13: Disguises
Sonya unconsciously dropped her pencil on the ground. Her breath had stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Izo asked casually.
“W-what do you mean what’s wrong?”
“Yes? Is there something wrong with me liking you?” asked Izo with an unnaturally relaxed look on his face.
“But… Why?”
“Why?” Izo asked as well. He looked up the sky thoughtfully. “Well, you’re a cool person. You’ve got lots of things stereotypical girls don’t have. That’s the reason I like you, although not romantically.”
It took a while before the last word Izo said registered in Sonya’s head. She opened her mouth in sheer annoyance and gave Izo one on the arm. “Izo!”
Izo stood up laughing and slapped his thighs. Sonya narrowed her eyes at him. She soon started laughing along as well.
“You big smart-ass,” Sonya snorted.
Izo stopped laughing to catch his breath, still feeling the aftershocks of his own laughter.
“I got you there real good, didn’t I?” smiled Izo, taking his seat beside her again. “See? You’re better off laughing than moping like this. I said it before and I’ll say it again. Stop thinking you’re not beautiful because you are on so many levels.”
Sonya smirked. “Liar. Don’t say things just to make me feel good.”
“Friends don’t lie to each other.”
Sonya’s lips curled together inward. “Well, whatever. Just help me with this, okay?”
“No,” Izo grinned. “Start writing something happier.”
Sonya leaned back and squinted in the sunlight. A cool breeze blew. She pulled her scarf up to her ear and closed her eyes. Far away below, she could the buzz of city life. “I think I’ll just take a nap,” she declared, suddenly feeling her eyes grow heavy. “Watch over me.”
“It’s not like you’re going to disappear.”
“What if I sleepwalk and fall off?” Sonya grinned as she nestled herself between the throw pillows on the couch.
“I’m not your baby-sitter,” complained Izo. “And you sleep like a log. What am I supposed to do while you’re sleeping?”
“Think of something happy I can write about then,” Sonya smiled with her eyes closed.
“Why don’t you write about Ukita?”
Sonya’s eyes snapped open and she stared up at him.
“Don’t encourage me, Izo.” Sonya felt the blood rush to her face. It almost made her dizzy. “Besides,” she added, “I’m not about to write something so shallow.”
“Shallow, huh,” Izo nodded thoughtfully. He then took his seat on the floor and leaned his back on the couch.
“Why?” Sonya noticed the saddened tone of Izo’s voice.
“I wrote something for someone I like.”
“Oh, Izo. I didn’t mean—”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s okay.”
“It’s just that it’s different with Kenoyo…”
“I know. I said it was okay, didn’t I? I know what you meant. Now go take your nap.”
“Look what you did! Now I can’t take a nap! You have to tell me what it’s about!”
“No,” Izo grinned. “Go nap.”
YOU ARE READING
Paradox
RomanceAverage, undistinguished, and just downright ordinary. This is you. And you are drooling over of the hottest celebrity in the country. There is little to zero chance that you would ever meet him face-to-face. That's a fact and no chink for debate. S...
