You are crazy!

You are crazy!
Carissa did not want her first Saturday night out to fall apart over a small argument with Leon. She forced a bright smile and greeted Alvero’s friends one by one, even though many of them were strangers to her. There were way more people than she expected. Most of the faces around her were unfamiliar. It looked like students from other faculties had joined too.
“Carissaaaa!”
That voice belonged to Dinne. She was the only girl on campus Carissa felt close to. The moment Carissa saw her, she felt a bit of relief. Come to think of it, she had not even taken Dinne out yet to thank her for helping her a few days ago.
Dinne gave Carissa a quick hug before giving Alvero a casual handshake. “It is so surprising to see you here!” she said, still sounding shocked. They were already in their fourth semester, and this was the first time Dinne had seen Carissa at a gathering like this.
Carissa smiled shyly. “I want to find a boyfriend,” she said in a low voice.
Dinne’s eyes widened right away, and then she burst into loud laughter that filled the busy café. Carissa covered her face, embarrassed, as people around them started looking their way.
“You are crazy! Oh my God!” Dinne could not stop laughing.
“It is fine, Car. I will help you,” Dinne said, grabbing Carissa’s hand and pulling her away from Alvero’s seat.
Carissa almost complained. She did not feel comfortable being far from Alvero, especially in a place like this. But Dinne was already dragging her along and made her sit on an empty chair quite a distance away, while Alvero stayed in the corner of the room.
“Nne, I do not want to sit far from Alvero,” Carissa said softly. Her eyes were already starting to fill with tears as she noticed that the seats around her were filled with guys she did not know. Some were busy playing Mobile Legends, some were smoking, and others were just playing with their coffee cups.
Dinne nudged her shoulder. “You said you want to find a guy. If you stay near Al, other guys will think you are already his girl,” she explained.
Carissa paused, thinking about it, then nodded slowly.
Dinne held Carissa’s shoulders and straightened her posture before leaning closer to her ear. “The guy next to you is Dio. He is a fifth semester medical student. He is almost like you. Quiet, does not talk much, a bit antisocial. He is only here because someone forced him to come. Actually, forget it. That is too long. Just do not go for Dio. If you date him, both of you will end up talking without saying anything.”
Carissa almost smiled.
Dinne then glanced at the guy on her other side. “This one beside me is Mahendra. Law student, same year as us. Do you understand my language? Because when he gets annoyed, he switches to English.”
Carissa nodded while stealing a look at Mahendra, who was busy playing the guitar on his lap.
“And the one in front of you,” Dinne continued.
Carissa looked forward. The guy sitting there was tall, well built, good looking, and his skin stood out among the rest.
“His name is Jeffrey. Mechanical engineering, fourth semester. He has a lot of people around him. If you want to get close to him, you should probably delete your social media now before his fans come after you.”
“Hey, Jamal!” a loud voice called out. It came from a guy wearing an oversized black hoodie. He was sitting next to Dio, and he was the tallest among them.
“What is it, bro?” the guy Dinne called Jeffrey answered.
Carissa frowned. So was his name Jeffrey or Jamal?
“Give me a lighter,” the hoodie guy said.
Jamal quickly reached into his leather jacket and handed one over.
“I will be right back,” Dinne said, patting Carissa’s shoulder as she stood up.
Carissa grabbed her hand right away, not wanting to be left alone. She looked at Dinne with a pleading expression.
“Relax,” Dinne said before pulling her hand free and walking away.
“Where is the ashtray, Mal?” the hoodie guy asked again.
Jamal looked around.
“There,” Mahendra said, pointing toward the ashtray in front of Carissa.
Jamal looked at Carissa, silently asking her to pass it. The table was too wide for him to reach it.
Carissa did not understand and just sat there.
“Hey, the ashtray,” the hoodie guy repeated, his tone sounding like an order.
Carissa felt irritation rise inside her. He sounded like everyone there worked for him.
Dio turned toward the ashtray and was about to take it, but Carissa grabbed it first. She narrowed her eyes at the guy in the hoodie.
“If you want someone to pass you something, you should say please,” she said before sliding the ashtray to her right until it stopped near Dio.
Dio looked at her with no expression. The hoodie guy gave a crooked smile that looked mocking.
“Did you hear that, kid?” someone teased from across the table, but Carissa did not recognize him.
“Who is she, John?" the hoodie guy asked the long haired guy sitting opposite him.
Jhon shrugged. “I do not know. She came with Alvero, but Dinne dragged her here.”
So he had been watching her the whole time.
“Maybe she is Alvero’s girl,” Mahendra said, looking at Carissa.
“Or maybe she is Dinne’s girl,” Jamal joked.
Laughter broke out across the table.
They were talking about her and laughing right in front of her.
Carissa glanced at Dio, who was focused on his coffee. Dinne was right. He barely spoke.
Her eyes moved around, searching for Dinne, but she was still not back.
“Al!” the hoodie guy called out, making Alvero turn his head. “Is she your girl or Dinne’s?”
Carissa almost dropped her jaw. Did they really think she was Dinne’s girlfriend?
“Who she belongs to is none of your business, Chaka.”
That was the first time Carissa heard Dio speak. His voice was low and even, with no raised tone, yet the moment he spoke, Chaka stopped. The others also went quiet.
“She is my friend. What is it, bro?” Alvero asked as he walked up behind Carissa.
“Jamal wants to meet her,” Chaka said, even though Jamal had not said anything.
Carissa felt annoyed. What a show off.
“Are you not the one who wants to meet her? You have been the loud one since earlier,” Dio added.
Chaka let out a breath before standing up and walking toward Carissa. It only took him two long steps. He held out his hand, smiling wide.
“I am Chaka.”
After mocking her earlier, now he wanted to introduce himself.
Carissa rolled her eyes but still reached out. A small wave of fear rose in her chest as her hand met his. His grip was large enough to swallow hers.
“Carissa,” she said, then quickly pulled her hand away.
Her heart sped up for a moment, then settled again. She did not feel sick or dizzy. She was fine.
“Car, are you okay?” Alvero asked, noticing her silence.
She nodded once, and Alvero let out a breath.
He was about to sit in the empty chair beside her, but Chaka gently pushed him aside and took the seat instead. Alvero chose not to argue and went back to his spot.
“You are in Management?” Chaka asked.
Carissa nodded.
Chaka took his phone out of his hoodie pocket and handed it to her. “Give me Alvero’s number… please,” he added, correcting himself.
Carissa took the phone. “I will ask Al first. Why do you need his number?”
Chaka gave that same annoying grin again. “To ask him for your number.”
Carissa stared at him, not knowing whether to be annoyed or to laugh.
Chaka.
Yeah, she was definitely going to remember that name.