The Coward Meets Mr. Perfect (Meeting the Misters Book 1)

(12) PANDA!

Oh man, i didn't notice this one was so short!

Chapter 12

“So, how long have you liked Daniel?” Anira asked and I gasped.

“Uh, I ah...” I stuttered.

Anira giggled. “You don’t have to be so shy and nervous around me. Just act like I’m your older sister. I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to be that close to you. Especially since I consider Daniel as my little brother.” She was searching through the racks while talking to me. “Oh, look. Isn’t this cute?” She held up a black top. There was a little decor in the front, but it wasn’t too much.

I nodded. She handed me the shirt and kept searching the racks. “Well, actually, it was sorta love at first sight." It was a lie, and I hoped that she didn't hear the quiver in my words. I paused and thought for a moment. "I saw him a couple months ago. He stood out because he was was so tall ... and I’m ... short.” So...that was true. I had noticed him a couple months ago because he was taller than most of the student body.

“Really?” She asked, surprised. “So, what did he say when your friend told him?”

“Well, at first he was so surprised that he didn’t say anything. And I was so afraid that I just ran away.” ...Basically the truth, right? I couldn’t believe that I was so calm, twisting the truth like this...

“And then?” She asked.

“Well...” I thought back on the turn of events. “We ended up taking the same bus home, and he asked me to go to the coffee shop near here, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer, so if I said yes or no, he would have taken me.”

Anira laughed. “Sounds so much like something he’d do!”

“And then ... well, he said he’d go out with me.” I finished lamely.

Anira chuckled as she pulled out another shirt and put it on my arm where four other shirts were.

I stared at her in surprise. I mean, the way she smiled fondly when I told her the story was the opposite of the face Sharon made when I told her.

When she saw my expression, she asked, “what is it?”

“Well, I don’t know, I expected you to be disappointed because it’s not so ... well, romantic.”

Anira shook her head, and her hair just seemed to float around it. “I didn’t expect any. Daniel’s not the type to be like that. He’d rather dump a girl than be a romantic. He’s actually done it quite a few times.”

“Oh.” I said, thinking how much it made sense.

After the little conversation, the only sound I heard for a while was the sound of hangers grating against metal bars as we looked through the racks.

Then, Anira spoke. “To tell the truth, I’m afraid for you.”

“Eh?” I looked up at her from one of the shirts I was inspecting.

“Ever since he became popular, he’s been withdrawn. At first, he was going out with girls all the time. After a while, I could tell that he didn’t care about the girls he paraded around the place. I really like you. I just don’t want your heart to be broken like he’s broken countless other girls’ hearts.”

I felt guilty right away. Anira was so nice. I was lying to her. I took a breath out and smiled. “Don’t worry about me. I don’t think he’ll be able to break my heart that easily.”

She smiled sadly. “I guess you’re right. You’re different than the others. I guess that’s why I’m so concerned.” We both smiled at each other. “Okay, let’s head over to the dressing rooms.” She led me through the racks of clothes, but at the end of one side of the store, I stopped in my tracks.

There, hanging up on the wall...was the best shirt I had ever seen. Since it was so high up,  couldn’t reach it, so I tugged on Anira’s sleeve. “That one. Can I have that one?”

She looked from me to the shirt hanging up. “Sure! Do you like pandas?”

“I love them!” I squealed as she reached for the shirt with a big panda on it and then proceeded to lead me to the changing rooms.