Chapter 4, Lovebirds Unite
Tommy Santos, Sept. 20, 2023
When I enter the Bio class, I sit down where I usually sit; can’t wait for another lecture on calories and digestion. I find my Macbook and take it out to the table in front of me. I take a nap, I don’t feel like going on my computer right now so I take a little nap before the class starts. I believe I took a 5 minute nap, until I got interrupted by someone; I woke up to see who it was. I look up to see who it is, and it’s… Bex?
“Hi Tommy!” Bex says.
“Oh, how are you Bex?” I replied to her.
“Nothing much, sleepyhead.” She says back.
I wake up from my nap, and I check the time; there is still a bit more towards the beginning of class. I think I should talk with Bex, I can probably ask her for her phone number; hopefully I can get courage and not be seen as shy.
“Hey Bex.” I tell her, “Can I ask you something?”
She looks at me, and replies with, “Yeah? What is it, Tommy?”
“So… Um…” I mumble, before finally explaining. “Can we exchange phone numbers? Just wondering.”
I see Bex pull out her phone and hand it to me, “Yeah sure! Just put your phone number in and I’ll text you after this lecture.”
I input my number to her phone, and I hand it back; from checking the time I see I have 3 minutes before the class starts, so it was lucky I probably asked Bex now, so I didn’t have to wait till next time. I see Mr. Metz prepares the final bit of his lecture slideshow before it’s showtime. Once the morning bell finally rings, he speaks.
“Good morning class!” He says, “How’s everyone?”
A couple of people, including myself, say “I’m good.”
“Alright! Today I’ll continue the lecture from a couple of days ago on the digestive system and types of nutrients!” He says.
While I see Mr. Metz goes to his lecture. I turn to my left and start to see Bex work on a portrait of herself. I wonder why she’s doing so, but then again I do like to doodle in the classes I’m doing well in so I can’t judge. It’s pretty crudely drawn, the head and body looks a little funky; but it’s still recognizable as ‘Bex Pop.’ It got her freckles, her hair style, and that nose band-aid, which I wonder why she wears. Soon after coloring the hair, she falls asleep, I don’t believe it’ll end very well. It takes a couple of minutes, probably like 15 or 20 before Mr. Metz notices that Bex is asleep.
“Class, watch this” He says, before he pulls out a nerf ball, and he aims at poor Bex. With incredible accuracy, it hits Bex’s in the head; it’s not surprising considering that Mr. Metz also coaches football. Once the ball hits Bex in the head, she wakes up a little shocked.
After a bit of audible laughing from the other classmates, Mr. Metz says, “Rise and Shine, Soda Pop!”
After Bex is finally awake again, Mr. Metz returns to his lecture. It seriously felt like nothing had happened.
I turn to look at Bex, and I whisper to her, “Hey, are you ok?”
She looks up to me and says, “Yeah, it didn’t hurt. The ball isn’t like a baseball.” Bex grins at me when saying this.
“Ah alright, that’s good.” I replied to her.
This lecture lasts another good minute, though finally we are released from the class. As we walk out, I head over to Bex; hopefully we can find a day we can hang out outside of school.
“Hey Bex… Um…” I mumble out, how do I tell her this?
“Yeah Tommy? What is it?” She replies.
“You think we can hang out? Like just casually in one of our dorms with our roommate?” I finally gain the courage to tell her, I look down; just in case she rejects the offer.
“Yeah! I think it’ll be nice. After all, we just exchanged phone numbers. It’s the best we can do!” She replies to me.
“Alright then! Should we text the plans?” I say.
“Yeah, that works.” Bex follows up with, “See you later then!”
“Alright, see you later tonight!” I say, with my newfound confidence.
It’s pretty nice I now have a new friend, though the doubt part of my brain still persists. What if she doesn’t like my dorky interests, what if she is just a facade and is secretly a terrible person. Then again, the doubt side of my brain is a pretty vocal part; so I don’t think I have to worry about anything. I just have to wait and see
Tommy Santos: Sept. 20, 2023; Evening
I check through my closet, trying to find the perfect clothes for this hang out. I kinda want to wear a sweater and a button up, though I think it’s a little bit too formal; but I’ll probably just continue to roll with it. I grab a white button up, and a pale blue sweater, and some jeans and I prepare to leave the dorm. I text Bex saying that I’m on my way to her dorm. Before I go down, I chat with Flann just before.
“Hey man, so I’m still feeling nervous about this?” I tell him, “What if she doesn’t like me”
“Tomás, look at me.” He says, “If she didn’t like you, why would you be visiting her dorm? You got lucky my man, it’s clear you two have chemistry.”
“Yeah… True…” I say, “Well then, I’mm heading out now.”
“Buena Suerte, Tommy.” Flann says, as he smiles at me.
“Thanks.” I reply to him while leaving the room.
I enter the hallway, heading towards the elevators. I checked my phone several times to see the room number which Bex gave me, Room 245, which should be the 4th floor in this complex. After pressing the elevator button and waiting around in it, I arrived at the 4th floor. I take a few rights before I find Room 245, and I knock on the door. After 15 or so seconds later, Bex opens the door and greets me
“Hi Tommy! Welcome to my dorm!” She welcomes me warmly.
“Hi Bex, thanks for letting me in.” I replied to her.
As I walk into her dorm, I can’t think and notice her shirt, it’s a Weezer shirt. The band’s flying W logo, colored the popping red that roses give off, stretching across the shirt, with the text logo below it. She’s wearing a very casual outfit, something I should take notice of for next time we meet. Anyhow, just as I enter I also greet Bex’s friends.
“Hi there, you must be Tommy” One of her roommates greets me, she’s got punk rock inspired hair, with black eyeshadow adding to the look.
“Yeah.. That’s me, what’s your name?” I told her.
“Oh! I’m Billie, nice to meet you!” Billie tells me, “Also Bex, by the way where’s Lily?”
“Here I am! Is Bex’s visit here?” The girl I presume is Lily says.
After our exchange of greetings, Bex invites me to hang out in her room. I’m a little reluctant at first, though I finally enter the room. I look around Bex’s room, there’s a bulletin board and several posters for a couple of series she’s into. I see several Weezer posters, a Josie and the Pussycats poster, and a few anime posters. I check the bulletin board, I notice a bunch of photos of what I assume are her brothers, though I’ll probably ask her a bit. I sit by Bex’s office chair, I take a look around the room; it’s fairly messy. There’s some clothes and other miscellaneous items just thrown about, though I don’t mind. Bex is sitting on her bed just across the room from her desk and PC where I’m sitting, while looking around I start the conversation.
“Hey Bex, so… Um…” I try to start the conversation, “You have a nice room”
“Why thanks Tommy, it’s a little messy I know.” She says a little nervously, a bit of a contrast to the excited and happy nature she normally has.
“It’s ok, I looked more at the posters you have on the wall.” I tell her, hoping to excite her again.
“Oh yeah! I’m a little of a nerd if you couldn’t tell.” She replies to me.
“Well I’m a lot of a nerd, I think we’ll be perfect!” I say while chuckling, I also hear Bex laugh as well.
“Yeah… Perhaps we are.” Bex says to me.
She hands out her hand, I start to blush a bit; and I think I see her do so as well. I take my hand out and she directs me to sit next to her on the bed. While here, I feel like it’s safe to mention the photos on the bulletin board.
“Hey, I like the photos you have on your bulletin board.” I say
“Aw thanks!” I tell her, “I was pretty cute back then.”
“You’re still are, in fact even more.” I tell her, and I feel Bex’s hand holding mine.
We held hands for quite a bit, it’s definitely clear that Bex does like me a little bit, though to what extent I don’t know. What if she doesn’t continue this, or what if she likes a different person? But I don’t think we would have gotten this far if she simply didn’t like me. Either way, with the doubt in my mind ignored, this is still a wonderful moment. I love Bex, and I’m pretty sure she loves me back; hopefully I can continue this from a simple friendship to something more. Though only time can tell, and I need to wait just to see how the tide goes. All that I know from this is that the freckled tomboy sitting next to me is definitely the way to go.