Chicago (GXG)

Part 5

Somehow, we are all outside in the back alley behind the club. The woman had seen Joanne and decided to have her break for a quick chat or something I suppose.
"Ronald and Jessica, this is Valeria. She works here and I came here to be mental support." Joanne said, introducing us awkwardly.

"Hey." Ron started, not being the least bit interested. He's only interested in Joanne and even stopped sleeping around sometime when she came to our school. I hope he doesn't get hurt from commiting too hard too fast.

"Uh... hey, I'm Jess." I said holding out my hand before I realize that she was already just told.
"I'm Valeria, friends call me Val." She flashed me a relaxed smile before striking up a conversation with Joanne. Man she's perfect, even her side profile is amazing.

She's showing me no interest though and I have no idea how I could GET her to be interested. Maybe I could ask about the café?

"So I uhm saw you at the nearby café one day, just wondering if it was nice?" I said trying not to stutter.
"Yeah, it's nice and all. How'd you remember?" She said while looking at me. She makes me really nervous.
"Well uhm... It's hard to forget someone so pretty?" I tried to flirt very unsuccessfully.
She giggled a little. That's a good sign! "Well, you're sweet. But aren't you a little young?" She said.

Yes, I have a pretty severe case of baby face. I look maybe between 13 and 16 years old.
"Oh I uhh, well, how old are you? You don't look a day older than 21?" I tried changing the spotlight to her. I can't tell her my age! I'm here with a fake ID!
"Actually, I'm 30..." She said, looking kind of flustered. HOT.

"Well uhh you know what they say...About milfs and all that..." My voice slowly died out as the sentence went on, realizing I was being creepy.
She laughed a little and went back to join the convo that Ron and Joanne were having. Why can't I be as good as Ronnie. I mean look at him scoring a teacher, she's clearly digging him!

I mean, it isn't obvious but the way she doesn't reject the things he wanted to talk about and actually engaged in the conversation with him made me feel hopeful.

Somehow I'll get Val to go on a date with me! She's the most beautiful person I've ever actually seen in real life, I have to see if I have even a tiny chance.

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I wake up with my head hurting slightly, but considering that I barely drank anything I wasn't expecting a hang over.

I look around and see that I'm sitting on a chair. It's a gaming chair so it's much more comfortable than other normal chairs but I still don't know why I'm on it. Did I sleep in this? I hear a groan from the floor and see Ronnie, clearly hung over as fuck.

"Where the hell are we? Who else is there?" Ronnie said looking around confused, his voice sounding all raspy from the sleeping and alcohol.
"Morning, guess we ended up getting back to Jackson's." I said as if I barely knew even though I remembered last night pretty clearly due to not having been drunk, only tipsy.

Jackson started to stir on his bed and I got up from the chair, walking over Ronnie.
"How bad is your hangover, Jackie?" I asked him, wanting to laugh about his crazy night.
"Ugh, I didn't even drink much and I'm still suffering!" He said very annoyed.

We got ourselves cleaned up and started making something to eat in the kitchen. Jackson's parents weren't home for the weekend, so we had the house to ourselves. We decided to gossip about last night's events, all recounting as much as we could.

"Well, I made out with some hot guy. Sadly he had to leave so he couldn't take me to his place." Jackson recalled.
"I wish I got that far, Joanne shook my hand after she and I separated. The whole night there was a bunch of sexual tention! Or maybe that was just me..." Ronnie said looking down at his eggs, playing with his food.

"Hmm, well. I only spoke to a girl once during the whole night. Now I have to hunt her down if I want anything more. I didn't even ask for her number!" I pouted immaturely.
"Wait, there's a girl you've been crushing on and you haven't spilled any tea?" Jackson commented, looking betrayed. Ronnie raised his head looking just about the same, obviously feeling the betrayal aswell.

"Well, I didn't think I'd see her ever again so I didn't bother... but it's Joanne's friend, Valeria." I tried explaining without them getting mad.
"As long as you don't hide anything that happens between you two from now on, we can consider not being sad about this." Ronnie suggested a compromise.

"But I don't even know if I'll ever see her again, and if I do it's at that club. It feels like a dead-end." I thought out loud, finally admitting it to myself.
"Nope, we're making it happen. Where did you see her for the first time? Just go there every day until she comes in. You're a lot more likely to be able to talk to her if you catch her at a place that isn't so full of people." Jackson planned.

"I don't want to seem creepy, but I guess if we accidentally happen to bump into each other at a place we've both been to before, what's the harm?" I said, agreeing to this very stalkish and creepy plan.

We cleaned up our plates after breakfast and went to our homes to rest since the guys were hungover and unable to socialize for the rest of the day.
At home I changed into something a little less revealing and club-like. I put on a hoodie with some jeans and took my keys, phone and wallet before heading out. I decided to try the plan today, maybe she'll show up. It's already 11 AM, which is a normal time to get lunch or coffee on a saturday.

I arrive at the cafe and go to order something while I wait for my prey. "Good morning, what can I get you?" The server asked me in a standard customer service voice. "Give me a hot chocolate, water not milk, please."

I stood around for bit, looking outside hoping to see a particular woman. My order was called and I took it and headed to a table near the door, just so I could see who came and went.
I had no luck that day. I finished my drink and sat around for a good fifteen minutes before I realized that I must have looked weird, being the only one that hadn't left yet. New customers flooded in and out but I sat there like a lost puppy looking for someone.
I repeated that same pattern for a few more days, until I told Jackson about this unsuccessfull plan at school the next tuesday.

"it's been three days that I've spent sitting around there like an idiot, that one day I saw her there she came in around 11 AM, and I've gone there at the same time every day..." I mumbled against my hands.
"Hun, it's about patience. Just go there every day for the rest of the week, and if she doesn't show then we will think of another plan." Jackson reassured me and it made me feel better.

Ronnie turned around the corner, heading towards us. He's clearly coming from Joanne's classroom and I'm glad that something's going well for him.
"Well, well, well. Why do you have that kind of grin on your face?" Jackson asked Ronnie.

"It's a nice day that's all. How's the stalking going, Jess?" He asked, clearly avoiding the subject.
"It's sucking hard. Now, back to YOUR love life. Don't you dare reflect!" I said to him, extremely curious about his obvious happy mood. The smile on his face and that little bounce on his step are clear signs of happiness!

"Ugh fine, it's only fair..." He teased us and we both leaned in like they do in cartoons, almost lying on the table. "I might have gotten her number. I said it was for 'homework purposes'." He said and we jumped up high like fireworks. This is the best news I'd heard all week, my boy is making some serious moves on this woman. I hope they get married, I'm almost teary-eyed...

"That's great news and all, but what are you going to do with it? I mean she'll see right through it if you start texting her casually." Jackson pointed out and the excitement died down a little.

"Jacks has a point Ron, you can't just start texting her as if she's your friend." I said and he got a little sad, so I tried to soften it a little bit. "BUT, you can ask her about homework like you were supposed to and slide in a few comments here and there. Only enough for her to slightly warm up to you, don't go overboard." I made a plan for him and laid it out.

"Thank you! I'll do just that. I hope you get to find Valeria somewhere. You deserve a girl and happiness too." Ron said. His words made me think. I DO deserve happiness so I swear to try my best and not give up.

After the school day ends, I'll head straight to the café. I NEED to talk to this woman, I feel like I'm missing out on so much when I can't talk to her, she seems so interesting.