The 100th Guy (English - Unedited)

[CHAPTER FOUR] Because it's the beginning...

Chapter Four
Because it's the beginning, it's good

“100.”

          I slowly stood from my seat to approach the 100th guy. Something inside me was doubting. Should I approach him? Should I still continue this? Was I just playing with myself?

          “Midori,” I whispered to myself. “You waited. And now, he is already here. There is no turning back!”

          I nodded, realizing that my thoughts were right. I started this, I would do this, and I would end this. Whatever might happen, I would just let Fate move the chess pieces.

          “Got ‘ya!” I ran after him and held his arm to stop him from walking. He studied me from head to toe, then looked at my face again. “Hi! Would you like to say hello?”

          He looked around him for a while. I loosened my grip on his arm. He looked lost and it seemed like he had no idea of what was happening. I wanted to snap him out but he suddenly looked at me. And again, he scanned me like I was someone from Mars.

          “I already got you and there is nothing you can do. Whether you like it or not, you will go on a date with me.” I winked at him and I even smiled just to change the awkward atmosphere between us. But he just stood there frozen. Then a knot formed on his forehead. I scratched my head, feeling like an idiot. So counting the 100th guy was a stupid idea after all. “Okay, yeah...” I motioned my hand to tell him that he could leave and then turned my back on him. But just as I was about to walk away, I felt a weight on my shoulders and the next thing I knew, he was already beside me.

          “That’s an interesting offer,” He pulled me closer to him with his arms around my shoulders. I just stared at him with total surprise on my face. He got a different twang, something that only rich people could do. “Do you know a good place? I know a lot.”

He just kept pulling me to some direction I did not know where would lead us. When I got the chance, I removed his arm on my shoulders and he stopped walking. “Wait—”

          “Why? I thought we are going on a date.”

          My tongue felt like splitting into two and my intestinal juices seemed to lump to my throat. Was this really how a date goes? Was the ‘arm-on-the-shoulders’ a must?

          “Come on! I know a good place! Are you in for parties?” I did not answer. “Oh, not. How about music?” I still did not answer. Then there was silence between us. It felt so awkward. I pushed him on a date and now that he was responding, I just stood here like yeah, a Martian lost on earth!

          He took a step forward, I took a step back. He took another step to me, and I took another step away from him.

          “You know me, don’t you?”

          “W-What?” I asked, still hard for me to do because of the lump forming on my throat.

          He removed his eyeglasses and I was taken aback. He looked so gorgeous. I even thought I already saw him before but then I did not even know the guy. It was just that... he was tempting. He got that special aura, a force— something that would attract you, like a magnet, or gravity.

          He looked around and then put his eyeglasses back.

          “You know me, right?” he again asked. I just shook my head because it was true that I did not really know him. He bit his lower lip and remained silent for a moment. And when nothing seemed to be happening between us, he spoke, “You should have not asked me to go on a date with you if you would just act like that. You know, you are lucky. I am the one you asked. What if it was not me? What if it was some other guy who would take you for their advantage? What would you do? Could you fight back? Pardon me, but you look weak. There are many guys here finding someone to go on a date with. See that man there?” I looked to where he pointed and saw a bearded man seated under the tree. “What if he is a snatcher? Or a pedophile? Or someone who would kidnap you and get your intestines?” I stepped back hearing his assumptions. My body started to shiver, aside from the coldness because darkness has already succumbed, because of what he was saying. At first, he just sounded like a stranger who cared as a person, but as he kept on speaking, he sounded like Avril, as if he would really care that much for someone unfamiliar. “How far could you run? Are you even an athlete? With that lean body? You know, Miss, the world that we have today is unsafe. Everywhere you go, there are bad entities flying everywhere. So don’t let your guard down.” He raised both my hands and clenched my fists into fighting position. “Hmm? Take care!” He patted my head like I was a puppy before he left.