Troubleshooting

A burning hot shower helps to momentarily sooth my nerves. But soon the water runs out of it's blistering hotness, losing it's appeal. I change into my sweats, gulp down the sleeping pills and crash onto the bed.

I thought the tiredness will consume me as soon as I lie down. But it just makes the sleep more difficult to inch up. So I am left with nothing to do but ponder over tonight. I dredge thinking about it because I know the conclusion is inevitable. I have to tell him I can't do it. As much as a part of me wants to explore it all, find out how a date with him might have turned out, whether he would have tried to kiss me at the end of the day but I know it's entirely a lost cause. I drift off into the same nightmare that only makes it easier to stick to my decision.

...

I wake up to a bright and hopeful morning. It heartens me to try and be at peace with myself and the decision I took last night. That was all until I remembered that the girls should have my car keys.

Both of them are indisposed at the moment, snoring away their hangovers. I know better than to try and wake them up for school. Last night was the type of party that secures a skip the following day. However, I need my car.

"Rob took your car!" Courtney grunts from under her sheets after a good five minutes of me pestering with her. I would have felt bad for her approaching headaches if she didn't just say what she did.

"What- do - you - mean?" I stiffly stand up from the corner of the bed, she seems a little awaken by my reaction.

"He took your car to drive himself home. We were drunk so we couldn't drive, he had to drop us home first."

Fuck I was supposed to pre think this last night.

"Where's Bella's car?" I ask her, hoping to get a positive response although I'm pretty sure I didn't see it here last night.

"Leo took it two days ago."

"Uggh," I groan out loud and stomp out of the room.

This is what happens when I make instantaneous plans. Murphy's law keeps resurfacing in my head, "What can go wrong will go wrong." My law has always been to make sure nothing can.

I still get ready after cursing my negligence for a few more minutes. I will just take a bus to campus. If that doesn't work out, I can always just crash at a library.

I don't take taxies or Uber; getting in a car with strangers is not exactly my element. I try to inflict some vicious positivity on me about breaking rules and feeling the adventure of it. When that doesn't work, I just inhale a chest full of much needed air and lock the door behind me knowing this is going to be a shitty day. I turn around and the air knots inside my lungs as I spot the black car from last night parked infront of my yard.

I stand frozen at the doorstep, not sure what to think or do. The front door clicks open and Aeson gets out of the driver's side. I watch him with a dropped jaw as he walks away from the car and towards me. His model like body with that beautiful face even more gorgeous in the sun, takes my breath away for the hundredth time.

He's looking at me with that otherworldly half smile that I feel like I'm getting used to. A plain gray suit with cream shirt underneath is making him look as Aeson as ever. It's my favourite one till now, the color of the clean suit perfectly matches the color of his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I struggle to keep my sanity unaffected by his impeccable grace.

Will this popping out of nowhere ever end?

"Hello to you too gorgeous," he greets with a smile.

I cross my hands across my chest and wait for an explanation.

"I assumed you will need another ride," he explains. I see a glint of pride in his eyes because he can see he's right.

"You assumed how?" I ask with a frown.

"How about I explain it in the car? You must be getting late," he says calmly. I am but I don't want to give in. I stand there for a few more seconds and calculate my moves. I could still go and try to catch a bus or just go to a library instead.

"No Eileen, you're getting inside that car," he reads my thought. I think about all the things I need sorted before the finals and let out a frustrated grunt. He's right.

"You don't decide what I do," I mutter and ironically start walking to the car. It looks even more spotless in the daylight.

"Explain," I demand the moment he joins me inside the car. He's silent until the engine purrs to live and the car starts moving buoyantly.

"I figured out last night that your friend would be needing the car to drop himself off as well," he shrugs.

"Why didn't you remind me that last night?" I hate that I missed something that obvious.

"Because that wouldn't have helped. I told my driver to offer them a ride home but your friends refused. And to be fairly honest, even if they didn't, I would be standing infront of your house offering to give you a ride. Whether you needed it or not, are just mere details." He's staring ahead blankly, it's hard to tell he's even talking.

"Pretty confident of you to think I'd have taken you in on your offer."

"Well you're sitting in my car, aren't you?"

"You-are-unbelievable!" I slightly jump in the leather seat in irritation and I swear I hear him chuckle. You'd think it's weird that he is here to help me out with this mess and I don't have to worry about taking buses or Ubers or missing classes but I'm still being mad at him. If maybe he was someone else, I would just be politely thankful. With him I can't reason with my emotions.

"I'm just helping," he winks at me and then returns his attention to the road.

"But you didn't need to go behind my back to do that."

He looks at me with creased brows. "It was just a technical fact Eileen. I didn't think I needed to discuss it with you." That makes him sound like the man he was when he was talking over the phone last night. All business and stats. Maybe that's who he is. I know he's trying and going a few extra miles for me. How and what he's trying to stifle about himself? I don't know.

I stare down at the knotted fingers on my lap and whisper a thank you.

"I had my own selfish reasons too," he says after a while of silence.

"I wonder what they possibly are." I realize all the irritations I was feeling moments ago have now disappeared.

"I wanted to know your answer," he spills with the same nervousness from yesterday. Dang!

"And I believe I wanted some time to think," I speak softly, careful not to be rude.

"You didn't mention that a whole night wasn't enough," he says with a soft laughter.

"Well, now you know it wasnt." It was though and I decided to say no. But I can't bring myself to say it right now. I look out the window instead and feel the embarrassing blush itch my cheeks.

I think we're going to pass the rest of the ride in silence when he suddenly rolls down my window for me. The thick wind infiltrate the car and I can't help my widening smile.

"I really need some time," I tell him again, a smile plastered on my face. Maybe I was too quick to think I'll be able to resist him that easily.

"I'm just trying to accelerate the process," he explains.

My eyes narrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'll be there by noon to pick you up," he says, shooting me a 'no-argument' look.

"That is really not necessary Aeson," I begin to explain when he cuts me off.

"I didn't ask," he dismisses.

"But you should," I protest.

"Fine! Eileen will you please let me give you a ride home?" I don't say anything because that's an answer in itself. It's not like I have my car with me anyway.

All too soon we are parked at the campus, which is almost emptied by now.

"Thank you for the rescue. Although, you could have saved both of us the trouble last night," I reach out for the door with a happy smile.

"How could I? It's the only kind of trouble I look forward to," he reciprocates my smile and that hits me with a sense of Déjà vu. Like we've smiled at each other like this for a lifetime.

"See you?"

"You will Eileen," he says and softly brushes his hand down my arm. A sweet shiver stirs my heart and I get out before embarrassing myself by physically revealing the effects he has on me.