Episode 8: Unpleasant Date

-That weekend-

I walk to the school entrance and I saw Aidan was waiting for me. He was also wearing white. I look at him and question his action.

"Did you purposely asked me to wear white so that people will think that we're having a special relationship?" I'm asking while crossing my hand.

"No. It just….the theme for the exhibition I guess. Shall we go now?" He opened the front door for me and I enter the car.

Aidan was quite a good driver. I am lying if I said that this super-talented man didn't attract my attention at all. A very short journey lead us to S Exhibition Centre. As we walk into that place, the opening ceremony was just starting. We walk in and stand in front of the reporter. Just then I realize someone. I quickly put on my sunglasses.

"Why did you put that on?" Aidan asked.

"The flash from the camera. It hurt my eyes."

"Should we move to the back."

"No. I'm okay with that."

The ceremony starts with the minister's speech and followed by the biggest founder of this exhibition, Mr. Jimmy Lee. My brother. My uncle's first son. I don't even have the idea that he would attend this exhibition. The worst part comes when he said his speech.

"My little sister really likes stars. That's why I agree to be this project founder. All the money collected from this exhibition will be a donation to help children around the world and to help the development of vaccines for viruses under my sister's name with the agreement of all the other founders."

"I'm sure his sister was lucky." Aidan's words make me put on a weak smile.

"I'm sure she does. Can we move around? My leg is getting numb."

"Ohh, ok." We walk away from the crowd.

I sighed in relief. What if I get caught just now? I'm going to die early. After quite some time waiting, we finally get to enter the hall. The stars there made me felt very amazed. I like the surrounding. It was full of stars and its name.

"You should come to my house later. We can watch stars together." He whispers in my ears.

"No thank you. I don't easily come to my friend's house." My words make him shock.

"So, do you take me as your friend?"

"If I don't take you as my friend, I won't agree to come with you and wasting my weekend just like that."

He smiles and we continue walking around. It was so hard that I need to avoid Jimmy every time we almost bump into each other. After finish walking around, we walk to the parking lot, and surprisingly, Jimmy give me a call.

"Umm, Aidan I'm thirsty. Could you please buy me some water?"

"Of course. Wait for a while. I will be back."

As he walks away, I answered the call.

"Hello, brother." I tried to sound friendly.

"My little sister. What are you doing?" He asked.

"I…I was….I was out with my friend. Yes. Why?"

"Ohh, it just, at the exhibition today I actually saw someone like you." His words make me startled.

"Really? Maybe you're imagining things."

"Yes. Maybe I just imagining things. Well, I have a surprise for you. Talk to you later. I love you." He put off the call.

Just then, Aidan come back and passed me on a cup of juice. I smile and thanked him. Just then, he drives me somewhere to eat. While waiting for the food, I play my phone and scrolling some feed on Instagram. I almost shouted when I saw my favorite actor post his shirtless picture. Aidan looks at me with a weird gesture.

"Why did you look so excited when looking at the phone?" He asked.

"Because I saw my husband post a picture of him shirtless." My words make him choked some water.

"Hu….hu…husband?" He was startled.

"Yes. My husband. Well, he basically everyone husband. No one knows who will one day be his wife." I show him the picture of Arm.

Aidan sighed in relief. He just thought that I was actually got married for real. When the food was served, I came across something more shocking. I saw my little sister and her friends at the store corner. They seem like they were celebrating her friend's birthday.

"Why did everyone need to appear everywhere today? And how did she manage to eat such at this expensive restaurant? Mark must be spoiling her again with his black card." I put my head down and hide for not getting noticed.

"Don't you like the food?" He asked.

"I felt like I'm going to throw up. Can we go and find something sweeter?" I'm begging him.

"Ohh, of course. Let's go." Without finishing the food, both of us leave the restaurant.

Just then the waiter comes to pick up the plate and he shakes his head.

"Why did people nowadays like to waste food. They did not even touch the food." He takes the plate, clean the table, and walk away.

Aidan drives me to the park. We went to eat some noodles and enjoy the view of the river while waiting for the sunset. Then, Aidan came across something.

"Claire, will you….I mean….what kind of man did you like?"

"I don't like man Aidan. But, doesn't mean that I like women. I just…..don't like a man."

"But, you must at least have a type of dream man right?"

"Hmm, I want the one like my Arm."

"Hah? Your Arm?"

"Yes. My Arm. The Thai artist." My words make him sighed.

"Why did you keep sighing whenever I talk about him today?"

"Because I know I can be like him."

"Of course you're not. He was way much better and perfect than other men in this world."

"Yeah. Right. He makes every man lose their opportunities."

We continue slurping our noodles. This time, it was Aidan's turn to startled. He saw both of his parents were strolling at the park.

"Claire, can we go now? I felt a sudden chill in my spine." Aidan tries to avoid looking in front.

"Ohh, of course. Let's go."

We walk away but something that Aidan realize was her mom was pointing at his car and he quickly speeds away from there. Both of us sighed. Today could be much better if none of our family members were around us all this time. When the sunset, we decide to watch it from the car to avoid other interruptions.

"So, do you like it today?" Aidan was asking me.

"Of course. Thank you, Aidan. I like it so much." I put on a weak smile.

"Claire, can we go out like this again?" He asked.

"Of course we can. You're….my friend after all right?"

He just nodded and we watch the sunset. It was nice and calm. He later drives me for a dinner somewhere at a restaurant. This time, we could finally eat in peace.

"Claire, do you like the food here?" He asked.

"I like it so much. Thank you, Aidan."

"I'm glad that finally, we could find peace."

"Yes."

Just then we suddenly realize and look at each other.

"You…how….why….." We spoke the same words at the same time.

We then laugh at our own actions.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to leave the first restaurant because I saw my sister there. I don't want her to have misunderstood."

"Me too. Sorry for leaving the park early. I saw my parents there."

"Then, why don't you introduce me to them?"

"You wanted me to introduce you to my parents?" He was shocked.

"Yeah. Doesn't friends do that?"

"Umm, yeah. I will but later."

We continue eating and after paying, we walk out from there. Out of nowhere, someone suddenly called us at the same time. It turns out, they were Daniel and Ivy. Both of us sighed and chuckled.

"What are you guys doing here?" Daniel asked.

"We're having dinner. What about you guys?" I'm asking them.

"Same. We just finished with dinner. I wanted to send Ivy back." Daniel smile as he looks at Ivy.

"I'm also sending Claire back." Aidan smiled at me.

"Then, see you guys later."

Both of them walk away. We also walk away to the car. I know this day was a bit cliché because they weren't some nice things like how a novelist always put in their stories. Where the woman will kiss the hero and here comes the part she confesses. Today, things were a bit different. We finally arrived in front of the school. Aidan looks at me. He seems like he wanted to say something.

"I….I….I" Aidan was hesitating.

"Speak or I make you mute forever."

"I….will go home. See you later."

"Hmm. See you." When I almost walk out of the car, I saw Mark was walking with someone and his car was parked not far from Aidan's car. I quickly grab Aidan and take him close to me so that people will saw us kissing.

I saw Mark suddenly turn and look the other way. Yes. He does not recognize me. Just after his car passes away, I push him away slowly. I look at Aidan's face. He was blushing.

"I'm sorry about that. It just, I saw someone familiar." I look at him seriously.

"It's okay. Umm, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

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-The next day-

I walk to the hall and today I was a bit exhausted. I could not stand to look at anything around me at all. Ivy comes and give me some medicine.

"Here you go. Did you….with Aidan last night?" Her words make me spit out the water from my mouth straight to her face.

"Your ass. What did I even do? I do nothing except for eating and watching stars." I was defending myself.

"Claire, my dad asked me to bring friends to the house for a small bouquet this weekend."

"Ohh, great. Did Mr. Shao finally going to marry off your sister with that rich man?"

"No. He going to find a man to be my fiancé." Her words again make me spit out water.

"What? Didn't he agree about the terms that you're going to find yourself your own sweetheart?"

"Yes, but he said that some of his friends wanted to be my husband. I'm scared, Claire." I could see Ivy was plotting something.

"Then, what should I do?"

"Can you come and pretend that you and Aidan were couples?"

"Hah? Why did you involve me in this matter?"

"Because my father will let me go if he knows that my best friend already has a boyfriend."

"Are you sure this will going to work?" I'm asking her again.

"Of course. Trust me."

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(Last night)

When Daniel's car arrives, he gives a kiss to Ivy. Yes. They're dating each other.

"My father invites you over to my house this weekend. They will be a small gathering."

"Did your father knows about us?"

"Of course he did."

"Ok, I will come by. How about you invite Aidan and Claire along?"

"Why should we? Of course, Claire will not agree."

"You should say to her that your father will marry you off with some old man if she doesn't come by convincing your father with a boyfriend."

"You're doing this for Aidan right?"

"I'm doing this for Claire too. Will you stand looking at her like that forever?"

"Of course I'm not. Well, I will tell her like that."

"Thank you, baby. Goodnight."

"Goodnight too baby. Dream me."

"Always."

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-That evening-

"Yes, brother yes. Everything's fine. Hah? Fiancé? No why should I? Even if he is the most handsome man in the town, if you can't get Arm for me, I won't get married to anyone. What? Jay? Twins? No way. You know how much I dislike man brother. Well, I got to go. Talk to you later." I turn off my phone and sit on my chair in the student council room.

"Claire, why you look sad?" Iris who was just back from her vacation asked me in concern.

"My brother was totally insane. Do you know the twin's brother, Ray, and Jay?"

"Of course. They were very famous this day."

"My brother said that he wanted to arrange him as my fiancé. Like what the hell, no man. I'm not going to get married." I shake my head as a sign of protest.

"Then, what should you do to go against him?"

"I have my own plan. Whatever the risk it takes, I will never get into a relationship with any random man."