Protector Series: Bonus Chapters and Content

BONUS CHAPTER 36: The Origin of Shipping

BONUS CHAPTER 36: The Origin of Shipping

~Gene: Age 16~

       While I was sitting at a table in the school's cafeteria for lunch, my best friend walked over and sat down, placing her lunch tray between the two of us. She knew that I didn't bring a lunch today so she was more than willing to share.

       I had my notebook in front of me so she peered at the pages to see what I was writing. "Seriously, Eugene?" Esmeralda said. "Are you really writing names of people you think should date?"

       "Yes," I said. "There are a lot of people out there who deserve true love and I know who they should have it with, but they're too busy dancing around their feelings. Anyway, I was thinking we should make sure the upcoming school dance has a romantic theme that would make everyone want to fall in love."

       "You're hopeless, you know that, right?" Esmeralda said. "It might be best if you weren't so involved in other people's relationships."

       "Sure thing, Izzy," I said, knowing that I definitely wasn't going to listen and I was still going to be quite involved in other people's relationships.

       She knew it too, but she still tried getting me to stop.

       It was never going to work. I loved love.

       "I never get that nickname," Esmeralda said. "There isn't an Izzy in my name at all. There isn't even an I in my name."

       "Well, I can call you Essy but it sounds too much like 'essay' and I'm not about that school life," I said, taking a french fry off of the lunch tray. "And quite frankly, I'm too lazy to say your full name. It's too much work."

       "Of course it is," Esmeralda said. "But you know what's  a lot more work than saying my full name? Focusing so hard on other people's love lives when you should, I don't know, focus on your own."

       I snorted. "What love life? And why do you think I'm so invested in everyone else's love lives?"

       Because my true love didn't even know she was my true love, that was why.

       Oh, well. Esmeralda would realize it sooner than later. Nobody could escape the grasps of love.

       I could really cut to the chase and ask her out but that probably wasn't the best idea since we were the best of friends and she might not feel the same way.

       Yet.

       She would eventually.

       I really shouldn't be too confident that Esmeralda will some day like me back but then again, I always knew when couples would last forever. Even one that involved me.

       Arrogant? Yes. Self-confident? Yes.

       True love? Definitely.

       "So, since you're never going to give up on matching people up, who do you have so far?" Esmeralda asked, taking the notebook but I quickly took it back.

       "Uh, no," I said. "No no no. You don't touch the notebook. You're allowed to look at it when it's in my possession, like it is now, but you're not allowed to place your fingers, toes, nose, anything on my notebook of love."

       Esmeralda smiled slightly as she chuckled. "Notebook of love?"

       "Yes," I said. "Anyone whose name has been written down in here in order for me to match them up has been quite successful in their relationships. I may or may not have made sure there was some sort of spell on it to make sure it for sure works."

       "I wouldn't be so surprised if that were the case," Esmeralda said. "Any new people in need for your help?"

       "Not really, no," I said. "These are just the same old people dancing around their same old feelings because they're too scared to ask the other out on a date. Why can't people be so straightforward nowadays? If you like someone, ask them out on a date."

       "It might not be that easy," Esmeralda said. "There's something called fear of rejection. Some people would rather wait until they know for sure that the person they like reciprocates the feelings." 

       "Okay, but how can they know if they never say anything?" I asked. "People should just take the chance and risk it, even if they're scared."

       Was I a bit hypocritical for not wanting to tell Esmeralda how I felt about her since I expected everyone else to do the same?

       Nope.

       She was my best friend. I was an exception to the rule. Even if the rule only existed in my mind yet I expected everyone else to follow them.

       "Gene, it still isn't easy for some people to admit to the person they like that they have feelings for them," Esmeralda said. "Like... What if those two people are very close to each other? Maybe even the best of friends. And one likes the other but they're not sure the other likes them back. They tell that person, but that person doesn't like them back. Their relationship might be strained for a long time. Or forever. So, they don't say anything in order to avoid all the strain."

       I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at her. If there was one thing I knew, it was when someone was subtly trying to hint their feelings for someone.

       Or maybe I was just being paranoid since I really liked Esmeralda.

       Nah, she was definitely hinting at it.

       I liked having a high amount of confidence.

       "Is this your way of subtly telling me you like me?" I asked.

       "W-what?" Esmeralda asked. "N-no, of course not. Because, you know, you're... You're my best friend?"

       "Wow, you're an amazing liar," I said. "Okay, let's say you weren't hinting at it. But if you were, hypothetically, then I can tell you, hypothetically, that I like you too. But, you know, hypothetically. But if you weren't telling me, then forget I ever said anything."

       "Gene, you just confused me so much," Esmeralda said.

       I sighed. "I'm trying to tell you that I like you too, Izzy. I really like you."

       "You... Do?" Esmeralda asked.

       "Yes, of course I do," I said. "So... How about a date Friday night? We can go to the diner?"

       Esmeralda smiled. "Sounds great."

____________________

we needed a teenage gene and we'll get a lot more teenage gene.

and wow you're all only discovering gene and izzy's names aren't gene and izzy wow.

(throwback to when everyone found out poppy's middle name in popson's third book's epilogue)