Versus

For the next few days, she walked around like a covert operative. She was on high alert. Not that she woke up and decided to be distracted after meeting tall, gorgeous, and peculiar. But her first meeting with him was just that. Very strange.

Most of her life, she purposely avoided the news. She didn’t want to know how bad things were getting around the world, so she knew that her ignorance was of her own making. She was under the impression that she would get to college, be a wallflower of sorts and skate right through without incident. She was thinking that she should have done some research on the crime in this area. Maybe google “odd occurrences” to make sure nothing was “off” about this area. Just googling the college was not enough.

The man after Shelly, so soon after getting here. The guy in the cafeteria who appeared to keep showing up. She hoped that her encountering odd people was over.

“Small town equals quiet town, right? So, what did I miss? That’s what I get for keeping my head in the sand. I get surprised during my first week at college. Reality hits me in the face. Crazy people are everywhere. Ok, I get that now.”

“So, what’s the new game plan?” She had no clue. She wouldn’t vent about it to her mom though. That was the one thing that she did know. “This guy with Shelly just has me on edge.” She thought to herself. Her mom had enough on her plate for the last eighteen years. She would only share the “great” experiences with her. She deserved that for a change.

The school was buzzing about their first football game tonight. Emma was going to check if anyone was going but it was only 3:30 pm. She wanted to finish some work from class while she was so close to having it done. And it was fresh on her brain.

She plopped down into one of the beanbag chairs outside in her hall. There were other girls doing the same, she exchanged a few pleasantries and decided to make this “the best first completed college assignment ever”.

And then Aala struck. As for Aala, she was equally a bookworm, but she made being here feel like a fun adventure. She quickly affirmed that she would act as goofy as Emma ever could. She was funny but not like a comedian. The funny that gets you. You find yourself laughing for fifteen minutes, tears streaming down your face, and neither can remember what exactly started it all.

Sometimes.

Aala entered the hall and noticed that Emma was sitting on one of the oversized beanbag chairs, working on an assignment. Emma never saw Aala approaching, never looked up once from the pages that captured her undivided attention.

That gave Aala an idea. “She’s seriously into that”, she thought as she began to laugh to herself. Her mischievous wheels turning.

She charted a new course. One that had her approaching Emma from behind versus the front.

As she made precise and slow movements, she edged her way up behind Emma. Her exaggerated sneaking caught the attention of nearly every girl, in the common area, except for Emma. Because they actually looked up.

Aala slowly lowered to the ground, her last few inches towards Emma were now on her knees. Crawling. Hands flat, fingers stretched out wide like a prowling cat on the smooth tiles…ever so carefully, not the slightest sound to draw attention to herself…this far invested in her assault.

Giggles were being muffled all around as Aala’s arms outstretched slowly towards Emma. Closer and closer. It seemed that every person in the room now held their breath with Aala!

“Aaahhhh…! She screamed.

“Holy Sh…! Emma shouted from the top of her lungs.

“Potty Mouth!” Aala screamed backward in a full-out run. Emma sprang up with the energy that the scare provoked and was in an impressive pursuit after Aala.

Roars of laughter devoured the air as Aala ran for her life.

The door was heavy and allowed Emma some time to close the distance between them. As Aala finally managed to get through the door, Emma had one arm on her shoulder and the two fell through the door, screaming.

The two girls landed, in a heap, all mangled up while boys and girls (passing by) broke into laughter with them.

Emma managed to pin Aala while the two laughed so hard, tears were streaming down their cheeks.

“Paybacks!” Emma threatened.

“NO!” Aala pleaded, barely recognizable through her winded laughing.

Something made Emma look up, a tug of sorts, and there, against the wall, sitting in the window seat, was the guy from the cafeteria. His head was lowered, still facing his book, but his eyes raised to meet the laughter still filling the hall. Her mood shifted instantly as he smiled while his eyes slowly returned to his book.

She jumped off Aala, grabbed her hand, and drug her through the heavy door, legs squirming, quickly slamming it behind her.

These silly encounters just happened on a whim with these two. They just made each other enjoy laughter at a new level. They found the beauty and fun wherever they could. And then they shared it. They were more alive together. Happier. Aala was her kindred spirit. Emma used to think that the title “kindred spirit” seemed childish, mythical even. Until she met Aala. They were destined to be best friends. Emma still had barriers up but if they were to be breached, it would be by her friendship.

So, after the two caught their breath, it was agreed that they would support the home team and venture out to the first football game. It was Friday, after all. She really needed to get out more. She was very much aware that she spent most of her spare time with her nose in a book. This didn’t help her mood. She obviously needed to be with the girls, to laugh and have a bit more fun.

The four girls walked to the football field together. They stopped at the dining hall on the way out, mostly because of Emma. She wanted her loaded salad to eat there versus pizza or hotdogs from the concession stand at the game.

Once there, Emma sat sideways on the bleachers, to talk to the other three while she ate her boxed cuisine. It was obvious that her friends wished they had done the same. Rubber pizza was the consensus and their regret looked painful as they chewed. The college band was irregularly small. But their sound was strangely large for so few. They began their exuberant fight song while the football team charged onto the field.

Emma spun towards the front as the crowd cheered and noticed a face that wasn’t looking in the same direction as everyone else. Bleachers full, every face was watching the field come alive, but one. One was turned in her direction. There was no way she could miss it this time. As she finished her quick turn, she planted both feet and jerked her head back to the side to make it clear that she saw him.

“Him!”