Don’t Be Too Close To Me

I don’t know what to do. He’s too close to me, and yet he’s still so far away. I don’t want to see him but he’s right there. Right next door.

The first time we met…I think it was at a performance theatre, during an acrobatic performance. He sat at the front where first-class sat. I was getting a can of sprite from a vendor.

“Shaved ice please.”

“Haven’t gotten any more.”

“I only want shaved ice.”

“Stubborn brat, I said…”

“Shaved ice.”

“Mister! There’s no more! Can’t you understand?”
He turned slowly. I noticed the way his dark wavy hair swooped across his slender forehead and his eyes were an icy jet black.

I felt my throat and chest tighten. His aura and musky scent pervaded me. His voice was a low bass, but cold in tone.

“Shaved ice, is that too hard to understand?”

I gulped. The vendor man heaved a great sigh and grabbed a bag of peanuts.

“Sir, I’ll give you anything else for free.”

But his intensifying gaze never left me. I felt shivers down my spine and my blood go cold.

“Give it to the girl then.” He spun out of the line and stalked off.

I blinked and shook off the overwhelming power he had over me. The vendor smiled at me sympathetically.

“Peanuts?”

-

I sat down beside my mom, handing her a bag of peanuts. She opened them without a word and began chewing loudly.

I saw her eyes light up suddenly, and she waved at someone far away.

“Did you like the show?” My mom asked suddenly.

“Urm, I guess.” My mind strayed to the vendor incident.

“We’ll be returning to America two days from now.”

“Oh. Ok.”

“A friend of mine has a son. She’s sending him along with us.”

“Huh? Why? What for?” I sat up straight, staring at my mom with some shock.

“To learn English of course. He’ll be going to a school.” She said almost too casually.

“How old is he? My school?”

“No. He’s much older than you. I don’t know. But he’s doing business work.”

“Oh. What school?”

“A college course, for business.”

“Uh, ok.” I yawned, relaxing a bit more. It didn’t seem very interesting. Probably another geek from this world.

-

At the airport, I was chewing a wad of gum, trying to think of what shopping mall to go to first once I got back in Cali.

“Ah, they’re here.” My mom shouted excitedly, tugging my sleeve.

I smothered the top of my hair curiously. What would he look like? Harry Potter glasses popped into my head. I burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” My mom slapped my back, pointing to two walking figures.

I gasped.

My mom and the lady began chatting away once they were in hearing distance of each other. I was standing awkwardly behind a pole, gaping at the tall man with dark hair and eyes.

His eyes flitted in my direction. He gave no sign of recognition or anything. Instead, he indifferently looked away. I felt somewhat relieved, irritated, and nervous.

Why did it have to be that arrogant person?

“Ah, Sayu, get over here.” My mom scolded.

I reluctantly stepped into view and my mom pulled me over beside her. I tried to feign a smile but it came out all crooked. The lady and boy gave me a strange stare.

My mom began her usual praise rantings.

“Oh, don’t worry about your boy, my daughter knows Taekwondo, Karate, and gymnastics. She’s a great bodyguard and athlete. And she has good grades too.”

The lady’s eyes lit up, surprised, she gave me a sweet look, appraising my worth.

“She’ll take good care of your son while he’s in America with us.”

“What! I have to what! Take care of some guy who’s older than me? What is this!”

My mom gave me a hard nudge, telling me to shut up.

I just turned my shocked gaze at the boy.

“His name is Jiro, Sayu.”

“Geh…I never asked…”

“Don’t be rude. Our flight is here. Goodbye…etc…” My mom was chatting away again.

“He didn’t seem to notice my existence as we sat at the terminal. Nor did he seem to care much about my mother bickering about him in English, not that he understood much.

“He’s nineteen. Two years older than you.”

“Pftt.”

“He’ll be living in the apartment next to us.”

“Eww…”

“Why, do you have something against him?”

“Well, yes. I have something against all males!”

“Don’t be so prejudiced, be good friends. His mother and father are very rich.”

“So what!”

“They’ve helped me out a lot. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to live in our apartment. I would look too stingy and like an ingrate if I didn’t accept this.”

“You mean taking care of a male made of flesh, money, and arrogance?”

“How would you know? Just be nice.”

“I won’t!”

“Sayu! How have I raised you?”

I made another sour comment in my mind. Quietly.

i wrote this story a long time ago. and never finished it.

slightly based on an experience. slightly.

reviews are welcomed. tho i really dont have much to say about this...