DIANEWhen we finally arrive at school, Leo drops me off in front of my department before driving off to his. Earlier after our conversation about Indie rock, he had asked me if we could go home together after my classes. I kindly objected, because my classes for the day were more than his, and I did not want to bother him by making him wait in school for me.Also, he made mention of a finals’ project he is to discuss with some of his colleagues today after school, but he wanted to drive me home first. That only intensified my objection.Today, I have about four classes to attend, and I start the first class with Crystal seated by my side. The lecture is slated for one hour, thirty minutes, but despite the time magnanimity, the class breezes over, and like a flash before my eyes, Crys and I are already getting settled in for the second class.Well, it is true of the saying that time is man's greatest enemy. We just have to make better use of it so it does not win over us.The second c
DIANE Asher drives me to my house first, and it is all thanks to Crystal who made the suggestion. When he arrives, he parks briefly, and I alight from his car. By the way, his car does not smell like rotten fish. It smells more like apple cherry. “Thanks.” I say to him after closing the door. “You're welcome. I'll be expecting your call, Diane.” He confesses, looking at me like he is begging me not to rip his card into shreds when I am nestled inside the comfort of my room. Come on Asher Ford, I believe that is my choice to make. I take a step back away from the car. “Don't expect anything Asher. Once again, thanks for the ride. Please take my friend home safely.” “I will.” He answers. I nod and turn to Crystal, who is settled in the backseat. “Alright Crys, bye.” “Bye Dee.” she responds to me cheerfully before pinning her focus back to her phone in her hands, smiling at whatever that it is staring back up at her from her phone screen. Asher finally starts the car and drives o
‘Space is the breath of art.’ - Frank Lloyd Wright.THE WEEKEND DIANE “Dante, please help me bring the table over here.”Crystal’s voice rings into the air, her hands gesturing to the spot where she wants Dante to set up her workspace table by a corner of her enormous room. Her house is cute and lovely. Her room is quite big, but not bigger than mine.Since afternoon, the three of us have been working tirelessly to make sure that everything Crystal wants is perfectly set up exactly the way she wants it. Exactly the way she needs it.It is almost evening now, and we are nearly done with everything. The only task remaining is to sweep the room and dispose the trash outside.Crystal volunteers to sweep the room, and I choose to dispose the trash when she is done.As she sweeps, I help Dante set up the stationaries and her laptop and every work material that should be easily available and accessible on the table. Minutes later, Crystal is done sweeping, and after she discards the dispos
DIANEOur food finally arrives, and we dig in, Crystal and I still discussing more about the competition. We talk at length, and finally, we decide to start our brainstorming next week after our classes.I am really glad that we are doing this together.After we finish our meals, Crystal and I try to pay the bills for our food, but Dante beats us to it.“Showoff.” Crystal scoffs at him, putting her card back into her purse.Dante chuckles. “I love it.”“Thank you.” I say to him, laughing as I return my own card back into my bag.“You're welcome.” he replies before turning to Crystal, who is staring at him like she could render him penniless with her eyes.Well, she obviously can't.After paying, we leave the diner and walk over to where Dante’s car is parked outside. The sky is nearly dark now, and the night air is a little bit cold to my skin.I bring out my phone to check for the time, and after taking a quick glance at the screen, I see that it is 6:57pm.Leo flashes through my min
DIANEHe stops typing on his laptop as he turns to me. “Why?”“There is this upcoming annual game project event that my department hosts every year for freshmen students, and it is happening again this year. I am going to participate in it with Crystal, and we need someone experienced who can guide us and maybe give us a few important tips and advice. Someone like Jen. Do you think she can help us?”“Of course she can, although she is quite busy nowadays. But I can still help you guys schedule a brief meeting with her. You guys can then take things up from there.”“That won't be a problem. Thank you so much.” I say, relaxing my shoulders.“You're welcome.” He goes back to his busy mode again.Leo was not lying when he said that Jen has been very busy recently, because I have also been seeing her recent works on Instagram, and damn, there are tons of them.Beautiful, amazing tons of them.She has my contact number, but obviously, she has not reached out to me, possibly because she has
DIANE Today is Monday, and school is over. Right now, I am with Crystal at her new workspace in her room, discussing different concepts we can adapt to the game's theme. I also inform her of my request to Leo about us meeting up with Jen to solicit for her help and advice, and she happily agrees. We spend nearly two hours drafting and scribbling down so many sketches and messy design flowcharts, but it was worth it, because by the end of our crazy two hour session, we already have a lead on what we can present to Jen if she ever requests for what we have come up with so far. After spending some more time munching Crystal's Royal Dansk Cookies and watching an episode of Blue Eye Samurai on her laptop, I decide to call it an evening well spent. I pack up my stuff, and Crystal escorts me out of the house. She stays with me until the ride I booked arrives, and we wish ourselves a lovely night before I enter the car. A couple seconds later, the car sets into motion, taking me home, and
DIANEWhen I finish talking, I point to the door bell to show her where it is, not giving a fuck that her eyes are now widened and staring at me like I have suddenly grown two heads.She obviously knows where the bell is. I am sure this is not her first, second, or her third time coming here to see Leo.“You aren't serious.” Her voice is thick with shock. “Come on. Don't you want to know if he is around?” I taunt. “Press the bell.”She hesitates for a moment, her eyes still glaring at me like they are possessed with some sort of superpowers to make me bend to her will. But I don't give a fuck. With the way she is even behaving, I am beginning to suspect that Leo does not even know that she is coming to see him. And that she is already here.She finally turns away from me and grudgingly presses the doorbell. After a short while of no response, she presses the door bell again, this time, twice. Her hand drops to her side as she waits, and I notice her shifting her body weight from one
‘You don't have to say you love meI just wanna tell you somethin'Lately, you've been on my mind’ — Adore You By Harry Styles.LEOMy heart feels like it is trying to hammer its way out of my chest.I pause in my advance towards her, still not hearing her say anything to me. I need a word. Just one word. Even if her response will be non verbal, like just a nod, or the shake of her head, I will take it. I will accept it wholeheartedly, because right now, all I want to do is to show her that whatever assumptions she may have about me and Madison still hooking up are all wrong.She is still hesitating, but when I dare another step forward, showing her how badly I need her to hear me out, she senses my desperation and finally gives me permission, stepping aside.“Thank you.” I murmur, walking past her and entering inside her room. The familiar scent of her cozy abode wraps around me instantly, just like the first time I entered her room. The scent of black orchids and roses and so