Boy Meets Girl, Girl Meets Boy: A Love Story (Chapter 14, part 2)
i finally managed to finish it. thank God.
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Chapter Fourteen, part 2
"What are YOU doing here??" I stand up immediately . "YOU'RE my blind date???"
Oh dear God. Standing right in front of me was the cute/hot guy who came into the restaurant a couple of minutes ago. I curse and scold myself inwardly for being so stupid.
OHMYGOD!!! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE HOT GUY I SAW EARLIER WAS NINO!!! EEEWWWW!!! I THOUGHT HE WAS HOT??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME????
Maybe I should go and hide. Yeah, that's right. Go and hide. This is so embarassing, I NEVER want to show my face again - ever!!
So I stand up immediately, right? But halfway through, his hand is on my arm and he reaches out, trying to stop me. "Wait!" He says. "Don't go!! Ju - just wa - wait , please!"
I stop and sit back down, raising my eyebrows at him. I'm a bit bothered by the expression on his face. "Why?"
He takes a deep breath and the words "I need your help." tumble out of his mouth.
"Ehh?? Come again??"
"You're deaf too?? You really should be put in an institution..." He rolled his eyes at me.
There was a moment of silence before I clapped my hands and started laughing. "Good joke!! I can't believe I almost fell for that!! Hahahaha!!"
"Eh?"
I pretend to wipe my eyes. "Ah...you're really funny, you know that? Your parents must be proud!"
His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at me. "I'm serious. I really do need your help." He sighed again.
That's the second time he sighed. I've never seen him like this, more than worried about something. Like he probably scratched his best friend's car or something but he doesn't know how to tell the friend.
I hesitate but...I put my hand over his arm, which was spread over the table. "What's wrong? Are...are you okay?"
He turned his head and looked at me straight in the eye. "I will be, if you help me."
"Okay, sure. What's the problem?" I said softly, leaning closer.
"Um..." He pursed his lips together and looked to his left before looking at me again. "I want you...I want you to...Can you...um...argh!!! Damn it!! I can't even say it out loud!!! Argh!!" He slapped the temples of his forehead with the palm of his hands, closing his eyes while frowning at the same time. He threw his head back and groaned.
"Okay, okay! Calm down." I reach out and carefully pull his hands away from his head, taking it into mine. "I'm sure whatever it is, you can tell me. Maybe I can help you."
He looked up at me, his eyes sad and somber. "I have a problem."
"Okay. I kind of gathered that. How can I help?"
He drew out a long-winded sigh. Then he said...
"I want you to pretend to be my girlfriend."
(Then the room became super, super quiet...)
Uh....
Say what??????
I dropped his hands instantly. "What??" I yelled. At this point, I think I kind of lost it because I felt all kinds of emotions. Emotions like Concern: "Are you okay??" I say as I reach out and put my hand over his forehead; Sarcasm: "Well, you're not sick. But there is something wrong with you."; Anger: "Idiot!! Joking about things like that!! That's not funny!!"; and of course, my favorite, Disbelief: "You're kidding, right?? Is this some trick to make me look stupid?? Why would you want me to - Why??" My eyes grew large as I shot him death glares.
He winced. "Look, just hear me out. Here's the thing - my mom found out that Ohno was seeing Emiko and - and we had a fight and she - I - we - you..." His hands kept moving in circles that I got a bit dizzy.
I quickly grabbed his hands, which forced him to look at me. "Stop that! Can you explain it to me again? And this time, from start to finish?"
He blinked at me. Then he took a deep breath. "Here's my problem: My mom somehow found out about Ohno dating Emiko. Then, she confronted me about it last week. She was mad that how come Ohno has someone and that I don't have anyone? I told her I don't have time for such things. Then she went all crying, lashing out at me, saying that I was gay, that I didn't tell her sooner and that it's all her fault that I was gay." He took a deep breath and sighed. "Then she started sobbing and moaning, complaining that she might never have grandchildren again, etc. It annoyed me so much that I suddenly blurted out to her that I did have a girlfriend and that I wasn't gay. She was like 'No, you don't!' and I told her I did have one and she asked me who and..." He became silent.
"And?" I prompted.
He squeezed his eyes tightly. "Itoldheritwasyou."
"Huh? I didn't understand any of that..."
"I...told her it was...you..." He whispered quietly. "I told her you're my girlfriend..."
"What??" I glared at him. "But...why?? Why would you tell her that? Why would you tell her I'm you're girlfriend when I'm not?"
"Ah. That." He ran a hand through his hair. "because...because it was an accident!! She caught me off-guard!! She thinks I'm gay!! Imagine, my own mother thinking I'm gay when I'm actually not!!!" He placed a hand over his chest, wiped his eyes and sniffled.
I started laughing in his face. "Well...I think you're mom's right. I could totally understand why she'd confront you..."
"Gee, thanks a lot." He frowned and turned his back on me.
"No problem!" I gave him a thumbs up.
He turned back to me again. "Please. You have to help me. Just pretend to be my girlfriend. She'll never know the difference!!" He reached out and closed his hands around mine.
"Why? Don't you have a girlfriend? I would think that, a famous and good looking guy like you would have someone special in his life." What I was really thinking was, why me?? Girls all over the country throw themselves at him. He could have or get any girl he wants and yet, he doesn't have anyone? That seems a bit weird to me.
He chewed his lips. "Well...there is someone...but..." He waved a hand. "No, no. Nevermind that. Anyway, will you help me?"
Again - "Why?? Why should I help you?? Why me??" There were too many 'why' questions running around in my head. "Why didn't you ask Emiko instead? I thought you liked her..."
"Does it really matter?" He winced as I gave his hand a pinch. "Okay, okay. You have to help me because it was your name I blurted out. My mom thinks you're my girlfriend. Besides, you seem like the type of girl my mom would approve of and...there's no one else who can help me but you. And about Emiko - I don't like her at all! She's not my type! Ohno's the one who likes her, not me. I just helped him write the letters." He wrinkled his nose at me. "Why do you keep bringing that up? Why do you care so much about it anyway??"
I slapped my head. Great. "And? Anything else? Any other reason why I should help you out?" When he didn't answer, I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Well, this was a waste." I stand up, grabbing my purse. I waited for him to say something but when he didn't, I gave up.
I turn around and start walking. There wasn't any point in staying here, even if the food was free. Seeing more and more of this guy was becoming some sort of a habit for me. Sadly, an unfortunate one.
"Goodbye." I manage to say as I continue walking.
He clears his throat. Then a sound comes out of his mouth, cold and quiet.
"If you don't, I'll tell your family and everyone else that you got drunk last week."
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Chapter Fourteen, part 2
"What are YOU doing here??" I stand up immediately . "YOU'RE my blind date???"
Oh dear God. Standing right in front of me was the cute/hot guy who came into the restaurant a couple of minutes ago. I curse and scold myself inwardly for being so stupid.
OHMYGOD!!! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE HOT GUY I SAW EARLIER WAS NINO!!! EEEWWWW!!! I THOUGHT HE WAS HOT??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME????
Maybe I should go and hide. Yeah, that's right. Go and hide. This is so embarassing, I NEVER want to show my face again - ever!!
So I stand up immediately, right? But halfway through, his hand is on my arm and he reaches out, trying to stop me. "Wait!" He says. "Don't go!! Ju - just wa - wait , please!"
I stop and sit back down, raising my eyebrows at him. I'm a bit bothered by the expression on his face. "Why?"
He takes a deep breath and the words "I need your help." tumble out of his mouth.
"Ehh?? Come again??"
"You're deaf too?? You really should be put in an institution..." He rolled his eyes at me.
There was a moment of silence before I clapped my hands and started laughing. "Good joke!! I can't believe I almost fell for that!! Hahahaha!!"
"Eh?"
I pretend to wipe my eyes. "Ah...you're really funny, you know that? Your parents must be proud!"
His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at me. "I'm serious. I really do need your help." He sighed again.
That's the second time he sighed. I've never seen him like this, more than worried about something. Like he probably scratched his best friend's car or something but he doesn't know how to tell the friend.
I hesitate but...I put my hand over his arm, which was spread over the table. "What's wrong? Are...are you okay?"
He turned his head and looked at me straight in the eye. "I will be, if you help me."
"Okay, sure. What's the problem?" I said softly, leaning closer.
"Um..." He pursed his lips together and looked to his left before looking at me again. "I want you...I want you to...Can you...um...argh!!! Damn it!! I can't even say it out loud!!! Argh!!" He slapped the temples of his forehead with the palm of his hands, closing his eyes while frowning at the same time. He threw his head back and groaned.
"Okay, okay! Calm down." I reach out and carefully pull his hands away from his head, taking it into mine. "I'm sure whatever it is, you can tell me. Maybe I can help you."
He looked up at me, his eyes sad and somber. "I have a problem."
"Okay. I kind of gathered that. How can I help?"
He drew out a long-winded sigh. Then he said...
"I want you to pretend to be my girlfriend."
(Then the room became super, super quiet...)
Uh....
Say what??????
I dropped his hands instantly. "What??" I yelled. At this point, I think I kind of lost it because I felt all kinds of emotions. Emotions like Concern: "Are you okay??" I say as I reach out and put my hand over his forehead; Sarcasm: "Well, you're not sick. But there is something wrong with you."; Anger: "Idiot!! Joking about things like that!! That's not funny!!"; and of course, my favorite, Disbelief: "You're kidding, right?? Is this some trick to make me look stupid?? Why would you want me to - Why??" My eyes grew large as I shot him death glares.
He winced. "Look, just hear me out. Here's the thing - my mom found out that Ohno was seeing Emiko and - and we had a fight and she - I - we - you..." His hands kept moving in circles that I got a bit dizzy.
I quickly grabbed his hands, which forced him to look at me. "Stop that! Can you explain it to me again? And this time, from start to finish?"
He blinked at me. Then he took a deep breath. "Here's my problem: My mom somehow found out about Ohno dating Emiko. Then, she confronted me about it last week. She was mad that how come Ohno has someone and that I don't have anyone? I told her I don't have time for such things. Then she went all crying, lashing out at me, saying that I was gay, that I didn't tell her sooner and that it's all her fault that I was gay." He took a deep breath and sighed. "Then she started sobbing and moaning, complaining that she might never have grandchildren again, etc. It annoyed me so much that I suddenly blurted out to her that I did have a girlfriend and that I wasn't gay. She was like 'No, you don't!' and I told her I did have one and she asked me who and..." He became silent.
"And?" I prompted.
He squeezed his eyes tightly. "Itoldheritwasyou."
"Huh? I didn't understand any of that..."
"I...told her it was...you..." He whispered quietly. "I told her you're my girlfriend..."
"What??" I glared at him. "But...why?? Why would you tell her that? Why would you tell her I'm you're girlfriend when I'm not?"
"Ah. That." He ran a hand through his hair. "because...because it was an accident!! She caught me off-guard!! She thinks I'm gay!! Imagine, my own mother thinking I'm gay when I'm actually not!!!" He placed a hand over his chest, wiped his eyes and sniffled.
I started laughing in his face. "Well...I think you're mom's right. I could totally understand why she'd confront you..."
"Gee, thanks a lot." He frowned and turned his back on me.
"No problem!" I gave him a thumbs up.
He turned back to me again. "Please. You have to help me. Just pretend to be my girlfriend. She'll never know the difference!!" He reached out and closed his hands around mine.
"Why? Don't you have a girlfriend? I would think that, a famous and good looking guy like you would have someone special in his life." What I was really thinking was, why me?? Girls all over the country throw themselves at him. He could have or get any girl he wants and yet, he doesn't have anyone? That seems a bit weird to me.
He chewed his lips. "Well...there is someone...but..." He waved a hand. "No, no. Nevermind that. Anyway, will you help me?"
Again - "Why?? Why should I help you?? Why me??" There were too many 'why' questions running around in my head. "Why didn't you ask Emiko instead? I thought you liked her..."
"Does it really matter?" He winced as I gave his hand a pinch. "Okay, okay. You have to help me because it was your name I blurted out. My mom thinks you're my girlfriend. Besides, you seem like the type of girl my mom would approve of and...there's no one else who can help me but you. And about Emiko - I don't like her at all! She's not my type! Ohno's the one who likes her, not me. I just helped him write the letters." He wrinkled his nose at me. "Why do you keep bringing that up? Why do you care so much about it anyway??"
I slapped my head. Great. "And? Anything else? Any other reason why I should help you out?" When he didn't answer, I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Well, this was a waste." I stand up, grabbing my purse. I waited for him to say something but when he didn't, I gave up.
I turn around and start walking. There wasn't any point in staying here, even if the food was free. Seeing more and more of this guy was becoming some sort of a habit for me. Sadly, an unfortunate one.
"Goodbye." I manage to say as I continue walking.
He clears his throat. Then a sound comes out of his mouth, cold and quiet.
"If you don't, I'll tell your family and everyone else that you got drunk last week."
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