All These Boys and I'm Still Single

Mr. Charmer | Spring Festival

It's one of my favourite time of the year. It's become like one of our traditions whenever I come visit. We always go to the hot air balloon spring festival with Troy.

We volunteer at the festival by giving out drinks and flyers. In return, we get to have free tickets to the hot air balloons.

I notice that there's a new guy volunteering this year. I walked up to him and being the jolly person that I am, I made a new friend.

"Hey, are you new here?" I ask him.

"Oh hi. Yes, I am. I'm Jackson by the way," he extends his hand for a shake.

"How do you like it here so far?" I ask him.

"It's good. I like meeting new people and volunteering so, so far, so good," he tells me.

For the first time, I am lost for topics, I realize I hate having small talks.

"So what's something fun to do here?" he asks me.

"Now that you ask...." and I told him everything about what Troy and I like doing in this festival.

I am cautious when it comes to talking to guys now because I don't want them to mistaken my fun personality as flirting. It does come off that way but I try to stop before it gets bad. But knowing in mind that if I guy likes me, he's going to tell me and his intentions in being friends with me. If not coz he doesn't like me, then he's safe to be a friend.

Jackson is very shy and interesting. He doesn't seem to have friends with him in the festival but he doesn't look like a loner at all. He's mysterious in a way, and that's what made me want to get to know him more.

****

"I met someone today," I tell Troy.

"If that's not a cute girl, then I'm not interested," he says.

"What a loser. Anyway, he's a guy and he's cute," I tell him. I see Troy's reaction shifts. "Can we invite him over to join us for the hot air balloon ride?" I ask.

"Definitely... not!" he says.

"There's no need to be aggressive. Why not tho?" I say.

"Just because," he tells me.

"Whatever," I tell him. "I'm going to the booth now. Where's your shift?"

"I'm at the registration desk. If you need me, I'll just be there," he assures me.

"Byeeee loser," I tease him as I walk towards the booth tent.

****

As I enter the booth tent, I hear a nice acoustic melody coming out from it. There he is, Jackson. He's playing songs in the guitar, and man, he's very good at it. He looks at me staring at him and he gave me a smile.

"Wow, good job right there," I compliment him.

"Thanks, been playing for just a year now," he tells me.

"Wow," I say, impressed. "That's very impressive that you've only been playing for a year."

"It's just something I do when I'm not doing sports," he adds.

Wow, is this my ideal guy or what? He's tall, blue-eyed blonde guy who plays guitar and loves sports. He can serenade me all the time and I can just watch his games and support him like a good girlfriend that I could be to him.

But yeah, I know it's too soon to have a crush. I don't even know much about this guy just yet. We talk and talk and forgetting that we need to hand out flyers to the people that come inside the tent.

I try to read his actions, but it doesn't feel like he's interested in me. It's a good thing tho, because I know I can just be myself around him. I don't have to impress him or to prove that he's right in liking me because he doesn't.

"I think we need to get rid of these flyers," he laughs.

"Oh right. It was fun talking to you tho," I tell him.

"Same. When we finish here, are you going to the barbeque later?" he asks. I nodded in response.

"Do you want to go together then?" he asks me.

I thought of what Troy will think, but it doesn't hurt to make one more friend. "Sure thing," I smile.

***

We walk together to the barbeque and Mr. Johnny who was in charge of the whole event sees the two of us together. He fake coughs and smiles at us.

He hums, "Oooh, spring is really here..."

I try to ignore him because he always teases me with every guy he sees me with. For years, he's been shipping me and Troy together.

We arrive at the barbeque and I see Troy from a distance. I gestured Jackson to follow me. Troy didn't seem to be happy seeing me with Jackson, but still, I introduced the two of them together.

It was the most awkward barbeque party ever.

"So what do you think of Tori, Jackson?" Troy interrogates.

"Troy?!" I ask in discomfort. He smirks at me knowing I would definitely feel awkward.

"She's very outgoing, funny, has a good sense of humor and pretty," Jackson says.

I'm seated in between them and I bet they could feel the tangible awkwardness in the air.

"Pretty? This one?" Troy asks as he pinches my cheeks.

"Shut up loser," I tease back.

Now with the banter that's going on between me and Troy, this time I think it's Jackson who is feeling awkward. We stop when we felt that he was feeling awkward.

"I'm gonna get a drink," I say.

"I'll get it for you," says the both of them.

"No need really, I can get it myself," I insisted. I stand up and Troy holds my wrist and makes me sit down. He gets up and gets a drink for me.

It was just Jackson and me that was left. "Does he like you?" he asks me.

I laugh at the question. "Him? Like me? No way. We've been friends for over ten years now so I don't think so. Even if he did, he would've told me already in those years," I explain.

"There are guys who do like you but choose not to tell you, not everyone is bold because just like girls, we are afraid of rejection too," he tells me.

Wow. Those words really sting. It made me realize how little I know about guys' emotions. I don't even know how to handle mine, let alone others'.

"Wow, thanks for the insight," I tell him.

"I got to go now, so I'll see you tomorrow at the booth?" he tells me.

"Yup, see you then," I smile. He winks then walks away.

Troy arrives with drinks in his both hands.

"Where'd your friend go? I know you like both, so I got you these," he tells me.

"Aw that's so thoughtful of you," I tell him.

"Aren't I always?" he responds.

Yeah, isn't he always? Jackson's words are on repeat in my mind. It does bring me back to the guys who tried to express their intentions towards me but I subtlely reject it before their feelings go deep... except for Luke's.

If only I wasn't so insensitive to Luke's feelings, then he would have been more confident in expressing himself. If only I didn't feel so closed, I wouldn't think it's an intrusion when people want to draw near.

But either way, guys are gonna be rejected. I would always end up being the bad guy in the story just because I don't feel the same way.

How do I make guy friends without hurting them along the way by giving them false hopes?