Ten Steps With You

Chapter 3: Oliver

"Alright! So it's decided. Oliver and Summer shall be playing the main roles!"

Hearing this, the members of group A erupted into celebration.

"Oy, I never consented to this," Oliver said.

"Relax, this is at less of a magnitude than our usual teasing." Miguel laughed.

"Sorry you two but we live in a democracy. The will of the people is the will of the people." Someone interjected.

"Sure, Albert. Democracy is nice." Oliver said.

Albert sat at the end of the table where all members of group A were gathered. Being fairly big, he sported a black jacket on top of his well-kept uniform and a Bluetooth headset around his neck.

Continuing his sarcasm, Albert carried on. "As the group leader, I'm only the representative of the people, Oliver."

"Why are you even the-"

"Okay, so I'll be seeing you all later at my house. Dismissed." Albert said, ignoring Oliver.

As the rest of the group left the area, Oliver and Summer remained at the table, looking at each other confused.

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Albert's house was perched on a quiet area overlooking one of the vast strawberry farms of the region from the neighboring city.

The walls of the structure were a calm shade of white and the roof above it tilted at an angle which shadowed over a porch decorated in potted plants and ornaments.

"This place is nice." Miguel said.

"I guess I have to agree."

As each person in the group removed their shoes to enter the chosen rendezvous, Albert came to greet the group.

"Welcome to my house. Let's move upstairs shall we?" Albert exclaimed.

One by one, all of them made their way to Albert's room on the second floor of his house.

"Nice room." Miguel lightly punched Albert on the arm.

"Thanks."

Upon entering, practically everyone started touching whatever looked aesthetically pleasing to them in the space.

Albert's room was relatively organized.

On the area by the window sat a big monitor and a glowing CPU that seemed like it would cost a fortune as posters and oil paintings of a various selection of video games were pinned neatly on a gray bulletin board hung on the wall.

In the middle of the room, however, lay a square carpet and a small round table. The group decided to sit there.

"Do you have the book?"

"Yep, it's right here." A group member placed a thick dusty book on the table.

The story group A had chosen for their performance was a romantic folklore from the Northeastern region of the country.

The tale talks about two rivals who found themselves unable to distance themselves from each other after an intense night in which both of them brutally competed against one another at a local competition.

At first, the two naturally hated their odd situation. But as time passed on, the once fierce rivals slowly fell in love with each other day by day.

"What happens next?" Summer asked.

"They find a cure to their curse." Albert replied. "But I guess to keep the romance aspect, the two decided not to break the curse and to live the rest of their lives like that."

Albert continued. "It's a bit of a weird conclusion to the story, but hey what can you do about it? It's a work of fiction."

"I don't know if there's a better story we could use other than this." Miguel said.

"I agree." A member of the group added.

"Look, I don't really know about this." Oliver said.

"Why?" Miguel asked. "What's so wrong about it."

"Yeah, Oliver. What's so wrong about it?" Albert teased.

Understandably annoyed, Oliver stood up to confront Albert on the other side of the table. However, he is hastily interrupted.

"I don't mind." Summer said.

"Are you sure?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, I don't mind it at all."

"Well," Albert said. "It's final. You two are playing the roles."

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Sitting on his bed, Oliver sighed.

"Well I guess I'll have to do it. It's not like I can decline now."

After their shenanigans at Albert's, the two made their way home.

"But why would Summer be fine with this?" Oliver lay down on his bed. "It makes no sense."

Oliver and Summer lived in the same apartment building. They lived so close to each other that Oliver's room was only right above that of Summer.

"She was so cute awhile ago, though." Oliver began to recall.

A small red polkadot dress which complimented the puffed sleeves of her outfit while she sat calmly crossing her legs on the ground as her purse brushed the fuzzy carpet.

Facing away from the sunlight coming from the window, Summer's black hair reflected the bright light. It was if a shining aura surrounded her.

"Snap out of it, Oliver." He shook his head rapidly. "Don't want to die out of her cuteness."

Oliver paused.

"What am I saying???"

In the room below, Summer was repeatedly kicking the air as she screamed in her bear-shaped pillow.

Has he forgotten how terrible the sound proofing is in this building???

"But," Oliver continued. "Maybe I should draw my thoughts. No use just blurting them out."

The last shades of sunlight exited the room.

Sitting on a carved wooden chair, Oliver placed a paper on his desk before turning on a calm little table lamp, illuminating the space in a fuzzy yellow.

Sharpening his pencil, he began to draw Summer from memory.

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