I didn't answer or reply to any of Ryan's calls or texts. I decided to pay him back for what he did I didn't answer or reply to any of Ryan's calls or texts. I decided to pay him back for what he did by playing his own game but with my way. While he kept his phone off, I kept mine on and straight out ignored his calls.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMcpvx0BB3
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It's Saturday, so naturally our usual coffee shop is hosting a karaoke night tonight. We'd often go there and conquer the place like it's ours. The guys suggested doing so tonight, and I couldn't agree more. It was a good distraction to lighten my mood a little. I invited Denise, who invited Charlotte and Veronica. I was a little surprised when Denise told me she's friends with the twins. Apparently, they all went to gymnastics classes together since the beginning of high school. They're really "dope" people, she told me. I didn't mind extra company anyway, and neither did the guys. They were actually pretty cool about it when I told them about the girls coming, especially Cody.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXnqTz2Dtk
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"It's good to have some femininity among the group for once," Cody said.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxI8jcCV8VD
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MLGC7Zchf
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"Say that again and slit your throat," I reply with a sarcastic, sweet smile.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00xEzrII3x
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JgJcVeT1I
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5myFU6fo6C
We went and greeted the workers like they're old friends. The whole group was there, even Amber (yay!), but I didn't see Charlotte around. I asked her sister, who told me that Saturdays are anime marathon nights, in which charlotte and her boyfriend, Luke, would watch anime shows all night.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFHYOZvOUE
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"They're Otakus," Veronica said.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlwH3fiNE8
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948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4jXyxhV2m
"Oh-Tacos?" I marvel at the unfamiliar word.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5I2c9zEB8Y
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"Yeah, I thought it was food, too," Denise said.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoveCMlsj2
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUr2I2dtZpX
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"It means their strong anime fans," Veronica clarified.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtv4CjNI5f
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTAUftBO8B
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CE9imgZhH
We started singing solos, duets, and even as groups. We didn't care about the people watching us as we sing unattractively. The boys would choose Taylor Swift or Katy Perry and sing along to the lyrics in their own girlish ways, and the girls would score their impersonation accordingly. I rapped along with Jordan and Cody a couple times and was crowned Queen of Rap by Denise, much to everyone's opposition.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfhGWKAx5V
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONZkfAqd2C
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We disturbed a lot of costumers and workers, who kept telling us to keep it down. That only made us sing worse and louder than before, earning more complains as a result. One of us earned a few claps from the audience: Tyler. He surely can sing like a pro, and he never ceases to impress us every time we hear him. Of course, whenever he held the microphone, Amber would cheer for him dramatically as if he's singing in a concert.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB99kybAeXB
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtWUWHNQ4Y
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I felt carefree, just doing what I wanted, careless of others' opinions and thoughts of me. I ignored everything else and focused on having fun. I pushed all the drama and troubles out of my mind. I didn't think of Ryan just once.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2zy6s9Jf5
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpeIIhTpKV
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8W15f6ZrA
Denise invited herself over to spend the night, much to Cody's satisfaction. I didn't mind her at all. Although I only met her two days ago, she's treating me like we're old buddies. She burrowed a pair of orange shorts and a spaghetti white shirt from my wardrobe and made herself at home. We grabbed junk food and drinks before going to the living room to watch a movie. Cody and Will were playing FIFA before we turned it off to watch our movie. We settled on Magic Mike because why not? Cody and Will cringed from the thought, so they moved to Cody's room to continue their game there. Kat and Rosie went to sleep early tonight, saying that they're going house shopping tomorrow early for Rosie since Kat had no work.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1o5IqQv0iY
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My phone rang in the middle of the movie, lighting up with Ryan's picture. I silent it and go back to the movie.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsulACY5Dh
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9XiuuZKjG
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"You still ignoring him?" Denise asks.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6of70caCR
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"Kinda."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkHpCsASOf
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"Kinda? Girl, you're totally shutting the poor guy off."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVzeHy3HMw
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wHQNUHW78
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"Well, he deserves it, "I shrug, sipping from my coke, "And are you taking his side?"948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrqkSgQdSM
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBvXYc4ZlB
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"I ain't takin' nobody's side, sister. All I'm saying is give him a chance and listen to what he has to say, you know?" She answers, quickly taking defense mode.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQn83EksEU
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISHTEsW0TZ
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"He's making me regret worrying about him," I explain, "Like it's my fault at the end."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADTMvaqkGT
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNLeU2ECP2
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"Maybe he just needs time before telling you what happened to him."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWeN81mMoU
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAM9m23AlD
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"How much time? He needs to know that I'm not a patient person."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDobXQH97Li
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIze68eixd9
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"Well, then be patient for, Nicky, and maybe he'll be patient for you when you need time one of these days."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s1VwdYFyZ
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0AeaNtsrG
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzGVa5c3v0
She rests her hand on top of mine and looks at me assuringly. I t feels nice just having someone like her to talk to when I need it. I never had a girlfriend before, so having Denise treat me like that is something new to me coming from a girl, yet it has some familiarity to it in some way.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoX1E376Al
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWK333L1hk
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"Maybe you're right."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXj6X2baC30
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38nJ6zhUbl
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEyxJxpgc3
"Like hell I'm right! I'm Denise McQueen, Nicky."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVycdAGK05q
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA04XuuKSPx
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"What's up with the new nickname?"948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORy5jKCZAW
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5GIdrh1wm
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IAob6ftM1
"I just felt like it'd time I have a different name for ya."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5ZA2zYqNN
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrN5AfbPqY
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIasK7igw5O
After Denise left the next day, I spent my day in an inner battle with myself and debating whether or not to pay Ryan a visit to talk. Denise had me thinking about what she said all night last night till I came to the decision: I should go open up the topic with him. And yet I was never more hesitant about it. Even after getting his address from Dylan, who I figured would have it, I was still not close to decisive.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmurb2cMfN
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQIW7990wx
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I ended up taking Cody's car and waiting outside his house for 25 minutes, doing nothing. I took a deep breath before I left the car to walk towards his mansion. Oh, did I mention that he lives in a fucking mansion? The thing is so huge it can fit the whole school in it.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5Cb1hDI7Z
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I pass by two guards, who don't bother to ask me who I am. They need to do something about their security. I mean, one of the guards just grinned at me like it's my place.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYpFDEwjQZ
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I reach for the doorbell, and as I wait for it to open, I recite what I was planning to say one more time.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNK1BtLfHZa
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaXSiwc7JR
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIczKxw4TF
Ryan, I know that there are things you prefer to keep hidden from me, but I want you to know that I care about you because you're my boyfriend and I care about you...948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6J45By8uS7
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqFgEBzFQ7
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Shit, I'm really bad at this!948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoINoEJNLMh
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QZDeVTAhB
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6qOvOD7yA
The door opens, and I hold my breath in anticipation. A pretty lady in a maid uniform opens the door with a smile and my heart beats go back to normal. She asks who I am and I respond back, "I'm Nicole. Is Ryan here?"948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYyKzjCgFf
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyorJuEVmBH
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"Matilda, who is that?" A woman yells from inside.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcs13Go9ce
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHFu2sw5MO
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"It's a friend of Mr. Ryan, Ma'am," Matilda calls back.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9gROZHCZd
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Listen, Ryan, I get that you wanna keep things from me, but you need to know that I only wanna help you...948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3UL6z3WpO
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdQHzBTtrx
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVfoXXeNOT
"I'll take care of it, Matilda. You can go now," Ryan opens the door wider. He was wearing a sleeveless tank with dark blue shorts and looked like he was in the middle of a tough workout session.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBjxhhgt1z
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Jtkuu11Ut
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"Shadow."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzzEDzxZ57
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaECgn2QKTW
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVC07iUrpAz
"Ryan."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyns6EGN76X
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBWxPv4BSv
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hlhOz1kT8
He waits for me to start, and for a few seconds, I forget why I came here in the first place. I guess it's because he looks like fucking beast with his muscles flexing and sweat dripping from his body that I got lost for words.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtSxyKRF5e
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiM37uA9Dd
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And then I recall what I'd been reciting since yesterday.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1bSXppOc5
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOCzlfMiyx
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"Oh, you um...forgot you pen with me." That's it Nicole, smoother than silk. What the fuck is wrong with me?948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcO8t18fWK
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjujolQJPWo
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskvHWia5RQ
I point the pen in my hand at him, "I came to return it." I try hard to avoid his hard gaze that's piercing through my body.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGyggI2Ms0
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz2NWDxXVs
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"But this is not my pen," he raises an eye brow, humor and amusement simultaneously evident on his face.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqvRdNU1iy
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VCtzpI9eU
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ401wk1qPOA
"Yeah," I lift my hat up, brush my hair to the back then put it back on—an action I unintentionally do when nervous—and mentally curse myself and my damn dignity. The whole thought of apologizing or even admitting anything I've done wrong is not exactly something innate in me. Yes, it's selfish and not right, especially when it's really me at fault, but I can't bring myself to do it.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKs5zsszxW
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJCMuIsnpv
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Then again, for certain people in your life, you'd do whatever it takes to fix your relationship with them, even if it means bringing your stupid ego below their feet.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ724uR0vgCH
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJXp8Vpgma
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"It's actually Cody's; I found it in his car, and..." I trail off and watch his expression getting more and more humorous. "Look, I'm really bad at this."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE10CZlpoT2
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSIF1wZPUX
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnfLYDM1EH
"You don't say."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oMabl6WqE
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuT0288xY1
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9tJmjfv4U
"Please, just go with it as it is," I take a short breath. "I know I've been a little pushy lately. And I know that even if I'm you girlfriend, I shouldn't be like that. I also know that there are some things you don't want me to know. But I don't give a crap about all of this because I care about you. So can you just please let me in? I know I might be asking too much, but like I said before, I don't care about—"948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJ9GO644qq
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QNMiXQpQa
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He cuts me off abruptly, holding my face with both his hands and kissing me intently. I kiss him back with similar affection, taken a bit off guard by the sudden gesture. He pulls apart a couple seconds into the kiss to look me in the eyes and say, "you know nothing, Shadow."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RIKseg8lr
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0c3vhUuYxA
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"Huh?" I say, breathless.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfeI6TKzyt
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxmkFZnxA8
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuFOt9ejnz
"I said you know nothing. All you said might be true to some other guys, but not to me. In fact, I wanna share with you everything about me—all my problems and stress. I was planning on telling you everything in the right time, but you never gave me a chance."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZ2Q7vUO4i
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXXOfY5REk
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"I'm sorry, Ryan."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUDpeXqBVI
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLYQP8qHd0
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡac9gAIeTwv
"There's nothing to be sorry for. We both just had to get each other better, that's all," he then pulls me into a hug. "I know I can be really understanding, babe."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nB3JF11M5
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1P4iihuC9
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaq9YEg5fl
I push him away, "Don't get too full of yourself, Hastings." Then I punch his chest, "This is for interrupting me earlier," I punch him again, "and this is for hugging me while you're sweaty."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe0RJWItYz
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzabxAoy6gL
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"How sweet of you," he says sarcastically, rubbing circles around his chest. "Now, don't you wanna come in?"948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Gjvu20ftL
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAI4ubQkCM
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyubiJbtZi
"No, I better go back before Cody realizes I stole his car."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7ZFN4mjLi
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtgSFqCHsA
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfpF58h6qw
Right on cue, Cody's stupid face lights up on my phone screen. Ryan leans against the doorframe while I answer, only to earn myself a shitload of yells from my dear friend.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9evESdHOTn
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESlJf258PR
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJPDz9IFgH
"What the fuck, Nic? You stole my baby? Are you fucking me over, right now?! I told you I have a date tonight."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6n4zJx3Kk
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7cpUOAmdL
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He did?948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiKjnWmbTj
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948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmO040U5m7H
"Calm down, bastard, I'm on my way back."948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f2SCpLVL0
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZANfkOqZXQ
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"You better be here before I tie my shoelaces," and he hangs up.948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mv0tXkCps
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7CjldOzUR
948Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVM4BMnVC7U
"He really needs to see a doctor," I sigh.
