DILEMMA - YOUNG LOVE

Needing Her

I'm wracking my brain for a response. A good response.

"It's me. Daryl", I blurted.

What the fu- that was my GOOD response? Better come up with something better dillhole.

"I -" was interrupted. By a dial tone. She hung up?!

I dialed again. She picked up, "What!"

She was angry. She should be. So. With the softest voice I could come up with I said, "I need you. More than I could have ever known. I need you here. To smile at me before every game. It calms me. To cheer for me when I make the shot. The winning shot. It gives me confidence. Please come back here."

She hung up. Again. I hated myself. Why did I make it all about me. I could have said, "Your smile and cheers were the highlight of my games. Probably the only reason why I don't feel nervous is because even if I mess up at the end of each game you would still be there. And I get to see you. That makes me feel confident to win the next games. Your existence alone in the sidelines makes me feel like a winner."

But no. I had to be the needy loser who keeps messing up."How can I tell her what I feel if she wouldn't talk to me" , I thought. I rang her again and again, by my fifth try there was no ring anymore. I figured she turned off her phone. I just sank on top of my car and just stared at the stars. Thinking about how the rest of the days will suck without her here.

Days passed and came Saturday, the 6th game. I need to get over it, just for an hour. I owed it to my teammates. If we won, we could split the prize money. I know Migz needs it for his Computer Camp. And Anthony would probably give it to his parents for family expenses. I had to man up. Especially today when we're going up against this asshole Mark and his asshole of a team. Mark's team is composed of the village jerks who like to torment others for fun. Insecure girls find it irresistible. It's good that Ara doesn't. My mind was wandering when all of a sudden someone bumps into me, almost knocking me down.

"Better get your head in the game, Quezon. Especially when you're up against a beast.", said the most annoying, piece of crap ever set loose on this planet. Mark. Just as I was about to say something, he was looking at someone at the benches. He smiled at that direction and without looking at the ring, he shot the ball and it went effortlessly through. He smiled continuously at that same direction while walking away. I glanced over and I saw who he was smiling at. Ara. My Ara. I got angry. Heat flowed all over my body. I was grinding my teeth so hard, you'd have thought they'd break. 8 minutes before the game starts. I have time. I quickly walked towards her, and pulled her away from where she was standing. We're right at the church parking lot when she pulled her hand away.

"What is your problem!?", she asked.

"My problem?! You. You come back and I see Mark the asshole flirting with you and your just going with it. The guy's a tool.", I yelled out.

"For your information, Mark happens to be a good friend of mine. He wasn't flirting, he was just being himself which is cocky. And If it were, I definitely wasn't flirting back. I was just sitting there. How could you think that when I came back here after you've asked me too", that last line she said a little softer, disappointed.

Before it struck me I blurted my response, "Don't be so nai-. You came back for me." My sudden realization got her shy and she just kept looking down.

"Yeah so? You practically begged me to. And Andrew said you've been playing horribly since I left.", she exclaimed.

"Yeah, no. I did ask you to. And I have been playing horribly."

She wouldn't look at me. Just at the ground. So I stepped closer to her. Lifted her chin up with my hand and said, "I'm sorry I said what I said. I was being stupid and I didn't think about what those words could mean. Of course you're not a past time. You're more than that to me. I just didn't realize it then. I was too busy being a Mark."

She giggled. Adorably if I may add. I got her to smile. I pulled her closer and just hugged her. Tight. If the game wasn't starting in a few minutes I would have held on longer.

"I forgive you", she says without letting go. As she was about to break away from the hug I leaned and I kissed her. And I just melted. How I missed those soft, pink lips. Her scent just drives my crazy, in a good way. I needed to stop but she seemed to not want to. So I gave it to her. My lips, my tongue, all of it. I couldn't get enough of her. After this game, I want her.