Chemistry

Chapter 6

I wake up the next morning and dig through my purse for my phone.

It's not there.

I throw the bag down and fling myself backwards onto my bed.  "Shoot."

I could ask Tadashi if he knows where it is.  But I don't have his number, and obviously, I don't have a phone.

I stand up and grab my wallet, then head down to the curb.

It's not too hard to hail a cab.  I direct them to the Happy Cat Cafe.

The Cafe is closed.

I lean against the door, my head in my hands.

This is quite possibly one of the worst things that has happened to me in my whole 20 years.

There is a knock at my back.  I turn around.

Cass greets me with a huge grin as she unlocks the door.

"Is Tadashi here?" I ask as she waves me in.

"Present," comes a groggy voice from the stairs.

I turn around and see Tadashi leaning against the railing, his hair rumpled in sleep.

I rush towards him anxiously.  "Do you know where my phone is?" I ask quickly.

"Yeah, I think so." He walks up the stairs.

I sit down in one of the chairs, my head in my hands.  He has it.  Relief floods over me.

He clumps down the stairs and holds out my phone.

"How did you end up with it?"

He rubs his neck.  "I don't know, I guess it just ended up in my pocket."

"It just ended up in there?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Ok, I took it."

"What?"

"I don't even know, I just--"

"No, it's not okay!  I don't even understand why exactly you would do this," I say, my voice rising.

"I'm sorry Honey Lemon, I--"

I turn around.  "No."

I walk out quickly.  I've barely gotten into a cab when the tears come.

But this is normal, right?

All couples have their little trouble times, right?

Maybe this will all just blow over.

At my apartment, I turn on my phone.  It's fine.  At least he didn't break it.

Then it buzzes.

Hey, I'm sorry, Honey Lemon.

I unlock it and respond:  Who is this and how did you get my number?

I hit send and sit back.

Sure enough, a minute later, they respond.  

It's Tadashi, and I'm sorry.

I drop my phone and put my head in my hands.  I refuse to answer it.

I ignore it as it buzzes over and over.  Finally, I silence his texts.

I can't believe he did this.  Again, I throw myself backwards onto my bed and rub my hands into my face.

Monday, I have to go back to school.  I walk right by his work space as he knocks on the window, trying to get my attention.  I don't feel like talking to him.

Wasabi notices.

After an hour of Tadashi "happening to wander by" my corner, and my ignoring him, Wasabi comes to talk to me.

"What happened with you and Tadashi?"

"What made it your business?"

Oh.  I've hurt him.

"I'm so sorry, Wasabi, I didn't mean that, it's just--" I stutter out.

"No, it's fine.  I was nosy."  He starts to walk away.  But I sort of need someone to rant to.  He sits through, or rather stands, my entire story.

"Do you want to forgive him?" he asks when I have finished.

"No, well, yeah, sort of." I respond.

"Okay, then forgive him.  He probably meant it for the best, and didn't know how to ask you for your number." Wasabi organizes my chemicals.

"It's still not okay," I say.

"No, but..."

I shake my head.  "I'll forgive him.  At lunch, I can talk to him."

Wasabi puts the last tool in place.  "Good."