Secret obsession

CHAPTER 2

I’m having dinner with my family chatting about how our day was, when my phone beeps again announcing another text. I took it out of my pocket to see who was texting me, but my mom took my cellphone by surprise.

“No cellphones at the table!” she reprimands me, putting my phone on top of the refrigerator.

“Mom!” I claim, “I just want to see who texted me!” I say with frustration; I hate when she does that.

“You know the rules”, my dad adds “This is our family time to communicate”, he says, with a tone that makes me feel like a kid. I just roll my eyes and sight angry as a way to demonstrate how much I hate their rules.

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My phone beeps one more time, another text, but gladly we finish dinner and now Lisa and I are cleaning the kitchen, fulfilling another rule from our parents.

“God! Who keeps texting you? If you didn’t answer the first time, they should understand that you might be busy” she says, while putting the dishes in their place.

“I don’t know, mom didn’t let me see who it was” I explained, reaching for my phone from the top of the fridge.

I turned my phone on to see the texts and the first one said ‘So, no answer? Don’t you miss me? – Weird guy’. I laughed at the message because it was absurd, then I opened the other one. ‘I’m sorry, it looks like I scared you by asking you that. Don’t worry Erin. I was just joking, I will not bother you again – Weird guy’. My face got serious after reading that. I know I didn’t get scared, he doesn’t know the rules in my house. He shouldn’t misunderstand why I didn’t answer, and by the way… why am I feeling guilty that he reacted that way?

“I will answer him shortly and casually”. I say to myself, knowing my sister is in the living room now, ‘Hi Henry, sorry I didn’t answer before. I was a little bit busy’. I pressed the send button thinking that maybe I should have explained in more detail about my house rules and everything. “Nope, it's not necessary.”

I waited for an answer, checking my phone constantly, but he never replied. I was watching a movie with the rest of the family; we were actually in the middle of ‘Finding Nemo’ for the tenth time, unnecessary to say how much we love that movie, when my phone beeped twice, two messages. I checked on the screen the two messages and I read that they are from my two best friends, Jake and Kim, who are, by the way, in a long-term relationship.

‘Erin! I need your help ASAP; tomorrow is our second anniversary! Answer me when you can – Kim’

‘Hi Luciferin! Need some help for tomorrow. Answer when you can – Jake’

‘Answer when you can’. Both messages end with the same sentence. It doesn’t surprise me, they both know the rules, so they know I will answer later when the marathon of movies ends and I know exactly what they want. Kimberly wants to know what kind of clothes to wear tomorrow for their date, and Jake wants to know which place could be the most romantic to take Kim for their anniversary. It's a little bit annoying, but they’re both my best friends. I have known Jake since we were in 7th grade and Kim since we were in 10th. The three of us became best friends and went everywhere together all the time until they decided to be in a relationship. Don’t take me wrong, I’m happy for them, it's just that being best friends with a couple is more stressful than being in a relationship. I have to listen to both sides of their problems, both sides of their surprises, and if that is not enough, they make me decide who is wrong when they are debating about stupid topics. Anyway, I answered both ‘OK’ and I’m sure I will call them later, first Jake and then Kim, because I’m pretty sure that Kim’s problem will take more time than Jake’s.

After sending their texts, I noticed that I felt disappointed. It was good to have news about my friends, but I thought Henry had finally answered. I just met him today, but having the feeling that he might have misunderstood my answer and feels bad now keeps me feeling guilty. I don’t like to make others feel bad for not explaining myself. Maybe I should text him again later after finishing with the lover’s problem.

The movie marathon ends, and now we all say good night to go to our respective bedrooms. This is my chance to call Jake. I’m waiting for him to answer while I put on my pajamas holding the phone with my ear and my shoulder; Jake answers at the third beep.

“What’s up Luciferin, goddess of evil!” he answers, calling me by the nickname he prefers.

“Hi Jakey” I said without a nickname, I never found one suitable for him, “Are you ready for tomorrow?” I asked, lying on my stomach across my bed.

“That’s why I wanted you to call me smart minion” he says naturally, always calling me by different weird pet names, annoying at first, but now I’m used to them “I was thinking about taking Kim to the new restaurant called ‘The Terrace,’ but I want your opinion first.”

“Wow! Sounds great!” I said, surprised. “I thought you were going to take her to a pizza place, this is new coming from you” I tried to annoy him a little bit.

“Come on Luciferin, you know I’m the most romantic guy in the world!” he says, proudly defending himself. I just giggle because I imagine him puffing his chest while saying that “Anyway, I just wanted your opinion, evil kitty, we will definitely talk tomorrow.”

“Sure! I hope you enjoy your day tomorrow… bye!” The first call is over and now is time to call Kim, but first I need to get comfortable because this will take hours. I press Kim’s number to call, and the phone doesn’t make a complete beep when she answers.

“OMG! Erin, thank God you called!” she answers out of breath already “I will send you five pictures of different outfits and I need you to tell me which one you like the most and why” she says without even letting me talk or ask how I am. I get the pictures and look at them meticulously; in three of them she is wearing a dress and in the other two she is wearing jeans.

I know exactly where they are going, so I know what kind of clothes she should wear. “I think you should wear the faded salmon dress with the light gray high-hills” is the only one that is not showing too much skin, which I think is appropriate for the place they are going. The Terrace is a new place in town that even has its own commercial showing a classy environment with luxury and warm interiors, plus a patio decorated with romantic lights.

“Great!” she adds “now I will send you three pictures of different makeup so you can choose…” I sight, already tired of this. It's not like I don’t like girly stuff, it's just that I don’t like to put too much attention to what others are wearing. For me, it is better if you feel comfortable with yourself rather than looking for someone to approve your appearance.

We finish with the clothes, the makeup, the shoes, the ‘special gift’ and, finally, I can have a normal talk with my friend, although she starts the conversation with something I wasn’t expecting.

“So Erin, I heard that you were with that Henry guy”, she paused, waiting for me to fill the rest.

“Who told you that?” I asked. I know she knows almost everyone at school, but I wasn’t expecting her to be interested in me talking to him, “Do you know him?”

“Not really. He is in Jake’s basketball team, but he never really talks to him. Also, I heard that he’s playing ‘Casanova’ with some cheerleaders and some other girls at school” I can notice in that comment that my dear friend already hates him, “I don’t think you should be hanging out with him”. She finally says what I hate to hear from her. I have enough rules at home to start having more with my friends.

“I don’t think he is really that bad, he is weird but nice” I said, trying not to mention that I find him attractive.

“He is attractive though” Kim says, making me laugh because she stole the words from my mind, “I know I’m with Jake now but that doesn’t mean I cannot notice when someone else is attractive!” she claims, defending herself from my laugh.

“I haven’t noticed actually” I lie “I don’t look at him that way” I lie again.

“OMG Erin, you always try to be innocent! Don’t think I don’t know you enough to know you thought the same thing”, she finishes saying that when I heard I got a new message.

I open it up while Kim is still talking, and I read ‘Sorry Erin, this time I was the busy one, it would have been great to see you while you were busy. Like I said, you look pretty when you concentrate – Weird Guy’ my heart runs faster that I cannot control myself. I don’t know what is happening to me, this is totally new and obviously not normal to people that I have just met.

“Kim, I have to go, my mom is calling me, talk to you later, bye” I cut her conversation and hung up on her, because I needed to think about what was happening to me. OK, he just answered later than I was expecting, and he keeps saying weird things. If this is his way to make friends, I shouldn’t misunderstand, but, I can’t help myself, I feel happy, and even my legs are shaking. However, Kim said something about him flirting with a lot of girls… maybe I should treat him like a regular friend and ignore every time he makes inappropriate comments. So, I will text him casually, like if his weird comments don’t affect me at all.

Me: ‘Hi Henry, I’m glad you found yourself busy, and I’m glad you weren’t mad because I didn’t answer your first text’

‘I wasn’t mad, I was just a little bit disappointed – Weird Guy’

Me: ‘Disappointed? Why?’

‘You didn’t answer my question – Weird Guy’

Me: ‘Well you didn’t scare me if that’s what you want to know’ is the only thing I will answer.

‘I like that you play dumb, that means you want me to ask you again, right? – Weird Guy’

Me: ‘I am not playing dumb, I said I am not scared’. What is he trying to accomplish?

‘OK, then I will ask a different one. Are you busy right now? – Weird Guy’

I sit on the edge of my bed thinking, trying to anticipate his next move before he asks weird questions that make me feel uncomfortable… they make me feel uncomfortable but, at the same time, I don’t want him to stop. To be honest, I got the feeling of missing him a little bit, he has a relaxed vibe that makes me want to stay with him a little bit more, even when we just spent a couple of hours together. I am thinking about what I should answer, if it is better for me to say I’m busy or not. My phone starts ringing, and I jump, dropping it on the floor. My heart started racing thinking it might be Henry that couldn’t wait for me to answer and decided to call instead. I grab my cellphone and when I see the screen my heart relaxes and, at the same time, it feels disappointed to see the name of Jake. “I thought I finished helping him”

“Hello?” I answered, confused.

“Were you sleeping, Luciferin?” Jake asks, worried and apologetic.

“Nope, I was just listening to some music.” I don’t know why I lied to him “what’s up?”

“I just finished talking with Kimberly, and she told me something that kept me thinking a little bit.” He stopped for a moment “what were you doing with Henry today?” he finally asked with a tone of curiosity mixed with a feeling that I sense as anger. I don’t know why, but I got the feeling that I should explain myself to him.

“We were both part of the helper’s team that was working at the museum for the school festival” I said, trying to sound relaxed. “Why? Is there something wrong?”

“I don’t think you should trust Henry or become his friend, Erin” he answered seriously, using my real name this time. “He is in my basketball team and I can tell you, he is not a really nice guy with the girls.”

“Why would you say that? Did you see something, or did someone tell you something about him?” I asked, really curious to know more about the Weird Guy.

“Nobody told me Erin, I have seen it for myself. The guy just talks to girls for a specific purpose, he’s always making out with cheerleaders and some other girls at school.” I can totally sense that he is worried about me, which I’m not surprised. Jake has always been taking care of me since we became friends. “Actually”, he adds after thinking, “I don’t know why he started to talk to you, normally he goes for noisy-easy girls.”

“Maybe he just wants to be friends” I say trying not to sound disappointed. I could never be a cheerleader. I’m too shy for that, and I’m sure I’m not the easy type either and that attitude is the one that keeps me virgin for a lot of time. I am pretty sure I don’t want to change that.

“Don’t tell me you like him-like him, Luciferin. Now his tone is soft, he knows me too well. I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew what I am thinking right now. “I just thought that I should tell you this so you can be careful around him”

“Oh no! don’t take me wrong!” I said almost too loud with my fake laugh “I just thought he will be a good friend, he seemed nice.”

“Well, I cannot tell you who you should be friends with. I just want you to know that I always look for you, after all… you are my best friend”. His words are so warm that makes me smile thinking about how much he means to me. He is my best friend in the world “and now I know you are thinking that I’m the nicest guy in the world, right little monster?” he says, changing his tone, making me laugh, faking my anger towards him for calling me a monster.

Jake and I spend more time talking about random stuff when I decide to ask “So Jake, two years together with Kim, how do you feel? Aren’t you excited?” a bit of silence erases the moment’s mode.

“I love her so much that I think sometimes she should be with someone that shares more things in common with her”. The sadness of his comment made me doubt my friend's happiness.

“Are you not happy with her?”

“Of course I am Kitty… it's just that sometimes I think we could be happier with someone that has more in common with us... like right now, we have been talking for a lot of time, and we haven’t fought at all. You understand me and I understand you, it will be nice if it were that easy.”

“Well…” I started thinking about something that could give my friend some hope. “I think it's nice that you two don’t have anything in common. I think you will never be bored that way, plus haven’t you ever heard about the opposite attraction?” I tried to ask the last part in a funny way for the good of Jake, which almost worked, making him give me his pity laugh.

“Maybe you're right, but I still wish for her to find someone else and for me to find someone like you not to be friends, but something else” he says with a sight, “you should go to sleep, evil princess, I will call you tomorrow”, he adds to take me out of my awkward mind.

“OK, have a good night Jake”

“You too Luciferin”. We both hung up the phone and I kept looking at the screen thinking that maybe my two best friends aren’t happy anymore. I sight worry about that when my phone beeps, it has had no rest today. Another message from Henry.

‘I’m guessing that since is late now, you are not busy anymore, right – Weird Guy’

Me: ‘I’m sorry I was on the phone with my best friend’. I say apologizing because I completely forgot about him.

‘Don’t worry baby, I think that a pretty girl like you sure spends a lot of time talking with her boyfriend – Weird Guy’

Me: ‘Not boyfriend, Jake is my best friend, I bet you know him. He is in your basketball team’. I made myself clear about my relationship with Jake for some reason.

‘Yes I know who he is – Weird Guy’. That was a short message that continues with another one, ‘So, no boyfriend?’ his last message makes me blush, wondering that maybe he is interested in someone that is not a cheerleader or noisy, someone like me. I decided to ‘play dumb’ like he says.

Me: ‘Why do you want to know?’ I replied in my intent to be interesting.

‘Is just that I don’t believe that a pretty girl like you is out there without a boyfriend – Weird Guy’ he replies with such cliché words, that even when they are so cheesy, they make me blush and giggle like a fool. I’m glad to be texting so he cannot see what reaction his words have in me. I keep taking so much time to answer his texts that he ends up sending another one before I send one.

‘You seem to be that kind of girl that doesn’t know how to take good compliments… I will ask the unanswered question from before, are you busy right now? – Weird Guy’

I don’t know why he keeps asking me that.

Me: ‘Well, since it's a little bit too late I was getting ready to sleep’ I answered honestly, but quickly I realized that he might misunderstand that, like if I want to stop texting, so I sent another one just to make sure ‘but we can keep texting if you want’ I add, hoping that will make any possible misunderstanding clear.

‘Nah, I don’t like texting’ he answers, making me feel like the texting time is over until I read his next message ‘don’t fall asleep yet, wait for another 15 minutes, I’ll let you know – Weird Guy’

I didn’t know what he was talking about, and I texted him asking what he meant by ‘wait 15 minutes’, but I didn’t receive any other text from him. He sure is weird, but it keeps me wondering. Maybe I should wait to sleep those 15 minutes like he said, and while waiting I go to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my hair.

I am sitting at the edge of my bed looking at my cellphone, waiting for something to happen. It's 11:30pm, the 15 minutes are almost over and there is no text or call from Henry. I’m starting to think that waiting for him was some kind of joke. Maybe he is toying with me just like he does with other girls. Maybe he just wants to know if I will be there whenever he wants. All those thoughts make me sad, to finally accept that I am really attracted to him and that he might be a bad guy that likes to play around.

My thoughts and feelings keep playing in my head when suddenly I hear something on the other side of my window. It’s hard to distinguish, so I stand up to be close to the window and try to listen to what is going on outside. When I finally stand next to the window, the noises stop and I try to see through the curtain without showing myself. I notice some kind of shadow standing outside my house, but I can’t be sure, it is too dark since one of my cousins broke the light and my dad hasn’t repaired it yet. I was so concentrated on looking outside when my phone started to ring, making me jump looking for it to stop ringing and avoid waking up my parents. When I finally found it, I answered quickly without looking at the screen.

“Hello?” I said to whoever was on the other side of the line.

“Hi babe!” I heard Henry’s voice “were you sleeping? You didn’t wait for me?” he asks, almost laughing at my way to answer the phone.

“Henry!” I said in a low voice “you scared me! I think there is someone outside my house. I heard some noises, but I cannot see through the window without showing myself.”

“Ha Ha, you sure are cute Erin” he says, laughing so relaxed, “it’s me, I’m outside. Can you come out or can I climb to your window?”

I froze after hearing that, my heart started running, and my legs started to shake like crazy. I hung up nervous and said to myself “He is definitely the weirdest guy.”