Clueless and In Love

Chapter 2

                                                                      

(Jackson)

“Michael really said that?” she said, laughing her heart out.

I smiled. “Yup, and the best part is, he actually got away with it.”

I was walking Chloe home from Greenwich.

Her jet black hair was braided and hung from the side of her neck.

She was wearing a pink beret and a black scarf with snowflakes on it.

I was telling her of a story that happened to me and Michael that involved a restaurant, pasta, and Michael trying to run away with his shoelaces untied.

I told her the story to break the awkwardness between us. The only reason why it was awkward was that we didn’t know that much about each other. I didn’t like her in ‘that’ way. I had someone different in mind, but we weren’t that close so I had to come up with an ice breaker.

“How’s your hot cocoa?” I asked, sipping mine.

We passed a hot chocolate stand a few block back and I thought it was a good idea to keep us from freezing to death.

She sipped it and recoiled back.

“Hot,” she said, with her tongue out.

I laughed. “Didn’t I tell you to blow on it first?”

“No,” she said, fanning her tongue with her hand.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Baka(Idiot).”

I had grown accustomed to speaking Japanese phrases from time to time. It was an annoying habit I picked up from watching too much Anime.

She plainly stuck her tongue out like a five year old. “Plus, you didn’t have to buy it for me. I could have paid myself.”

I chuckled, smiling nostalgically. “Mom always said, ‘A true gentleman never lets a woman pay.’ ”

She laughed at that and lightly budged me.

We continued walking. The sidewalk was lit by bright street lamps on either ends. The cold breeze blew through the trees around us and the crescent moon shown above our heads.

“Congratulation by the way,” she said after a while.

I looked over at her. “Arigato(Thank You).”

“And with that victory, you’re going to the Junior Soccer Frontier, right?” she said, sipping her coco.

I looked up at the sky. There were so many stars out; I couldn’t count them, the crescent moon shown like a spotlight.

“Yeah. I’ve wanted to get into that tournament for years. And now, I finally get a chance to play in it.”

 She smiled and lightly nudged my arm. “Good luck out there, Jack.”

I sighed. “Luck, huh?”

I was always one to believe in luck. I prayed every night and asked God for a bit of luck every once in a while, and most of the time, it always worked out.

I stared at the dark night, as if in a daze, thinking of strategies and tactics for the Tournament. This was the greatest opportunity given to me. I won’t waste it. Not one second of it. I’ll definitely play in that tournament, and leave no regrets behind.

“Hey, earth to Jackson?”

I snapped back into reality. Chloe was looking at me as if I was insane.