Part 12: A simper escapes my lips...

When I was coming back from school, still reeling from my conversation with that nightmare, I had run into him. He wanted to talk, and I might have dismissed him a bit more rudely than I intended, though I did apologize.

So, you can imagine my surprise seeing him here at my door, asking if I was avoiding him.

"What? Why would I be avoiding you? Should I be avoiding you? Did you do something that would make me want to avoid you? Of course not. So where did you get that ridiculous idea?" I babbled, realizing I should probably just shut my mouth.

I was rambling. Nick raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, making them flex in a way that was—focus, Mandy.

"Did you see my texts?" he asked. Right, his texts that I had ignored while trying to play hard to get. Now, thinking about it, it seemed pretty petty.

"I did, but I was too busy to reply. You know, school and projects," I said, attempting to play it cool by leaning on the doorframe, but ended up missing it. Oh, come on!

"Okay, so what about today? You snapped at me when I asked how you were doing." He wasn't going to let this go, was he? Taking a deep breath I decided to ended it all at once.

"Look, Nick. My day hasn't been great, and my nerves are all over the place. I'm really sorry for snapping earlier. As for avoiding you, it wasn't intentional. I've just been genuinely preoccupied."

I waited for him to say something, feeling the weight of his intense scrutiny. It was hard to hold his gaze, as if he were trying to discern whether I was telling the truth or lying.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What?" I blurted out, surprised by his question. It was not what I had expected him to say.

"It's okay if you don't," he added.

"No! That's not what I meant. I just..." I trailed off, at a loss for words.

"Would you... like to come inside?" I asked, holding my breath as I waited for his response. This was not how I had envisioned today, but he was already here, offering to listen. I felt like I had a lot to vent.

He hesitated for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the invitation, but nodded nonetheless. I stepped aside, opening the door wider for him to enter.

"Your house is beautiful," he remarked as I closed the door behind him.

"It ought to be," I replied, unable to resist a bit of bragging. "The girls and I worked really hard to create this place. We hope it brings joy to everyone who sees it." I smiled, remembering those days.

"Coffee?" I asked, gesturing toward the living room.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary," Nick quickly declined.

"Well, I'd like to drink coffee, and it would be pitiful for a lady to drink alone while in the company of a gentleman, don't you think, Sir Nick?" I said, imitating a British accent as I poured coffee for both of us.

"Actually, I don't think it's pitiful for a lady to drink alone. But I'd be happy to have a cup of coffee with you if that's what you'd like." To my surprise, Nick joined in, responding with an even better British accent than mine.

"You never cease to amaze me, Nick. Your accent is impressively British!" I said, handing him a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," he said with a smile. "My younger sister is obsessed with the British accent, so she makes everyone in the house speak in it." Nick explained.

"You have a younger sister?" I asked, intrigued. This was the first time Nick had mentioned his family, and it made me even more curious.

"Yep. She'll be twelve this year," he replied as I handed him the cup of coffee and took my seat on the opposite couch.

"I have an older sister who is married with a child, and a younger brother who is fourteen." Since he was sharing, I figured there was no harm in offering a bit about myself too. Maybe it would help us get to know each other better.

"And here I thought you were the youngest," Nick said with a smile.

"And what makes you think that?"

"For starters, you have all the characteristics of a last-born child," Nick began, and I leaned forward, eager to hear more.

"Really? And what are those characteristics?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, you seem to have this easygoing charm and a certain sense of confidence," he explained with a grin. "Plus, there's a hint of playfulness that often comes with being the youngest. Not to forget, spoiled," he added, causing my smile to falter.

"Wow!" I scoffed, placing my coffee cup on the table and leaning back. "And here I thought you had a good sense of judgment. You've known me for how long, and you already call me a spoiled brat?" I couldn't believe his nerve, especially with him laughing now.

"Last-borns are attention seekers, and I am not!" I defended myself.

"Of course not," he said, finally calming down from his laughter.

"I'm the one seeking your attention," Nick's statement caught me off guard once again. He seemed to have a knack for surprising me. I fought hard not to smile or blush from his words. Reaching for my coffee, I took a long sip, hoping to hide the side of my face that was curling into an involuntary smile.

"You guys appear to be busy," changing the subject which I was glad for, he asked, "I mean the university," he clarified.

"Oh yes. Everyone is preoccupied with Valentine's Day preparations," I replied, a little bit sarcastic.

"Is it that big of a deal at your school?" Nick asked, sounding surprised.

"You agree, right?" I asked, my eyes lighting up. "Do you think it's a waste of time?" I leaned forward, hoping that we shared the same view on the holiday.

"I think it depends on who you ask. Some people see it as a major event, while others think it's blown out of proportion," he answered, which I agreed with.

"I, for one, think it's out of proportion," I said, leaning back with my cup of coffee.

"You don't like Valentine's Day, do you?" Nick asked.

"No, it's not that," I replied, which was a lie, but he didn't need to know that.

"I just think the excessive commercialization and pressure to participate are way out of proportion with the true meaning of the holiday."

"You hate Valentine's Day," Nick stated, looking me straight in the eyes.

Caught like a deer in headlights, I had no choice but to be truthful.

"I despise Valentine's Day," I admitted.

"Bad memory?" Nick's grimace and his question made my hand momentarily stop moving.

"Something like that," I said nervously, not wanting to delve too deeply into my feelings.

"But why is it so important to be involved in school?" Nick asked after a moment, and I was relieved he didn't press further. Placing my coffee back on the table, I straightened up and began to explain.

"So here's the thing. Someone from the university came up with this crazy idea of turning Valentine's Day into a fourteen-day celebration instead of just one day. When the dean heard about it, he saw an opportunity and decided to turn it into a school-wide event."

"Explain more," Nick said, leaning forward with his fingers crossed, clearly interested.

"Well, every faculty member gets a chance to put their skills into action because of the event. For example, someone who is an expert in public speaking might organize and lead a workshop on effective communication, while a faculty member skilled in graphic design could create promotional materials. It's an opportunity for each faculty member to showcase their talents and contribute to the event's success."

"So they've turned Valentine's Day into something beneficial for studies?" Nick asked, tilting his head.

"Um... something like that, I guess," I said, biting my lip at my own answer. Honestly, up until now, I had been viewing this whole ordeal as a waste of time. But explaining it to Nick, I began to understand the dean's reasoning.

He was using the event as an opportunity for experiential learning, helping us enhance our skills and knowledge. With these opportunities, we could gain real-world experience and apply what we've learned in the classroom.

Bias is truly blinding, I admit. It's embarrassing that it took me this long to see and understand it clearly.

As our conversation progressed, we uncovered more about each other. I shared that my favorite festival is Holi, an Indian celebration involving vibrant colors, and how I'd love to experience it one day.

In turn, I discovered we had a common passion: cooking.

Perhaps that's how we ended up at his house, ready to bake cupcakes together.