Waver✓

T W E N T Y - O N E

<You could date a stick of dynamite and wouldn't go out with a bang- Eminem>

|21|

THE NEWS of our arranged date spread rapidly like wildfire across the Australian wilderness. Everywhere I went, people both juniors, seniors including some not so subtle teachers---heck I was surprised when I saw one the other day sizing me up and down, perhaps thinking I wasn't up to his holiness, Kian---pointed their stubby fingers at me, no doubt whispering about the fact I was going out on a date with Kian.

Letting a tiny sigh escape my glossy lips, I recalled Jayden and I's little conversation as we had walked home that day.

"Why did you accept in the first place?" he asked as I was munching on the last of the five pringles he'd brought me. Odd how I'm quickly cramming them into my mouth when there's an itsy bitsy issue at hand.

"I did that so he wouldn't feel bad in front of everyone," I said in between mouthfuls of chips. Probably hundred percent sure I look like a fat, brown chipmunk with a mouth bulging full of acorns.

Jayden looked like he wanted to say something but held back and instead shrugged. "Well, you really don't want to go out with him, right?"

I nodded, tongue too tied up with flakes of crispy potato to speak. A reason why I love pringles.

"Then just as you told him yes in public, you can tell him no in private," he said and shrugged again.

Hmm. That was a good idea, I thought, a very good one.

"See you tomorrow Jam and if you want, you can do what I told you to. Bye!" he called out, shrugging, a few feets away from me. I had been lost in thoughts so I didn't know when he'd started walking at a faster pace.

"Bye and thanks for the idea and pringles! You can get some more for me tomorrow, you know!" I yelled after him, hoping my plea for more pringles reached his cute ears. Yeah, seriously he has real cute and adorable ears. They make me want to yank on them most of the time and it's only good mind that holds me in place.

The only reply he gave me was that motion again, hunching his blue cotton sweater clad shoulders up and down. I rolled my eyes, relishing the last of my hot and spicy pringle.

What was up with him and shrugging? It was almost like he cared too much about the fact that I was going out with Kian and was trying to cover it up by not pretending to? Well, that wasn't what I needed to be thinking about right now. Jayden's idea was good though.

And that was what I did. Or rather, tried to do 'cos Kian never ever gave me the opportunity to actually be alone with him. He was always with someone and whenever I signalled to him that I wanted to speak with him privately, he gave me one stupid excuse or the other. Funny thing was that I couldn't help but think he knew what I wanted to do but I always shook that feeling off. He couldn't be that perceptive now, could he?

Now as I stared in the mirror at my reflection---a reflection I still couldn't believe was mine--- I made up my mind that when Kian came to pick me up, I would gently turn him down.

Mom patted my hair just as I was about to stop looking at the dressing mirror. Ugh! Not the hair!

"Mom! You'll spoil the buns if you keep on doing that." I pouted and wrinkled my forehead as I tried to wriggle my way out of her hold and away from the mirror.

She just smiled and led me back to the mirror. "Look there, it's still intact and as perfect as before." True enough, my hair was still in that round puffy shape and I gave out a sigh of relief.