“What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?” Chapter 3 (Sample)
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Chapter 3
On Monday, I approach Krista’s and my lunch table and notice that a male stranger is seated in the typically empty seat beside Krista. Both their lunches are unpacked and they’re already eating, so I assume he’s here to stay. The stranger has beige skin, short blond hair, and blue eyes. And though he’s seated, I can tell he’s taller than Mordecai. I always compare new guys to Mordecai. Honestly, this new guy is pretty cute. If I weren’t already taken—in my mind, anyway—I might consider crushing on him.
I put my lunch bag on the table, and they both look at me. “Hey…” I say hesitantly.
“Hey, Chloe. This is Simon Adler,” Krista says.
I sit. “Hey,” Simon Adler greets.
“Hey,” I respond, waiting for more of an introduction.
“Simon’s new,” Krista says. “He and I met in chemistry class, and we haven’t been able to stop talking since.”
“Cool,” I say as I unpack my lunch. “What did you guys spend all that time talking about?”
“Jabon Island,” Simon says.
“Yeah,” Krista says. “I finally found someone who loves the series as much as I do.”
“Thank goodness,” I say. “You’ve saved me from feeling guilty every time I have to make up an excuse not to watch one of the movies with her.” I bite into my sandwich.
“Chloe thinks they’re childish,” Krista tells Simon as she eats some chips.
“No, I just think they’re random,” I say. “I mean, isn’t there like a volcano that spews soap or something?”
“Yeah, but that’s just it,” Simon says. “The two groups on the island—the men, the Jabonites, and the women, the Jabonettes—are constantly feuding over control of the soap volcano. You see, it’s the only source of soap on the island, and—”
I put up my hand to stop him. “Please spare me the details. I tried reading one of the books once, and that was enough for me.” I lower my hand.
“Told you,” Krista says.
“All right, no fantasy fiction for you,” Simon says, eating a slice of cold pizza. “So, what kind of movies are you into?”
“I like romance. Not like romantic comedy romance because that can be too over-the-top for me. I prefer simple love stories.”
“I see. You sound like my sister,” Simon says.
“Really?” He nods. “Is she younger or older?”
“Older. She’s already in college.”
“That’s cool,” I say. “She has good taste.”
“I’ll tell her you said that.”
“I remember, the day one of those ‘simple love stories’ came out,” Krista begins, “I made the mistake of suggesting we have a Jabon Island movie marathon instead because it was the birthday of one of the lead actors, and I thought it would be a cool way to celebrate.”
“That would have been cool,” Simon agrees.
“Yeah, well, in my mind I was thinking, ‘Soap volcano, war, and violence or beautiful love story with breathtaking scenery?’” I say. “It wasn’t a hard choice to make.” Simon laughs.
“I ended up going with her,” Krista says, “and it actually wasn’t that bad.”
“You mean the parts you were awake for,” I say, laughing.
She shrugs. “What can I say? Nineteenth century romance is just not my cup of tea.” We all laugh. And I know Simon will make the perfect addition to our lunch table—and our lives. But I can’t help but notice that he has this odd habit of glancing at me often while Krista is talking. And yet, his eyes are steadily on me while I talk. Weird.
Toward the end of the conversation, I say, “Oh, Simon. Do you use IM?”
“I do,” he says.
I pull out my planner and open to a random page. I hand it to him along with a pen. “Write down your IM name, and we can chat sometime. I’ll give it to Krista.”
“Sure,” he says, taking the pen and planner.
When Simon finishes writing, he hands me my pen and planner back. Then he pulls out his planner and opens it to a random page. “Could I have your name, too? Just in case,” he says.
“Sure,” I say, taking his planner and writing my IM name on it. Then Krista adds hers to the page, and we are now officially friends.
*****
That evening, I’m in the middle of doing math homework when Simon IMs me. I had intended to add him to my friends list that day, but it just slipped my mind.
Simonsayz32: hey chloe
Simonsayz32: it’s simon from school
Simplesnowflake: hey!
Simplesnowflake: nice to hear from u again
Simonsayz32: u too
Simonsayz32: what r u up to?
Simplesnowflake: math hw
Simonsayz32: what math r u in?
Simplesnowflake: precal
Simonsayz32: what? already?
Simplesnowflake: yeah
Simplesnowflake: it’s really not that big a deal
Simplesnowflake: a lot of sophomores take precal
Simonsayz32: not at my old school
Simonsayz32: they would have considered u some kind of genius
Simplesnowflake: lol
Simplesnowflake: not here
Simonsayz32: what r u working on?
Simplesnowflake: sine, cosine, and tangent
Simonsayz32: whatever that means
Simplesnowflake: u learned that stuff in geometry, remember?
Simplesnowflake: it’s basic trig
Simonsayz32: yeah i didn’t do too good in geometry
Simplesnowflake: sorry
Simonsayz32: but if ur in precal, does that mean ur like an expert in algebra 2?
Simplesnowflake: i wouldn’t say expert…
Simonsayz32: how about this?
Simonsayz32: do u think u’d be able to help someone struggling with algebra 2?
Simplesnowflake: yeah, i could do that
Simonsayz32: someone like me?
Simplesnowflake: lol yeah
Simplesnowflake: anytime u need help just ask me
Simonsayz32: i’m gonna take u up on that
Simplesnowflake: please do
Simonsayz32: alright i g2g
Simonsayz32: ttyl chloe
Simplesnowflake: u too
He signs off, and I keep working on math.
*****
Two days later, Simon accepts my offer to help him with algebra. He shows me a worksheet he got from class, and we work on it in the library after school.
“And so you can just plug the two values you got for x back into the equation,” I say. “If both sides are equal with both x values, you know you got it right.”
“And if they’re not equal?” he wonders.
“Then if you have time, go back and try to find where you made a mistake.”
“And what if I can’t find what I did wrong?”
“Don’t think that way. Think positive. Just work through the problem from the beginning. Most likely you just added something wrong or something simple like that.”
“Yeah, either that or I had no idea what I was doing and have no hope of finding my mistake in time.”
I shake my head in feigned exasperation. When I do, I happen to glance up, and then I see him. Mordecai. Shoulder-length brown hair. Tall, but not too tall. A slight slouch. Pale skin. Gentle gray eyes. I’d know him anywhere and at any angle. He’s checking out a book at the front desk.
My eyes freeze on him. I’m so unused to seeing him at school that catching him in the library at the same time I’m there throws off my world. Simon starts calling me back to consciousness, but it’s not until he begins waving his pencil in front of my face that I remember what I had been doing.
“Chloe, you still there?” he asks.
I look at him. “Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m here,” I say. “Let’s do the next problem.”
“Who was that?”
“Who?”
“That guy you were staring at.”
I sigh and look down at the worksheet. “That was no one. Let’s just get back to math.”
We work for another half-hour before going home. I’m not sure if Simon understands anything I go over with him, but I explain the best I can. I’ll admit, though, I’m not fully there after spotting Mordecai. It’s like a fisherman who’s been telling mermaid tales all his life trying to get back to business after spotting one. Even though Mordecai is real not mythical, sightings of him are just as rare and even more wonderful—and distracting.
*****
That afternoon, I can’t help wanting to share my exciting news with Mordecai himself. He’s online when I sign on, and I take the risk of IMing him first.
Simplesnowflake: i saw u at school today
More2come81: o?
More2come81: where?
Simplesnowflake: the library
Simplesnowflake: after school
More2come81: o yeah
More2come81: i was checking out a book for a history paper
More2come81: y were u there?
Simplesnowflake: i was helping a friend with math hw
More2come81: krista?
Simplesnowflake: no, a different friend
Simplesnowflake: a new friend
More2come81: boy or girl?
Simplesnowflake: what does that matter?
More2come81: it matters
Simplesnowflake: y?
More2come81: just cuz
Simplesnowflake: i’m going to need more of a reason
More2come81: fine
More2come81: don’t tell me
Simplesnowflake: i’ll tell u if u tell me y it matters
More2come81: i’m just wondering if this was really all about hw
More2come81: or if maybe there’s a new guy in ur life
Simplesnowflake: well technically there is a new guy in my life
Simplesnowflake: but he’s just a friend
Simplesnowflake: and we were really in the library just to study math
More2come81: uh huh
More2come81: if u say so
Simplesnowflake: what does it matter to u anyway?
Simplesnowflake: aren’t u with someone right now?
More2come81: kind of
Simplesnowflake: what does kind of mean?
More2come81: we’re in a fight right now
More2come81: i’m not sure how things r gonna turn out
Simplesnowflake: what r u fighting about?
Just then, Simon signs on and IMs me.
Simonsayz32: hey chloe
Simonsayz32: thanks for helping me today
Simonsayz32: i think i’m getting polynomials better now
Simplesnowflake: no problem
I minimize Simon’s window so I can get back to Mordecai.
More2come81: she claims i’m too self-absorbed
More2come81: i think she’s too needy
Simplesnowflake: is this avril we’re talking about?
More2come81: no tanya
More2come81: i broke up with avril last week
Simplesnowflake: i c
Simplesnowflake: well do u think there’s any way u could find a balance?
Simplesnowflake: like maybe u could give a little more and she could demand a little less?
More2come81: try telling her that
More2come81: there’s no reasoning with her
Simplesnowflake: maybe she’s just afraid of losing u
Simplesnowflake: maybe u should try reassuring her that u’re here to stay
More2come81: to stay?
More2come81: u mean like forever?
Simplesnowflake: i don’t know
Simplesnowflake: do u c urself marrying her someday?
More2come81: mm…
More2come81: it’s kinda soon to be thinking about that, don’t u think?
Simplesnowflake: yeah, i guess
Simplesnowflake: but i guess i don’t really c the point in dating if u’re not planning on marrying
More2come81: it’s something to do
Simplesnowflake: if that’s y u’re together, i really don’t c any point in fighting to save ur relationship
More2come81: it’s still a relationship
More2come81: even if it’s not gonna last forever, it’s still worth trying to save it
More2come81: for now
While I’ve been playing counselor to Mordecai, Simon’s message has been flashing nonstop. I open it.
Simonsayz32: so what r u up to rite now?
Simonsayz32: chloe?
Simonsayz32: u busy?
Simplesnowflake: sorry i was a little distracted
Simplesnowflake: i’m just working on some french hw
Simonsayz32: oic
Simonsayz32: that means u probably couldn’t help me with spanish
Simplesnowflake: that’s right
Simplesnowflake: unless u want help from someone who can’t say anything more than hola and buenos dias
Simplesnowflake: oh, and donde esta el telefono publico?
Simonsayz32: lol
Simonsayz32: where did u learn that last one?
Simplesnowflake: i tried to learn spanish when i was a kid
Simplesnowflake: that was the only sentence that stuck
Simonsayz32: well it could be a useful sentence if u ever get lost in a spanish-speaking country
Simplesnowflake: i think so too
Back to Mordecai.
More2come81: u don’t agree?
Simplesnowflake: i just think u should do what makes u happy
Simplesnowflake: if ur girlfriend makes u happy, then find a way to stop fighting
Simplesnowflake: but if u’re not happy, don’t prolong the suffering
Mordecai takes a while to respond, so I use that time to revisit Simon.
Simonsayz32: so y did u pick french?
Simonsayz32: chloe?
Simplesnowflake: sorry
Simplesnowflake: and i don’t really know
Simplesnowflake: i guess maybe because both of my parents speak it
Simonsayz32: that’s kool
Simonsayz32: where r they from?
Suddenly, I hear Mordecai send a few messages in rapid succession. I hurry to open his window, only to see that he has signed off.
More2come81: o sorry chloe
More2come81: i g2g
More2come81: tanya is calling me
More2come81: ttyl
There’s nothing left to do but finish my conversation with Simon.
Simplesnowflake: they’re from haiti
Simplesnowflake: but they’ve been here for a long time
Simonsayz32: that’s kool
Simplesnowflake: anyway i g2g
Simplesnowflake: ttyl simon
Simonsayz32: ok
Simonsayz32: bye chloe
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In the next chapter, Chloe starts spending more time with Simon. This causes Mordecai to show more of his jealous side.
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