Next To Me

What is it to me??

I was out at the mall with the whole family because it's Sunday. I choose to drop by at a bookstore and was thinking of buying a book for Jody. Then all of a sudden I saw her searching on one of the shelves and she was with a guy. They were talking to each other with all smiles but the guy bade him goodbye and left abruptly. I walked to where she was and blocked her way. She was wide-eyed as she looked at me shocked.

"You're with a guy awhile ago?" I asked teasing her and she just looked away and walked along but I followed her.

"Hey, why you're walking away? Are you supposed to have a date with him?" I continued to tease but she nudged me harshly as we went out the bookstore.

"It's none of your business. Just leave me alone. We don't have any plans today together anyway." She said annoyed and was half-running away from me.

It is such a small world when out of the corner of my eye I saw Lily with Matt at a side-walk restaurant. They can't see me like this with Jody so I ran after her and blocked her way again. I was not ready when I saw her face for she was teary-eyed and she quickly dried her eyes as she was looking at me.

"I told you to leave me alone. Is there anyone around familiar that's why you need me now?!" She cried and she was about to run again but I stopped her.

"Is it because of that guy? Why are you like this?" I asked curiously as I pulled her out of the way of the crowd. She let me walk her to the bench near the park of the mall. She didn't sit down and just stood there under the shade of a tree. I held her arms so she won't let go and I turned to face her. She was still teary-eyed.

"What now? You said I am not mind-reader so tell me what is wrong here?" I asked furious because I don't know why she is acting this way.

She didn't answer and just leaned on my chest and started crying. Oh, girls! You can't really understand them. Awhile ago she was all smiles with the guy and now she was crying on my chest without me knowing why. After awhile, she stopped crying and tried to press dry my shirt because of her tears. I didn't tell her that Lily and Matt saw us. I just nod my head towards them as they walked along pass us. I don't need to explain anything to them anyway.

"Now, what? Can you tell me now?" I asked and to my dismay she just shook her head.

"I told you it's none of your business. I need to go then. I'm sorry if I wet your shirt." She apologized and before I could stop her she ran away.

"You are crazy!" I yelled at her as she ran and she just waved back her hand at me.

"I know!" She shouted back. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief as I decided to go back at the book store and buy Jody a book.

The following day we met at the usual place. I was early and didn't order coffee until she arrived. I am not usually an early person but I decided to so I can discover how early Jody arrives at our meeting place. She really is remarkable as she arrived almost 20 minutes before our scheduled time. She dropped her bag and was really astonished when she saw that I was already there. I smiled at her warmly as I took out the book I got for her. She sat beside me and I moved my chair closer to her.

"What coffee would you like?" I asked and she gave me that wide-eyed look again. She then put her hand on my forehead so as to feel if I am sick.

"We are of the same temperature. I guess you're just being weird. Well, anyway I would like café mocha." She looked me smiling and shooed me away to order.

I came back with a slice of mocha cake for her coffee. She was giving me an astonished smile as she slowly sips her coffee.

"Come on. I am trying here. I can be this normal guy." I reasoned out and she just giggled as she eyed our surrounding. I pulled her to face me and smiled.

"No familiar faces around her. I am just being normal." I said as she fixed her stare at me.

"I see. I am not looking for familiar faces anyhow. I am looking for some girls you can date. A lot of familiar girls hang out here that can be your type." She said as she looked around again. She is the one acting weird now. She seemed really serious about getting off of this relationship.

"Do you really want to break away from me that quick? Or is it because of that guy yesterday? Tell me?" I asked annoyed and she stopped looking around and fixed her gaze at the cake.

"You know what I told you about me finding the guy for me. I won't get a chance to do that with you dragging me in this odd relationship." She explained trying to get a respond from me. I admit she had a point and I just smiled.

"And for someone like you, you need a real girl so you can get over with Lily. And that would not be with me. We both know that." She added and she was really eager to get answer from me. The answer that I gave her came as a surprise from me also.

"You don't believe that we could be real? Come on! What is not to like about me?" I asked looking intently at me and she gave me a bitter laugh.

"Alright! You really wanted me to say it, do you? Well, you are handsome, smart enough and a real boyfriend material so there is nothing I could think of to not like you." Jody said and I felt butterfly in my stomach as she said those words and I feel I was blushing.

"So why can't you just be cool about it? Who knows you might fall for me eventually?" I smiled playfully nudging her on her side. She gave another bitter laugh.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me falling for you! The problem is you falling for someone like me? I am not really your type, anyway, right?" She asked as I shrugged my shoulder at her.

"Well, you seem kind of bit boring with all your books and stuff like hanging out a coffee shop and watching movies with subtitles. But you're cute and pretty smart. Still not really my type. You are right." I answered and she gave a real laugh this time.

"You see, I can fall for you but the scary part is you not falling for me. So as early as now, we don't have to waste each other's time here. Make sense right?" She asked convincing me. Oh, round eye can really be great with words and straightforward.

"You are scared to be in love, as I see." I commented and she smiled at me.

"I am not scared of love. I am just scared of someone not being there to catch me. You know you won't have a problem to do that, Raymond. I know you are bored to death here already with me. It's time to seek the real thing!" She said holding me on both shoulders and smiling sweetly at me. She was really making her point clear heard here and she was also calling me by name so I can hear her out.

I didn't answer but just pulled her out of her chair and we ran to some place where we can enjoy. I took her to the movies I know she would like and I brought her flowers. She seemed overwhelmed with what I was doing but I felt so light-hearted seeing her happy.

"Oh, I got it!" she yelped joyfully as she was able to shoot some bears at the arcade. She was beaming like a child as she picked up her price at the booth. I was holding her hand as we went out the arcade, and I noticed she kept on glancing at her watch. As the night crawls in, we were just walking side by side at the park of the mall.

"I heard they will have fireworks display later." I snapped and she looked at me. I was the one carrying her flowers and the teddy bear she won at the arcade.

"I do need to go home. Thanks a lot for this day." She was beaming at me as she looked straightly at the pedestrian lane.

All of a sudden she pecked me a kiss on my check and crossed the street quickly leaving me behind her. As she reached the other side she was waving her hand at me, smiling. I really could not understand this girl. There was something about her that baffled me and inside I longed for her when she does this. This thing of leaving me hanging on to something. It is like I wanted to ran after her and pursue her. And so I did. I followed her and was lucky enough to reach her but she ran away again. We were both at the far end of the pathway of the park . There are a few couples strolling now.

"Just stay there! Please, just stay there!". She called out and I did. I was just watching her standing there. Then she was muttering something to me but I cannot hear it. I just tried hard to read her lips but it's useless.

"What is it!? I can't hear anything!" I shouted back annoyed and I was to step forward to where she was, she gestured her hand to make me stop.

"You are not supposed to hear it anyway! I'm going home, Raymond. You can keep my flowers and teddy! Goodnight!" she shouted and ran away. This girl is really exhausting and never fails to confound me. I found myself sitting on the bench perplexed as always. After some time I decide to go home.