Chapter 5 · The Key to a Home

After breakfast, Felix gave me a ride back to school.

His car was a black SUV, not too old, not too new, and the inside was spotless. There was a small white pillow on the passenger seat.

"What's that for?" I asked, pointing at the pillow.

"My mom put it there," he said. "She said the passenger seat isn't comfortable."

"Your mom's so thoughtful."

He didn't say anything and started the car.

He seemed to know the way to school inside out. He never bothered with navigation, simply zigzagged through the streets and got us there before I realized it.

When the car pulled up in front of the dorm, my hand paused on the seatbelt.

"Felix," I said.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Can I add you on WhatsApp?"

He glanced over at me. "Did you report your cards as lost?"

"Huh?" I blinked, caught off guard. "Not yet. My phone's dead."

He pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to me. "Here's my number. If you need anything, you can call me."

I took the card and glanced down. It had his name on it: Felix Schur. There was also a phone number and the address of the police station.

"Thanks," I said, carefully slipping the card into my pocket.

"Go on up," he said.

"Okay."

I opened the car door, and as I stepped out, I glanced back.

"Felix," I called out.

"Yeah?" Felix replied.

"Thanks a lot about Yesterday."

He looked at me, his green eyes shining especially clear in the sunlight.

His face stayed neutral, but I caught the corners of his mouth curving up ever so slightly.

"Don't sit out there by yourself again," he said.

"Got it," I replied.

I closed the car door and watched the black SUV slowly drive away, disappearing around the corner.

Standing in front of the dorm, clutching the business card, I felt like the sunlight was warmer than usual today.

Later, I slipped the card into my phone case and carried it with me every day.

*****

Eventually, my wallet was found.

On the third day, the police gave me a call and said someone had handed it in at the lost and found.

I went to pick it up. The cash was gone, but all my cards and ID were still there.

I figured some kind soul took the cash and then turned the wallet in.

Honestly, losing the cash wasn't a big deal. I could always earn more. The real hassle would've been replacing all my ID and cards.

I took Felix out for dinner as a thank you.

I picked a Veyranian restaurant near the police station.

He came by after work, switched out of his uniform into a black turtleneck and a dark gray coat, his blond hair casually pushed back.

Sitting under the lights in the Veyranian restaurant, he was so good-looking it was almost unfair.

The waiter kept giving us curious looks, like they were trying to figure out if we were in a relationship or something.

I pretended not to notice and handed Felix the menu.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked.

"You pick the dishes," he said.

"You might not be into what I pick."

"Anything's fine."

I ended up ordering two dishes and a soup. While we waited, I was a little nervous, drumming my fingers on the table.

"Are you nervous?" he asked, glancing up.

"No," I said.

"Your fingers are tapping the table."

I quickly pulled my hands back.

He took a sip of his coffee, his green eyes peering at me through the rising steam.

"Edward," he said.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"If your Sterkisch isn't great, why did you come to Sterkenland to study?"

I was caught off guard by his question. "My Sterkisch is fine."

"Yesterday, what are you asking for? What do you want to take?"

"Phantom," I mumbled, my voice getting smaller. "I meant photo."

"Phantom?" Felix tilted his head, his expression cool and serious, but there was a hint of something playful in his eyes. "So you wanted to take a phantom?"

"Stop making fun of me." I hid my face in my hands.

"I'm not making fun of you," Felix said. "Your pronunciation needs a little work. You'll get it soon."

"So, could you teach me?"

Felix paused. "Teach you what, though?"

"Sterkisch," I said, meeting his gaze. "You're a native, plus you speak Veyrish. Your Sterkisch must be good. If you help me out, I'm pretty sure I'll get better way faster."

He was quiet for a couple seconds, then nodded. "Alright."

Chapter 5

After breakfast, Felix gave me a ride back to school.

His car was a black SUV, not too old, not too new, and the inside was spotless. There was a small white pillow on the passenger seat.

"What's that for?" I asked, pointing at the pillow.

"My mom put it there," he said. "She said the passenger seat isn't comfortable."

"Your mom's so thoughtful."

He didn't say anything and started the car.

He seemed to know the way to school inside out. He never bothered with navigation, simply zigzagged through the streets and got us there before I realized it.

When the car pulled up in front of the dorm, my hand paused on the seatbelt.

"Felix," I said.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Can I add you on WhatsApp?"

He glanced over at me. "Did you report your cards as lost?"

"Huh?" I blinked, caught off guard. "Not yet. My phone's dead."

He pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to me. "Here's my number. If you need anything, you can call me."

I took the card and glanced down. It had his name on it: Felix Schur. There was also a phone number and the address of the police station.

"Thanks," I said, carefully slipping the card into my pocket.

"Go on up," he said.

"Okay."

I opened the car door, and as I stepped out, I glanced back.

"Felix," I called out.

"Yeah?" Felix replied.

"Thanks a lot about Yesterday."

He looked at me, his green eyes shining especially clear in the sunlight.

His face stayed neutral, but I caught the corners of his mouth curving up ever so slightly.

"Don't sit out there by yourself again," he said.

"Got it," I replied.

I closed the car door and watched the black SUV slowly drive away, disappearing around the corner.

Standing in front of the dorm, clutching the business card, I felt like the sunlight was warmer than usual today.

Later, I slipped the card into my phone case and carried it with me every day.

*****

Eventually, my wallet was found.

On the third day, the police gave me a call and said someone had handed it in at the lost and found.

I went to pick it up. The cash was gone, but all my cards and ID were still there.

I figured some kind soul took the cash and then turned the wallet in.

Honestly, losing the cash wasn't a big deal. I could always earn more. The real hassle would've been replacing all my ID and cards.

I took Felix out for dinner as a thank you.

I picked a Veyranian restaurant near the police station.

He came by after work, switched out of his uniform into a black turtleneck and a dark gray coat, his blond hair casually pushed back.

Sitting under the lights in the Veyranian restaurant, he was so good-looking it was almost unfair.

The waiter kept giving us curious looks, like they were trying to figure out if we were in a relationship or something.

I pretended not to notice and handed Felix the menu.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked.

"You pick the dishes," he said.

"You might not be into what I pick."

"Anything's fine."

I ended up ordering two dishes and a soup. While we waited, I was a little nervous, drumming my fingers on the table.

"Are you nervous?" he asked, glancing up.

"No," I said.

"Your fingers are tapping the table."

I quickly pulled my hands back.

He took a sip of his coffee, his green eyes peering at me through the rising steam.

"Edward," he said.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"If your Sterkisch isn't great, why did you come to Sterkenland to study?"

I was caught off guard by his question. "My Sterkisch is fine."

"Yesterday, what are you asking for? What do you want to take?"

"Phantom," I mumbled, my voice getting smaller. "I meant photo."

"Phantom?" Felix tilted his head, his expression cool and serious, but there was a hint of something playful in his eyes. "So you wanted to take a phantom?"

"Stop making fun of me." I hid my face in my hands.

"I'm not making fun of you," Felix said. "Your pronunciation needs a little work. You'll get it soon."

"So, could you teach me?"

Felix paused. "Teach you what, though?"

"Sterkisch," I said, meeting his gaze. "You're a native, plus you speak Veyrish. Your Sterkisch must be good. If you help me out, I'm pretty sure I'll get better way faster."

He was quiet for a couple seconds, then nodded. "Alright."