Virtually Real

Chapter- 27

Naomi 

We sit in the car and head home. Dad asks me about my university life all the way back.

"So, you're studying nicely?"

"Yes, dad." 

"I hope you're enjoying your college life, too. That's very important."

"Yes, dad... I am..." I say laughing. 

I hug my mom tightly as I see her, "Aww... honey..." and she hugs me back. The three of us sit together in the living room. "I'm so happy you're home, Naomi. I was missing you so much." My mom says with shining eyes. 

"I missed you, too... mom." I say smiling. 

"For how long you'll stay, Naomi?" She asks me. No... not this question, please... 

"Umm... I don't know, yet." I whisper. 

"Three weeks?" Not this time. 

"Mom... maybe, two." Only if Marc let's me.

"Why?"

"Mom... my finals will begin soon, I have to study."

"Oh come, one... they're still two months away." She frowns. 

"Yes, mom... but I still have to prepare. Thanks to my grades, I don't have to follow the attendance rule, else I wouldn't have been able to come before the semester ends." I try to explain her. 

"Okay, fine... but you're not going anywhere before two weeks." Oh dear... I nod to terminate the argument. 

The next day, mom and I sit together for lunch, "Honey, what are your plans after you graduate?"

"I'll do a job."

"And what about your boyfriend?" I almost choke at my food because of her question. What? 

"Mom... what do you mean?" 

"I mean... what are your plans of making a boyfriend?" I already have one. 

"Umm... mom let's not talk about this." Is all I manage to say.

"What does that even mean? And till how long are you going to like that one person?"

"What?"

I'm talking about your celebrity crush... Marc Raymond." She remembers! 

"Mom... where did he come from in all this?"

"I remember how much you liked him, earlier."

"I still do." And... he's my boyfriend now. 

"Oh come on, Naomi! He's a celebrity, a billionaire, he can never be your boyfriend." 

"Oh, mom... please!" 

"He must be having a girlfriend."

"Yeah... of course, he must be having one." And that's me. I smile triumphantly. 

"What? Are you accepting it, now?" I look at her.

"Yeah... it's quite unlikely that he's single." 

"Thank heavens, it means... you're over him, now? He's just a celebrity crush, Naomi... people have them all the time, and forget about them, too." Woah! 

"Mom... no... he's still important to me." He's important than ever before! "I'm not over him." I'll never be. 

"God... what should I do about you? Silly girl! You'll get over him once you have a boyfriend, someone who's a real person... and likes you."