I didn't answer or reply to any of Ryan's calls or texts. I decided to pay him back for what he did I didn't answer or reply to any of Ryan's calls or texts. I decided to pay him back for what he did by playing his own game but with my way. While he kept his phone off, I kept mine on and straight out ignored his calls.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8f9rEKu2L
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It's Saturday, so naturally our usual coffee shop is hosting a karaoke night tonight. We'd often go there and conquer the place like it's ours. The guys suggested doing so tonight, and I couldn't agree more. It was a good distraction to lighten my mood a little. I invited Denise, who invited Charlotte and Veronica. I was a little surprised when Denise told me she's friends with the twins. Apparently, they all went to gymnastics classes together since the beginning of high school. They're really "dope" people, she told me. I didn't mind extra company anyway, and neither did the guys. They were actually pretty cool about it when I told them about the girls coming, especially Cody.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bxcx1TCyz
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"It's good to have some femininity among the group for once," Cody said.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEYIp8tocF
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"Say that again and slit your throat," I reply with a sarcastic, sweet smile.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyCMLLkQvZ
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We went and greeted the workers like they're old friends. The whole group was there, even Amber (yay!), but I didn't see Charlotte around. I asked her sister, who told me that Saturdays are anime marathon nights, in which charlotte and her boyfriend, Luke, would watch anime shows all night.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbmQt7zUVP
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"They're Otakus," Veronica said.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7lgFK9cKh
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"Oh-Tacos?" I marvel at the unfamiliar word.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLxwsT7WqQ
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"Yeah, I thought it was food, too," Denise said.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsA2EZIgF2V
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"It means their strong anime fans," Veronica clarified.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZIrpw73Cb
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We started singing solos, duets, and even as groups. We didn't care about the people watching us as we sing unattractively. The boys would choose Taylor Swift or Katy Perry and sing along to the lyrics in their own girlish ways, and the girls would score their impersonation accordingly. I rapped along with Jordan and Cody a couple times and was crowned Queen of Rap by Denise, much to everyone's opposition.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYg23Zyhoep
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We disturbed a lot of costumers and workers, who kept telling us to keep it down. That only made us sing worse and louder than before, earning more complains as a result. One of us earned a few claps from the audience: Tyler. He surely can sing like a pro, and he never ceases to impress us every time we hear him. Of course, whenever he held the microphone, Amber would cheer for him dramatically as if he's singing in a concert.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzqCcH8Cx7
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I felt carefree, just doing what I wanted, careless of others' opinions and thoughts of me. I ignored everything else and focused on having fun. I pushed all the drama and troubles out of my mind. I didn't think of Ryan just once.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusPSLOWEnS
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Denise invited herself over to spend the night, much to Cody's satisfaction. I didn't mind her at all. Although I only met her two days ago, she's treating me like we're old buddies. She burrowed a pair of orange shorts and a spaghetti white shirt from my wardrobe and made herself at home. We grabbed junk food and drinks before going to the living room to watch a movie. Cody and Will were playing FIFA before we turned it off to watch our movie. We settled on Magic Mike because why not? Cody and Will cringed from the thought, so they moved to Cody's room to continue their game there. Kat and Rosie went to sleep early tonight, saying that they're going house shopping tomorrow early for Rosie since Kat had no work.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LnydofLcO
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My phone rang in the middle of the movie, lighting up with Ryan's picture. I silent it and go back to the movie.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpFNlERQRp
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"You still ignoring him?" Denise asks.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdveyMAPGGX
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"Kinda."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XuDZ0w1Un
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"Kinda? Girl, you're totally shutting the poor guy off."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07pkNX0IYR
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"Well, he deserves it, "I shrug, sipping from my coke, "And are you taking his side?"824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpak3YvlojS
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"I ain't takin' nobody's side, sister. All I'm saying is give him a chance and listen to what he has to say, you know?" She answers, quickly taking defense mode.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rr3rlcaFA
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"He's making me regret worrying about him," I explain, "Like it's my fault at the end."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfAh2Unqol
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"Maybe he just needs time before telling you what happened to him."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDsUJxM1hG
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"How much time? He needs to know that I'm not a patient person."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeOJLk813f
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"Well, then be patient for, Nicky, and maybe he'll be patient for you when you need time one of these days."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRO5bemJhdu
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She rests her hand on top of mine and looks at me assuringly. I t feels nice just having someone like her to talk to when I need it. I never had a girlfriend before, so having Denise treat me like that is something new to me coming from a girl, yet it has some familiarity to it in some way.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCCSabjHrj
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"Maybe you're right."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡND3PpQLHr8
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"Like hell I'm right! I'm Denise McQueen, Nicky."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRcAF5bsYk
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBenJxvtfR
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"What's up with the new nickname?"824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNO21K7ofOt
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPp3AHBhrf
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"I just felt like it'd time I have a different name for ya."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYprJhMrQFc
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After Denise left the next day, I spent my day in an inner battle with myself and debating whether or not to pay Ryan a visit to talk. Denise had me thinking about what she said all night last night till I came to the decision: I should go open up the topic with him. And yet I was never more hesitant about it. Even after getting his address from Dylan, who I figured would have it, I was still not close to decisive.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzrq9Q4QbA
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I ended up taking Cody's car and waiting outside his house for 25 minutes, doing nothing. I took a deep breath before I left the car to walk towards his mansion. Oh, did I mention that he lives in a fucking mansion? The thing is so huge it can fit the whole school in it.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7zuebnrtE
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I pass by two guards, who don't bother to ask me who I am. They need to do something about their security. I mean, one of the guards just grinned at me like it's my place.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqejth9MXy
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I reach for the doorbell, and as I wait for it to open, I recite what I was planning to say one more time.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanNedzuJPA
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Ryan, I know that there are things you prefer to keep hidden from me, but I want you to know that I care about you because you're my boyfriend and I care about you...824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6uWAdXbqz
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Shit, I'm really bad at this!824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMiXNXgwEP
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGUazhfjCV
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkpub5U1iz
The door opens, and I hold my breath in anticipation. A pretty lady in a maid uniform opens the door with a smile and my heart beats go back to normal. She asks who I am and I respond back, "I'm Nicole. Is Ryan here?"824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO1VVDMD4u
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"Matilda, who is that?" A woman yells from inside.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziXgojtBAI
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"It's a friend of Mr. Ryan, Ma'am," Matilda calls back.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiNIOgcXZ6
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Listen, Ryan, I get that you wanna keep things from me, but you need to know that I only wanna help you...824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT2j75FCGi
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"I'll take care of it, Matilda. You can go now," Ryan opens the door wider. He was wearing a sleeveless tank with dark blue shorts and looked like he was in the middle of a tough workout session.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSr5rFfrkq3
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"Shadow."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycflpO27Nn
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjmuZHBPW4
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"Ryan."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX1bapCI7Q
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He waits for me to start, and for a few seconds, I forget why I came here in the first place. I guess it's because he looks like fucking beast with his muscles flexing and sweat dripping from his body that I got lost for words.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtq08XWBok
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And then I recall what I'd been reciting since yesterday.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMi1HB8LPl
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaPAqpi21R
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"Oh, you um...forgot you pen with me." That's it Nicole, smoother than silk. What the fuck is wrong with me?824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7RCZMZ3rX
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I point the pen in my hand at him, "I came to return it." I try hard to avoid his hard gaze that's piercing through my body.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PchKup5RI
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"But this is not my pen," he raises an eye brow, humor and amusement simultaneously evident on his face.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDuxlrIA60
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"Yeah," I lift my hat up, brush my hair to the back then put it back on—an action I unintentionally do when nervous—and mentally curse myself and my damn dignity. The whole thought of apologizing or even admitting anything I've done wrong is not exactly something innate in me. Yes, it's selfish and not right, especially when it's really me at fault, but I can't bring myself to do it.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSx1okbPkG
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Then again, for certain people in your life, you'd do whatever it takes to fix your relationship with them, even if it means bringing your stupid ego below their feet.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjYUqpwIqB
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"It's actually Cody's; I found it in his car, and..." I trail off and watch his expression getting more and more humorous. "Look, I'm really bad at this."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPrmHdC6Rc
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA6ggfvODc
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"You don't say."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd5qnM7rPC
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824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGD5V6FPeZa
"Please, just go with it as it is," I take a short breath. "I know I've been a little pushy lately. And I know that even if I'm you girlfriend, I shouldn't be like that. I also know that there are some things you don't want me to know. But I don't give a crap about all of this because I care about you. So can you just please let me in? I know I might be asking too much, but like I said before, I don't care about—"824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SxTKGy7Eu
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He cuts me off abruptly, holding my face with both his hands and kissing me intently. I kiss him back with similar affection, taken a bit off guard by the sudden gesture. He pulls apart a couple seconds into the kiss to look me in the eyes and say, "you know nothing, Shadow."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEHgt19PGO
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"Huh?" I say, breathless.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Y4v0fcd4g
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"I said you know nothing. All you said might be true to some other guys, but not to me. In fact, I wanna share with you everything about me—all my problems and stress. I was planning on telling you everything in the right time, but you never gave me a chance."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsF0X0Y4zRa
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"I'm sorry, Ryan."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgSd5Fps5K
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824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SUFZAszvN
"There's nothing to be sorry for. We both just had to get each other better, that's all," he then pulls me into a hug. "I know I can be really understanding, babe."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtasjUAt2ST
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I push him away, "Don't get too full of yourself, Hastings." Then I punch his chest, "This is for interrupting me earlier," I punch him again, "and this is for hugging me while you're sweaty."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiUl1GDKB3
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"How sweet of you," he says sarcastically, rubbing circles around his chest. "Now, don't you wanna come in?"824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyONngqh4RB
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"No, I better go back before Cody realizes I stole his car."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJC2Ry7ZSZ
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Right on cue, Cody's stupid face lights up on my phone screen. Ryan leans against the doorframe while I answer, only to earn myself a shitload of yells from my dear friend.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgNfgDTwV5
824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCkV7HSQ6x
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"What the fuck, Nic? You stole my baby? Are you fucking me over, right now?! I told you I have a date tonight."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVQ98hd3O8
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He did?824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24kkD6aPak
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"Calm down, bastard, I'm on my way back."824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNhBm5INrh
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"You better be here before I tie my shoelaces," and he hangs up.824Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW3ESZVOTv
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"He really needs to see a doctor," I sigh.
