Rejected: A love story-Chapter 104: The invitation

So, I’ve been switching between lectures and work and it is harder than i thought. But was i going to give up? definitely not! I was already scribbling notes when Tasha plopped down beside me like she owned the seat. She didn’t even ask—just slid in with her usual energy, pulling out her notebook like we’d been friends for years.

"Hey, stranger," she said, flashing me a smile.

I nodded at her, feeling a little awkward but not minding the company. "Hey."

Tasha was one of those people who didn’t seem to care about personal boundaries. She talked during class, whispered jokes under her breath, and somehow managed to keep up with the lecture while scribbling notes at lightning speed.

I didn’t say much, just tried to focus on the professor, but every now and then, she’d lean over and point something out—an equation I’d missed or a shortcut for solving a problem. I had to admit, she was sharp and intelligent.

After class, I packed up my things quickly, hoping to slip out unnoticed. But Tasha wasn’t having that.

"Fiona!" she called, jogging up to me as I headed for the door.

I stopped, turning around. "Yeah?"

She grinned like she’d just caught me doing something sneaky. "You’re new here, right?"

I nodded slowly, unsure where this was going. "Yeah. Just moved here a couple of weeks ago."

"Figured," she said. "You’ve got that ’I’m new but trying to act like I’ve got it together’ vibe."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "Wow, thanks for calling me out."

She shrugged. "It’s not a bad thing. Anyway, you need to get out more. Lucky for you, there’s a pool party tomorrow, and you’re coming with me."

I blinked, caught off guard. "A pool party?"

"Yep," she said, nodding like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It’s at one of the student housing complexes. Everyone’s going—it’s gonna be fun."

I hesitated, shifting my bag on my shoulder. "I don’t know... I’m not really a party person."

"Come on," Tasha said, practically bouncing on her heels. "It’s not just a party. It’s a chance to meet people, make friends, and actually enjoy yourself for once. You can’t just hide in the library all semester, doing boring stuff."

"I’m not hiding," I said, though it sounded weak even to me.

"Fiona," she said, her tone suddenly serious, "you’re new here. You don’t know anyone. This is the best time to start meeting people. Trust me, it’s worth it."

I sighed, shaking my head. "I don’t think it’s my thing."

"Please?" she said, clasping her hands together like she was begging. "You don’t even have to swim if you don’t want to. Just come hang out. I promise it won’t be weird and I’ll be there; bonus!."

I stared at her, trying to come up with a good excuse. But the truth was, she was right. I hadn’t made any friends yet, and the idea of spending another weekend alone didn’t exactly sound appealing.

"Fine," I said finally, giving in.

Tasha let out a little squeal and clapped her hands together. "Yes! You’re gonna love it, I promise."

I was still trying to figure out if I’d made the right decision when Tasha pulled out her phone.

"Okay, let me get your number so I can text you the address and time," she said, her fingers already hovering over her screen.

I hesitated for a split second, but then I rattled off my number. She typed it in quickly, then grinned like she’d just won something.

"Perfect," she said. "I’ll send you the details tonight. You’re gonna have fun, trust me."

I nodded, but I wasn’t so sure. Parties weren’t really my thing, but maybe it was time to try something new.

By the time I reached the bakery, the sun was already lower in the sky, and the street outside was busy with people heading home or stopping by for snacks.

I pushed the door open, and the small bell rang above my head.

Mike was behind the counter, counting cash from the register. He looked up when he saw me.

"Hey," he said. "You’re right on time."

"I came straight from school," I replied, walking toward the back to grab my apron.

"How was class?" he asked.

"Long," I said. "But not terrible."

I tied my apron around my waist and stepped back toward the counter. There were only a few customers inside, mostly people working on laptops or talking quietly over coffee.

Mike handed me a cloth. "Can you wipe down the tables?"

"Sure," I said.

As I moved around the shop, cleaning the empty tables, my mind kept drifting back to earlier. Tasha’s voice, her excitement, her confidence. She was the kind of person who didn’t seem afraid of anything.

When I finished, I returned to the counter.

Mike glanced at me. "You look like you’re thinking too hard again."

"I do that a lot," I admitted.

"What’s on your mind this time?"

I hesitated for a moment, then said, "A girl from my class invited me to a pool party."

He paused. "A pool party?"

"Yeah. Her name’s Tasha. She’s the one who sits next to me."

"Are you going?" he asked.

"I don’t know," I said honestly. "She says it’ll be fun, but parties aren’t really my thing."

Mike leaned lightly against the counter. "You don’t strike me as a party person."

"That’s not a bad thing," I said.

"I didn’t say it was," he replied. "I just think you’ve been through a lot. It might be good to relax a little."

I shrugged. "I’m not great at relaxing."

"You’re allowed to try," he said.

I picked at the edge of my apron. "I’ve spent most of my time trying not to stand out. Parties feel like the opposite of that."

He nodded slowly. "That makes sense."

There was a short silence as a customer walked up to place an order. Mike handled it quickly, then turned back to me.

"Do you like this Tasha girl?" he asked.

"She’s... loud," I said. "But she’s nice. She helped me in class today."

"That sounds like a decent start," he said.

"I guess," I murmured.

A couple walked in, and I stepped forward to take their order while Mike went to the back to grab more pastries. When he returned, I passed him the receipt, and we worked quietly for a few minutes.

After things slowed down again, he looked at me and said, "You don’t have to force yourself to go. But you also don’t have to hide from normal things forever."

"I’m not hiding," I said, though it sounded uncertain.

"I’m not judging," he replied calmly. "I just think you deserve normal experiences too."

I didn’t respond right away. I thought about the scholarship, the new school, the new town. This was supposed to be a fresh start.

"I’ll think about it," I said finally.

"That’s all anyone can ask," he said.

I nodded, feeling a little unsure but also slightly curious about what it might be like to actually go.