HER – THE PAINS OF DATING HIM

It’ll be a month since we first met this Monday, Aya thought, looking through a slightly dirtied window of a bus. Should I get him something? No, wait, it’s just the day we met. It doesn’t have any meaning… right? Sighing, she decided she’d ask him instead of trying to conclude things on her own.

As it was Friday, there weren’t as many students present at college campus. She strolled casually as there was still roughly ten minutes until the lectures start. Even before she entered the classroom, she felt something was odd; wherever she’d pass, people would stop talking and stare at her. Wait, don’t tell me…

Everything turned clear when she entered the lecture hall; Tyson sat at his usual spot, his eyes disheartened and face tired. Between him and where Aya stood was a familiar face: Layla. The moment Aya stepped into the hall, all eyes present shifted onto her, bemusement in their eyes, as though they were about to witness a spectacle.

“A friend, huh?” Layla spoke. Aya remained expressionless, but didn’t try to move toward her seat as she knew it was pointless. “You lying bitch!!” … aah, dude, this is your problem. Why are you leaving me hanging here?

“When you asked me I was.” Aya said plainly.

“Oh? So you’re admitting he’s not anymore?!”

“… why say ‘admitting’? Aren’t you whining over there because we started dating?” Aya said casually, sighing. Chatter quickly emerged, but she paid it no heed, casting a hateful glance at Tyson who just smiled bitterly. Really?! You’re really let me handle it?!

“Don’t get cocky, bitch!! Ty belongs with to me, you hear me?!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Aya said dismissively. “You can go ahead and cling to him. Rather, do anything you want to him. If you can make him break-up with me, he’s all yours.” Aya said as she finally moved toward her seat.

Somewhat at a loss for words, Layla was unable to do anything but stare confoundedly at Aya. There was odd silence which followed Aya’s words, but she paid it no heed as she calmly sat down and took out her notebook and textbook, preparing for the lecture.

Unlike before, she held herself back from looking at Tyson. She felt slightly annoyed at him, but also curious as to what he was doing at the same time. Ah, I can see what he meant by hot-and-cold… she thought, sighing inwardly.

Lectures came to an end and she began packing, finally turning sideways and looking at his seat. He was currently talking to energetic-seeming Layla, his face slightly distorted. Aya couldn’t help but laugh as she hung her backpack over her shoulder and headed for exit. However, before she had a chance to leave, she felt a strong hand grab onto her arm and pull her forward. Tyson ran like mad, droplets of sweat pouring down his forehead. He didn’t stop until they reached the campus grounds.

“Ouch.” Aya mumbled.

“S-sorry…” Tyson said as he let go of her arm, panting. “W-we gotta keep moving, though. She might catch up.”

“… why are you running away?” Aya said, but began walking next to him nonetheless.

“Look, not every woman is like you, okay?!” Tyson exclaimed, seeming slightly frustrated.

“Like me?”

“Some are clingy, annoying, whining machines that just never stop nagging!” he said. “Seriously, why did you say that this morning?! You’ve just given her a reason to stick around me!!”

“I thought it’d be fun.”

“It’s not.”

“Well, seeing you like this, I can safely say it is.” she said, smiling cheekily.

“Oh, well, as long as you’re happy.” Tyson glared at her for a moment, sighing afterwards. “Ah, whatever. It’s just who you are.”

“What? You disappointed I didn’t get jealous?” Aya said, still smiling as she bumped his shoulder.

“A bit.” Tyson admitted. “But, then again, your attempt at acting jealous was just cringe-inducing, so…”

“Hey! I thought I was pretty good!”

“Even Emma was embarrassed for you. Get a grip.” Tyson said.

“Oh right, I was meaning to ask you if you wanna do anything about Monday.”

“… uh, like a date?” Tyson asked, tilting his head slightly. Ah, he has no clue. Ouch.

“… it’ll be a month since we met.” Aya said.

“…”

“I don’t blame you for forgetting.”

“No, please do!! Blame me!! It’s easier that way!!”

“Fine,” Aya coughed slightly, but her voice remained as emotionless as ever as she spoke. “How could you? My heart, my soul.”

“… that was, just…” Tyson felt like crying as he suddenly patted her head. “You tried. That’s all that counts.” … he’s pissing me off.

“You’re buying me a cake.” Aya said.

“Sure, sure. Ah, didn’t you say you’ll go and see a movie with me this week?”

“I forgot.”

“No you didn’t.”

“I could have forgotten.”

“You don’t seem the type to forget,” Tyson said. “After all, you even remembered the day we met. Oi, don’t blush!! It’s making it harder for me to hate myself!!”

“… you’re throwing me off too easily,” Aya said as she grabbed his arm and locked hers with it, pushing Tyson’s elbow against the side of her boobs. “This is your punishment.”

“… if that’s your version of punishing, please allow me to repent for all my sins!!” Tyson exclaimed, but his flushed cheeks betrayed his embarrassment.

“Oh? So you’ve sinned a lot?”

“I’ve sinned a ton!!”

“Confess!”

“Last night I had a dream about doing you doggy style!!”

“DON’T CONFESS THAT!!”

“I’m so sorry!! Please punish me for my sinful thoughts!!”

“… aah,” Aya sighed, chuckling lowly. “Well, I suppose I should be honored.” she mumbled. “Did you really think I’d say that, idiot? You’re buying me two cakes today.”

“… is it me or do you have absolutely no clue on how be angry properly?” Tyson asked.

“It’s your imagination.”

“Ah, I missed that one.”

“Really? Me too.” she said, smiling.

“Seriously, world should ban that smile of yours…” Tyson mumbled, looking away as his ears twitched.

“…” Same can be said about your blushing face, idiot…

HIM – WHEN PLANNING GOES AWRY

I can’t believe I forgot about the Monday!! he thought as the two entered the cake shop and ordered. It’s only been a month!! How the hell am I ranked 2nd in our year anyway?!! After picking up their order, the two sat in the corner and began wolfing down their cakes in silence.

“So, about the Monday,” Tyson said as the two finished up. “How do you think we should celebrate it?”

“Shouldn’t that be your call?” Aya said. “It’s you who forgot it, after all.”

“… uh, let’s see… want me to cook you a dinner or something?” he asked.

“… you can cook?”

“I can pretend I cooked the takeout. And you can pretend to be impressed.”

“Ah. This is great Ty. You are a great boyfriend and a cook. Become my wife please.” Aya reacted in her usual, emotionless voice topped off with her deadpan expression.

“… wow, I haven’t been this creeped out since I saw The Exorcist as a kid.” Tyson mumbled.

“What were you doing watching The Exorcist as a kid anyway?”

“Says a girl who watched Alien as a kid.”

“There they at least had guns.”

“How does that make it any better?!” Tyson exclaimed. “Ugh, anyway, let’s scrap me pretending to cook and you pretending to be impressed. Our lectures end pretty late, so we don’t have that much time.”

“Wanna skip then?” she asked.

“Yes.” Tyson said without hesitation.

“… how the hell are you ranked 2nd in our year?” Aya asked, causing Tyson to laugh for a moment, leaving her confused.

“How about I invite Emma and Jared over to my place, and the four of us just have a casual get-together?” Tyson proposed, causing Aya to twitch slightly. “Aah, so you can get jealous~~”

“No, I was just thinking you were probably planning to drug us and do despicable things to our bodies.” Aya said.

“What?! Like putting a blanket over you so you don’t get cold?!”

“Don’t go on pretending you have motherly aura now. It’s too late for that.”

“It’s fatherly!! First, I’m your wife and now I’m your mother! Do you even see me as a man to begin with?! Or are you using me to fulfill your failed lesbian fantasies?!”

“Didn’t you promise never to bring that up, asshole?!” Aya exclaimed, her expression getting flustered.

“Shut up! That’s my only trump card against you!” Tyson exclaimed back. “Besides, Emma and Jared are my best friends, and they know exactly nothing about you!! Is it wrong of me to brag about my girlfriend in front of them?!”

“What do you mean ‘your only trump card’, idiot?! Every time you touch me I feel like squealing as though I’m a school girl meeting some famous singer!!” She’s really pissi---wait, what?!! “And you can brag about me anytime you want!! Why’d I want to become friends with a girl you were crushing on for half your life?!”

“Yeah, I can brag about you any time I want, but that sort of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?! They won’t get it unless they meet you!!” Tyson exclaimed. Although they were almost shouting at each other, not a single one of the people around them thought they were having a fight. “I just wanna rub you in their faces!! As my girlfriend, don’t you think you can at least do that much for me?!”

“Thanks for skipping over that first part!!”

“No problem!”

“What do you mean rub me in their faces?! Is this another one of your fetishes?! Eww, you disgust me!”

“You know damn well what I mean, you damn alien!”

“Wow, you haven’t used that one in a while.”

“Because I can’t see you as anything other than the most beautiful girl I know recently!!” That shou—what the hell am I even saying?!!

“I’ll return the favor and skip past that one!” both were short of breath at this point, and their voices had almost regressed back to normal volume.

“Appreciate it!” Tyson said. “Anyway, we’re having a damn get-together. We’ll watch a great movie, have some drinks, eat a dinner, and have a damn great time!”

“Fine, whatever! Just do whatever you want!”

“…”

“…”

“… ah, did we just have our first fight?” Tyson said as the two calmed down.

“I don’t know,” Aya said, tilting her head slightly. “Can that even qualify as a fight?”

“Yeah, we said some pretty extreme things in there,” Tyson said, his cheeks immediately turning red. “Aah, just remembering is making me wanna jump out the window…”

“…”

“Oi, say somethi—you’re more embarrassed than I am!!”

“Ah, shut up!! Go jump out the fucking window for all I care!!” and thus, their first fight(?) continued… for a while.