and standing up behind me but I don't dare turn around.
"Tell Bailee that Jake has called me or something, but I will wait for you in the entrance of the fair." I mutter to him without lookin at him.
"Wait, is Jake studying here as well?" Blake asks me surprised.
"Isn't it funny how things work?" I answer him with the same phrase that he said minutes ago and close the door behind me.
- - - -
"So... Bailee's boyfriend is Blake and he's studying here?" Jake repeats after me trying to process all the information I've given to him.
"And let's not forget the fact that he hates me" I whisper to myself but I'm well aware that Jake has listened to my words.
"I don't think so. After all, he has introduced you as one good friend of his and hugged you. Would you do that if you disliked him?" Would I do that?
Jake opens the door of the university canteen, since he wanted to eat something before going to the fair, and he lets me pass before him. Seeing that there are many people in line, we go to the vending machines at the end of the room. Some chocolate wouldn't hurt for the anxiety I'm feeling right now thanks to Blake.
"I guess you have a good point" I must admit that Jake has a good reasoning and maybe that's because of playing too many video games, "What should I buy? The chocolate bar or oreos cookies?" I ask him and he look at both options.
"I don't know, both are good. Buy whatever you want the most." Jake shrugs.
Thanks Jake, there is no better help for someone undecided than someone telling them that it does not matter and leaving them in the same situation as before. If I ask you it is for something, not for knowing your opinion about what I eat. I finally decide to buy Oreo because it's more quantity. Once I've bought it, Jake starts walking away.
"Anyways, I think he's just disappointed because you hurt Reece." He shrugs and keeps walking like it's the most obvious solution in the world.
"Be honest with me, do you think it would have worked?"
"I understand why you did what you did, but it was a coward move." He lets his words fall without giving me an answer to my question, "Who told you to do that?" The moment he asks me that, I immediately stop walking. How the hell did he come to that conclusion?
"What do you mean?" I ask him anxiously as I notice how my hands start to sweat, so I quickly pass them over my pants.
"It's obvious it wasn't your idea. You wouldn't care that much or ask me that otherwise. So, who?" Jake crosses his arms in front of me and looks at me defiantly waiting for my answer which will let him know once again that he is right.
This begins to seem like an interrogation where the bad police puts so much pressure on the innocent victim that in the end two things happen: the innocent ends up telling the police the truth and she almost convinces herself that she has committed the crime even if she is not, or suffers of a panic attack. And I don't know which option is more embarrassing right now.
"George" I sigh, deciding in the end to take the first option. Should I have listened to George?
"And does Blake know that?"
"I don't think so. He told me to break up with Reece the last night of the trip"
"Maybe he thought you would do what he thought was the right choice: have a relationship with Reece despite the distance. Or maybe he thinks you weren't so in love and played with him but that's unlikely."
"So what's your plan?" I say as we sit in a car waiting for Bailee and Blake to show up.
"What makes you think I have a plan?" He asks me with his eyebrows up.
"You always have one" I simply declare.
"Okay, you're right. I think you should tell him the truth: it wasn't your idea and you really loved Reece. And...oh, look at you right, that's them."
Shit, I need more time to prepare myself.