Chapter 34

WHEN MY DAD PICKED  me up from tutoring, he told me that Justin had called the house... Oh boy, I could only imagine what my dad must have told him. Hopefully he didn't scare him too bad. Maybe that's why he sounded a little.. odd, when he called me. Oh, whatever.

   Anyways, I got home and changed into my home-clothes, then went downstairs for a snack. It was Aaron's turn to babysit Alice, so I got a break for a while. Mom was just getting ready to leave for work and dad lounged on the couch watching his pre-recording of NASCAR.

   So now I'm sitting here, eating a small bowl of noodles, wondering what to do next.

   Alright, well let's see if I can take this in all piece-by-piece. First, Justin has finally made contact with us, and he seems to be ok, which is good. Second, Kevin seems a bit angered over something. I need to know what. Third, Jorge, who HARDLY EVER talks to me, just confessed that he likes MASON. Which brings me to fourth, how Mason now knows about Justin's situation and he seems to be VERY worried about him, which could also mean.. He might have a thing for him.

   Ughhh, there's so many things to think about!! I never knew it was that many though. I had to get another bowl of noodles just to help me think clearer, and before I knew it I was on my 5th bowl and was still a longshot from getting anywhere.

"Man, I hate this.." I mumbled to myself.

"Hate what?" Dad sat down at the table with a plate of rice and fish.

"I have too many things to think about..."
"See," His voice became a little raging. "I told you having a boyfriend would just cause you problems!"
"No dad! It's not about my boyfriend!" Not entirely.

"Hm, fine. Then what is it?"
   How could I sum up everything I had to think about in a short response? I'll tell you:

"Friendship problems."

   Yeah, not the smartest reponse ever.. It lead into a 10-minute chat about how "This and that are your real friends and here and there aren't really your friends."  It was totally a waste of 10 minutes of my life. But I guess not everything was a total waste, I mean dad did help out a little on the Mason dilema.

  "Well if it turns out your friend likes the same boy your other friend likes, then just try to help them settle it in the humane way, and hopefully nothing gets too physical between them."

   "Yeah dad, that seems right."

   Which means if I want to get the straight answer out of him, I need to call Mason and talk to him, as a friend, not a concerned girlfriend. Well, I'm concerned for Justin.

   I went to my room, and before shutting the door, I made sure there was no one around. When I was for sure the coast was clear, I took my cell and dialed Mason's house.

"Hey-lo?" A little voice answered. It was probably his little sister.

"Oh, hi. Is Mason there?"
"Yep!" I heard her put the phone down and I heard her yell 'Masoooon, phooone!' from the other side.

Finally he took the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi Mason."
"Oh, hey Aika." His tone still seemed kind of down. "What's up?"
"Well... I've got some good news, some odd news, and a question."

"Yay, it must be my special day." He said sarcastically.

"So, which do you want first?"
"I'll take some good news." Weird, I thought he'd go with the odd news.

"Ok, well Kevin called me earlier, and we got a letter from Justin."

Silence.

"Oh, really?" This time his voice had a little more life in it, "What did he say?"
"He's doing fine, they're actually treating him pretty good, and they haven't been able to get his money so that's safe too."
"I see.. Any leads to where he might be."
I sighed. "Sadly, no.."

"But, wasn't there a return address on the envelope?"
"Well, I guess there should be, but Kevin didn't tell me if there was one or not."
"Probably not.."
"Yeah.."

   There was silence again. For a good minute too, so I decided to break the awkwardness.

"So, Mason, what about the odd news?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, what about the odd news?"

"Right..."

   I had to think of a way to bring up the whole Jorge situation, slowly but sternly, instead of just spitting it out at him. He's heard a lot today.. But then again, didn't Jorge tell me to ask him? Does this mean he knows? But then he'd tell me!! Ugh, I guess I just gotta ask...

"Ok," I sigh. "Mason, this might be a weird question, but how would you tell someone you l-liked, them..?"

There was another silence.

"Uhh, why do you want to know?"

"Oh, I was just wondering.. you know.."

"Right..." This felt so awkward. "Aika, you know I think of you as a little sister and you already--"

"WHA--!! WHOA WHOA, okay STOP right there!!" That was not where I wanted this conversation to go. "That's not what I meant, sheesh!"
"Phew!! Thank God... Well why did you phrase it like that?!"

"I don't know..! Well, anyways, how would you?"
He seemed to think for a second. "I guess I'd just tell them staight forward when I'm ready to."

Smart choice. I thought. "Ok, well has anyone said that to you lately?"
"No, why?"
Darn, so Jorge didn't tell him yet? "Well, are you sure? No one's made a move on you yet?"
"Where's this going exactly? I have to--" then he cut himself off. "Wait, 'make a move'?" He asked, quoting me.

"Yeah."

"Well, now that I think about it.."

YES!!! So he does know!!! At least, I think he does... But I'll wait 'til he tells me that, because if it turns out I'm wrong I don't want to seem like the idiot.

"I guess one of my friends did on IM. But her and I always have weird conversations." He said, outfront.

Ughh.. This is getting nowhere! "NO!! That's not what I meant!!"

"Then what did you mean?!"
"I WANTED TO KNOW IF JORGE MADE A MOVE ON YOU YET!!!!!!"

   I totally did not mean to say it like that... But come on, we were making no progress! And I just had to know!

"Jorge... Vergara? That plays the guitar?"

"Yes, him..."

He let out a long sigh. "Will you promise not to tell?"
Ah, so he has.. "I promise, now what?"
"He was over at my house around Christmas, don't ask why, and there was nobody else at home and.." he went into a low whisper, "He kissed me."

HOLY CRAP!!! "Are you for real?!?"

"YES I'm for real!!"

   My my, what a lot of news today...

"Well, so do you like him back?" I asked.

"I uh...!! Well, I don't know.. I kinda, liked someone else.."

And that brings me to my next question, easily. "Which would be..?"
"I'd rather not say."

"Why not?"
"Just.. Because.."

"Come on... you can tell me!" Because I kind of got a good guess at who it could be, too.

"No, no. I really wouldn't--"

"MASON!!" Ugh.

"What?!"
"TELL. ME. NOW." I knwow I must sound pretty scary to him, but I NEED to know.

"Aika, I--"
"MASON, IF YOU DON'T TELL ME I'M GOING TO---!!"
"I LIKE JUSTIN!!! OKAY?? THERE!!!"

   Finally!! I rejoiced in my head. Gosh, it took him long enough. I was so close to shoving my hand through the phone and grabbing his ear on the other side and pulling it until he told.

"Jeez Mason, you take forever!"
"Wait.. you knew?"

"Well, more like I had a feeling, but I was right." He couldn't see, but I had a face of relief on me.

"Hmm.. I thought you'd be mad."
"Oh, no. Not really, you know I'm dating Kevin."
"So," his voice got really happy. "If he comes back, I can have him?!"
"Depends if he feels the same way for you!" I laughed.

He sighed. "That's true.. But then there's Jorge.." 

   Oh yeah, I nodded my head. But then I had a call coming in on the other line. I told Mason to hold on, while I answered it.

"Aika!" Kevin's voice rang into my ears.

"Kevin? What's up?"
"Okay, are you doing anything tomorrow?"
"Saturday... Uh, I might babysit but that's it."
"Okay well..!" He paused for a second. "You wanna go on a date tomorrow?"
Huh?! "What? Why?"
"Because!"
"Because isn't really an answer, you know."

"Well, I just.. It's a long story, but do you think you can go to the mall with me?"
"Uh, I'd have to ask. What mall?"
"Lloyd Center, where else?"

I felt like hurrying because Mason was still on the other line. "Oh, ok ok, well I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Ok, but tell me tonight."
"Will do, see ya."
"Bye."
   A date? Why now? And tomorrow? Could it be he needs to tell me something? I don't know.. Man, and right when I thought I had cleared up everything.

I went back to Mason. "Hey, I gotta go."
"Oh, that's ok. We can talk later."
"Yeah, sorry!"
"No, it's cool. Well bye."
"Bye."

   I hung up the phone, and then realized I felt like drawing. Weird... I don't usually draw at a time like this, but hey, maybe it will ease my thinking. My brain has had a lot to do today.

 

 

 

(NOTE FROM AUTHOR:: OMG you guys I am SOO sorry for this... really late update. It just that I'm studying for finals now, and plus I have chores at home.. Ughh.. But I hope you liked it (as you could probably tell, I rushed through the last few paragraphs ^~^'' sorry, but I'm in a hurry.) Anywho, I'll update sooner next time, thanks!)