The One Who Saved Me

Chapter 7: Ryu

Tuesday morning couldn't have come fast enough. I was so excited that I left my house too early and got to school way before I usually do. I realize this only after I am in the building. I go to my locker, but it is way too early to go to class. So I make my way towards the cafeteria.

I don't often need to go to the cafe in the morning because I'm not here until a few minutes before class. Just enough time for me to go to my locker and meet up with Satoshi for a bit. Since I'm here so early though, I decide to head there. That's where Satoshi usually hangs out with the "popular" crowd.

Satoshi spots me as soon as I walk in. "Hey Ryu!" he calls and waves at me. He's surrounded by the jocks and cheerleaders, the people I used to see at parties. Everyone turns towards me and calls out greetings. I just wave at them. I don't remember most of their names.

I feel all weird and awkward and I go find a seat beside Satoshi. I'm not used to groups like this anymore. I prefer to spend more one-on-one time with people who are actually my friends instead.

Everyone breaks into their own conversations as I greet Satoshi, "hey."

"You're here early," he remarks.

"Yeah, I know. I didn't mean to be. I didn't even check the time as I ran out of the house this morning," I tell him.

He gives me a questioning look, "oh? Were you in some kind of rush?"

I feel my ears get warm as I think about how I'm going to be meeting Kari for lunch today. "Something I'm excited for is happening today and I just forgot to pay attention to the time."

A knowing look appears in his eyes. "Does it have something to do with that Kari girl?"

My face starts heating up as an image of her face appears in my mind when he says her name. He knows me too well. My shoes become very interesting as I mumble, "maybe."

He mock-punches me in the arm as he laughs, like this news has made his day. "See! I told you to go for it!" he says with a happy grin.

I clear my throat and say, "Actually she asked me to meet her for lunch."

Satoshi is silent, which is odd. I look over and he has this super shocked look on his face. He runs his hand through his blonde hair and with total seriousness says, "dude, that girl so likes you."

I am taken aback by this. Satoshi's usually not this serious and when he is, you know he means whatever he's saying. I know he 100% believes in what he just said. But still I ask, "are you serious? How would you know that?"

He chuckles a little before countering my question. "What girl do you know would ask a guy to eat lunch with them if they didn't have any kind of feelings for him?" he pauses. I think about that for a second, but he doesn't give me much time to actually answer. "The answer, my friend, is none. No girl would just go up to a guy and formally ask if he would like to eat lunch with her. I mean, usually if you're friends it's just implied that you would do that anyway. She obviously feels something for you or else this would not have happened."

I try to wrap my mind around what he is saying. I must be in denial though because I respond by saying, "uhh... I don't know Satoshi. There's no way. That just seems too good to be true."

He sighs, "I know it might feel like that right now. But trust me, I know these things when I see them - it's a gift. I've only seen her a few times, but you're my best friend and I can see just how much you like her. You are only in denial for that reason. Just trust me okay?" he pleads.

"I... I do trust you," I take a deep breath as I accept what he is saying. "What should I do?" I ask him as I feel butterflies start to flutter in my stomach. "Should I tell her how I feel?"

"Hm..." he hums as he ponders. Then he shakes his head and says, "no. At least not yet. In case I'm wrong - even though I'm probably not. Just wait. Feel it out at lunch today and by the end, if I'm right, I think you should ask her out." He gives me a big grin in encouragement.

His words fill me with confidence and I am newly excited for lunch to get here. Nervous, but excited.

He stands up, "well come on Ryu, we better get to class."

"Huh?" I look around and sure enough people were making their way out of the cafeteria. Most of the people that had been in the group around us were already gone. "Whoa, when did that happen?" I ask no one in particular.

He laughs at me and says, "man, you have fallen so hard. Come on, lover boy."

I shake my head, astonished and confused, but I get up and follow him out of the cafeteria.

Time seemed to be moving extra slowly as I sat in class, in the way that time usually drags when you're looking forward to something.. I wonder if Kari could be feeling like this? If I was lucky, there was actual work to do in class. But when the teacher was just talking, I couldn't stop imagining different scenarios involving me and Kari. Quite a few of them involved a kiss and that made my face feel warm. Excitement and nervousness were constantly at war in my head, my stomach, and my heart.

Finally, lunch arrived. Though with all my emotions in turmoil, I didn't feel very hungry. I walk as fast as I can trying to get to the cafeteria. It's a little difficult because there are so many other students trying to get somewhere too. As soon as I get to the cafeteria, I check the time on my phone. It's only been a couple of minutes since the bell rang so I'm not surprised that Kari's not here yet.

I stand against the wall outside the cafe and play on my phone while I wait for her.