That Girl Who’s Always Alone At The Back

chapter v – R i c e with T o m a t o on top

“It’s still Thursday.” I said to her. I only knew that because I haven’t seen Rianne in her PE uniform and ponytail today.

“Oh… then… this Saturday... just… meet me at Ms. Donuts in front of our school. Eight AM. Don’t be late.”

That’s how the call ended.

The next day, Rianne Gray still avoided me. Whenever our eyes meet, she would act like this bitch character in your normie Japanese cartoons. A tsundere without a dere. For now, at least.

“Your eyes are smiling.” Mark said without looking and pretending to listen to the lecture. But in truth he was just doodling swords and other kinds of weapons. I never thought he could draw stuff.

“How can eyes smile? They don’t even have mouths to begin with.”

“Don’t be a sour puss.” He said. “Something happened with Rianne?”

“If you define her being mad without a goddamn reason as “something”, yeah, something happened to us.”

“What did you do to her?” His eyes directed at me. “I told you not to show girls your dick on your first date.”

“Don’t put me on the same level as you, dickhead.” I sighed. “You see, Alistel teased her a bit and then she walked out.”

“I see. Then what is the reason for your flowery aura behind your back?”

“Please answer that question, Mark?” Mr. Fabregas said, his arms crossed, forcing a smile.

“Uhm… E=Mc squared?” Mark said.

“Nice try, Einstein.” He rolled his eyes. “What about your partner in crime, Mr. Sick Rhymes, Jericho?”

“The Baroque Period, sir.” I said without standing.

“Very good. You see, this style of music originated in the Baroque Era. Someone is doing his advanced reading.” And then he continued his lecture.

“How-“

“I have two ears, faggot.” I said.

I’m not really the studious type. I only read what my eyes sees as candy. For example, I’ve read all of the stories on our English textbook. I find “The Necklace” quite a tragedy. My English teacher even praised me for picking the story and told me that it wasn’t a tragedy but a comedic short story. When she said it, I kinda saw the dark humor in it.

Later that night, Tomato keeps on posting on the page but she would not answer my messages. I also tried calling her phone but no one is answering. And that time, there is no game that I find enjoyable, no memes are funny, no song is worth listening to. All of the things that I think of ‘fun’ became dull and time which is supposed to run fast became slow. The ticking of the clock became louder along with the noise that my electric fan makes. I tried to watch some Bubble Gang with my big brother, but he just went on nagging about how I should sleep early because I don’t have school tomorrow. Which I could not find the point.

In the end, I fell asleep around 3AM or 4.

July 2 20xx 7:31:57AM

F U C K

I’m about to be late, damnit.

I took a quick bath that somehow lasted for three minutes. I dried my hair like mad and picked up some random clothes and when I tried ‘em on, it looks sucky, so I picked up another set of clothes. And this time, I look decent. I went to my big brother’s room to borrow some of his perfume. And money. Since he always goes to work around 5AM, he’s already gone. I’ll just pay him later. If mom would give me some money.

8:03:06AM

There was only a little girl there who’s around 11 years-old inside Ms. Donuts. Of course that’s not Tomato.

I went inside and sat at the farthest seat. That’s when the 11-year-old girl came to me and smiled.

“I’ve always wanted to meet you, Jericho.” She said as she hugged me.

“What?” I said. “I think it’s a misunderstanding….”

“See, I told you that you wouldn’t like me when you see me….” The little girl said, sniffing as if she’s about to cry. “That’s why I don’t want you to meet me… R i c e C o o k e r….”

“No, no… I still like you.” Then I heard someone cough.

It was the store clerk, looking at me as if I’m some pedophile about to abuse this poor little girl.

“But I never thought that you would be this… young.”

“Age doesn’t matter!!!” She shouted as she hammered my chest with her loli fists. “You told me that you’ll love me no matter what!!” Her tears were falling. Geez. What am I supposed to do now?

I looked on my back and saw the store clerk talking to someone that looks like her manager. I should get the fuck out of here before they call the police.

“Okay, okay, let’s just get out of here, Tomato.” I said.

“-chan.” She said. Her face buried in my chest.

“What?”

“Use the suffix –chan when calling me.” She said. I think she has no intention of letting me go.

“Okay.” This is so hazukashi. I am not face palming internally. I think I am smiling like an idiot right now. Just. What. The. Fuck. “Stop crying now…Tomato… -c-c-c-c-chan…”

“Owkie.” Tomato smiled, tears were still on the side of her eyes.

We went out of the store without buying anything. I don’t think I can even go back there anymore. I love their choco butternut donuts to be honest.

Tomato-chan held my hand as we walked towards the park. Somehow, we look like brother and sister.

“We look like siblings… don’t you think?” She grinned. “I’ll call you R i c e Onii-chan from now on!” Her soft little hands were warm her smile in this cold weather. Speaking of cold weather, Isn’t she cold with just her tank top and shorts?

“Wait a second.” I said as I took off my Akatsuki jacket.

“Isn’t this one of the cliché’s that we see in drama and anime?” Tomato’s smile never fades from her face. I think I too have the same face right now. She sniffed it. “Your smell is nice, Rice Onii-chan.”

“Sexual harassment. Dareka tasukete.” I said.

Tomato giggled. “Hey, you have an android phone, right?” She asked.

“Yeah, why?” I said.

“Let’s sit somewhere first.” She grabbed my hand and took me to a waiting shed that has metallic bars as a bench.

“Share it!!!” She said.

I opened my ShareIt app and put it on receive.

“Let’s play Pokemon the next time we meet. Is that all right?” She tilted her head. Her short pigtail hair followed suit.

When I looked at the screen on my phone, I saw that she sent me a GBA emulator along with a Pokemon Fire Red.zip file. “It’s been ages since I played this.” I smiled. “Sure.”

“Too bad we can’t play gen4 plus because the NDS emulators that I’ve checked doesn’t have to capability to connect… and I also don’t have an NDS nor a 3DS…”

“Same.” Then some crappy pick-up kind of line popped into my head and my mouth just blabbered it out without thinking. “But it’s not about the game… right? It’s about who you’re playing it with.” I pat her head. It made her blush.

It made me blush.

“Ho ho ho~” She laughed weirdly. “Let’s get something to eat, Onii-chan.” She smiled.

We didn’t eat expensive stuff. Just some, fish balls, kwek wek and some kikiam along with gulaman (typical pinoy street food). I actually wanted to take her to Wack Ronalds or Jollibirb but she says she’s fine with streetfood.

“Before I go home. Let me give you something.” She said as she produced three sticks of Choco Choco from her pocket. As she gives me one piece, she says “I. Love. You.”

“Bye, Rice Onii-chan!” She said as she turned around and started to walk to the tricycle next at Ms. Donuts. “One more thing.” She said. “My name is Amelia. Call me Amy or Amu.” Then she walked again. Then came back. “Amu-chan, okay?” I nodded. Then she walked towards the tricycle again. Then came back. She’s really cute. “Could you… bend your knees and close your eyes, Onii-chan?”

She’s going to kiss me?

My heart beat raced as I closed my eyes. That’s when I felt her soft lips on my nose.

I opened my eyes and saw her smiling.

“I’ll give this back on Monday, Onii-chan! Make sure you play Pokemon okay? I still want to beat the crap out of you!”

“Sure.” I said as I smiled.

I can’t remember when was the last time I smiled like this while being with someone? Probably back then when my dad used to play ping pong with me when he gets home from work.

Author's notes xD

I might be gone for awhile since I lost my job. It's hard being poor here in the Philippines. And yeah, I have bills to pay (since I am the only one who works and it's just me and my mom) and it's hard to find a goddamned job here.

Hey, I would still be uploading my art and stories on my fb page no matter what (hurray for free fb xD)

www.facebook.com/ScirnoNyan

See ya guys again.