CHAPTER 01 – A MEET
The street was overflowing with noise.
A city bus roared past me, its horn buzzing sharply in my ears. I frowned and shot an annoyed look at its back, but it was already gone, swallowed by the crowded road. There was nothing I could do about it, and that irritation stayed lodged in my chest.
"Hey, Jay! Is it true that you turned down the girl from the economics major? How many of them now?"
A loud, familiar voice rang beside me.
I turned my head and saw my friend walking next to me. He had sharp, alert eyes, slightly tanned skin, and a small scar near his left eye that gave him a rough look. His voice was raucous as always, full of teasing energy.
"You're praising it badly, it's not like that… she just asked if I wanted to hang out with her, so I told her that I couldn't if it was one-on-one," I said, glancing at him.
"How many of them—u you basically turned her down! but what's wrong with you man? don't you want a girlfriend or not. That girl was famous for being cute & beautiful at the same time," he said, going on as if explaining something obvious.
"It's not like that but…" I said, my voice slowing.
A smiling face surfaced in my mind without warning.
"But?…" my friend asked.
"Uh… hmm… nothing…" I said, nodding absentmindedly, my thoughts still drifting elsewhere.
"You know, I'm just worried about you. It's been like 2 years now but, you're still ignoring all girls' invitations! you don't like girls or something?" he asked, his voice softer, more concerned.
"It's not that but…" I said again.
"When you turned down that girl right? since there is a weird rumor going on lately about you. That you're a gay!" my friend said, clearly amused.
"What really?" I asked, stopping in my tracks.
"Yeah! but, can you blame them? you show little to no interest in girls," he said, shrugging.
"It's not that, I'm not interested…" I muttered.
"Well, if you want to shut them up just make a girlfriend!" my friend said.
"You know my reasons right?" I said quietly.
"Yeah! I know a little about your stories but still hung up on your jr. college crush is no go. You didn't even confess your feelings to her so just forget about her and move on," he said.
"It's not that. It's not that I couldn't confess, I just didn't."
"There it is again… a sore loser…" he said
"I'm serious," I said.
"Yeah, yeah you're a sore loser, man!" he replied in a mocking tone.
"It really wasn't like that…" I said, quickening my steps and moving ahead of him.
"If you say so…" he said, then suddenly stopped me with his words. "you should confess to her now. Hey, why don't you just take out your phone and just call her out somewhere to meet. It's a sunday so she can come right?"
"That's.... impossible," I said.
"Why?"
"Because, we lost touch after jr. college graduation."
"Does that mean you weren't that close?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"That's not it. She was the girl I talked to the most at jr. college."
"Then why? does she have a boyfriend or something?"
"There are a bunch of reasons, all right. That's the end of the story," I said, shaking his hand off.
"No no, that's no good," he said, matching my pace again.
"Why?"
"It's not good for your mental health to be hung up on a woman from the past. It's not good," he said, looking straight at me.
"Mental health? tell me the real reason buddy, why are you trying so hard to get me a girlfriend?" I asked.
"Oh… umm… There is another rumor going on like you and me are a gay couples… and that's why we hang out together always. It's causing me a lot of problems!" he said in a low voice.
"What? you can say something to them right?" I asked.
"What can I say! you're the one who rejects the girls & I'm not good with talking to girls, so please do something about it man!" he said desperately.
"What? what am I supposed to do then?" I asked.
"In your situation, love can always be overwritten with a new love," he said.
"Basically?"
"You need to get a girlfriend."
"You're telling saying it as if you're telling to get me lunch… but that's not that easy," I said.
"You need to pick up girl from street who's seems to be free and just enjoying herself or who seems to be wandering around without a reason," he said casually.
"What!?" I blurted out.
"Go up to a bunch of girls. I'm sure there will be at least one girl who will say yes," he said confidently.
"Come on, what are you talking about? why do I have to do that?" I asked.
"Listen, Jay! didn't you gave me a dare to pull a prank on teacher the other day? I don't think I ever give you a dare that hard right?" he said.
"Don't tell me that picking up girls is… I'm about say that…"
"Yup! it'll make that you're dare," he said with a grin.
And just like that, we ended up in the city where girls usually gathered.
"Hey, are we really doing this?" I asked.
"Not we, you! and yeah, good luck," he replied.
"Really…? what I'm going to say to girls? I'm never done that before," I said nervously.
"Listen. If she rejects responds like saying that she doesn't like guys who are easy and hit on girls on street… say that your friends are forcing you to do this. That'll make her believe that you're a loyal man who would never hit on girls on the street willingly… but regardless, she is too beautiful that you've fallen in love with her at first sight, like love at first sight. tell her that!" my friend said seriously.
"You're weird…" I muttered.
"I'll be waiting for you at the cafe over there, don't come back until you bring at least one girl, and don't worry about me. I'll wait for you even if the sun sets," he said.
"What? we have to do this all day?" I asked.
"Yep! and by the way, food and drinks are on you Jay… If you don't come back soon, you're wallet is going to be empty," he said.
"Y… you're awful…" I said.
"All right, ready, set… start!" he shouted, dashing toward the café.
That was how I started flirting with girls on the street for the first time in my life.
"Um… anyway, how do I flirt with girls…?"
I stood there awkwardly, looking around. I had never done anything like this before. I didn't even know where to begin.
"I guess I should just talk to girls who look like they're alone…"
Alone.
I lifted my head.
A huge billboard stood in front of me.
On it was her.
My first love.
A famous model.
My childhood friend—and my crush.
I had been in love with her for twelve years.
But now, she was completely out of reach.
"My friend is right…" I whispered. "I have to get over it. There is no other way…"
We lived in completely different worlds now.
It was at that moment—
"Huh? is that you, Jay?"
A honeyed voice reached my ears.