First Step
2115 Words
“Are you gonna sleep right away?” I ask.
Eli says, “Yeah... and don't even think about r*ping me.”
“I would NEVER!!!! Just shut up and sleep! I'll leave food on the table next to you if you feel hungry then I'm gonna leave right away.”
“Okay,” she nods, smiling with her eyes closed. Even in this pathetic state, she's teasing me.
“Give me a second,” I mutter, going out of her bedroom.
I got to her fridge and hell! She got so much food! This will feed me for three months! Anyways, I don't know much about women and their periods but they lose blood. An iron-rich food would suffice. Also, a lot of water. I pick an apple, a few grapes, biscuits to pacify her hunger, a pitcher of cool water, and a cup. I put them on one tray and went back to her room.
She removed the blanket off of her body, hugs her new stuffed toy, and growls, “It's f*ckin' hot in here!” just as I put the tray on the top of the shelf beside her. Sora is lying on the floor right next to her bed. He's still awake and just looks at me.
“That's because you're still wearing your jeans and shoes.”
“Remove them.”
She wants me to undress her. At this point, I got used to this so it's quite a milestone that I don't overreact anymore. “I'm not gonna strip you. Do it yourself.”
“Oh, come on!”
“I'll just adjust the AC for you.” Using the remote on the shelf, I adjust the temperature a few degrees lower.
“Sh*t, that's too cold!!” she complains and begins to wrap herself with the blanket again.
I sense something wrong. This is what most people are like when they're sick. “Wait, are you having a fever?”
“Maybe...,” she says, squinting.
Approaching her to see if she really is sick, I ask, “Let me-” When I touch her neck with the back of my hand, that's when I knew that she has a fever. “You have a fever,” I remark.
“Yeah. It happens sometimes...” Her voice is weak and tired.
“When you're on your period?”
“Mhmm,” she nods, closing her eyes. “But I'll be fine tomorrow.”
“Do you need medicine?”
“Yeah, it's there... on the table outside.”
“I'll bring it to you but you have to eat first.”
Leaving her bedroom, I look at my phone and discover that it's past 10 p.m. already. D*mn, it's so late! I've got to go and sleep for tomorrow. Finding the medicine is not that hard since it is mixed up with other medicines on a small plate on the table. I went back to her room then put it on the shelf beside her food. She's eating the apple slowly like it tastes horrible—understandable since she has a fever.
“Eat at least half of the food before taking the medicine,” I remind her.
“I know,” she answers while chewing. “I'm not a child.”
“Okay then. I gotta go now. Bye.” I turn around to walk away and hear her shoes thudding on the floor.
“Turn off the lights for me,” she says.
While leaving through the door, I turn off the switch on the wall right next to it. “Good night,” I bid farewell.
She didn't answer until I finally reach the door to leave her apartment. I make sure that it's locked before leaving. Phew! I'm glad that was over. It was a long day. Recalling the things that happened today, I could say it was fun. Although, I don't want to experience it again. She couldn't sit in one place and has to go all over the city. I was barely able to keep up. So tired...
Also, I don't know if my sanity would stay intact if she keeps jokingly seducing me. She's still a girl—a pretty one at that. She must be careful or I might fail to control myself. Thank goodness, not some other guy tucked her in while she's this vulnerable. *Sigh* I can't believe her....
That night passed like a second. Another day has come for everyone. I couldn't believe so much has happened in just a few days of spending time with her. I feel like I know her well, even more than I know about John and the others. She even knows me in just a single glance.
Speaking of which, how is she? I haven't seen her on the campus today and it's already noon. Sure, I could ask where she is or if she's doing fine but that would make me sound like I'm his boyfriend or something. I'll just sit here under the shade of trees, watching the football game of my team versus Eli's team. Her team is quite good. 2:1, they're in the lead.
Other people around the field are hyped up with the game while I just chill right here, away from most of them. I sit on a fallen log, facing the field. I feel more comfortable today since we don't have to wear dress codes. What I'm wearing is a black t-shirt and the same jeans I wore yesterday (recycled).
The shade is fine here. This part of the field has people but not too much. The reason is that the view of the game here is not that good. But it's fine for me. I just watch while I wait for my apps and game to download. This is gonna cost me so much data... sh*t. My free wifi has expired just an hour ago.
Then I get a message from her through SMS. “Where are you?” she asks but I can't reply. I have no load for texting.
I just let her be until I finally finished installing Acebook. I found out that she sent me 23 messages. What the heck? I open it and message back, “I'm here at the football field watching the game. SLR. I just finished installing Acebook.”
She has seen it and didn't reply. I wait here, spacing out until I get a hit at the back of my head. “Hello, maddafacka,” she greets with a giggle. She's wearing new jeans, a white off-shoulder, and a strap leather bag on one shoulder. Her shoulder blade... looks... uh... never mind. Her outfit is quite feminine—as I would say but she can't fool me since I know who she truly is. She's a perverted tomboy/lesbian.
I just narrow my eyes, turning my head. “You couldn't have chosen a more polite way to greet someone,” I remark sarcastically but she just grins widely. Rolling my eyes, I sigh looking at the game.
She sits beside me at my left with her legs crossed, her palms on the log, and watches the game. “Who's leading?” she asks.
“Your team.”
“That's nice.”
“So, uh... you're good now?”
“Yeah, better as ever.”
“Okay, so what's the plan for today?”
“Hang out with Irene, of course. Have you seen her?”
“She's right there,” I point across the other side of the field where a lot of people are gathering, watching the game.
“Then why the f*ck are you here?”
“I'm uncomfortable around many people.”
“Sitting here alone... she's gonna think you're a pathetic loser!”
“Okay, okay! What do you want me to do?”
“Go and talk to her, obviously!”
“Hmm...,” I thought about it. “That would be weird, going across the field just to talk to her?”
“You don't know how to start a conversation, do you?”
I look away from her to the side. “Maybe... Well, it's because I don't talk that much, okay? It would be weird when someone as quiet as me, talks all of sudden! Plus, she has friends and I don't need to butt in.”
She scoffs, standing up. “Let me show you. Come on.”
“Fine,” I nod, following her to go around the field.
As we walk, I notice that a lot of guys are stealing glances at Eli. Well, I don't care but just act like I don't notice. I must chill. We're halfway there and that's when I feel tense as we get closer meter by meter. Why do I feel nervous? I'm afraid to be awkward around her.
“Irene nee-san!” Eli calls her from behind and through the crowd. She's calling her by that honorific?
When Irene turns around, I gasp a little, and I just have to look elsewhere, gradually making distance from Eli so Irene and her friends wouldn't misunderstand.
Irene has short bouncy hair, adorable cheeks, long eyelashes, defined eyebrows, and a smile that kills me every time. It's because of her lips, looking shiny with the lip gloss—that makes me wonder how will it feel to be kissed by those lips. She wears a short-sleeved light pink blouse and skinny jeans.
“Oh, Elizabeth,” she says back. “and Kevin.”
She said my name! I must say something back. “Hi,” I greet back with a smile.
“The game's quite good, don't you think?” Eli asks her as she stands at her right to watch the game along with her two other friends—who are also my classmates but I don't talk to them that much on some rare occasions that I have to.
“Yeah, you should've seen how Rick scored earlier.”
“He scored?” I couldn't help but ask because it's about my friend.
“Yeah, I thought you saw it because you were at the other side of the field.”
“Oh, uh... I uh...,” D*mn, I can't speak straight!
“He must've watched a little late, right?” asks Eli.
“Uh... yeah,” I nod. Then they continue talking to each other like casual girl-friends.
Way to go, saving me, Eli! On the brink of destruction, she saves me! Then they talk about boys along with Irene's two other friends—who are also my classmates. I'm quite jealous because Rick is in their conversation. Eli is entertaining them while I'm just here behind them, watching the game and listening to them.
“So, are you two dating?” asks Irene.
We're not so I answer, “Uh...”
“We're not,” says Eli. “We're friends and we know each other since we were kids.”
“Oh...,” they tease and smug at me over their shoulder.
“It's... tr... true,” I stammer.
“So, that means you've been here before?” asks Irene.
“Yeah, and I went back here because I like it here. It's always summer.” She chuckles.
“Right? But the thing is... it's hard to keep fair white skin. I'm envious of how pretty you are, Elizabeth.”
“Yeah,” agrees her friends.
“Oh, I'm not,” Eli denies. “You ladies are prettier.”
“Well,” says my other classmate named Reine at Eli's right. “we know that.” She flips her hair and all four of them laugh because it was sarcasm. “Just kidding! Seriously, Liz, the boys in our class are talking about you. The whole school, in fact.”
“You're kidding, right?” she asks as if she doesn't believe it. I know this girl is a narcissist.
But wow... I'm seriously out of place here. I shouldn't have come.
“Kevin, wouldn't you agree?” Reine asks.
“It's true,” I agree, although I have never seen any of my other classmates recently.
“By the way,” says Eli, trying to change the subject. “where will you guys have lunch?”
“Ah, right there across the street,” says Mary, our classmate who is at Irene's left.
“Can I eat with you, girls?”
“Of course! That would be great!” They continue telling her that they're happy to have her. I know a little about them but they're good people and will welcome almost anyone.
“Kevin, will you eat with us?” asks Irene.
- Writer
