Loving Raph Is Red (TMNT) ✔

1: Pizza Blunder

It was during the Knicks basketball game when a pizza fell out of nowhere and caused one of the players to step on it and slide off the court. 

I could not help it, I snorted so loud and it must have turned my date off. When I glanced at him, he gaped at me in disgust, his slice of pizza still in his hand.

The look on his face makes it obvious that this is the first and last time he'll be dating me.

"Well, what do you know, Rick?" I said, "Basketball is awesome."

Few days later, I can definitely confirm that was the last date I am ever going to have with Rick. Actually, now that I thought about it, that's the last date I am ever going to have.

"I don't think so," my sister, Angela, says as she grabs her keys,

Crap. I said that one aloud. "I'm serious, though, I'm done with that dating shit."

Angela stops by the door and turns around to grimace at what I said, "Please don't say that. There's plenty of guys out there that wants to be with you."

I roll my eyes, "Sure,"

"I'm serious," she opens the door then pauses, "You just gotta give em a chance."

"How can I give them a chance when they're all boring or a big di--"

"--Like I said," she interrupts, "Give them a chance." She says and bids me goodbye,

I say goodbye and my sister finally leaves me alone in my apartment. She's been setting me up with guys ever since I broke up with Davin two years ago. She keeps telling me that I need to find someone to help me move on, but the truth is, I've moved on the day after he and I broke up. I just could not tell her...because she was happy helping me.

But this time, I convinced her that Rick's the last "help" she'll ever give me if it doesn't work out. It didn't. So, she's finally off my back.

Although something different happened that night, it wasn't because of Rick. It was a strange man at the rooftop whom I spoke to in the dead of night.

I didn't finish the basketball game. After the pizza incident and after making Rick feel uncomfortable, I pretended to excuse myself to the restroom--but I left the arena instead. I took myself straight home with my large soda. I slurped that thing until I found myself walking up the rooftop, my favorite place to hang at. 

My apartment isn't as big as it looks. I barely see my neighbors when I walk out, which explains why I always have the rooftop to myself whenever I want it. 

The rooftop is perfect: there's enough space to set up tables and folding chairs. I even managed to put my blanket and pillow up there. I leave the rooftop unattended for one night, and it's still there disheveled, waiting for me to lay on it at night.

But that night...I wasn't alone. I don't know if it was my neighbor who decided to visit the rooftop for once or someone, but it was the weirdest encounter I have ever had. But for some reason...I went on with it.

I remember it so vividly...

I plopped myself on the chair and looked up at the starless sky. It was bound to rain soon. I told myself that I'll stay there for a few more minutes and then I'll pack up. Minutes later, as I stood up taking my pillow, I heard a loud clanking sound from the street at the other side of the apartment building. It startled the shit out of me. 

Grumpy because I was tired and crapped on a blind date, I wanted to check on the noise to shout at the kids messing about at the alley just beside my apartment building. I walked to the edge and looked down only to see figures of tall, built men in weird ragged clothes. The building was too high, as it was difficult for me to tell who they were. Then I remembered the danger New York had in the streets. Shredder almost blew up New York. And I'm sure there are many other psychopaths who work for him to bring any kind of danger. So I quickly hid when I noticed that one of them suddenly looked at my direction.

I knew I made a sound so I covered my mouth as I stayed calm. Slowly, I crawled to the edge to take a good look if they're gone. Fortunately, they were gone. Or so I thought.

I stood back on my feet, calmed myself down, and brushed the thought away thinking that if I keep thinking about it, it'll just scare me more. I kept fixing my pillows and blankets until I heard another noise. But this time, it was closer. It sounded like it came from behind me. 

I closed my eyes before turning and prepared myself. "Is anyone there?" I called out,

There was no answer, "Who the hell is there?"

No answer,

"I know someone's there. Don't be a coward and show yourself." I sneered,

And lucky enough it was enough to taunt the stranger,

I heard a mumble, something about me being the coward instead. I couldn't tell because it seemed like he wasn't supposed to say it out loud.

"Show yourself." I taunted even more, acting angry so the stranger would not think I feared him, 

He did not say anything back,

"Can't you hear me?" I sneered again, "Have you been watching me?"

"Watching you?" He asked rhetorically and slowly moved away from the shadow a little bit, enough to make me see a figure in the shadows, "You're the one who's been hiding and eavesdropping."

I gaped at his comment, "And you're any different?"

I sense his anger as well. Who the hell is this man? Why is he hiding in the shadows and wasting time throwing his wits at me?

"Who the hell are you?"

"What did you see?" He countered with a question,

I frowned at this, "Enough for me to tell people if you don't tell me who you are right now."

There was silence, and then, before I could say anything again, I heard another rustling behind me making me turn around. My heart was beating faster than before. As I turned around again, the figure was gone.

It took me a few moments to look around, trying to figure out if he left me alone or if he's moved. But I realized, I was left alone again in the rooftop.

Dazed, I took my pillows and blankets into my arms and tried to walk it off.

---

"What in the hell were you doing?!" Leo pulled Raph into an empty alley, just a few blocks away from Alice's apartment,

Raph groaned at Leo, "Get off me!"

Leo pushed him harder against the wall, but this only made Raph angrier, making him grab Leo's arm to turn him around and push him against the wall now, 

"You realize you were about to blow your cover?!" Leo did not stop,

Donny ran to them, "Guys, let's not do this here. We don't need another kind of trouble. We've had enough for tonight."

Leo glares at Donny then glances at Raph, "Why don't you tell that to Raph here who clearly did not learn anything from Mikey's pizza blunder earlier."

"I was going to fix the problem!" Raph defended himself,

"By what? By exposing yourself to a human? A woman?" Leo hissed,

Raph pulled himself away and turned around with a groan, "She said she saw us. I was doing something smart for once and settle things with her--"

"What are you gonna do then, huh? Convince her not to say crap? Beat her up? Yeah, real smart, Raph. Go on, tell me. What was the plan?"

Raph turned to glare at his brother. Raph could not say anything. He was definitely not going to explain to him the truth. He was not going to tell him that he's been eyeing Alice. He was not going to tell him that that moment was the closest he's ever been to Alice.

He jumped into the sewer and left his brothers in frustration.