"We're all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness - and call it love - true love." (Robert Fulghum)
Moving...
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"How long does it take you to write a few lines?" I ask Nevin, who's been struggling to write an essay for two hours.
I pace nervously around him, as I can't stand it when we make plans and then don't follow through, even if it's just the two of us involved.
"It's not my fault that your writing is as tiny as fleas, and I have to use a magnifying glass to see it!" he pauses before continuing, which only annoys me even more, as arguing just wastes our time.
"I'd rather have my fleas than your vastness that can't fit in a single line," I mutter, rolling my eyes, unable to resist replying.
I tap my foot, checking my messages in the meantime, while Nevin struggles to decipher his, and the only thing that manages to boost my morale a bit is a message from Zayden. Over the past few days, we've been messaging quite a bit, getting to know each other better, even though there's just so much information to process at once... it's overwhelming. Of course, we're still taking it slow in terms of sharing more personal aspects, and our latest conversation revolved around our hobbies. But even so, it's challenging to remember so much at once. Somehow, I feel the need to absorb as many aspects of him as possible to unravel the mystery that surrounds him.
"Do you have more left?" I hurry him up because I planned to meet Zayden in the park after my time with Nevin. The longer Nevin takes with his homework, the later we'll have to schedule our meeting, which means I'll return to the dorm even later, raising suspicions.
Is this the first time we're going on a date, if we can even call it that? Or should we count the one at the restaurant in Haddonfield and the one at the Christmas fair? Anyway, I feel excited and scared at the same time. I have no idea what expectations he might have or what's appropriate. The fact that Nevin is keeping me captive here isn't helping at all. I don't have the will or desire to dress up, as I'm not one to stand out, and this date is kind of tied to hanging out with Nevin, so I won't have a chance to change. Plus, the fact that I'm not intending to anyway serves as my excuse.
I check again to make sure my blond friend is focused on his homework while I read Zayden's message. It has absolutely nothing to do with our upcoming outing, but instead, it's about his latest drawing that he photographed for me. He uses much fewer technical terms than Raine, making it easier for me to keep up with his descriptions. There are moments when he can't explain certain aspects of the drawing without using professional terminology, but I do my best to understand and show interest. Learning so many techniques seems meticulous and requires patience because each type of paper and pencils demands different ways of working, each more challenging than the last. Someone like me, who generally endures numerous situations, wouldn't be able to complete them. I've never been able to draw beautifully, and if I were to attempt to learn, I wouldn't know where to start. Just the thought of the long and arduous journey ahead of me would probably make me try to avoid it. And this path would most likely not work out since I don't have a natural talent for art.
