The walk home was more annoying than I thought. Not only did the rain start to pick up again, but I had to deal with the fact that I panicked myself into going on a date. Way to go, Dan. Your life needs more problems than it already has, anyway.
Passing by an intersection, I could see the faint light of a store only a few meters away. The rain was getting heavier by the second. I needed to find shelter. I checked my watch once more.
6:49 PM.
It was almost seven. Usually, I would be home around now. Mom would be making dinner while I leisure inside my room doing who-knows-what. That is how it always is. But now, I’m a few blocks away from my house in cold, semi-wet clothes. Do I even have breakfast for tomorrow morning? I guess I won’t be lying to Alivia after all.
I decided to speed on over to the Mart to take a rest. Up close, it looked to be a local store in the area. The place was a mishmash of pastel colors, with a bright baby blue sign that reads: RG & C Mini-Mart. Reaching the front of the store, you can see there were heaps of snacks, bottles, and other supplies all lying on the ground inside. The store clerk, who seemed to be arranging the shelves, looked a bit uneasy and anxious. Maybe there was an accident in the store earlier? Who knows. After wringing out my umbrella, I placed it on their lovely umbrella rack that was painted with Van Gogh’s Starry Night.
Proceeding inside, the store did not feel out of place. Apart from the J-pop music the store was blasting on the speakers, it was your average convenience store. There were small aisles that sold snack packets and hygiene supplies. To my left were the freezers full of domestic and international sodas and drinks. Fresh goods were also placed neatly at the back of the store. There was even a vending machine outside that had candy bars in them. So far, nothing completely out of the ordinary.
I walked over to the back to check on the eggs. There was a heavy amount of exotic fruits and vegetables here. Apart from your regular apples and oranges, there were some I haven’t heard of. Kiwis, durians, and a round harry ball they call a “rambutan.” I guessed they were Asian, as some of the store items here were written differently, similar to Thai, Korean, and Japanese.
I kept looking around and finally found the eggs on the bottom shelf. Taking a closer look, the brown eggs were packed in dozens inside a clear, hard plastic egg carton. The carton did not have any written tags, but on the shelf, it had a tag reading: Fresh Eggs: $0.95/dzn. Not too pricey, I thought.
I took the carton and moved on over to the register. The cashier looked to be a teenager—around sixteen or seventeen—with a heavy amount of makeup on for a cashier. She wore a red plaid top with the store blue apron and Old Navy black skinny jeans. With her dark blonde hair tied in a braided bun, she looked way too pretty. She may be someone who had plans later for a date or a party.
I placed the eggs on the counter. The girl was counting cash before she saw the carton and glanced up. She scanned the barcode and placed it inside a plastic bag.
“That’ll be ninety-five cents,” The girl said in a slight valley accent. “Isn’t it, like, a bit late in the day to be buying eggs?”
“These are for tomorrow, anyway. I’d buy them earlier, but I had a change of plans.” I explained.
She shrugged it off and gave the bag. I handed her the change before I walked over the door. As I approached, I saw a man in a green coat walking in. Upon closer look, I realized I have seen that face more times than ever.
“Whoa, didn’t think you would be here,” Chris said. “Shouldn’t you be home by now?”
“I had a…slight change in direction today,” I explained, trying not to sound nervous.
“Oh yeah? Where would that be?”
“Just a little stroll around the area. Nothing unusual, if that’s what you're thinking.”
He narrowed his eyes on me, focusing on the slightest drop of sweat he could find. “You’re not telling me something. What is it?” He demanded, raising an eyebrow and smirking.
Being friends with Chris since grade school, I have trusted him with the deepest of secrets I had. In return, I’d help him out with his troublesome pranks around the campuses I have been. He practically was a brother. But, trusting him with this? I was hesitant to say anything.
“Hmm,” I mumbled. “How much time do you have?”
“I mean, we have two weeks to ourselves. We have all the time we need.” Chris said.
“Okay, I’ll wait for you outside,” I said with a grin.
“Uhh, okay then.” He said, head tilted and voice in total confusion.
I turned towards the door and went out. The rain seemed to have stopped, with the last few drops coming from the rooftop. I picked up my umbrella from the rack, smelling like rich petrichor.
The sun was already setting, giving off nice highlights and shadows over on the pine and fir trees across the street. I got my iPhone and took a quick photo of the scenery. I might need to edit that later.
It didn’t take long for Chris to buy his necessities. He pushed the door with his shoulder as both his hands were holding plastic bags. They were full of snacks, fresh fruits and veggies, and a few toiletries.
“It must be hard living on your own, huh?” I teased.
“I had my fair share of moping, already. Living on your own is like riding a bike.” He laughed it out. “So, what did you need to tell me?”
As we strolled on the sidewalk, I started explaining what happened earlier that afternoon. From the wild goose chase around campus to the “grand escape” from her house. He chuckled along with the story and was thoroughly invested in it.
“...And now, I’m stuck with a planned “date” with someone who has no idea who I am.” I finished and sulked.
“Hmm,” He mumbled. “The only thing I don’t understand is how you didn’t recognize her as Alivia.”
“It was a gut feeling, but I never knew she went to Wellington. How come you never mentioned to me that she was in the theatre department?” I asked curiously.
“You never asked, man. And I never thought you’d be interested anyway.” He explained. My face slowly grimaced. Chris took one good look at me and tried to keep a straight face.
“Dude, you’re really going to be sad about that?” He shoved my shoulder. “You’re going to be hanging out with the girl you’ve liked for years! What’s there to even be frownin’ about?”
Sure. I should have been happy. Maybe even on cloud nine. But then, I still felt guilty that I never told her my name. Which, if she did know, all of this could have never happened.
“Look, I get it. I’d feel at fault if I was mysterious like that. But, think positive! She was the one who told you “it’s a date,” right?” He comforted me. “She could be into you, you know. Maybe this could be a restart, a do-over.”
He could be right, I thought. The universe may have thought that I needed a do-over. Right all the wrong things I did to her. Maybe this time, everything could finally go right.
So why did I still feel dreadful?
“Are you sure about that?” I asked.
“Of course! If she was completely open with you, speaking about her life problems and whatnot, she has to be comfortable with you. You have to take that chance and develop it.” He supported with a strong tone.
As I was thinking, I focused on the road. The neighborhood was a block behind mine. Only a few suburban houses surrounded here, in which the main attraction was the playground. It was the only playground around, making it the only place the kids around the block would hang out.
The place had slowly deteriorated from the last time I visited. The swingset was rusting with tiny patches on the chains. The slides and towers were piling of water, most likely from the rain. I had my fair share of having fun here with Chris and Claire. Memories like the time Chris fell off the top of the jungle gym and Claire had to catch him was fun to look back on.
“I don’t think you’ve noticed,” I told him, “but I’m not good with dates.”
He put his finger on his chin and thought for a second. It took more than a minute for him to think it over, but after a long pause he shouted a loud “Aha!” I jolted back from the volume of his voice.
“Maybe we could help you? You know, freshen up and stuff! Like those montages you’d see in movies!” Chris said in excitement.
“Wait, what? You mean a ‘makeover?’” I asked in confusion.
“Yeah! I could help with things to say and how to act, and maybe Claire could help with how you dress and stuff.” His eyes widened with enthusiasm. I guessed he was waiting for this moment to come.
“But why? I look completely fine!” I said forcefully as I emphasized my clothes. Chris took one good double-take on what I wore and his face said it all: You sure about that?
“I don’t think you’ve seen yourself in the mirror in a while, mate. Trust me, you need a refresher.” I self-consciously checked myself as he said that. Do I look that bad?
As we turned the corner on a narrow winding street, two buildings ahead I saw my own home. It was one of the few townhouses around Portland. From a distance, you would think this house would be out of place from all the others. The rest had been built of birch-like beige or oak. The place I lived in had been built with burgundy bricks with red pine decorations, similar to a London-like townhouse. Squared windows occupied the three floors of the facade of the house, giving ample light in the morning. The roof was slanted on its side, with two dormers at the front. One was in my room while the other was my sister’s, who had been working abroad.
I was particularly fond of this place. It felt lush—like I was a child of some noble—to live in such a big and spacious place. My parents thought otherwise, though. They always complained about the bills this house had to pay. At times, I even wished I could help them. That is pretty much the reason why I chose Computer Engineering as my course.
“So, you sure think this plan of yours is going to work?” I turned to him.
“Trust me. You’ll be fine. When can we start?” He asked.
Trust me. The words I always dread every time I ask him if things will turn out fine. They never do. No plan of his ever does. But yet, I smiled. I have never felt this exhilarated for some time now. It was heart-pounding.
“Tomorrow, first thing in the morning,” I told him in a determined tone.
He smirked and nodded. “Then tomorrow it is.”
As I reached my front door, we parted ways. He turned and continued walking as he waved. His shadow disappeared as the sky fell dark. I took a deep breath and walked in.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
