Remark

Diversion of Everything

“NO WAY!”

Tyler brings his palms over my mouth shutting my mouth. He looks around as if I just told the whole world his biggest secret and for some reason, Secret by the Pierces suddenly comes to my head. “Keep it down,” He slowly brings his hands down. “The last thing I want the whole world to know is how much of a f*****g baby I am.”

“How is that a baby?” I frowned at him and scooped my ice cream to eat. “How come facts like these never come out? I’m going to be big if people find out about this, seriously.” I teased and he looked so embarrassed. “But it is pretty baby now that I think about it. A guy in love with ice cream is like a unicorn in love with rainbows. I’m saying it’s kind of gay.”

“You’re making it sound gay. It’s not just ice cream I love.”

“Telling me it’s not just ice cream you love makes it sound gayer.”

He was quiet as he hold his stare at me. “So this is how you repay other people’s kindness,” He rolled his eyes and laughed harder. “I’ll remind myself not to be your f*****g friend anymore when you ask me to.”

I laughed. The way Tyler talks, brutally I mean, is really funny. It was this time I realized that the way people talk can never fit a person’s appearance. Sure, Tyler looks tough and all but I would have never guessed that he’d be talking like this even before we were still co-captains and the mere fact that he’s actually in love with ice creams makes it more different from his persona and looks.

“Like you’re not addicted to gummies the way I am with ice cream.”

I looked at him. “How did you know I love gummies?”

“Mark tells everyone? He brags about everything you do and everything that you are. He gets really nuts when you’re the topic. Scratch that, Mark always makes you the topic.” He clicks his tongue and finishes up his ice cream. “And you always eat those rainbow, bear-shaped sugar. Everyone sees it and they would know right away you have a bad addiction to that.”

I shrugged and finished mine as well. “What to do next then? Are we supposed to just eat the whole day?”

“I’m getting tired of you already. I’m surprised Mark still likes staying with you after being together for, what, six months? That’s pretty good for someone who haven’t had a proper relationship for over two years.” He added and scoffs.

I glared at him. “What are you trying to say then?” I stare at him more intense and make sure he gets that I want him to answer the right answer.

“I’m saying let’s go before you actually tell the whole world what you found out.”

After the ice cream, I didn’t know where Tyler was taking me next. I wasn’t sure he knows where we’re off to next as well but I keep following his footsteps and just try not to get lost in my own city. Honestly, I just wanted to divert my attention from the reality I wanted to escape right now and I have a big feeling that Tyler knows that too judging by how considerate he has been to me since two hours ago and we freaking stayed in the ice cream shop for two freaking hours. That is crazy.

I wasn’t surprised when he brought me to an arcade where everything was so bright and colorful, not to mention flashy and very noisy. The familiar song playing every machine inside was oddly bringing back old memories when I used to love going to places like these after school. “Loser gets to pay dinner?”

I turned to Tyler who wasn’t looking at me. He was just looking at a distance with an obvious smirk on his face. As if I’m letting him win against me. I’m not going to lose to you, captain. You know better that I’m not a quitter. “Just don’t back out once I’m winning everything. I don’t like getting cheated and I, most definitely, hate losing to simple games,”

We started our first battle with a zombie apocalypse game. We were standing side by side holding a plastic g*n that was connected to the body of the machine. I would prefer, however, if my g*n wasn’t pretty pink but I had no choice because I hate green and it’s what Tyler was holding right now without much of a choice. The game started and I focus on my goal – to not waste my money for treating my captain a dinner just because I felt like I was confident enough to win against him which my mind silently protests because even I know myself that man power is different from women power, and yes, I lost.

Tyler turns to me with sly grin as he puts back his g*n to the compartment. “I lost the game on purpose. I was trying to make you believe you have hope in winning against me.” I crossed my arms but he doesn’t buy it. I couldn’t even buy it myself to be honest. I say the lamest thing on Earth.

“Actions speak louder than words, Nami. Actions – not words.”

Then we went to the basketball arcade area and this time, I was much more confident. I used to play this a lot during my junior year and I got the hang of it. I am not losing this game and I know it. The balls start rolling against the railing and I begin shooting them over the basket. I won’t lose. I won’t lose. My internal self encourages as I try to score every ball which I thankfully did.

“Come on!”

“That fast?” I could already see Tyler not throwing the balls from my peripheral view. “Not even on the second round? You weak, captain!” I teased and kept throwing the balls over the ring. Even if I missed I knew I would win already because he already lost to me for the first round. I laughed and finished my game. I see him watching from the side with my peripheral view but I tried to beat the highest score of this machine as my new goal.

“I lost on purpose so you can win this time.”

“You so didn’t.” I crossed my arms.

“Now you know why I won the first game.”

I rolled my eyes and accepted the argument.

“Not bad though,” He claps his hands when I finished the game. I didn’t beat the highest score but I beat up Tyler so that’s better than nothing. “I won’t be surprised if you suddenly come out and say you’re actually a lesbo.”

I arched a brow at him. “You sound so sexist.”

“1:1. What’s for the tie breaker then?”

I looked around me and all I see were claw machines and claw machines and claw machines and claw machines everywhere. Then my eyes stopped over the Dance Dance Revolution machine that was in a corner of the playhouse. I turned back to Tyler with a mischievous smile. “Dance with me?”

His expression changes. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Let’s do something else.”

“It won’t hurt, captain. Besides, it’s been months and I’m sure it won’t kill me to do this dance machine. It’s just stepping on lighting buttons. How different is that from walking every day from the gate to my department? School back to my apartment?”

“I don’t know, Nami. I really don’t think—”

“Tyler,” I cut him off and he looks at me. “I really want to do this. I won’t blame you for anything if something happens to my stupid ankle which I’m sure there won’t be any so don’t worry. Besides, don’t you miss dancing with your co-captain?”

He looks like I’ve somewhat convinced him but he was shaking his head contradictory to what I’m saying. “Nami, if this is about buying dinner then you don’t have to worry about that. Clearly I was just—”

“Please,” I said under my breath and try to hold his hand hoping I’d change his mind with my unconvincing acting. “Tyler,” I say and he looks up to me. “Let me do this. Just one time. Let me dance to a song even if I’m just stepping on lighting buttons.” I attempt to joke but he doesn’t laugh. He just heaves a deep sigh before running his palms over his chin.

“Okay but you do know that Mark’s seriously going to kill me if he finds out about this.”

I light up in glee and jumped about three times in excitement. “He won’t. I swear,” I giggled and grabbed his wrist, dragging him over the DDR “Dance, dance, dance!” I exclaimed and put coins for both players.

He wasn’t stepping over the platform at first even after I stomped on the button it wants me to step on to respond to its Are you ready? question. I turned to him with a nod and he sighs one last time before stepping up with me and choosing to step on the Yes I’m ready! lighting button. I clapped my hands together in anticipation.

“I haven’t done this for a while. Go easy on me, captain.” I playful remarked and he thankfully lets out a small chuckle from his mouth but still not giving me any look. He was just looking down the arrows printed over the lighting buttons we were supposed to step on when it shows the screen to step on it.

Soon enough, the song starts and we wait for an arrow to pop out. When it did, we both stomped our feet in synch. I turn to him with a smile. A genuine smile that tells me how happy I am today to be able to at least sort of dance in a very minimal way. I was stomping and stepping on every button with the beat of my heart pounding at the beat of the music. I was happy. I felt like I was in heaven for the first time – except of course every bit I feel when with Marcus. That’s a completely different aspect in my life.

When the song finished, we were both panting hard. I turn to him and laughed but he doesn’t do the same. He just shakes his head like it was something he regret doing which I don’t question because I forced him into this. “See. I’m all okay.” I assured him and he looked at me like he doesn’t believe me. “For real,” I added to assure him. That’s a double assure right there and I do feel okay. My ankle doesn’t hurt as much as it did when I first got out of the hospital. I was starting to feel that it was getting better but then again, maybe I was just forcing my head to believe that garbage because my doctor said it won’t heal fast like the Flash and he knows his profession than I do.

I wait for the results to be revealed and I was quietly praying that I would win so I won’t treat Tyler but now that he actually let me do that one thing I’ve been dying to do, I feel like I owe him at least a snack or something in return. Tyler was my captain and I still feel it in some way. “You’re treating me either way if you win. I deserve it.” There it was. Like telepathy, he tells me what was on my mind.

“I won!” I jumped when the screen shows that player one won which if it’s not obvious already, I’m player one. “I beat you at Dance Revolution! I should have a trophy.”

He steps out of the platform and says, “Now, let’s go before you completely smash your ankle here. You’re still treating me.”

I frown at him and mocked his words but I didn’t protest to his request because he does deserve a treat from me. Now I have to actually use my money to treat my captain and there’s no one else to blame but me. I was eaten by my desperation in dancing again and that’s what made me lost – both to Tyler and my money.

Yesterday, I ended up doing too many crazy things with Tyler. I felt like I was free for a few moment until I realize that today’s the start of the school festival and I wasn’t ready to take the blame if everything goes wrong and flopped. We did fair enough in my point of view. I think we’re going to have the best booth today.

“Okay. I want everyone to be in their best behavior. When I mean best behavior, you need to be friendly with everyone and by everyone, I mean be friendly even with your enemies if they end up buying a ticket. We worked hard for this so let’s do things right.” Jonah says and looks at everyone with a very father-like stare.

The day goes on like that and surprisingly, a lot of students bought our limited tickets. For the first day, we actually went for the safe side. We only sold a specific amount of tickets so we won’t be using up too much paper to print tickets we won’t sell and it’s just going to be a waste. We set our goal and sold a total of the amount we used for the materials we needed for the construction and all and a little, very little profit but we ended up cutting short so tomorrow, we’re selling more tickets until Friday and hopefully sell them all for profit.

“Congratulations to everyone for our first day. I really am proud of everyone.” Jonah says and I nodded in agreement because why not. I’m a part of that everyone after all. “That’s it for today. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” he dismissed the group and turns to the person next to him. “Jules, you’ll take care of the tickets right? Are you sure you can do it yourself?”

Jules nodded and assured the president.

When Jonah ended his conversation with him, his eyes met mine and I wasn’t even sure myself why I was looking and eaves dropping at someone else’s conversation. It just kind of happened I guess. “You worked hard. Good job, freshie.”

I glared at him and crossed my arms. “Why do I feel like I’m belittled when I’m the one who proposed the idea?”

He chuckled shaking his head down but then he looks back up to me and wets his lips. “I’m not belittling you. I’m just saying you did a great job for a first year representative. Not all freshies are capable of what you’re capable of. It’s more of a compliment if you ask.”

“It’s compliment now that you’re elaborating it.”

“Nami,”

I froze from my position and didn’t dare look back. I wasn’t mad but maybe I am, but I didn’t want to turn around because I didn’t know how to face Mark. Jonah looks at me as if he’s asking me something but I can’t read what question he was trying to ask with his very brown eyes.

“Will you be okay?” Jonah asked and I nodded with a smile. He smiles back and leaves after giving me a pat over my shoulder. “I’ll go ahead then.”

When he leaves, finally, I take a lot of courage and turn around to see my boyfriend standing behind me with his eyes beaming over the back of me. “Mark, hey,” I greet forcedly. I’d be lying if I said I wanted to see him right now because I partly didn’t and did want to.

He somehow ignores Jonah’s presence near me which he doesn’t normally tolerate this well but I guess he thinks he’s done a lot of wrongs to me and telling me off about Jonah again would just add up to his wrongs. He diverts his attention to me and finally speaks, “I’m really sorry about yesterday. I—”

“It’s okay, Mark,” I sighed and looked at him. Looking at how stressed he looked made me feel much calmer than how I’d normally react. I know he won’t bail on me for the wrong reasons and I really am trying to be more understanding to him. “I understand, really.”

“I need to tell you myself, Nami. Go ahead. Call me a jerk, a douchebag, call me whatever you want because I deserve that.”

I laughed at him and his dramas. Tyler made me understand him more, I guess. College is different from senior year and I have to keep that in mind considering how different our courses are, I think it’s really appropriate to at least understand each other at this point in our relationship. I want us to be strong and I’m not letting my feelings and emotions get to me just because I’m not being an understanding and considerate girlfriend that I should be. “Mark, seriously? If anything, I’ll still be calling you a player.”

He looked back to me with an unsure stare. His eyes were full of worry and I’m guessing he was worried about me bursting my anger for not meeting me yesterday but I cooled down about that yesterday. Besides, I got to dance that day. There’s no way I’m hating that day. “Are you really not mad? Because if you are and you’re just hiding it, you don’t have to. I can bare it all.”

“I’m not mad. I’m just disappointed and sad but not mad or angry. I mean, I understand how department duties can be so stressful. I mean look at mine.” I point at our place and everyone was just putting things away and getting things ready for tomorrow again. “I really do understand, Mark. You don’t have to feel sorry about something you’re not in control of.”

He suddenly pulls me to his chest and I feel his breath tingling my skin and sends me shivers down my spine. “I missed you. I missed you so much. I miss you more than I miss my sister. I miss you more than I did when I was sent back to Canada.”

That was a lot of ‘I miss you’s for one night. I’m not sure I was ready to hear that but for some reason, I find myself chuckling at this side of Mark. Being clingy and touchy all of a sudden. He never fails to make things better and it makes me realize how much I want to preserve our relationship, if that’s even a good word to describe how I want it to happen. “You’re suffocating me, player. I need to breathe to live.”

He doesn’t pull away. Instead, he hugs me tighter. “I’m really sorry.”

Suddenly, there were coughs around us and I see Terry and Yelena standing behind Mark. I push him away from me so I can prepare my introduction of my boyfriend to my co affiliates in the department. Mark stands next to me and looks at them. I feel his hand wrapped around my waist and it didn’t feel new to me now that I was used to it every time we stand next to each other. During the first times, they were very giddy feeling but they were normal to me now.

“Mind introducing us to your hot boyfriend, Nami?” Terry starts off and I feel my cheeks blush. The way he called him hot was awkward enough to even start the introduction. I feel embarrassed but I didn’t want to appear like I wasn’t proud of him because I am.

I cleared my throat before speaking. “Mark, Terry and Yelena. Terry, Yelena, this is Marcus.”

“Hi,” Yelena shakes Mark’s hand who says, “Her boyfriend.” But it was already quite obvious now to everyone after showing up in our booth to come hug me like we were a part of a movie shooting. “We know. Everyone knows.”

Mark came back to my side after shaking both their hands and smiles at them. It’s been a while since I saw Mark smile like this. If this was a fake one, he sure is making a great show of his acting. “They’re reps from second and third year so,” I tell Mark which he reacts to, fakely.

“I saw pictures from your booth. It’s really great.”

“Your girlfriend here is the mastermind of all these.” Terry says which I look down in shame.

Mark turns to me in shock. “Did she?” he stated teasingly so I nudge his arms in honor of my cut-it-out feeling. “She’s really a creative one, isn’t she?” He pulls me closer to his side, groping my shoulders which makes me grit my teeth in anger. “She doesn’t have that many skills but she’s great at being weird minded. Right, princess?”

I sarcastically laughed at him before rolling my eyes.

The two laughs at us.

“It’s not entirely my idea. The construction and set up were all made with Jonah. He deserves the credit to that too.”

The mention of Jonah’s name pisses Mark off as his face turn darker as they face me.

“Speaking of which, I see you two are getting closer. What happened?”

“Oh you know, things just kind of happen.” I tease more and Mark wasn’t liking it. The anger he feels is written all over his face which motivates me to keep going for it. I mean, he deserves it for bailing on me three times. Now that I was thinking like this, maybe still do feel mad about that but I mostly understand.

“Please, stop.” Mark begs so I lean closer to his ear and whispered, “Jonah.”