The next day, I was so busy with classes that I almost forgot about the dream.
Almost.
After our last lecture, I was walking down the hallway with Brian and Nina when fate decided I hadn't suffered enough.
We bumped straight into Shawn and his entire friend circle.
And just like that—
The dream replayed in my head.
Warm hands. Cold hands.
My face turned red instantly.
Shawn stepped in front of me. "Are you okay, Eerika?"
Why is he so tall?
I had to tilt my head up to look at him, which only made things worse.
"Yes," I replied, voice cracking slightly. "I'm okay. Why do you ask?"
He smiled. "Your face is really red. I thought maybe you had a fever."
I laughed awkwardly. "No, no. I'm fine. Maybe the weather is just hot today."
Everyone paused.
Then they all slowly turned and looked outside.
Brian blinked. "It's freezing."
Nina pinched my arm and whispered, "What are you saying?"
"I don't know," I whispered back, panicked.
Shawn laughed. "Maybe it's our hotness making Eerika feel hot, right?"
I was still whispering with Nina, so I didn't hear him properly.
All I caught was the last word: "right?"
So naturally, like an idiot, I said—
"Yes."
Silence.
Then the entire group burst into laughter.
I blinked. "What? What happened? Did I say something wrong?"
Shawn shook his head, grinning. "You're too bold, Eerika."
Bold??
I couldn't even process what I had just agreed to.
Before I could recover, Shawn added casually, "By the way, I forgot to add you on WhatsApp. What's your number?"
I gave it to him, trying to act normal while internally combusting. Everyone exchanged numbers.
"Funny meeting you," he said.
"With you too," I replied, smiling awkwardly.
They walked away.
The moment they were out of sight, Nina turned to me. "Girl. What is wrong with you? Why do you always embarrass yourself in front of them?"
"I don't know," I groaned. "And I hate myself for it."
After I got home and freshened up, my phone buzzed.
Shawn.
My heart betrayed me again.
Shawn:Saved my number right, Eerika?
Me:Yes, I did.
Shawn:I thought you might mix up our numbers.
Excuse me?
Me:Why would you think that?
Shawn:Your aura is kind of crazy.
I stared at the screen.
Me:What do you mean by crazy?
Shawn:Don't take it the wrong way. You're cute, Eerika. But in a funny way. Makes me wonder.
My stomach dropped.
Wonder what??
I whispered to myself, "It's over. I ruined my image. Even if he's gay, he's still my crush."
I typed back.
Me:Wonder what?
Shawn:If you do all this on purpose, or if you're naturally that funny.
I covered my face with a pillow.
"I'm doomed."
Me:Look, I don't know why these things always happen in front of you. Nobody embarrasses themselves on purpose. It just happens.
He replied almost immediately.
Shawn:Okay, okay, I get it. You're naturally funny then 😂Did you eat dinner?
The sudden shift confused me.
Me:Not yet.
Shawn:You should eat early. Take care of your health.See you tomorrow on campus. Bye.
I stared at the screen longer than necessary.
Me:Bye.
I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
Maybe being friends with your crush isn't the worst thing.
Maybe it's a chance.
Maybe I can build a better impression later.
Or maybe—
I'm just setting myself up to fall harder.