I wandered around after my meeting. Where should I go now? Back to the coffeehouse? Should I sightsee? I realized this might be my last time in Bridgeport for a while. I reached into my shoulder bag and retrieved the map of Bridgeport I’d bought earlier that morning. My tired eyes flickered across it as I tried to figure out where I should visit.

“Hey, wait up!” I heard a voice call out to me.

My eyes shifted from the map towards the voice, my eyebrows narrowed as a girl approached me.

“Me?” I asked.

“Uh-huh,” she said as she got closer. “You interviewed for a job at Liberty, right?”

“Yeah, how did you…”

“I think I interviewed for the same job just before you. You met with Rias?”

“I did.”

“I don’t think it went that well for me. I was so nervous. How did it go for you?”

“I survived,” I told her absent-mindedly. I touched my lips as if I just recalled something. My heart began pounding in my chest. Ray. I could feel shivers traveling all over my body at the mere thought of her.

“She’s tough. Well, I suppose the best candidate will win, huh?” She held out her hand. “I’m Patrice.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kichi. I came in from Chester this morning.”

“You travelled all this way?” she exclaimed. “I am impressed. I’m from here. I live close by.”

“It’s nice here,” I mused.

“I hear that a lot. You seem like such a nice person. It’s a shame only one of us can get hired. But whatever happens, I hope we can become friends, right?”

Friends? So suddenly…

I hadn’t had one friend growing up, but recently I met one. Back in school, I would only get hurt and ridiculed by everyone once they found out I liked girls and considered boys a turnoff. And that was something I didn’t need.

“I suppose,” I answered uncertainly.

“I wish I could talk more and get to know each other better, but I have to go. It was nice meeting you, Kichi. I hope we can meet up again sometime.”

“Good luck with the job,” I told her.

“You, too,” Patrice said, then waved goodbye

~*~_ ~*~

Snow cones. Heat. Children play and laughed while skateboarding. The constant bombardment of street vendors was a remarkable sight. I wandered around town for some time, thinking.

I was thinking about Ray, which was nothing new. It wasn’t like I spent all my time obsessing. It wasn’t like I recorded her fashion shows—even though I had no interest in the trends.

But I, like so many, didn’t hold a special place in Ray’s heart. Others like me, boys and girls, fantasised, obsessed, and worshipped her. This irritated me because I only wanted her to look at me.

The sudden ring of my phone brought my focus away from Ray. Blinking, I gazed around, amazed by the distance I had walked. I had made it all the way to the waterfront. Fishing boats occupied the area, with stalls that sold everything from jewelry to street food.

I removed the phone from my bag and gasped when Liberty Company came upon the caller ID.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Ms. Hyde?”

“Yes?”

“It’s Rias. Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner.”

“I understand you are very busy.”

“I called to let you know I won’t be needing you. Sorry, but you’re just not qualified. Try again sometime.”

“But—”

“Thanks for travelling all this way,” Rias continued speedily.

“Wait! I—” I suddenly felt small and scared at how fast Rias was speaking. My body broke into cold sweat, causing me to shiver.

“Have a nice trip home,” she said over me and ended the call.

Sighing, I creased my lips and sniffed as if I had been crying. I stood motionless, waiting for my shock to fade. I guessed this meant they had hired Patrice, with her bubbly personality and smiling face. The absolute opposite of me.

Seeing Ray, who didn’t seem to recognise me, brought a sudden sense of despair I hadn’t felt since I was a child. I stared up at the blue sky.

Ray had stolen many kisses and many hearts without even knowing. My gaze fell over the river, the sun glistening down brightly and making it sparkle, as if by magic.

Stupid, Ray. Why did it have to be you in my heart?