The winter passed without much ado, and Noah and Alejandro both made their way back to college for the spring.
As expected, they didn’t run into each other during the first week of classes. Noah frowned, wondering why he was even missing hanging out with Alejandro.
There was a moment of introspective where he thought to himself that maybe there was something deeper than just friendship bubbling up in his feelings.
He almost slapped himself for the thought, yet something besides looking like a lunatic in public held him back.
And that was that there was a chance he wouldn’t run into Alejandro ever again.
And it made him feel so empty that he had to admit that there was something deeper going on.
But how was he supposed to find Alejandro? And what would he do if he did find him again anyway? There was no telling if anything would happen between them.
But at least they could be friends.
Noah felt a little bit better, smiling softly at the thought.
Alejandro was also lamenting not running into Noah in their classes or on the large campus. Not even a run-in at the library.
About two weeks in, Alejandro devised a plan to run into Noah. He only hoped that the other would have a similar idea. Or even care in the first place.
-------
Two months passed and there was no run-in between the two.
Three months passed and Alejandro almost started to give up hope that his plan was a failure.
Four months and Noah finally met Alejandro again.
-------
At the coffee shop, the same day and time as their previous dates, Alejandro was waiting at their corner booth.
Noah almost cried in relief at seeing Alejandro’s smug face again. Though his current expression felt more somber than smug, looking out the coffee shop’s window in thought.
Did he actually miss him too?
Noah stepped up to the table and slid into the booth smoothly.
“Is this seat taken?”
Alejandro gasped, turning to Noah in shock.
There were a few moments of silence.
“I was wondering if you would ever show up.”
“Well, here I am,” Noah shrugged.
“I missed you,” the words seemed to tumble out of Alejandro’s mouth before he could stop them.
Noah bit his tongue to try and keep himself from smiling, though it didn’t help- the smile creeping up giddily onto his face regardless.
“Of course you did.”
Alejandro chuckled, “I’ll take that as an ‘I missed you too.’”
“You caught me,” Noah smirked softly.
Alejandro smiled brightly before it softened.
“There was actually something I wanted to talk to you about, Noah.”
Noah raised an eyebrow, his heart rate picking up slightly.
“I think I know where this is going.”
“You do?”
“The answer is yes, by the way.”
“Really?”
“Yes, of course, I’ll go out with you idiot.”
Alejandro gaped for a moment before grinning ear to ear.
“I missed you, Noah.”
“I know.”
Noah wasn’t one for public displays of affection, but the kiss he received from Alejandro made him think that maybe he could make an exception.
It slowly became a tradition for Noah and Alejandro to grab a coffee after class, whether or not one was critiquing the other’s work.
They talked about all sorts of topics, mostly about their home life and recounting their experiences on reality tv.
It was a shock for Noah to find that he and Alejandro shared a lot of common ground. He began to genuinely enjoy the coffee outings as one of his favorite after-class activities.
He also stopped letting Alejandro pay for his coffee, much to the other’s chagrin.
It was at this point where Noah had to re-evaluate his own views of the other. Alejandro definitely had changed for the better, he had to admit. He also had to wonder why Alejandro had chosen him to hang out with after class. Was it out of obligation for Noah helping critique the other’s work? Or did he genuinely see him as a friend as he implied months ago?
Despite the questions, Noah didn’t confront Alejandro about them. He was content to just drink coffee and talk without complicating the situation.
Alejandro seemed to be in a similar position. He would offer to buy coffee for both of them before getting turned down by Noah’s insistence. Then, would instead buy a couple of pastries for them to share.
It was an interesting tradition.
It was also not a tradition that could last.
The end of the semester was fast approaching and both were putting their all into ace-ing their finals. As they had coffee one day they all but ignored the other with their noses in their respective textbooks.
Finally, the semester was over and both were occupied with cleaning up their dorms and packing up for home that they had to forgo their last coffee date.
As Noah began driving home, he took one last look in his car’s side mirror at the campus before turning his full attention to the road.
Alejandro did much the same, sighing heavily as he was picked up in José’s car and driven home.
---------
Alejandro and Noah had not exchanged contact information of any kind during their stay at college. Seeing each other every week was enough contact for them and they hadn’t needed to plan anything more extensive than that.
Now Noah was having a lot of time regretting this decision. He wasn’t sure how far away Alejandro lived, but even having time to talk to the other through text would have been nice.
Noah smiled a little bit at the thought that Alejandro’s texts would probably end up looking like his earlier essays.
But, here he was without any form of contact with Alejandro. He shook his head and texted Owen instead. The other was finally finished with the Ridonculous Race tv show and had been texting him during the latter half of the semester. At least he had Owen to talk to.
Alejandro wasn’t so lucky. He sorely missed Noah’s company as he was stuck at home with his family. He drowned his sorrows into his studies for spring, ignoring the winter months completely.
He could only hope that once they returned to college he could properly get Noah’s contact information. Even better would be sharing another class together, though that was highly unlikely considering their different majors. The fact that they shared a class together in the first place, he figured, must have been just a stroke of luck.
Turning over another page in his book, he finally admitted to himself that maybe there was something larger at play with his feelings about Noah.
“So, not to sound like I regret receiving free coffee every day for the past two weeks but…” Noah clicked his tongue, “You could just ask someone else to help you with your assignments.”
Alejandro shrugged.
“No one is as brutally honest as you,” he offered.
“Okay, true.”
“And after getting an A on my last assignment, let’s just say that I trust your judgment.”
“Oh… well, congratulations I guess?” Noah tasted the words clumsily.
“...Thanks,” Alejandro nodded, taken off guard.
Noah coughed into his hand before continuing, “I mean I don’t exactly mind helping you out. Free coffee and all that.”
He took a sip to emphasize his point as well as prevent himself from having to continue talking about the subject.
“Well, I’m uh… glad you don’t mind?” Alejandro was at a loss for words too.
He also took a sip from his coffee, avoiding eye contact.
Noah put his drink down before looking at the paper in front of him. It seemed Alejandro had actually improved somewhat from the last time. It was still flowery and overly wordy, but it had become less exaggerated and more concise.
Looks like Alejandro was actually taking his advice seriously. Even if Noah still had to cross out a majority of the words, he still felt a little… proud?
Alejandro was doing better thanks to his help. Not to mention it reflecting in his most recent work. It would almost be touching if he knew it wasn’t just for the other’s benefit.
He passed the work back and Alejandro read over the revisions, nodding subtly.
“Thanks.”
“… No problem.”
They continued drinking in awkward silence.
“So… why do you care so much about this grade anyway? It’s a creative writing class. I didn’t peg you for an English major,” Noah leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms.
“I’m not an English major, no,” Alejandro conceded, “I’m a business major.”
“Of course you are.”
Alejandro smirked slightly.
“And you didn’t strike me as either of those.”
“Computer Science.”
“Ah… Somehow I can see that. You never seemed to express an interest during Total Drama.”
“As if there was any technology we could actually use during that show.”
“Fair point.”
“And you didn’t answer my question,” Noah reminded.
“Of course, of course,” Alejandro acquiesced, “Well… I guess keeping my straight-A student reputation is important to me.”
Noah raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I don’t believe that for a moment.”
Alejandro faltered slightly but shrugged.
“I suppose that’s up to you to decide, Noah.”
Noah hummed slightly in displeasure, squinting at Alejandro.
“I’m also perfectly capable of buying my own coffee.”
The unspoken threat hung in the air.
Alejandro let out a hiss of air through his teeth.
“Fine,” Alejandro bit out harshly, “it’s not as if there’s any new information I have to spill anyway.”
Noah gestured for Alejandro to continue.
“I…” He hesitated, “Just want to be good at something that José isn’t.”
“Your brother?”
“He’s just… so infuriating to deal with,” Alejandro huffed, “Creative writing was the only elective class he didn’t pass with flying colors. He passed… just not with flying colors.”
“So you want to outdo your older brother because…?”
“I just hate being compared to him. I need to succeed at something he hasn’t already.”
Alejandro exhaled a long breath and putting his hands to his forehead, massaging his temples.
“You have no idea what it’s like to live up to those kinds of expectations.”
Noah remained silent for a few moments.
“You’re right. I don’t.”
Alejandro glanced up at him, frowning.
“My whole family has always looked to me to be the brains of the family,” Noah shrugged, “I was never one to compete with my siblings on that front. They were all more inclined towards sports and physical careers.”
Noah twisted the cup in his hands, “But it’s a little… intimidating to be someone they look up to.”
Alejandro blinked once, twice, then finally a third time before speaking, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak so genuinely before.”
Noah frowned and raised a brow.
Alejandro raised his hands placating, “I mean, not sarcastically, that is.”
“Well, sometimes even I can manage to have a heart I suppose.”
“You’re not heartless,” Alejandro scoffed, “you’re just… unenthusiastic. At least, most of the time.”
“How do you know?”
“Know what?”
“That I’m not heartless.”
“Because you actually have friends.”
Alejandro regretted the words and their implications immediately after they slipped out of his mouth without thinking.
Noah sipped his coffee thoughtfully in response.
“I’m sure you have some friends…”
Alejandro remained silent in response.
Noah tapped his fingers on the table.
“Well… I’m sure you can make some. You’re charismatic enough when you’re not trying to scheme.”
“Well… I appreciate the sentiment,” Alejandro admitted, “I just… don’t think I know how to actually… handle a friendship.”
“It’s not that hard, dude. You just…” Noah vaguely gestured, “talk and stuff. Hang out sometimes.”
He shrugged.
Alejandro nodded.
A thought came to his mind slowly and he smirked, “So does that mean we’re friends, Noah?”
“What.”
“We’ve been talking. And we’ve hung out and drank coffee for the past two weeks,” Alejandro pointed out.
Noah gaped for a solid moment before his mouth clicked shut.
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