Episode 1

EPISODE ONE

My days at the university were boring. I go to an international university, here in New York by the way and I know what you’re thinking, “there’s a lot of people there with different races you could hang out and party with, how the hell did it get boring?!” I don’t know exactly, I guess I kinda felt like something was missing, the partying never stops though but other than that nothing new ever happens, so there.

Anyway there’s a lot of buzz yesterday about an exchange student from Korea that is coming today and that he/she /it will be here for one semester.

So I was sitting at the lobby, minding my own business when someone sat next to me, "hello" she greeted. I looked and saw a girl with dark, shoulder-length hair smiling at me,

"Hi" I replied, hmm... this is the first time I saw her here so I’m guessing she must be the exchange student they’re all talking about

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked

"Uh, hanging out" I replied

"I can see that, um, is it okay if I stay here with you for a while, I’m not yet familiar with this school"

"Okay” I said “if you don’t mind me asking, are you the exchange student?"

She nodded “I’m Arden, nice to meet you...um"

"Nicky, my name is Nicky" I said “nice to meet you too”

She smiled “Oh by the way, do you know where this room is? It’s my first class" she showed me her schedule and pointed the room number

I looked and saw that she's going to be my classmate in 5 of my subjects "yeah, it's my first class as well"

"Really?" she said "so we're classmates?"

"Looks like it" I answered

She just stared at me and smiled, clearly she's happy, don't know why, come to think of it, she's kinda cute but I’m not expecting anything, for all I know she might be straight so I think I’ll just mind my business. I checked my watch and saw that my class was about to start so I stood and looked at her, "you coming?"

She nodded and stood then we went to our room.

When we got there, I sat at my usual chair while she sat next to me, the professor then came in and class started, since I already know the lesson, I didn't listen and because of that I became bored and started drawing stick man figures and some other shit on a piece of paper and I kind of felt like there's someone looking at me, I looked and saw Arden looking at me

"Can I help you with something?" I asked

"Oh I’m sorry, I didn't mean to bother, and I’m just looking at your paper"

I picked up the paper "you mean this? It’s just drawings"

"Yeah, but it looks interesting"

I find that weird, I don't see anything interesting about it so I handed her the paper "you can have it if you want"

She then took the paper "thanks" she smiled

"No prob"

As soon as class was over, I quickly went to the cafeteria mainly because I’m hungry; my best bud Jamie soon followed. We bought some snacks and got us a table

"Looks like someone's interested" Jamie said with a big grin on her face

"Who? The exchange student?" I replied "No way dude, she's straight"

"Wait, she’s an exchange student?" Jamie asked

I nodded

“We have an exchange student program?”

Again, I nodded

“Ok cool, how long is she gonna stay here?”

”One semester”

"And she's your type right?" Jamie said

"Not really but her smile is nice”

"Nice enough for you to ask her out?" she grinned

"Nope and I told you, she's straight" I said “if you like her so much, why don’t YOU asks her out”

“I do like her, I like her for you and are you sure she’s straight? Because I saw her looking at you during class Nicky"

"You’re over analyzing things. She's just looking at my drawing; she said it's interesting, so I gave her the paper"

"What did you write on the paper?"

"Doodles and some other shit, why?"

Jamie suddenly slapped my shoulder

"Aw!" I exclaimed "why the hell did you do that?!"

"Can’t you see!? She’s looking at your drawing so she can have a reason to talk to you!"

"So?"

"C’mon! This is your chance to get a girlfriend, don't waste it"

"Nah, thanks but no thanks"

"Why?" Jamie asked

“Because I’m not interested and long distance relationship doesn’t really work well for me"

"Yeah Long distance relationship doesn’t work well for me either" she sighed

I then saw Arden from across the room; she's happily talking with Lance, one of the good-looking guys in my department.

I turned to Jamie and motioned her to look at Arden “Told you she’s straight”

“That doesn’t prove anything!” Jamie said “for all you know she’s just borrowing a pen from Lance”

I laughed “a pen? really?”

“That could happen or maybe she talking to him on purpose to get you to notice her”

“You and your crazy logic thinking” I smirked then took a sip out of my iced tea

“Hey, may I remind you that this crazy logic thinking of mine helped you get out of troubles so you owe me a “thank you” little missy”

“Fine, Thank you Jamie for causing and getting me out of trouble” I said in my fake humble voice “happy now?”

“Ask Arden out then I’ll be happy” she grinned

“No, sorry” I said finishing up my food

Jamie finally gave up and soon enough we went to our next class which Arden is taking as well

A few minutes after we sat, she came in and sat next to me

I looked at her "you really like sitting next to me, don’t you?"

She looked at me and playfully raised a brow, "think so?"

"Yep"

"And what made you say that?"

"Well, there are a lot of vacant chairs here, I happen to sit here and a few seconds later you sit next to me, I there for conclude that you like sitting next to me" I smirked

She giggled, "I didn't know you were observant"

"One of my best qualities"

"Just as I thought, you are interesting" she smiled

I looked at her and can’t help but blush

She then touched my face "oh look, I made you blush" she teased

"I’m not blushing"

"Oh? Then what do you call this?"

"Allergies" I said

She giggled "yeah right"

I smirked then I noticed the name on her notebook, Arden Walton

I looked at her and asked “you’re Korean right?”

“That’s right”

“Then why is Walton your last name?”

“Because I’m half American, I actually graduated high school in LA”

“And how did you ended up in Korea?”

“My mom thinks I should know my Korean heritage more and since my grandma is in Korea…”

“She decided you should attend college there so you can stay there for a long time”

“Exactly” she said “but I do love it there so I’m a bit sad that I have to leave for a few months”

She then looked at me “how about you? With Lopez being you’re last name, you’re not exactly pure American”

“No I’m not” I said “I’m actually half Filipino half American, I spent my childhood years in the Philippines but eventually my parents decided to stay here in the States permanently...” wait a sec

I turned to her “how did you know my last name?”

She smiled and turned away, I was about to ask her again but the next professor came in and our class started

After school, I decided to walk for a bit before I go to my apartment, while walking I heard footsteps from behind, I looked and saw Arden walking towards me, and I purposely stop to let her catch up which she did

"Need something?" I asked

"Yeah" she replied

"Ok, what is it?"

"I want to know where you're going"

"Anywhere, I’m just walking around since I still don't want to go to my apartment and you?"

"Same reason, can I walk with you"

"Lead the way"

She smiled and we started walking and soon enough we became tired so we decided to take a rest at the bench near the mango tree

"Ready to go home?" I asked

"If you're going then I’m going" She replied

“Ok then, oh by the way, where are you staying?”

She stood and pointed to the right "At a friend’s apartment just a few blocks away, on Dale Street"

"Really? I live on Dale Street"

"So you're the one I saw sneaking around last night" she joked

"The really good looking girl, yeah that’s me" I grinned

She smiled with a raised brow, which, by the way, is the cutest thing I have ever seen

I smirked and said "c'mon, it’s getting late, let’s go”

While walking, we were silent, but it didn’t feel awkward at all, it felt comfortable, really comfortable. She then stopped and said that this is where she lives.

I walked her to the front door, She opened it and leaned on the door way

"Ok time for you to go inside" I said and smiled "go on"

She giggled "and you?"

"I’ll go after you go inside"

She looked at me and smiled sweetly "talk to you tomorrow?"

“Definitely”

Then she slowly closed the door. I was walking towards the street when I heard her open the door again

I turned and asked "Forgot something?"

"Yeah" She said then quickly ran towards me and gave me a hug

When we parted, I quickly asked “What was that for?”

“For making me feel comfortable on my first day” She smiled then she went back

I waved good bye and left.

When I got home, I laid on the sofa and looked at the ceiling, when she was hugging me, it felt like my heart skipped a beat and I can’t stop smiling, why is that?