The Second (and Hopefully Successful) Attempt

CHAPTER 17

The fluorescent lights of the university hallway buzzed, a monotonous hum that echoed Tyler's internal chaos. He’d rehearsed this moment a thousand times in his head, each version ending with a slightly less humiliating outcome than the last. He adjusted his tie, a nervous tic he’d picked up from his father (a man who, ironically, never seemed nervous about anything), and smoothed down his already perfectly combed hair.

He was never like this before. He never got nervous because of a woman. He has always been a woman magnet wherever he goes and he doesn’t even have to ask them out. It was them who threw themselves at him. Women would always pull every trick they have on their sleeves just to catch his attention. But with Emerald, it’s different. She would barely throw a glance at him as if he is very disgusting to look at. 

Emerald, speaking of which, she was leaning against the lockers, a stack of books clutched to her chest, her brow furrowed in concentration as she flipped through a textbook. The way a stray strand of her hair curled around her ear sent a jolt of electricity through Tyler. He’d spent the last few days replaying their last encounter, the one where she’d actually said yes, albeit under the duress of getting hopelessly lost on campus. It was a victory, however small.

He took a deep breath, secretly scolding himself for being such a weakling and looks like a lovesick puppy in front of Emerald. Tyler took a deep breath trying to calm his racing heart as he walked towards the woman who gave him strange emotions he never experienced before.

“Hey, Emerald,” he said, trying to sound casual, like he wasn’t about to spontaneously combust from a mixture of nerves and anticipation.

She looked up, her emerald eyes (a cliché, he knew, but utterly accurate) widening slightly. “Oh, Tyler. Hi.”

“Hi,” he echoed, his voice cracking slightly. He cleared his throat. “So… uh… you know, about that… thing?”

Emerald blinked clueless of what he’s trying to point out. “Thing?”

“The… the coffee? We said we’d get coffee.” He gestured vaguely, as if the coffee shop would magically appear in the middle of the hallway. He wants to slap his own face from embarrassment, why the f*ck did her stutter? 

“Oh, right.” A flicker of something crossed her face, something he couldn’t quite decipher. Was it amusement? Annoyance? Mild disinterest? He was leaning towards the latter.

“Yeah, so… are you still… you know… up for it?” He winced internally. Up for it? He sounded like he was inviting her to a root canal. Unbelievable, he stuttered again for the second time. 

Emerald hesitated, her gaze drifting towards the crowded hallway. A group of students, laughing and jostling, they were obviously drooling while looking at Tyler. The clumsy flirtatious group of young women bumped into her,scattering a few of her papers. She sighed, a sound of exasperation that made Tyler’s stomach drop. A mixture of annoyance and frustration washed over Emerald. Tyler never fades to catch women’s attention.

She can’t blame him, it’s not his fault that he has those appealing looks and a body to die for. No woman could ever resist his charms. Ironically, he doesn't look like his father.  

“Look, Tyler,” she began, her voice low, “I’m really busy. I have a lot of… things to do.”

“Things?” he repeated, his heart sinking. “Like… homework? Or… saving the world from an alien invasion?”

She raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “Something like that.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay, okay, I get it. You’re busy. But… what about tomorrow? Or… this weekend? I know a great little café downtown, they have these amazing cinnamon rolls, you wouldn’t believe—”

“Tyler,” she interrupted, her voice softening slightly. “I appreciate you asking, I really do. But…”

“But?” he prompted, his voice barely a whisper.

“But I just… I need some time.”

“Time for what?” He blurted out, the question escaping before he could stop it.

Emerald’s eyes flickered, and for a moment, Tyler thought he saw a flash of something dark and intense. It was gone in an instant, replaced by her usual guarded expression.

“Just… time,” she repeated, her voice flat.

He knew he should back off. He knew he was pushing his luck. But something in her eyes, that fleeting glimpse of vulnerability, made him want to try just a little harder though he wasn’t used to this. He doesn’t know how to deal with rejection from a woman and Emerald has been doing this to him multiple times. 

“Look,” he said, his voice gaining a newfound determination. “I know you’re busy. I know you have… things to do. But I promise, I won’t take up too much of your time. Just an hour. Coffee, maybe a cinnamon roll, and then I’ll leave you alone. I swear.”

He held his breath, waiting for her response. The silence stretched, the buzzing of the lights amplifying the tension.

Finally, Emerald sighed, a long, drawn-out sigh that seemed to deflate her. “Fine,” she said, her voice barely audible. “But just coffee. And no cinnamon rolls.”

Tyler’s heart leaped. “Yes! Great! Coffee it is! Tomorrow? Noon?”

She nodded, a small, almost imperceptible nod. “Okay, tomorrow noon.”

He grinned, a wide, goofy grin that he couldn’t suppress. “Awesome! I’ll see you there!”

He turned to leave, his feet barely touching the ground. He’d done it! He’d actually convinced her to go out with him again! He pumped his fist in the air, oblivious to the stares of the passing students.

“And Tyler?” Emerald called out, her voice slightly louder.

He turned back, his grin still plastered on his face. “Yeah?”

“Don’t be late,” she said, her lips twitching into a small, almost mischievous smile.

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” he replied, his heart soaring.

As he walked away, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Emerald’s sudden agreement felt… too easy. But he pushed the thought aside, chalking it up to his own paranoia. He was going on a date with Emerald! That was all that mattered.

The next day, Tyler arrived at his and Emerald’s meeting place half an hour early. He’d spent the morning agonizing over his outfit, finally settling on a crisp blue shirt and his favorite jeans. He’d even splurged on a new haircut, to which, his Dad, Gerald, made a joke and greeted him “Happy birthday.”  He just brushed it off and told him he was going to meet the special lady soon.

He secured a table in the corner, strategically positioned for an optimal view of the entrance, and ordered a black coffee, trying to look nonchalant. He checked his watch every two minutes, his anxiety growing with each passing second.

Noon arrived, and then noon five. No Emerald. He started to fidget, his fingers drumming a nervous rhythm on the table. Maybe she’d changed her mind. Maybe she’d gotten lost again. Maybe she’d been abducted by aliens.

He started to feel agitated. No woman has done this to him before. It was the other way around. it was them who waited patiently for him. Tyler can't help but ask himself, is this his karma for running around and let those poor women wait for him? There were even times that he never came  and showed up in some of his dates. 

Tyler's patience starts growing thin so he decided to contact Emerald. Just as he was about to call her, the bell above the door jingled, and Emerald walked in. She was wearing a simple black dress, her long hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked… breathtaking. All of his unplwasant feelinh swiftly disappeared.

He stood up, his heart pounding. “Hey! You made it!”

“Hi, Tyler,” she said, her voice cool and composed. She slid into the seat opposite him. “Sorry I’m late. I got… held up.”

“No worries,” he said, trying to sound casual. “So, what can I get you? Coffee? Tea? Maybe… a cinnamon roll?”

Emerald gave him a pointed look. “Just coffee.”

He nodded, signaling to the waitress. “Two coffees, please.”

As they waited for their drinks, an awkward silence settled over the table. Tyler racked his brain for something to say, something witty and charming, but all he could come up with was, “So… how was your morning?”

Emerald shrugged. “Fine.”

“Just fine?” he pressed, trying to inject some enthusiasm into the conversation.

“Yeah. Just fine.”

He sighed internally. This was going to be harder than he thought.

The waitress arrived with their coffees, Emerald felt like it was deja vu when the waitress lok at Tyler like she wanted to eat him alive. Again, that weird feeling of anguish seeped through Emerald again. She wants to throw the coffee on that waitress's shameless face. Tyler took a sip of his, wincing slightly at the bitterness, oblivious of the infatuated waitress’s existence.

“So,” he began, trying a different approach. “What have you been up to lately? Besides… you know… saving the world?”

Emerald’s lips twitched. “Just studying. And… other things.”

“Other things?” he echoed, his curiosity piqued.

“Things I can’t talk about,” she said, her voice low.

He raised an eyebrow. “Mysterious.”

She shrugged again, taking a sip of her coffee.

The conversation continued in fits and starts, punctuated by long, uncomfortable silences. Tyler tried his best to keep things light and engaging, but Emerald remained distant and guarded. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was holding something back.

Tyler starts to feel heartbroken as he assumes that this response from Emerald is a sign that she is never interested in him. This was the first time again that a woman showed no interest in Tyler Clayton, the famous and irresistible charming son of Gerald Clayton. 

Suddenly, Emerald’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her eyes widening slightly. “I have to take this,” she said, standing up. “Excuse me.”

She walked away, her phone pressed to her ear, leaving Tyler alone at the table. He watched her as she spoke, her expression serious, her brow furrowed. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but he could tell that it was important.

After a few minutes, she hung up and returned to the table. “Sorry about that,” she said, her voice tight. “I have to go.”

“Go?” Tyler repeated, his heart sinking. “But we just got here.”

“I know,” she said, her voice apologetic. “But something came up. I really have to leave.”

She stood up, gathering her things. “Thanks for the coffee, Tyler.”

“Wait!” he blurted out, grabbing her arm. “Can I… can I at least walk you back to your dorm?”

Emerald hesitated, her gaze flickering to his. “No, that’s okay. I need to go somewhere else.”

“Somewhere else?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Just… somewhere,” she said, her voice vague. “I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you next time.”

When Emerald turned her back, Tyler didn’t see the triumphant smile plastered on her lips. Unbeknownst to Tyler’s knowledge, the lady he has been chasing was playing hard to get. Emerald thought that a man like Tyler, who has always been chased by women, would definitely feel challenged if someone like her would reject him.

It will probably be too hard for his ego to handle that for the very first time, there is a woman who responded to his charms differently. A response he never expected, a treatment that he never experienced, and a woman who can resist him. 

If she would react like most women did, Tyler will get tired of her, he will get bored with her right away and find another one. That is something she couldn’t allow to happen. He should fell into her trap. 

Tyler on the other hand, was sad yet happy at the same time. He heard her, she said she will make it up to him. But he needs to make sure she will be true to her words. So, he called out and chased Emerald.

“Hey, Emerald. Do you promise?” Tyler said as he gently held Emerald’s elbow to stop her.

She nodded as a response and waved him goodbye. He smiled and waved back. Tyler went home full of hope. This is going to be good. His smile fades as he suddenly feels a feeling of confusion and questions flooded his mind. A voice inside him asks’ ‘What are you doing Tyler? What’s with all this effort? Why waste time over a woman and go through all this trouble when you can easily get another one?’  

-Sarsi-