Chapter 6 - Horns and Heartbeats

Ray's POV

Days were flying by—it was almost a month into college, and now the four of us were definitely a group, at least for me and Elio. Just last week, I found out why Elio suggested having lunch with Ivy and Aria. Turns out, he has a little crush on Ivy. Even though his intentions were personal, the outcome turned out to be amazing for all of us.

Yeah, I’ve gotten to know Aria better, but I still feel like there’s so much I don’t know about her. She’s friendly and helpful but awkward when it comes to socializing. However, once she’s comfortable, she’s a total chatterbox. Now, I know a lot about her, but not about her "him." She’ll share when she feels ready, I guess.

All these thoughts ran through my mind as I drove to college. That’s when I noticed someone walking along the road, lost in her thoughts and oblivious to the traffic. Of course, it was Miss Carry, the deep thinker herself. I honked once—no response. I honked again—still nothing. Finally, I pulled up beside her and yelled, “MISSSSS CARRYYYYYY!”

Her reaction was priceless—she was so startled that she clutched her chest, trying to catch her breath.

“You scared me, Mr. Eclair!” she said, glaring. “What’s your problem now?”

“Mr. Eclair?” I raised an eyebrow, confused.

She noticed my expression and smirked. “Oh, so you can call me Miss Carry, but I can’t come up with a nickname for you? Hypocrite.”

“Okay, okay, fair enough,” I replied, trying to move past it. “But where’s your scooter? Why are you walking?”

She sighed. “It’s in the garage for repairs. I was heading to the bus stop.” She sounded genuinely upset—she loves driving, and walking or taking the bus isn’t her thing.

“Come on, Let's go together” I offered enthusiastically.

“No, no, I’ll manage,” she replied, brushing it off with her usual polite formality—something I’ve grown to hate.

I parked the car, stepped out, and said, “Look, I can’t physically drag you to the car because, well, boundaries. But don’t push it.”

To my surprise, she extended her hand as if daring me to actually drag her. It was the first time in a month she’d done something like this. But I didn’t take her hand—I didn’t want her to think the previous no-touch incident had hurt me.

“Why are you showing your hand? Just get in,” I said, playfully avoiding the gesture.

She smiled faintly, but I could see the embarrassment on her face. Once we were seated, I wanted to ease her mind, so I said, “Hey, I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable earlier. I didn’t take your hand because I didn’t want you to think I was ignoring your boundaries, okay?”

She smiled again, this time with relief. Her expression told me how self-conscious she’d felt about that moment.

---

Aria's POV

What the hell? Why did I offer my hand like that? Am I insane?

I thought Ray didn’t notice, but when he explained, I felt relieved. He genuinely understands me. This time, it wasn’t even about overthinking—I wanted him to drag me to the car. But he respected my boundaries instead, and honestly, I appreciated it.

Ray’s different. He’s the kind of friend I’ve always needed but never had. And speaking of our group, we’ve really grown close. Oh, and Ivy has a crush on Elio. It’s adorable how neither of them openly admits it, but it’s so obvious from their interactions that they both like each other.

As I was lost in my thoughts, Ray’s voice broke through.

“May I ask you a question? Answer only if you’re comfortable.”

“You could never make me uncomfortable, Ray,” I replied with a smile.

“If you don’t like being touched, why did you catch Elio when he almost fell that day?”

“Not liking touch doesn’t mean I won’t help someone in need,” I said simply. “It’s just an act of kindness.”

“Ohhhhh,” he replied in an exaggerated tone, making me laugh.

“But what were you doing near the boys’ restroom that day?” he asked curiously.

I froze for a moment. “I got stuck,” I admitted with a sigh. “I hate crowds, especially of boys.” Then quickly added, “Please don’t ask why—I can’t answer that.”

Ray nodded understandingly.

“What about your ‘wannabe girlfriend,’ huh?” I teased.

“Please, Miss Carry,” he groaned. “Don’t even joke about that. You never know when the universe might take it seriously, and I really don’t want that.”

“She’s nice, though,” I said, defending the girl. “She’s genuine, kind, and has no attitude. She likes you.”

“I know,” he said with a sigh. “But I’m not interested. I respect her feelings, but she needs to respect my boundaries too. Don’t you think?”

“Yeah, that’s something she definitely lacks,” I agreed.

--------

As soon as we reached college, Ray suggested I go ahead while he parked the car. But I shook my head and, honestly, kind of ordered, “No, I’ll wait for you. We’ll head in together.”

He smiled at that, nodded, and drove toward the parking lot.

While I stood there waiting, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw a girl, someone I didn’t recognize, looking at me with an oddly curious expression.

“Are you guys dating?” she asked bluntly.

Her question caught me completely off guard. Dating? Ray and me? I mean, we’ve never done anything that would suggest that. Did we? My thoughts scrambled as I replied, “No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. It’s just a misunderstanding.”

She tilted her head slightly and said, “Better it be a misunderstanding. But do you even know his past?”

Her words hit me like a sudden gust of cold air. I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could respond, she glanced past me and immediately turned to leave.

“Hey! What do you mean—” I began, but then I heard footsteps behind me. Ray was back, smiling as usual.

“Let’s go,” he said casually, clearly unaware of the girl or the storm brewing in my mind.

I nodded and followed him toward the classroom, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Who was that girl? And what did she mean by his past? Why hadn’t Ray ever mentioned anything about it? It wasn’t like we didn’t talk—we were friends, and I thought I knew him well enough.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely registered when Ray spoke to me on the way to class. I just nodded absentmindedly, replaying the conversation with the girl over and over.

When we entered the classroom, as usual, I took my seat beside Ivy while Ray sat behind me. But I couldn’t let it go—I had to figure this out.

Turning to Ivy, I asked, “What do you think could be the reason someone wouldn’t tell you about their past?”

She raised an eyebrow at my sudden question but answered thoughtfully, “Maybe they’re not comfortable, or maybe there’s something they regret. It depends on the person and the situation. Sometimes, they just need time.”

Her words made sense, but then she added something that hit me harder. “And maybe they’ll open up when you share your own past with them. It’s not always about them—it’s about the space you create for that trust.”

That last part stayed with me. She was right. I’d never shared anything personal about my past with Ray. How could I expect him to share his if I hadn’t done the same? He was even more reserved than I was. Maybe I hadn’t given him the comfort or the reason to open up like he gave me.

“Why are you asking, though?” Ivy asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, nothing. Just random, you know,” I said quickly, trying to brush it off.

She gave me a knowing smile, the kind you give someone when you see right through them but don’t press further.

_____

It was during the third lecture when the professor announced that we’d need to create a project about a shop or mart—analyzing their setup, stats, and overall operations. The project was to be done in groups of four.

Since our group already had four members, we didn’t even need to discuss it; it was an unspoken agreement that we’d be working together.

But the thought of going out for the project worried me. Would my dad allow me to go out with boys? How would I manage to convince him? That photograph from earlier had already created enough drama, and now this...

As I mulled over these concerns, the rest of the day passed quickly, filled with our regular conversations and some laughter.

______

When it was time to leave, Ray offered, “Come, I’ll drop you.”

But how could I go home in a boy’s car? It would only add fuel to the fire at home and might even lead to restrictions on going out, even with my girlfriends. Thankfully, Ivy had some work near my place, so I used that as an excuse.

“Don’t worry, Ray,” I said. “I’ll go with Ivy.”

He agreed, though a hint of concern lingered in his expression. “Alright, but don’t forget to message me as soon as you get home. I know Ivy’s driving is decent, but still.”

“Okay, bye!” I replied with a smile, feeling cared for, and waved at him.

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