After All, I'm Your Secret Admirer~!!

Ch12 - Powered Point

Paige waits outside for OJ and Sam to show up, Eevee bag in tow. He sits on the sidewalk, kicking his feet.

"I wonder if um... oh, I can't remember his name..." Paige mumbles to himself. "Well, I wonder if OJ's other parent will be with them..."

A cool, three tiered honk trills from down the street. Paige blinks, turning towards the noise. In only a few seconds, the grooviest RV Paige has yet to see comes into view.

"Paige!" OJ waves out of the window. "We're here!"

Paige smiles wide as he hops up. The door is opened for him and he quickly climbs in.

"Hello, Snowy!" Sam greets.

"Hey, kid!" the person driving says.

"Hi, Sam!" Paige waves. "Hi... um..."

"This is Dani!" Sam says at the same time Dani says, "I'm Dani!" They both blink and look at each other for only a moment before laughing.

"They always do this," OJ says, fond smile on his face. "Ma, Mami, this is my friend Paige!"

"Oh, don't act like we don't know Paige!" Dani laughs as he begins pulling off. "You only talk about him all the time."

"Oh, please don't say it like that," OJ begs, glancing at Paige.

Paige tilts his head, confused. "Why not?" he asks. "It's okay that you talk about me! It makes me feel good, actually!"

"It does?" OJ asks.

"Yes! It's like..." Paige thinks. What was it like?

Like a hug after a crummy day.

Like sharing a knowing look with a friend.

Like knowing you exist to others just as others exist to you.

Like... like...

"I don't know," Paige eventually says, shaking his head. "But it makes me happy to know I've been on your mind enough to talk about me!"

Sam giggles. OJ, sitting behind her, kicks her chair a bit.

"Oh, Orville!" she continues laughing. "Don't be so overdramatic! You of all people should know it'll be fine."

"¿Podemos no hablar de el ahora? ¿Por favor?" OJ says, switching to Spanish for some reason.

"Okay, okay," Sam sighs. "Sorry, honey."

"As long as you do not continue, it is quite alright, Mom." OJ sighs. He then turns to Paige. "Sorry, there was... something I couldn't think of how to say in English."

Paige tilts his head again, interested. "Is English not your first language?" He asks, then gasps. "Um! Not that there's anything wrong with it if it isn't!"

OJ shakes his head. "No, no. It is. I just... didn't know how to phrase it right."

"Oh, okay!" Paige smiles. "It's cool that you have more than one language you can speak fluently." He scrunches his eyebrows and purses his lips, pushing his pointer fingers together. "You probably already know I'm not the best at Spanish after Friday..."

OJ laughs. "You did well for what you did!" he smiles. "Honestly. You just mixed up 'have' and 'want'."

"Ah, darn it," Paige says, snapping his fingers. "I always do that..."

"Es OK, pequeña tórtola," Sam singsongs. "We can teach you if you so wish!"

"Oh!" Paige gasps. "That's so nice of you!"