12 DAY AFTER DAY!

***

Day after day, Austin was waiting for Vanessa. It became his routine for a week and it seemed like he began liking the role he’s playing. He made sure to buy Vanessa her favourite snack at her favourite stall and since she had multiple roles in school, he made sure to buy her iced coffee even if sometimes Vanessa was palpitating. The challenge he posted to himself became easy for Austin and Vanessa saw a glimpse of Austin’s new behaviour. He became too patient, thoughtful; he was always there for her, radically different from the Austin she created on her mind.

Vanessa felt that Austin was really serious about their deal and he was playing his role very well. Her callous hear turned into thick, soft foam of mattress. She was thinking about certain things: first, if Austin was serious enough to pursue her, second was the fact that Austin was really changing for real, and the last one was the question posted by his friend, Krist – what if he succeeded, would you really allow her to court you?

While writing a piece of essay for the school publication page, Krist arrived at the office and he noticed that his friend was pondering as if her lost her soul somewhere. He tapped her back and was trying to call her attention. However, Vanessa’s mind was wandering elsewhere and her whereabouts was still unidentified. Krist shouted at her and finally Vanessa went back to her conscious mind.

“Hey, are you okay?” Krist sincerely asked.

Krist witnessed that Austin was too serious about the “dare” and he might think that he was also serious about his feeling towards her. Vanessa couldn’t agree more that’s why she just nodded. Krist asked her what’s with her face. Was not she happy about the result of the game? Vanessa mentioned that she couldn’t afford herself to lose on the deal. Unfortunately, to what she could observe, Austin was thoroughly persistent and determined. She heard no rumours about him, no bad news about him and everything he had done was good. Her feeling of defeat was rising and sooner enough, Austin would ask her if she was ready to be courted and that’s the thought coursing around her mind.

“Do you have any plans after this?” Krist asked again.

“Nothing! That’s why you have to help me out!”

The two were thinking about the best plan Vanessa could do in order for her to be fully equipped for future dilemmas.

***

“I couldn’t believe that you have never dated for two weeks now Bro.” Andrew shared his thought.

“Yeah! Are you that serious towards Vanessa?” Rick asked.

“I don’ know bro but I love what I am doing.” He answered.

Austin boldly divulged his true feeling that he loved challenging himself towards the deal. His feeling towards Vanessa was unsure but the fact that Austin was making her fall in love with him knowing that Vanessa hates him fuelled his desire to continue showing good deed in front of the girl. They concluded that his action was not toward to his courtship but it was to satisfy his personal desire – no attachment and feeling involved.

“This is the first time I have done this and it makes me wanna do it to prove that even haters can fall in love with me.” Austin added.

“You’re the man bro!” Rick interrupted.

“Oh, is that Mitch? Andrew asked.

While they were talking about Vanessa, Mitch quietly passing by before them. Andrew dared to ask if that was Mitch. When Rick heard her name, he suddenly looked to verify if that was Mitch. When he validated it, Rick chased after Mitch. He left his friends to follow the girl.

“Mitch! Wait!” he shouted.

With her weak posture, gradual walk and lethargic facial expression, everyone would know that Mitch was not fine. She was totally miserable. Even if someone was calling her name, she never stopped walking. In fact, she knew who was calling her. She memorized the tone of his voice – she knew it was Rick.

“Mitch, Can we talk?”

When he reached her, Rick begged for her and wanted to spare her time for him because she wanted to know if how she was. Mitch stopped and tried to look on his face closely. Suddenly, tears fell from her eyes which made Rick worried.

“What happened? Are you okay? Why are you not responding to my chats?” he bombarded her with questions.

Dejected as she may feel, Mitch tried her best to express her feeling to Rick. Vaguely speaking, she was indirectly telling him that she was tired of loving someone who would hurt her. That’s why if Rick had that choice of hurting her, she begged to stop doing so. Rick was explaining his side, he eagerly mentioned that he had no feeling for his girlfriend anymore and there was someone whom he fell in love with.

“Try to fix your own things, and I fix mine. Then, let’s decide.” She whispered.

Mitch left him crying.

***

The noise of his cries and woes were louder than the noise inside of the bar. Rick, with his broken heart, asked his friends to drink. He was incredibly pitiful and crying inside of the bar. Andrew was consoling him while Austin was listening to his story. He kept on telling that he didn’t love Max anymore and had no plan to be with her anymore. He was calling Mitch’s name and assumingly, the two knew that he cultivated feeling for her.

Austin needed to pee that’s why he asked Andrew to look for his friend. He went to the wash room and a beautiful girl followed her.

“Hey!” the girl asked.

The girl was the exact type of Austin – long hair, dark-toned skin, big eyes, small face and red lips. The girl was asking if Austin had a cigarette. Austin said that he doesn’t smoke but he knew something better than a cigarette. He grabbed the girl and they went inside the male’ wash room. Austin kissed the girl passionately until he realized the deal he had with Vanessa. He stopped kissing the girl and when he was about to leave, the girl unbutton her dress and when Austin saw it. He was not able to refuse the intolerable temptation of the great seduction.

***

Austin visited the convenience store and he bought coffee when he noticed that Weng was not in the mood. She looked so sad and even showing his angelic face won’t change the nature of her mood until Austin asked if how she was. Weng said that she was okay. Austin then mentioned that her words were the total opposite of her appearance.

“You don’t look fine.” He said.

Austin invited her on the table where he was sitting, then because there were no customers at that time, Weng followed here. Austin said that he was there to listen to what she was about to say. Then, Weng started to tell her story and Austin was actively listening.

The night was still young for many but for Austin he had to go back that’s why when he brought back the smile on her face; he decided to leave the girl. Weng kissed him on the cheek. Austin was so surprised when Weng did that to him. He just smiled and left the girl alone.

***

Before going to bed, Vanessa was analyzing everything on her mind. She was trying to think the best plan she needs to do because, admit it or not, she was falling for a trap. Austin was becoming drug when you get to see him once, you would have wanted to see him every day – that was her feeling at that night. Somehow, Vanessa was cultivating feelings for her.

“No, this can’t be!” She talked to herself.

“Falling in love with him is not even a choice. Remember that Vanessa!”