The second Encounter

Chapter Two:

I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Even as I sat in class the next morning, half listening to Mr. Rodriguez drone on about some historical event I barely cared about, my mind kept drifting back to the park. To him. The way his green eyes practically glowed under the dim streetlights, the way his laugh had warmed the chill in the air, the way he had said sorry like he actually meant it. I was replaying every moment, analyzing every detail, and kicking myself for not getting his name.

"Crisanto," Mr. Rodriguez’s voice yanked me back to reality. "Care to tell the class what you find so fascinating over there?"

My face burned as a few kids around me snickered. Great. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, trying to come up with something, anything, that would sound intelligent. But of course, my mind was a complete blank.

“Uh... sorry,” I mumbled, staring down at my desk. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

“No kidding,” Mr. Rodriguez sighed, shaking his head. “Stay with us, please. You can daydream on your own time.”

The class continued, but I couldn’t focus. My thoughts kept spiraling back to last night. It wasn’t just that the guy had been ridiculously good-looking. There was something else, something in the way he’d looked at me that felt different from how people usually looked at me. Not like I was something weird or broken, but like I was just... me.

I tapped my pen against my notebook, my eyes drifting towards the window. The sky was a dull gray, clouds heavy with the promise of rain. The cold seemed to seep in from the outside, reminding me of how the air had felt last night—sharp and biting, yet somehow softened by that stranger’s presence.

“Who are you?” I whispered under my breath, staring at the mist forming on the glass. I’d never been so caught up on someone I didn’t even know.

By the time the bell rang, signaling the end of class, I was already lost in my own head again. I packed up my things slowly, not really in a rush to leave, but when I stepped out into the hall, I saw Mateo waiting for me. His eyebrows were furrowed, his ever-present grin nowhere to be found.

“Hey, man, you okay?” he asked, falling into step beside me. “You were spacing out the whole class.”

I shrugged, trying to act casual, but Mateo wasn’t stupid. He’d known me since we were kids, and he could always tell when something was off.

“I’m fine,” I lied, giving him a half-hearted smile. “Just... tired.”

Mateo stopped walking, his hand on my arm, forcing me to turn and face him. His dark eyes searched mine, and I could tell he wasn’t buying it.

“Is it your mom again? Or your dad?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah. We had a fight last night. About school. It’s whatever, though. Same old stuff.”

Mateo frowned, his expression softening. “You want to talk about it?”

I shook my head, grateful that he didn’t push. He never did. Instead, he just nodded and we kept walking, falling into a comfortable silence. I appreciated that about him—how he didn’t need to fill every moment with words.

But even with Mateo’s silent support, my mind kept wandering back to the park. By the time lunch rolled around, I had made up my mind. I needed to go back. Maybe it was a long shot, but I couldn’t let this feeling go. I had to see him again, to at least know his name.

When the final bell rang and the day’s last class ended, I bolted from school, heading straight for the park. The streets were quieter than usual, the overcast sky and impending rain keeping most people indoors. My heart pounded in my chest as I approached the familiar path, my breath coming out in quick, nervous bursts.

I don’t know what I expected. Maybe he’d be there, like some kind of miracle, waiting for me. Or maybe I’d just find myself standing alone, feeling stupid for thinking he’d show up again.

But as I rounded the corner to where the benches were, I saw him.

He was sitting on the same bench I had sat on the night before, his dog—Zeus—lying lazily at his feet. The sight of him made my heart skip a beat, and for a second, I froze, unsure of what to do. He hadn’t noticed me yet, and I felt the urge to turn around, to leave before he saw me, but my feet had other plans.

I started walking towards him.

Zeus was the first to notice me, his ears perking up as he let out a friendly bark. The guy looked up, surprised at first, but then a slow smile spread across his face when he recognized me.

“You again,” he said, standing up as I approached. “We keep meeting like this.”

I laughed nervously, rubbing the back of my neck. “Yeah, I guess we do.”

He reached down and ruffled Zeus’ fur, calming the dog down before turning back to me. “Are you stalking me?”

I froze, my eyes widening in panic. “W-what? No! I just—I mean, I was just walking, and I—”

He laughed, a deep, easy laugh that made me relax instantly. “I’m kidding. Relax. It’s nice to see you again, Cris.”

The way he said my name made something flutter in my chest. I tried to play it cool, though I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

“Yeah, you too,” I mumbled, feeling awkward. “I, uh, realized I never got your name.”

“Oh, right,” he said, smiling. “It’s Eli. Eli Devereux.”

Eli. Of course, his name would be something that sounded effortlessly cool.

“It’s nice to officially meet you, Eli,” I said, feeling a little more confident now that I had something to call him. “So, uh, do you come here often?”

Eli smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

My eyes widened again, and I felt the urge to slap myself. “No! I mean, yes, but not like that! I wasn’t trying to—”

He chuckled again, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. “Relax, Cris. I’m just messing with you. Yeah, I come here pretty often. Zeus likes the park.”

I glanced down at Zeus, who was staring up at me with big, soulful eyes, his tail wagging. I couldn’t help but smile.

“He’s a good dog,” I said, reaching down to pet him. Zeus licked my hand in response, and I laughed. “Big, but good.”

“He’s a handful sometimes, but yeah, he’s the best,” Eli said, his voice softening as he looked at his dog. “Got him when I was twelve. He’s been my best friend ever since.”

I nodded, feeling a strange warmth spread through me at the way Eli talked about Zeus. It was clear how much he cared about the dog, and for some reason, that made me like him even more.

For a few moments, we sat there in comfortable silence, the sounds of the park filling the air around us. The wind rustled through the trees, carrying the faint scent of rain, and I felt... at peace. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“So, what brings you here?” Eli asked, breaking the silence.

I hesitated, not sure how to answer. Should I tell him the truth? That I’d come here hoping to see him again? That I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since last night?

Instead, I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Just needed to clear my head. Had a rough day.”

Eli nodded, his expression understanding. “Yeah, I get that. Sometimes it feels like everything’s too much, you know?”

I looked at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. He seemed so... put together, like nothing could faze him. But there was something in his eyes now, something vulnerable, that made me realize maybe he wasn’t as perfect as he seemed.

“Yeah,” I said softly. “I know exactly what you mean.”

We talked for a little while longer—about nothing in particular, just casual stuff. But it felt good. Easy. Like I didn’t have to pretend to be anyone but myself.

Eventually, the sky darkened, and the first few drops of rain began to fall. Eli looked up at the sky, then back at me.

“I should probably get Zeus home before it starts pouring,” he said.

“Yeah,” I agreed, though I didn’t want the conversation to end.

Eli smiled at me, and for a moment, I felt like he was going to say something else, something important. But then he just waved.

“See you around, Cris,” he said, turning to leave with Zeus trotting beside him.

“Yeah,” I whispered, watching him walk away again. “See you around.”

And this time, I knew I wasn’t going to let him walk away without knowing more about him.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***