I wake up at the ring of my alarm. At first, I decide I'll do my morning yoga on the balcony. But then I remember a jammed balcony. 'I'll skip my yoga and clean the house instead.' I mutter to myself while making my way to the washroom to clean my face. I wondered if Ryan was home or not. If he was, I would prefer to not run into him. I don't look the best when I just woke up from bed. I almost run to the washroom in case I run into him. While making my way to the washroom, I take a glimpse of the sneakers he wore while leaving lying in front of the main gate.'So he is home.' I think to myself. By the time I get out of the washroom, I find his sneakers missing. 'And he's gone. AGAIN.'
I find a chit on the table beside the plate with bread and jam and a cup of milk saying, "Bon Appétit." with a big smiley. A smile starts forming on my face. 'No, don't fall for him. He's gay.' I take the chit and throw it in the dustbin. As soon as I finish eating, I start a song with full volume and start cleaning. My room was my first target. Then, the balcony, the dining and the washroom. I thought if I should or shouldn't clean Ryan's room. But it would be really impolite for a girl to clean a guy's room without his permission.
While cleaning my room, I took a better look at the books lying on the side of the table. They were comics. Tons of them. He must really like comics. I kept them wrapped with a cloth under my bed and instead put my books there. The closet, like every other thing in this house, is unclean and dusty. It's so dusty that it makes me wonder if he ever used this closet. I push his thoughts away because I know I'm thinking about him more than I should and it's unhealthy. It takes a little more than an hour to finish cleaning my room and the balcony. The balcony's view is lovely. It's an open field with many kinds of birds resting. Our San Marlon's most special thing is the variety of birds. There are birds of many kinds and many colors. But they are not seen much flying. I always wondered where they stay. Today, I finally found it. This view was something I would trade my beautiful and expensive jewels for. Maybe even my car. The wind smelled fresh unlike how the house smelt. I figured if the windows were kept open the house would look more lively. So, I opened all the windows, except for the ones in Ryan's room. The dining wasn't much dirty. And I was getting late for my school. So, I decided to clean the dining later in the evening or tomorrow morning. After cleaning I go to take a shower and when I come out, I find his sneakers in front of the door. 'He's back again.'
When I finish getting ready for school, I find a dining table full of chicken fries and other junk foods.
"Here's our lunch,'' he says with a smile. Not a grin but an actual smile.
I wanted to refuse because I don't like eating junk foods. But his genuine smile changes my words into a "Thank you"
We both eat in silence. I keep on taking a peek at him because he looks too hot in our school uniform. He doesn't notice it though. Because he's busy watching something on his phone and smiling. The same smile. I kind of feel sad that his beautiful smile is not for me only. But I tell myself, 'Don't feel sad. It's impossible between you. HE IS GAY.'
"Who is?" Ryan asks with a confused expression mouth full of food.
Shit. I said it aloud.
"Dan." the most stupid answer I could ever give. Well, I'm not friendly with other guys. So, I couldn't think of an imaginary name.
"Who's Dan?"
"My best friend's brother."
I fucked up.
"Ok, and why are you telling me that?"
'Why Why Why. Think Julie think.'
"I just wanted to warn you. You are good-looking so he might fall for you."
Did I just call him good-looking?
He grinned and answered," Sure, I'll be careful." Not his genuine smile, but his annoyingly good-looking grin.
After lunch, I help him clean up. When I was about to leave for school, he stopped me and said," Wait. Your mom told us to go together."
Of course. Mom never lets me be alone outside the home. She says it's dangerous given how many enemies my dad has.
"Ok, let's go," I say kind of happy with the idea of sitting next to Ryan in a crowded bus.
"Let me take my keys."
Okay, maybe not the bus but his dangerous-looking bike.
The ride to school was the most horrible one ever. Unlike anything, I had imagined. He drove so fast that my hair became a mess. But the most embarrassing part was when I held Ryan's clothes so tight that they threatened to rip. The whole school's eyes were on me as I walked inside the school gate side by side with the hottest guy in the whole San Marlon. Too bad he wasn't in my class. But then again if he was I would have probably stared at him instead of studying.
As the school ended, I walk over to Ryan's parked bike since I couldn't find him outside class. He wasn't around his bike either. So, I take a stroll around the school looking for him. It doesn't take me long to find him. But it was very shocking and surprising and infuriating. After all, I found him just an inch away from the lips of Melanie, the goddess of our school in the abandoned part of the school. Before thinking twice, I screamed, "Aren't you gay?" making both Ryan and Melanie look over.