The Girl Who Hates Me

The Girl Who Loves Me

Arron found himself walking around town. He realized that he had been wandering around until it was early evening.

He picked up his phone and saw that there was a text message from Jiro that read, "Hey dude. Where are you? Hebe's been looking for you!"

Arron frowned and stared at his phone. Then he turned it off.

Better to be left alone with his thoughts.

He kicked at a rock and then realized he was standing in front of a lit up carnival.

People were walking past him, happy and excited to go into the carnival. It was a huge mass of tents and lights and rides, including a ferris wheel.

"Wow." Arron looked around. He had somehow wandered all the way to the beach, and the carnival was nearby.

A carnival looked pretty fun. But it wasn't exactly fun to go alone.

Arron stood outside the entrance for a little while, watching happy young couples walk in and young children running about.

The sun was slowly beginning to set, reflecting over the gentle rolling waves of the ocean.

"Arron!" a voice called.

"Huh?" Arron looked around to see who had called his name.

A girl was sitting on a bench nearby, looking straight at him, holding a tissue to her knee.

Not just any girl. It was Hebe.

Arron was shocked for a moment, but he pushed his way past carnival goers and ran to her.

"Hebe? What are you doing here.....what happened?" he demanded, shocked upon seeing her holding a tissue stained with a little blood.

"I should ask you what you're doing here," she said mournfully. "You scared me to death....You just took off. I've been looking for you all over."

Arron knelt down in front of her. "I had to be with my thoughts," he said quietly, looking her in the eyes.

Hebe looked down at Arron, and he looked back, and they seemed to be lost for words, just staring at each other.

The sky was growing darker, and the bright lights outlining the carnival came on.

More people were hurrying past them. Crowds of people were admiring the view of the beach, walking along, minding their own business, no one paying attention to the girl on the bench with the guy kneeling in front of her.

Arron put his hand on Hebe's hand. "Did you fall?" he asked.

"Yes, when I was looking for you," Hebe said. "It....doesn't hurt too much. Really."

"You should have been more careful."

"I know, but..."

Arron silently reached into his pocket and pulled out the spare bandage he always kept with him, and carefully bandaged Hebe's knee.

"I was just wandering around and then I came here," Arron said, still on the ground. He noticed something glittering on Hebe's hand.

Hebe noticed he was looking at her wrist and lifted her wrist up. "Thank you for the bracelet. It's so pretty."

"I'm glad you like it," Arron said stiffly, and stood up.

Suddenly Hebe burst into tears and hugged Arron around the middle, from where she was sitting on the bench. Arron was startled.

"Oh Arron, I'm sorry, I'm such a fool," she sobbed, burying her face into Arron's coat.

"Huh? Why?" Arron said softly, leaning down and putting his arms around her.