Hot Sauce 5

Nyla

My brain short-circuited. Heat rushed up my neck and flooded my face so fast I was sure I looked like a tomato. I could feel Susie trying not to laugh beside me, but I was too mortified to even glare at her.

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for an answer. He looked unfairly good this morning — fresh white shirt hugging his broad shoulders, sleeves rolled up to show those veined forearms I couldn’t stop staring at.

“I… uh…” I stammered, completely lost for words.

Susie finally saved me — sort of. “We were just talking about… uh… a book!” she said quickly, though her voice was way too cheerful to be believable.

Ezekiel’s lips twitched like he was fighting a smile. “A book, huh?”

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

He lingered for another second, eyes still on me, before nodding slightly. “Alright. See you around, Nyla.”

He walked away toward the back of the class, and I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.

As soon as he was gone, my mind started spinning with the same question it always did whenever he appeared.

Why is he even in this class?

He wasn’t even a literature major. He was already working on his master’s. This elective was for second-years like me. So why was he here? Today of all days?

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away before they spiraled out of control.

Susie burst into quiet laughter beside me. “Oh my God, your face! It’s getting red!”

“Shut up,” I groaned, burying my face in my arms on the desk. “I’m never speaking to you again.”

But even as I said it, my heart was still racing, and not entirely from embarrassment.

Ezekiel had said my name.

And the way he looked at me when he said it… that slight smirk, like he knew exactly what kind of conversation he had interrupted…

This was going to be a very long day.

The lecturer was running late, so the whole class had turned into a casual hangout. Some girls were touching up their makeup, others were scrolling through their phones, and soft chatter filled the room. Susie and I were in our usual seats near the middle, talking about everything and nothing.

I was trying my best to act normal, but my mind kept drifting back to last night’s very private moment with my vibrator. Every time I thought about it, my cheeks warmed.

Then, out of nowhere, Ezekiel appeared beside our desks again.

My heart immediately started hammering against my ribs. I couldn’t even look him directly in the eyes. I stared at my notebook instead, pretending to be very interested in the blank page.

Susie, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She tapped my thigh excitedly under the desk, her fingers practically vibrating with mischief. I quickly pushed her hand away, giving her a wide-eyed “what is wrong with you?!” look.

Ezekiel stopped right in front of us. “Nyla?”

“Huh?” I managed, my voice coming out way too high.

He tilted his head slightly. “What about Aida? Is she not in school today?”

Of course everyone knew who Aida was. She was one of the most beautiful and popular girls in our major — cheerleader, top of her classes, from a wealthy family, and always perfectly put together. Basically the girl everyone noticed. Including, apparently, Ezekiel.

I swallowed hard and looked around the classroom quickly. “Um… it seems like Aida isn’t here yet.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay. How about you give me your number? I’ll just call you back later if I need to reach her.”

My brain froze for a second. Call me? He wants my number?

“Yeah, right,” I muttered under my breath, but I still took his phone when he handed it to me. My fingers trembled a little as I typed in my number and saved it under “Nyla.”

I handed the phone back. “There.”

“Thanks,” he said softly, his eyes lingering on me for a second longer than necessary before he turned and walked away.

The moment he was out of earshot, Susie leaned in close, practically bouncing in her seat.

“Why is he looking for Aida? When did those two even start getting close?” she whispered excitedly.

I shrugged, trying to sound casual even though my stomach was twisting. “Just let it be. They’re probably friends or something.”

“Friends?” Susie raised an eyebrow. “Since when?”

I was about to answer when the lecturer finally walked into the class. Everyone quickly settled down, and the chatter died away. I let out a small breath of relief. Saved by the bell — literally.

But even as the lecture started, I couldn’t focus. My mind kept replaying the way Ezekiel had casually asked about Aida.

Why did it bother me so much?

I glanced across the room at him. He was sitting near the back, looking relaxed, occasionally checking his phone. He looked so effortlessly handsome it was unfair.

I quickly looked away before he could catch me staring.

"Get it together, Nyla," I scolded myself.

***

Classes finally ended, and the relief was instant. Susie and I packed our bags and decided to head to the cafeteria together. We walked side by side through the crowded hallway, holding hands like we always did, talking and laughing about everything and nothing. For a few minutes, everything felt light again — just two best friends teasing each other about the lecture, the professor’s terrible jokes, and what we were going to eat.

The sun was quite warm on our skin as we stepped outside. I was mid-sentence, telling Susie about the ridiculous essay deadline when she suddenly stopped walking.

I blinked, still smiling. “What is it?”

Susie’s eyes were fixed on something ahead. Her grip on my hand tightened. “Please don’t look,” she said quickly, her voice low.

“What is it?” I asked, confused.

“I don’t want you to look, please.”

Her tone only made me more curious. “Let me just see,” I said, already turning my head before she could stop me.

And then I saw Aida and Ezekiel hugging.

My stomach dropped.

A sharp, painful twist hit my chest. It felt like someone had reached in and squeezed my heart. I stood there frozen, unable to look away even though every part of me wanted to. 

“I told you not to look,” Susie sighed softly beside me, squeezing my hand again.

I couldn’t speak. My throat felt tight. The fluttery, hopeful feeling I’d had all morning crashed hard. Of course he would be close to someone like Aida. She was everything — beautiful, popular, rich, confident. And I was just… me. The shy girl who worked at Subway and had a pathetic crush on her brother’s best friend.

Susie tugged my hand gently. “Come on, Nyla. Let’s just go eat. Don’t think about it.”

I forced a small nod, but my eyes stayed on them for another second. Aida pulled back slightly, smiling up at him. Ezekiel said something I couldn’t hear, and she laughed.

My appetite was gone.