Wishful Thinking ~Puzzleshipping~

Chapter 1 ~ A Matter of Cute and Perverted

  I woke up at 7am that Sunday morning. The blanket felt much too hot and the air that rushed over me after its removal was relieving. My head pounded from all the sleep I had gotten and my mouth felt dry. Stumbling out of bed, I decided to go down the kitchen and get a drink.

  I sat at the small table in the show room of the game shop, sipping a glass of water. Grandpa was out in the front, sweeping the steps. I remembered the puzzle.

  The glass was left on the table for the moment while I went back upstairs to my room. The puzzle had a loop and I fit a brown rope through it. Sliding it over my ridiculously poofy hair, I let it rest on my neck. It felt a bit heavy but it didn’t really bug me. It actually felt a little comforting. I went downstairs again to finish my water and headed outside with a piece of toast.

  I seemed to have a regained sense of self-confidence. The crisp Sunday-morning air blew past me. The springtime sun shone part way up the sky, sitting among a few cumulus clouds. The streets were the usual quiet Sunday-morning streets, but I felt good today. I nonchalantly wandered down the sidewalk, wondering what had boosted my mood all of a sudden after yesterday.

  “Excuse me.” A deep voice asked from behind me.

  I jumped a little and turned around, “Oh, hi.” He seemed to be in high school just like me. His facial features were defined and very handsome, and his hair was spiked like mine, but definitely didn’t look quite as fluffy.

  He took out his phone, “I seem to have lost my phone number.”

  “Huh?” I asked, genuinely confused.

  A smirk appeared on his lips, “Can I have yours?”

  I flushed red, “You’ve got to be kidding me...”

  “I am kidding.” He laughed, “I don’t know, I just wanted to strike up a conversation with you.”

  “Ok…?” I responded uncomfortably.

  My heart suddenly tightened in my chest. Shit, shit, shit, is he my fulfilled wish? I guess I did say anyone…but I didn’t mean a guy!

  “I don’t know.” He shook his head, “I just thought you looked lonely. Someone as cute as you shouldn’t look so down.”

  Shit, he is, isn’t he?

  His cheeks were a slight tint of red, “I guess I should introduce myself, huh? I’m Yami.”

  “Yugi.” I muttered, averting my eyes quickly to the sidewalk and quickened my pace slightly. My heart wouldn’t stop hammering against my ribcage. Maybe I had been just a bit too desperate for companionship.

  “What are your plans? I mean, if you don’t mind?” Yami asked uncertainly, “My plate is too empty for such a nice day. If you want to go somewhere, I’ll pay?”

  Is he already trying to ask me out? I tried not to make my embarrassment too obvious, “Uh, sure. We could go for coffee or something?” I suggested. Crap I should’ve said arcade. Coffee is too intimate. I don’t even like coffee.

  Yami shrugged, “I mean if you want, I was thinking more along the lines of going to the arcade or something.”

  “Yeah, that sounds like a better idea.” I replied hastily. Phew.

 ~

  “Tell me about your life.” Yami said as we made our way to the arcade. I gave him a funny look and he shook his head, “Come on. There are too many ‘what’s your favorite…’ questions. I wanted to try something new. Tell me about yourself, what do you think about the world, what sets you off, who are you really?”