As I finish up my class the next day, my phone suddenly pings. I glance down. It's a message from Chen. I open it, then blink. He's sent me a picture of a potato held in his hand. 

I type a couple question marks.

"Hey, Ram?"

"Yeah, what's up?" I glance up. It's Rodrigo. 

"You know the assignment Professor just assigned us?" 

"Yeah." Ping! I instinctively glance down and read: "I just found this outside, isn't it cute?" I blink. How is a potato cute? I type a noncommittal "ok". Then, look back up. 

"Sorry, so what's up?"

"We're supposed to have the data finished by Friday right? Is it just the data or the analyses also?"

"I'm pretty sure it's both-." Ping! I resist the urge to glance down and hastily finish answering his question. Then I check my phone.

There's a pouting emoji. Then, "so do you think the potato is cuter or me?" I freeze. Um...

"Ram, you coming?" It's Josh. He has class a door over around this time so we usually leave together. 

"Yeah, give me one sec!" Hastily before I have time to overthink it, I type out "you" then rush to catch up with Josh. 

As I walk next to him I start to think  about my response. Why in the world did I write that? Why would I ever write something so weird, so embarrassing. Well, it's fine, another part of me argues. I don't get how a potato is cute in the first place so he's naturally cuter...Ping! I glance down, then frown. He sent me a period. Why did he send me that? 

Ping! "OMG I'm so sorry that was an accident!"

Ping! "I totally didn't mean to send that!"

Ping! "Just ignore it!"

Ping! "U know what, just ignore all these messages!"

Ping! "Sry for spamming you, sry, sry!" Then, there's an emoji with two hands clasped together in a prayer pose. 

Ping! "Sry! I stop now! Rn!"

My feet pause in the middle of the hallway. "Ram...?" Josh calls from ahead of me, turning back to check why I've stopped. I clutch my jaw, unable to prevent a grin from sneaking its way across my face. I can just imagine Chen, his cheeks wildly blushing, soulful eyes wide and clouded with panic, hastily trying to take back his messages. 

"Hey Ram! Seriously man, what's up-"

"Shit."

"What?"

"I'm in deep shit."

"Huh?"

"Come on, let’s go home!" I immediately speed up, rushing past Josh who has to jog a little to catch up with me.

"Hey, man seriously what's up with you these days?" I don't respond, the smile stuck on my face. 

"Damn, look at that grin! Is it love?"

"Maybe."

"It's gotta be love, I mean what else-holdup, did you just say maybe???" His eyes enlarge like saucers and now it's his turn to stop dead in his tracks. 

"Ram, you-you-you've got a girlfriend???" I turn to him with my grin.

"Not exactly."

"Huh? Still in the pursuing stage? Let me tell you all the tricks-"

"Nah, already together. And even if I wasn't, who'd want to learn from you Mr. pine after girls but never get them." Josh ignores my snarky quip, too stunned by the earlier half of my sentence.

"WHAT??? Who is it??!"

"Chen."

"Huh??? Holdup, which Chen?" 

"The only Chen we know." And I'm off, ready to get home. Josh is still behind me. After a couple beats I hear him cry out "then it’s the one I introduced you to...that means I'm a matchmaker??? Damn, I got my forever single friend a partner. Damn, I'm good!"