JUST A NAP

‎I was in class with my only friend. He had a way of making people laugh, even when nobody was in the mood to laugh.

‎Everyone knew him.

‎There was this day when we finished our lecture, and he took out his laptop and asked us to read together with the others. After every lecture, we would read together and brainstorm about what we had studied. It was a regular routine, and I knew that.

‎But that day, I stood up and said I would be back in a few minutes.

‎He stopped and asked, "Where are you going?"

‎"I want to see someone."

‎"Who?"

‎"You don't have to know," I said, smiling.

‎"Hmm-hmm, okay," he said, and I left.

‎The person I wanted to see was one of our coursemates, whom everybody knew as a really good writer. Everyone called her D'Writes.

‎I looked for her to see whether she was still in class, but I couldn't find her. Fortunately, as I was about to leave the lecture hall, I met her at the doorstep. She was coming in, so I stopped, and we talked.

‎I asked her if I could get one of her books to read, but I never told her I was an upcoming writer. What I wanted to do was compare her work with mine, see my flaws, and improve.

‎She agreed and told me the price. I paid immediately, and she said she would send me a soft copy of the book.

‎I thanked her and went back to meet my friend.

‎By the time I got there, he was already reading with the others. As soon as I arrived, he looked at me and said, "So it was D'Writes you wanted to meet, and you couldn't say?"

‎"Yes," I said, nodding.

‎Then he asked, "What were you guys talking about?"

‎Meanwhile, the others were just waiting for us to finish our conversation so they could continue reading. I noticed that and said, "Well, even though we are friends, you should know I can't be telling you everything I do."

‎"Really?" he replied.

‎"Okay."

‎Then I asked him, "What are you guys reading?"

‎He looked at me and said, "Well, my bro, unfortunately, even though we are friends, you should know I can't be telling you everything I do."

‎Everyone burst into laughter.

‎Even I couldn't stop laughing.

‎Later, he ended up telling me what they were reading anyway.

‎But since that day, everyone always called him the funny guy.

‎I was completely the opposite.

‎I was shy, nervous, and painfully unsocial, always scared of expressing my thoughts. Yet somehow, he always managed to make me laugh. He was constantly pushing me to change my lifestyle and come out of my shell.

‎That was why I genuinely loved our friendship.

‎There was this day we had a practical test. Everyone in my group was contributing, and I saw a mistake they had made, but because I was anxious, I couldn't tell my group members.

‎Later, when the results of the test came, everyone in my group had the same mark, but I got a higher mark. So they asked me how I had scored higher than them.

‎I stayed silent.

‎They collected the practical manual and checked it themselves, eventually realizing what had gone wrong.

‎"Why didn't you talk?" they said.

‎"You should have let us know."

‎"So selfish," they said, and they all left.

‎That day, I felt like the world was going against me. I almost cried because everyone was just pissed off with me.

‎That day, I said to myself, I'm going to gradually change.

‎This man's lecture had always been boring, and today was no different.

‎The lecturer was teaching at the front, but we were busy talking since we couldn't hear what he was saying. We'd always liked taking notes, but unfortunately, we couldn't today, so I asked him.

‎"How are we going to get the notes now?" I asked him.

‎"Maybe we should try to sit with someone at the front," he said.

‎"Good idea, but everywhere is filled up."

‎"Let's just try and look for a space—even if it's for one person."

‎We scanned the class and found none, but eventually, he pointed at a spot.

‎"Over there."

‎I looked in the direction he pointed. I saw the place. Then I moved my eyes to see who was sitting close to it...

‎And I saw her.

‎The girl I had liked since the day I gained admission into this school.

‎I had met her at the school gate, looking so gorgeous that even the sun seemed to reflect her beauty. That day, she asked me for directions, but my emotions swallowed my voice, and I said nothing.

‎Love at first sight, I told myself.

‎Later, I found out she was my coursemate.

‎Day by day, my feelings for her grew. Sometimes in class, she would see me and wave her hands at me, and I would wave back—hoping every day that she could somehow know I had feelings for her.

‎But I never tried asking her out.

‎I was too shy.

‎There was even a time she sat beside me and asked about my likes and dislikes. I told her everything. To me, that moment meant more than she knew. I kept it buried in my heart.

‎But to her, I assumed she just wanted to get to know me—because that was her nature.

‎Two years had passed since then, but my feelings for her never faded.

‎Instead, they grew.

‎"Okay," I told my friend. "But that space can only fit one person."

‎"Yes," he said. "You should go take the notes so we can both use them."

‎I quickly rejected the idea.

‎"No. Only if you go."

‎"Why?"

‎I said nothing.

‎"Is your crush there?" he asked, smiling while retracting his cheeks.

‎"Please, not now. Don't start your jokes," I said—but deep inside, I was actually smiling.

‎"No problem. I'll go and take the notes."

‎I appreciated him, and he left.

‎After he left, I tried to take a nap.

‎Before I knew it, I slept off.

‎After a while, I woke up, looked in the direction where my friend had gone—and I saw her.

‎She  gently sneaked out of the class while the lecturer was still busy writing on the board.

‎I was curious why she had sneaked out.

‎Maybe she just wanted to get something, I thought.

‎Not knowing what came over me, I thought it was the perfect moment to finally ask her out.

‎So I sneaked through the back door and followed her cautiously.

‎She kept moving, and I followed without making it obvious that I was trailing her.

‎Eventually, she stopped and took out her phone, trying to make a call. She seemed to be struggling with something, tapping her foot repeatedly on the ground.

‎Then she looked toward where I was standing.

‎The moment I realized she had noticed me, all the confidence inside me disappeared.

‎To avoid looking awkward, I tried to walk past her, pretending as if I was heading somewhere else.

‎But as I got close, she called me.

‎Her voice was so soft and soothing.

‎"Can you please help me with something?"

‎"Yes... yes... yes... wha... t... wh... at... what is it?" I stammered.

‎I had never stammered in my life before that moment.

‎Fuck. Fuck. You fucked up.

‎One part of me was screaming inside my head.

‎I gripped my thigh, trying to keep myself from getting nervous without her noticing.

‎"I wanted to call someone, but I found out I've exhausted my airtime. Can I use your phone?"

‎"Okay, that's fine," I said, trying to keep my composure.

‎I reached into my pocket, unlocked my phone, and handed it to her.

‎She took it and moved farther away to make the call. I guessed it was private, so I looked somewhere else, trying not to stare.

‎But I couldn't stop myself.

‎With the corner of my eyes, I watched her.

‎She was the true epitome of beauty. Her face seemed to grow brighter every day, but her lips were the real deal—so soft-looking and seductive.

‎While she was on the call, I made up my mind.

‎I'm going to give it a shot.

‎I'm going to ask her out.

‎Not many people were around, and those who were stood quite far away. She didn't notice me watching her.

‎After a while, she ended the call and walked back to return my phone. I moved closer as she handed it to me.

‎"Thank you," she said.

‎"You're welcome."

‎I took a deep breath.

‎I can do this.

‎"Can I have just a minute of your time?" I asked.

‎She smiled, as if she had been expecting it.

‎"Since I stalled you a little... you can!"

‎I was just about to tell her how much I had always liked her when my phone rang.

‎I checked it.

‎It was my friend.

‎I quickly slipped the phone back into my pocket, ignoring the call.

‎"Who's that?" she asked.

‎"My friend."

‎"Why didn't you pick up?"

‎"Never mind."

‎She sighed.

‎"Okay. So, what do you want to say?"

‎I stared at her for a moment.

‎"I liked you," I finally said.

‎She smiled and looked away, facing backward.

‎My heart dropped.

‎I've been humiliated.

‎The thought kept running through my mind.

‎You just disgraced yourself. What makes you think she would like you? Now it won't even be possible to make friends with her.

‎Just as she turned to face me again, her phone rang.

‎She glanced at it.

‎"Oh, please—I have to take this call."

‎I knew it had to be important from her reaction.

‎"No problem," I said.

‎But deep down, there was a problem.

‎One part of me kept saying, I shouldn't have asked her out at all.

‎Another part whispered, The deed has been done.

‎While she was on the call, I heard my name from afar.

‎It was my friend.

‎He was rushing toward me.

‎I quickly moved toward him so he wouldn't know I had been talking with a girl.

‎When I got to him, he asked, "Where have you been?"

‎"Just to get something."

‎"Really? So you never saw my call?" he asked, holding his lips tight and bending his ear, waiting for my excuse.

‎"I saw it. I just ignored it."

‎"Hmm."

‎He paused.

‎"This is the note."

‎But I wasn't listening.

‎I was staring back, lost in thought. I searched for her everywhere, but I couldn't find her.

‎Then—

‎Bam!

‎He hit me on the head.

‎"What?!" I shouted.

‎I found myself back in the classroom.

‎He had finished writing the notes.

‎He had been calling me all along.

‎I cleared my eyes.

‎"Why did you—"

‎"I need an answer," he said.

‎Confessing my feelings had just been a dream.

‎I felt sad, but part of me was happy.

‎At least I'm not humiliated.

‎I got over it and stood up