Almost Cinderella

Chapter 10

Gulf Traipipattanapong. 23. Graduating Physical Education major and varsity football player.

"Ugh. Jocks again." Thyme said with a roll of his eyes.

"You are so hard to please." Tine huffed. " Not this one, he's too bulky, not this one, he's too soft," he contitnued, voice high-pitched in a mocking mimicry of Thyme's comments. "Who are you, Goldilocks?"

"Might I remind you that you're paid to help me find the one who's 'just right'?"

"Correction, I will be paid. I haven't received any payment yet. And as far as I'm concerned, that gives me the right to complain."

"Still griping about things non-stop, I see. Aaah, classic Tine." The pair turned to meet the unknown voice and found themselves face-to-face with a lean, young man in a jersey dirtied with sweat and grime of the football field.

"Hey, Tine!" Gulf said with a toothy grin. "Long time no see! How's my favorite cheerleader doing?"

"YOU'RE a cheerleader?" Thyme asked in disbelief.

"I WAS a cheerleader. Why do you keep acting so surprised about my extra-curricular activities? First, the knitting, now this. I'm allowed to have a life outside work and school, aren't I?"

"Oh, yes, he was a cheerleader!" Gulf exclaimed, wrapping one sweaty arm around Thyme like he was a long-lost friend. The latter turned to him with a look of disgust, but to Tine's relief, stayed quiet. "The best cheerleader the university has ever seen! Their team won competitions when he was club president! Why, the whole football team was in love with him!"

"You're exaggerating." Tine said, drily.

"I'm not and you know it."

"The whole football team, really?"

"Really!"

"Even you?"

Tine asked pointedly, to which Gulf responded with a waggle of his eyebrows. "Especially me."

Thyme, who simultaneously looked disgusted at the man clinging to him and disinterested in the ongoing conversation, startled at this declaration. "You what?" He exclaimed, forcefully peeling off Gulf's arm from his shoulder.

Tine and Gulf looked at Thyme, surprised at his odd outburst. The latter's face had taken on a sour expression. "Thyme, Gulf was just kidding." Tine said in a reassuring manner, despite not really knowing what he's supposed to reassure Thyme for.

"But I wasn't kidding!" Gulf replied with a pout.

"Whatever," Thyme huffed, his mood visibly dropping. "I don't really care." He said before deciding to settle on giving Gulf a murderous stare.

There was a long stretch of awkward silence where Thyme just looked at the football field, stubbornly avoiding anyone else's gaze, while Tine and Gulf exchanged glances. "Um, so, Tine?" Gulf interjected to break the quiet. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but you rarely come by the field anymore. Care to tell me what's up?"

Tine visibly straightened, suddenly reminded of their mission. "Right! Actually, we're looking for someone. You attended our cafe's masquerade party, right?"

"The welcome party? Yes, I did, but -"

"What's your waistline?" Thyme interjected.

"My waistline?" Gulf repeated, "um, sort of got thinner after all the football drills, I'm a size 29 now. I used to be 30 though."