Chapter 35
Tyson
Shutting my car off in the parking garage of my job, I lean back into the headrest. I keep having weird dreams about Rohan.
They’re all so fragmented and jagged, when I wake, they feel like distant memories.
Sometimes I question if I even conjured them up in my sleep.
But what I’m sure about is he’s in them.
All of them. It’s so strange. I’ve never dreamt about him before.
Ever since he showed up at my doorstep and jumped into my arms, he’s appeared every night.
Even that day itself was strange. I mean, I don’t mind if he wants a hug here and there.
But why did it feel so right?
Like something we had done many times before.
And I’m sure I’ve not hugged Rohan ever in my life. In fact, I know that was the first time we’ve ever hugged. But why do I feel like I don’t want it to be our last? He felt so good in my arms. I regret not hugging him back.
I press my badge onto the door’s scanner and open it when it lights up green. The office is still cold as fuck when I get to my desk. Carter is already there, grinning at me.
“Morning!” he smiles as usual.
“Morning, Carter.”
“I’ve got some crazy news, dude.”
“What is it?” I sigh, my desk chair creaking under my weight as I sit down and log in for the day.
“Noel, he resigned out of the blue, crazy right?”
“Oh really? Why?”
“I don’t know, I tried to ask around, but nobody knew.”
“Wait, so what does that mean for the game since it was his project?”
“That’s the other big news. I heard they’re scrapping Understory due to all the bugs. The engineers said it just wasn’t fixable, that we might need to start completely fresh. Crazy, right?”
That’s so strange. I really never had any issues with the game. Nor has starryeyes it seems.
Starryeyes … Does that mean I’ll never get to talk to him again? I could just look for the emails or contact information for all the beta testers and find him, but would that be creepy? I should have added him to an outside app.
“How long will the game stay live?”
“Oh, they took it completely offline this morning, actually. Nobody could log into the servers anyway.”
“Interesting.”
“Yeah, maybe he left cause he was embarrassed or something,” Carter chuckles, turning to his desk.
“Maybe,” I hum.
My notification bar signals that I have a few new emails. When I open the app, I see the first one is from Noel. There is only one sentence in the entire email.
“Congratulations on winning the game, now for fate’s final act.”
I tilt my head at the screen, my brows pinched together. “What the fuck does that even mean?”
What a strange guy.
“What did you say, buddy?” Carter says.
“Nothing. Nothing,” I say, waving him off. “I’m going down to get some coffee, actually. Want anything?”
“You know it!”
“Right. Your sugary bullshit.” I roll my eyes.
* * *
When I get to my usual cafe, I’m greeted by a very unexpected face, but not unwelcome.
Since he’s the boy I can’t seem to stop from running through dreams and even my mind when I’m awake at this point.
Rohan is standing at the register looking at me, the usual heat in his gaze, not burning but surprisingly warm this time, same as when he jumped into my arms the other morning.
“Hey,” he says, pushing my usual drink towards me and Carter’s. “I didn’t know if you were getting this for your friend too or not, but I just did it anyway.”
“Uh, thanks. You work here?”
“Yeah, I figured you knew that.”
“Ah, right, since you think I stalk you and all.”
“Well, you kinda do. What are the chances your favorite coffee shop is the one I work at?” Rohan says, folding his arms. Giving a little more of the Chandra I’m used to. This one is more predictable. That other boy is way too consuming.
“I never even see you here, you’ve been hiding from me?” I chuckle, teasing him.
“Why would I be hiding from you?” he huffs, pushing strands of his pretty golden curls back.
“I don’t know, you tell me.”
“You’re stupid.”
“Hmm, sounds about right. So, is everything okay? The other day you…” I start.
“Ty, are you busy Saturday?” Rohan says, interrupting me.
Am I busy Saturday? Is Rohan Chandra asking me what I think he’s asking me? Am I still asleep in one of those weird dreams right now?
“Uh, no, not really.”
Why am I leaning into this?
“Okay, I, um,” Rohan mumbles, his cheeks growing pink. Holy shit, I’m definitely asleep. He’s so fucking cute in my dreams, just like right now. This must be how I wish he was sometimes. Though I like the feisty one too, deep down inside.
“I, I just wanted to know if you’d like to hang out. Go out … with me. Maybe we can get something to eat?” he finishes, swallowing hard and nibbling on his bottom lip.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m okay, don’t be a fucking asshole,” he snaps.
“Oh, you’re fine, actually. I was just checking, though,” I laugh. “But I mean … Why not?”
“So, is that a yes?”
His eyes are so enormous, were they always this big?
I lean in closer to him over the counter. “Yeah, sure. Since you finally admit you like me.”
“I never said I liked you. I just … wanna hang out.”
“Who hangs out with someone they don’t like?”
“Can you just shut up and give me your number so I can text you?”
“Sure, but we’ve got to work that mouth of yours if you want a second date though,” I smirk down at him, and he rolls his eyes at me.
Rohan puts his number in my phone and hands me his for me to do the same.
I’ve never in a million years thought this scenario would ever play out.
I mean, maybe when I first got into Seeker competitively.
I thought it would be nice to have contact with Rohan, but he let it be known rather quickly that he didn’t have any interest in making friends with me.
“Thanks … I’ll text you,” he says, his voice so much quieter than usual. It’s making me want to pull him into my arms. Like my body is fighting against reflex.
“Yeah, I’ll see you. Thanks for the coffee.”
“Mmhmm. Bye, Tyson,” Rohan says, a blush coloring his cheeks.
I need to get back to my cubicle before I pull him over this counter and get a taste of his lips like my mind is telling me to.