You Are My Protagonist

Chapter 18

 It's Sunday, two days later, and I'm sitting in a café spinning a pen.

"Ram?" I glance up. Long black hair, pale blouse and skirt, small nose, roundish face, Indian obviously. She's pretty...I guess."

"Aparna?"

"Yeah. Nice to meet you." We shake hands and she sits down at the table. I pass her a menu. 

"So...Ram what made you decide to um, do this?"

"Uh, my mom. She's been asking me to, I mean..."

"Yeah, me too. It's my Patti for me. They can be such a pain." She rolls her eyes.

"Actually, my Patti basically raised me."

"Oh okay." There's silence, then the waiter comes over to take our orders. Once he leaves she speaks again.

"So Ram, how old are you?"

"I'm 22. How about you?" She blinks.

"Oh, I'm 24. So you're just graduating then?"

"Yeah."

"What is it you do again?"

"Business and computer science, well consulting now."

"Oh." She blinks. "I'm a writer." Like Chen. 

"Oh cool, so like novels? My friend is a novelist."

"Oh, no. I'm more into journalism. I was in the school newspaper in high school and I just fell in love with it."

"Oh." So not like Chen. 

We chat for a bit more. She talks about her passion for writing but how bad the pay is.

"Honestly business and computer science was a smart choice. I mean, I love my job but sometimes..." she shrugs helplessly.

"Would you change your major if you could?" She vehemently shakes her head. 

"No way, never. I love it. How about you?" I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Would I change anything? Why did I even pick business and computer science? Can I say I love it with confidence?

Thankfully, the waiter arrives precisely at that moment. We grab our food and I glance over at her dousing everything in spicy sauce.

"You like spicy food?"

"Oh, I love it." Not like Chen. I imagine his bright red face as he rushed to the sink and my face involuntarily curves into a smile.

"Is something funny?"

"Oh, no. I was just thinking about a friend, he can't handle spice at all."

"I know right, I tried to get my friend to try Indian food and she totally couldn't handle it..."

The rest of the meal is fine. We move from topic to topic.

"The flowers have finally started blooming, I love spring. It would be perfect except for the allergies." She animatedly says.

"Yeah." I reply. 

"I love flowers but I literally have the opposite of a green thumb. Like, I kill any one I come into contact with. I am literally a plant killer." She lifts her fingers up and makes a claw shape as if she's a monster.

"Oh yeah, me too. But my friend's really good with them. He kidnapped one actually."

"Kidnapped?" She asks leaning forward.

"Yeah", I involuntarily smile, "apparently he rescued it from the dentist's."

"What?! Hahaha..." She laughs, then says "is this the same friend who's a novelist and can't handle spice?"

"Yeah."

"He sounds like an interesting person."

"Hi is." I feel my lips curve up. 

"Wow, you smile just thinking about him. I guess he's your best friend then"

"Huh?" She points at me.

"I'm a journalist I notice these things." She replies confidently. 

"Uh, ok. Um, I'm going to use the restroom, I'll be right back." I quickly get up and make my escape. You smile just thinking about him. I shake my head to clear it. I use the restroom, then as I'm on my way out I glance up at the people exiting the restaurant...and notice a familiar figure. Is that...

"Chen! Hey Chen!" I call as I walk toward the restaurant doors. The person doesn't turn his head and heads out of the restaurant. I follow them outside however, by the time I make it out they've disappeared. Must have been my imagination. I head back inside. 

The rest of the date is uneventful. We finish the meal, go for a walk down the street, then separate after exchanging contact information. As I head back home, I wonder what Chen's doing. Maybe he's watering Cao Cao? I bet he's eating chips. Or maybe he's too absorbed in his writing to even remember chips.

I park my car and head in. It's dark and lifeless. I guess Chen's holed up in his room again. I frown for a second. He hasn't done that as much ever since the nightmare incident. I guess he's making up for it now?

I walk over to his door and knock. Immediately, the door slides open. It's not locked? I push it all the way and step inside. It's empty. No chips wrappers scattered around on the floor, no papers either. In the first place, Chen didn't have much but...A sudden thought hits me and I backtrack out of the room to the hallway. Cao Cao is gone. I pause, then immediately dial Chen's number. After three rings it goes to voicemail. I try a second time, same result. 

So I call Josh. 

"Hey...Ram, what's up man...?" It's somewhat loud in the background. He must be at a party or someplace. 

"Hey, do you have Mimi's number?"

"What?"

"Mimi's number?" I ask louder.

"Oh, uh yeah. Wait-why?"

"I can't get in touch with Chen and he's disappeared." 

"Oh ok, I'll send it to you." A few moments later he sends me Mimi's number and I call her.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mimi this is Ram."

"Oh, Ram." I blink. Is it just me or is her voice kind of cold?

"Um, do you know where Chen is?"

"And in what capacity are you asking?"

"Wha-"

"Chen saw you today, on your date."

"...Um, okay. But what does that-"

"Ram, you do know how he feels about you right?" I pause, mouth opening and closing several times. Finally, I say.

"But we're roommates. Surely that isn't a reason to just leave?"

"Ram, think about it. How would you feel if the person you were "talking" to suddenly went on a date with someone else." I blink.

"We were "talking"?" Mimi sighs loudly and I shut up. It's silent.

"Okay I'm hanging up-"

"Wait! Do you know where he is?" There's a moment of silence.

"I do. But I won't tell you."

"Mimi-"

"Think about it Ram, what is Chen to you? When you come up with an answer, call me again."

Click. She hangs up.