The Mysterious Guy

When we are sitting on the round chairs inside the ice cream bar with a big banana split in front of us I somehow manage to glue on a smile that I hope looks a little real.

“Sooo… tell me more”, I say as enthusiastic as I can but to me it sounds really fake and forced. Although Ashley doesn’t seem to notice. Maybe it’s like that when you are in love, I think but as soon as I realize what it means I push it away.

“Well I really don’t know where to start… His name is Aiden and he is really sweet and nice and just everything you want…” Then I stop listening. Don’t get me wrong it’s not like I don’t care it’s just that her voice turns to this mumbling that I don’t understand. From what seems like hours of gobbling ice cream and listening to her mumbling she seems to be finished. “…So that’s how we met” The last words are very clear and I realize that it’s my turn to say something.

“He sounds perfect, I am so happy for you”, I tell her and before I get up from the chair, that now has made my butt become numb, I squeeze her hand.

“I’ve got to go back, it’s getting dark”, I say and she nods.

“Do you know what bothers me the most?” she asks when we get out and I shake my head.

“I know it’s silly but like for years I’ve had this huge celebrity crush on this guy named Louis from a band called One Direction, you have probably heard about them and now it feels kinda like I am… cheating on him”, she tells me and I smile, this is why I love Ash she is so kind hearted and she deserves a real relationship.

“You are so sweet. I have never heard of them actually”, I tell her and I feel the laugh bubbling up when I see her reaction. Her face is even paler than usual and the eyes looks like they are about to pop out any second. I almost think she is about to faint when she start screaming.

“Sshh, it’s not that big of a deal, is it?” I ask and since I am pretty sure she has lost the ability to talk, she just nods.

“Sorry, you just took me by surprise a little…” She stops to catch her breath, that screaming most have really been though to pull off, huh? “…Let me show you I picture of Louis. I don’t have any picture of all five of them since my phone is totally wracked but I keep a little photo in my bag for emergency cases”, she continues and starts searching for something in her ridiculously big bag. She literally has everything you need and more in that bag, once when we went to a zoo with the rest of our classmates she pulled up a dead chicken to feed the tiger with (luckily we managed to stop her before she threw inside the cage.)

“Emergency cases?” I ask but just when it’s too late to take back I realize it is the wrong thing to ask. She starts talking again and this time it never ends.

“…and you know every time I feel alone I just look at that picture and everything...” she babbles and I have to shake her to make her stop.

“Did you find that picture?” I ask when she seems to have calmed down. Without a word she pulls it out from the bag and we stop to look at it. On the photo a young handsome man with brown messy hair and blue shining eyes, that matches the blue striped shirt, smiles back at us with teeth as white as snow. Beautiful, I think but I don’t manage to say anything.

“Okay he is kinda hot but Ash I seriously have to run home now if I am going to make it to dinner”, I tell her and she nods.

“But first, only KIND OF hot? He is like the king of hotness. The other ones to! I must show them to you sometime…” I can see how her eyes shine when she starts talking again and I smile. So this is how she got through the loneliness of not having a man, I think and to make her stop I hug her.

“I love you and I wish the best to Aiden and you! Can I meet him sometime?” I whisper in her ear.

“Of course you can”, she says and pulls back with a bright smile on her lips. I wave and hurry down Fifth Avenue. I know that if I come a second past seven I will no longer be alive. When I get to the apartment sweat is pouring down my face and I have to stop for a moment to pull it together before I open the door and step straight into the small hallway. I decide to take the elevator even though I hate elevators. Well, I hate all small areas. Luckily for me this one stops at the right floor and I step inside exactly seven o’clock, not a minute before and not a minute after.

“I am home!” I scream and leave my shoes on the doormat and walk into the dining room.

“Hi sweetheart, we have an announcement to make”, mom says and I literally feel the hope sinking in my stomach. “Another one?” I want to ask but I stop myself before right before I walk into the kitchen.

“We have talked about what you said and we feel like you are right! We have to at least try, for you. So to do that we feel like we have to get away from this house and from the workdays and just relax. That is why we are going to this small little city in England called Chewshire!” she says and I feel how my mouth corners go straight up. Maybe this is exactly what we need? Maybe, just maybe, everything is going to be fine!

Notes