Juan Diaz had a crush on me. That couldn't be right. Probably just my imagination.
But, I wasn't imagining it, was I?
The harder I tried to struggle out of his hug, the tighter he hugged me. This couldn't be happening.
Why did I always have to know everything?
I wish I was like those best friends that was oblivious to the other best friend's feelings. Like in the movies. It wasn't fair. I always knew what was going on around me. It was a blessing and a curse.
Arrgh. Why me? I didn't like Juan like that.
This was all my fault. I was sending all the wrong signals. He was cuddling me in my bed for crying out loud. How long till he decided he couldn't hide his feelings any more? How was I going to let him down? Would he still want to friends? I couldn't take that chance. I was going to have to learn to love him.
I turned around to watch him sleep. It couldn't be that hard. I might never have had a crush on anyone before but, I'm really good at convincing myself. Okay. He was really good looking. He was the first person who was ever nice to me. He watched the same movie over and over again just because it made me happy. He was perfect. So, why didn't I have a crush on him?
Sooner or later he would want to tell me. I guess I have to learn to love him the way he loves me. Or I could just pretend I don't know and prevent him from telling me. Yeah I'll pretend. He was going to have to get over me eventually. Right? Wrong. There's no way that would have worked.
This is exactly what I didn't need.
Friend drama added to my creepy stalker and his weird entourage. I had to fix it.
"What's wrong?", Juan asked. I didn't realize I had a look of despair on my face.
"Juan?", I said in a low, soft voice.
"Yes", he said in a deeper voice than usual. It made me feel weird. I did not like it.
"Do you have a crush on me?", I blurted out. I had to be sure.
He couldn't hide his shock.
"What?... I.... Wait.... What?", he said, stammering. He got up from my bed.
"It's not a hard question to answer Juan.", I said, losing my patience but, keeping a straight face.
"You don't just ask people that, Green.", he said looking nervous but angry.
"You can't seriously be mad right now. It's a yes, no or I don't know question, Juan.", I said visibly frustrated. "Why do you always have to be so extra?"
"I'm extra? You just asked me if I had a crush on you. What if I said no?"
"Then nothing would have changed."
"Then, what if I said yes, Green?", he said.
I couldn't believe this dude.
"I'm going to take a shower."
"Green.", he said in that deep voice again.
"You didn't answer my question so I don't have to answer yours.", I said going into my bathroom.
I really didn't know why he was so mad. If he had said yes, I'm wasn't sure what would have happened but I knew it would have been better than him not answering my question.
Maybe I was a little too blunt for my own good. But, it was better than thinking you know something and not confirming it. Maybe I shouldn't have said it so straight forward. People can't handle that. Great. Now I had to apologize.
I went to my room to go apologize but, when I got there he was gone. I guessed he had gone home. I would just apologize to him at school.
~~~~~~~
I tried to apologize to Juan at school but, he kept on avoiding me. He didn't even sit beside me at the one class we had together. This was what I got for being straight forward.
I didn't even bother sitting at our normal table. I knew it would have been too awkward for him. So, I decided to sit at an empty table. Except, when I say there, some boys from the basket ball team sat there. I guessed they didn't see me cause they didn't ask me to get up or anything. Which was good cause every other table was taken.
They started talking about basket ball. Which I know nothing about. I just sat down and ate my macaroni and cheese in silence. That was until I saw Blue eyes. Ugh. What was he doing there.
"What are you doing here?", I asked. The guys at the table almost jumped. They really hadn't seen me. But, Blue eyes did. He smirked.
"Oh Green. It's such a coincidence seeing you here", he said.
"I go to school here.", I said getting up.
"Where are you going?", he said still smirking.
"Away", I said.
"Oh yeah, right. Away to the hundreds of tables you have to at", he said. "Right?"
I hated that he was right.
"Don't talk to me.", I said sitting down.
"Wasn't planning on it", he said looking smug.
Idiot.
They started talking about the upcoming basket ball game.
"The other team players are way taller than us", one of the players said. "We don't stand a chance."
Wow. They were not that smart.
"It's not about height. It's about skill", I said quietly. The guys stopped talking. "If you're going to keep thinking about how tall the other team is then you really don't stand a chance. Don't think, just practice. Practice makes better."
They just stared.
I was through with my lunch so I left.
~~~~~~~
The next week came and Juan was still avoiding me. I tried to talk to him three times and once he saw me he just walked away.
So extra.
I remembered I hadn't shown him my art project but, the deadline was that day and it was already the end of the school day. So, I decided to take a picture of it and show him when he decided to get over himself and talk to me.
I was in my art class about to give my teacher the project when blue eyes came from no where and bumped into me. I tripped and green paint spilled all over my drawing.
"I'm so sorry", he said looking scared.
"Sorry", I said. "You're sorry! Why are you like this, man?"
I was about to say some not so PG words when my art teacher took my project. He hadn't seen what happened.
"Wow", he said. "No wonder you took so long. This is the best project I've ever received. A+."
What? No.
"Mr Richard..."
"No no. Call me Richy", he said interrupting me.
I took a deep breath.
"Mr Richy", I said, really annoyed. "That is not my project, I..."
"But it's got your name on it", he interrupted, again.
"Yes, but..."
"Did you get someone else to do it for you?"
"No. But..."
"Then, how is this not your project?"
That's it.
"Have a good day, Richy", I said forcing the widest smile ever. I walked away.
Blue eyes ran after me.
"Green, wait!", he shouted, running after me. He ran a lot.
"Why?", I said. "What do I have to do to get you to leave me alone?"
He smirked.
Oh my God. He actually took my rhetorical question seriously. I can't believe this guy.
"Whatever you want to say, no", I said. I started walking away again.
"Hold on", he said running. "Wow. You walk fast."
Only when I wanted to get away from him.
I kept on walking.
"I want you to join the basketball ball team," he said panting.
"I'm sorry what?"
"The team and I. We need you to join the team", he said.
You have got to be kidding me.
"I'm a five feet tall, curvy black girl who has never played a game in her life. So, can you tell me why you're really talking to me?", I said, getting ready to walk away again.
"I'm serious. Your little speech at lunch last week helped us at practice. The coach wanted to know who made us do so great. We need you to be our team manager", he said.
"No."
"Oh, come on. Do you have any idea how many people would kill for this job?"
"Oh really."
"Yeah."
"If so many people would kill for this job then why don't you have a team manager right now?"
"Oh... Um...", he stammered.
"Look buddy. Yes, I don't have a lot going on for me. Yes, I'm the loneliest I've been in a long time. Yes, my best friend hasn't spoken to me in seven days. But, I'm not about to be babysitting a bunch of grown ass teenagers. So just leave me the hell alone!", I said, my eyes threatening to bring out tears.
"Woah. I'm sorry okay? It's fine. You don't have to do it. I just thought it would be good to spend your time on", I started to walk away. "And it'll look good for college!"
I turned so dramatically that, he almost laughed.
"Did you say college?", I said smiling.
The one thing that I cared about most was going to Pacific University and getting far, far away from that town. And, if babysitting a bunch of grown teenagers would help me, then so be it. It was also going totaled so much of my time that I might not even see Juan. That made me happy.
"So, you'll do it?", he asked laughing.
"Yeah. Thank you", I said, smiling and hugging him.
He was so shocked. So was I.
"Sorry", I said releasing him.
"It's fine", he said, smiling nervously.
"I have to go but, I'll see you tomorrow for the managing thing", I said walking away.
"Oh yeah", I said stopping. "How do you even know my name?"
"Green is your name?", he said, shocked. "I just nicknamed you that. Weird."
"Oh okay. Bye, Blue eyes", I said, waving and walking away again.
"It's Mace. Mace Smith!", he shouted.
So, my stalker was the Mace Smith Martin, Gabby and Joanie were rambling about. They would kill me if they found out I knew him. I kind of missed those guys. But, at least I gotta new job I could forget about them with. Even if it was with Blue eyes.
I knew it wasn't exactly wise to work with the guy who stalked me with his friends but, what was the worst thing that could happen?
I went to bed that night the happiest I'd been in a long time. Well, a week but, you know what I mean.