As I ascended towards the stair, I saw Gil. He was just wearing a plain shirt with jeans but somehow he looked so perfect.
Sadly he was not mine.
“Hey you.” I said with a smile on my face. My best friend deserved that.
“Hey you.” He said back. And then he pulled me into a hug.
Which threw me off and I found myself blushing — and then pushed him away.
“W-what was that about?” I stammered. Sure we were close, but a hug?
He smiled his crooked smile. I was so weak for that smile.
“Nothing. I just wanted to do that.”
I couldn’t say anything.
“Has been for few years actually.”
Did my ears fool me? Did I just hear years?
“Oh for God’s sake. He likes you — isn’t that clear enough?” Suddenly Aiden’s voice came from behind.
I could feel that my jaw dropped. Wait what?! Is this real?
“You two are such pain.” Aiden continued.
“Sorry,” again Gil smiled that smile. Stop it, I found myself screaming inside.
“But that’s true.” Gil said. “I have been liking you for say.. as long as I can remember.”
And how come I had never seen the sign?
“It’s about time anyway. I am getting tired of hearing those long phone calls about you, Gil,” and another voice chipped in. It was Mai.
“Okay, now you can talk, Rei,” Aiden said. “Just you know, make it quick cause we really need to go and catch that movie.”
I tried to find my voice, but there was nothing came out of my mouth. I looked at Gil’s eyes and tried my best to tell him that he didn’t even need to ask.
Gil looked down and took my hands. “I think that’s enough,” he said.
“This is too boring — I was expecting a lot of crying, especially from Rei,” Aiden shrugged and then walked away. Mai was behind him.
I didn’t really care what he’s talking about.
***
“Hey.”
Aiden turned his head.
“You are okay with this?” Mai asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You can fool them — but not me. You know I have a nose for this.”
Aiden sighed. “Geez, Mai. I told you so many times, you really need to turn off your Cupid radar.”
“I couldn’t even if I wanted.”
Aiden kept walking. He knew exactly what Mai was gonna say and he was preparing to close his ears — literally.
“I know you can still hear me no matter how you close his ears, you know that.” Mai barked.
“Just let me off the hook this one time, Mai. The most important thing is that they are happy,” Aiden reasoned.
“When did I ever let you on the hook? As far as I remember, Rei is the only girl you ever liked since… I don’t know… you both were kids?”
“It doesn’t matter. I had found my peace long time ago. I am okay with this. And that’s it,” there was a final tone in Aiden’s voice. “Now if you keep talking, I am gonna let you pay for the movies and the popcorn yourself.”
“Oh that’s so unfair!”
“Since when I am fair to you?”
Mai just chuckled. She turned around. Rei and Gil were walking together. She couldn’t hear what they were talking, but it finally happened so she guessed all was good.
As with Aiden, she would trust him this time.
