"A Moment of Uncertainty"

I've never talked to you, Cohen? I say, trying to sound casual despite the nervousness creeping up my spine. Seth's eyes lock onto mine, and he smiles, a hint of awkwardness playing on his lips. "Say," he says, his voice low and smooth. "I know who you are, but like, I don't," he adds, his words tumbling out in a rush. I raise an eyebrow, intrigued by his response. "Okay," I say, trying to play it cool. "Get with me anyways," he suggests, his eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. But as he starts to talk, I realize that he's not going to make this easy. He launches into a nerdy monologue about quantum physics and string theory, his words spilling out in a rapid-fire sequence that leaves me reeling. "And then, if we apply the principles of general relativity to a black hole, we can see that the curvature of spacetime-" I zone out, my eyes glazing over as he talks. I've never seen anyone like Seth before - so confident, yet so awkward at the same time. It's disarming, to say the least. As he pauses for breath, I feel a pang of... something. It's not quite sympathy, but it's close. I start to feel for him, to see beyond the surface level and into the vulnerable person beneath. But fear kicks in, fear of what my friends will think, fear of what Ryan will think. I think back to Ryan's decision to let Seth try and get to me, to pretend like he didn't have feelings for me. I feel a twinge of guilt for even considering Seth's advances. I take a step back, trying to create some distance between us. "Hey, I should probably go," I say, trying to sound casual. Seth's face falls, and for a moment, I feel a pang of regret. But then he smiles, a wry smile that suggests he knows I was just playing him. "No worries," he says, his voice laced with a hint of sadness. "I'll catch you around, Cohen." I nod, feeling a sense of relief wash over me as I turn and make a hasty exit. But as I walk away, I catch a glimpse of Seth watching me, his eyes filled with a deep longing. And for a moment, I wonder if I've made a mistake.