You And I

Chapter 10: Summer Boredom and Excitement

The long, lazy days of summer vacation had finally arrived, but instead of being filled with fun and excitement, they were utterly dull. I was so bored-really bored. There was nothing to do at home, and the oppressive heat made going out unbearable. As I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, I wondered if this would be my whole summer vacation: boring, uneventful, and without Mei. I missed her more than I cared to admit, but the thought of making plans with her felt too much like a confession-something I wasn't ready for yet.

Weeks passed in this state of boredom. I felt like I was wasting away until one day, out of sheer desperation, I texted the group chat:

Guys, any plans this summer vacation?

Hours passed with no response. I was starting to lose hope when, finally, Ryan replied:

Let's go to EDGE'S Resort tomorrow, guys. It's cheap, and it's fun.

Excitement surged through me. I immediately responded, I'll come! Finally, something to break the monotony.

But what I was really waiting for was Mei's response. I stared at my phone for six hours straight, refreshing the chat every few minutes. My mind raced with thoughts of seeing her again after so many weeks. Would she come? Or would she be busy?

Just as I was starting to worry, her message popped up: I'll come.

That single message filled my heart with excitement. I could barely contain my happiness. Ryan, always the planner, organized everything, saying we'd meet at the resort entrance at 10 a.m. sharp. But then, he couldn't resist adding:

And please, not a single person is allowed to go reaaaally early. Am I right, Levi?

The group chat erupted with laughter, including Mei's little chuckle. I couldn't help but laugh too, even though I was blushing from the teasing. I promised not to show up too early this time, but deep down, I knew I'd be counting the minutes.

That night, I went to bed with a grin on my face. After weeks of boredom, the thought of seeing Mei again was enough to make my heart race. I drifted off to sleep, my mind filled with thoughts of tomorrow-of us at the resort, laughing, talking, and, maybe, creating new memories together.

The next morning, I woke up at 7 a.m., filled with excitement for our trip to EDGE'S Resort. Just to mess with the group, I sent a message: "On my way to EDGE'S right now, be waiting on you guys."

Ryan, of course, replied immediately: "You've got to be kidding me, are you really that excited to see Mei again? I mean, us again?"

I blushed, feeling my face heat up, and replied, "Shut up, I was just kidding."

But then, I noticed that Mei had seen Ryan's message and hadn't said a thing. Panic started to creep in-what if she had already figured out that I liked her? My mind was spinning with all kinds of thoughts, but I pushed them aside and got ready for the day. I was determined to enjoy this moment with her, even if it made my heart race every time I thought about her.

When I arrived at the meeting place, I was the last one to show up.

Ryan smirked, "Took you long enough! I thought you were excited."

I just laughed it off without answering, but then I turned around and saw Mei-standing there in her swimsuit. My breath caught in my throat. She looked stunning. Her shy smile made my heart skip a beat.

She asked me softly, "How do I look?"

I wanted to shower her with compliments, to tell her every little thing that made her look incredible, but I played it cool-well, as cool as I could. "You look amazing," I said, my hand instinctively slapping my face to keep the grin from spreading wider.

Yvonne and Ryan couldn't stop laughing. "You're so funny, Levi!" Yvonne teased.

Ryan, always pushing boundaries, added, "Hey, don't stare too much at her chest, bro!"

I wasn't, but my face burned with embarrassment. I glanced quickly at Mei's face instead, and to my surprise, she was blushing too. Maybe she was embarrassed by Ryan's comment, or maybe... just maybe, she wasn't weirded out by me at all.

I quickly said, "Cut it out, guys," trying to deflect their teasing.

We finally made our way into the resort, found our cottage, and bought some snacks. I felt a little more relaxed, but deep down, my mind was racing. I couldn't stop thinking about Mei, her smile, her laugh, and the way my heart felt every time I was near her. This day was just getting started, and I could already tell-it was going to be one I'd never forget.