The Fatal Flaw | LT

XXXII

CHAPTER XXXII

January

The day was almost over and I had successfully avoided Louis, that or I just simply didn't go outside.

I had my tutoring session with James tonight in a library, as he requested. He said he wanted it to be in a public place so that I won't feel uncomfortable and I was taken aback by how much he respected me.

I decided dressing up won't be necessary since we were only going to library, so I pulled on my black yoga pants and a pink sweatshirt that says 'on Wednesdays we wear pink' granted it wasn't a Wednesday but sue me.

"Hi." I greeted James who beat me to the library. He was seated in the middle table, surprisingly there were a handful of people here, probably cramming, like James, on finishing school works before classes start.

"Let's get this started."

-

Two hours later, we were successful in completing James' project. It was nearing nine pm and my stomach decided that it was time to make a dramatic interruption between our conversations.

"Okay, you said you didn't want anything in return, no money and no gift. But please let me buy you dinner." James said taking my hand in his and as if on cue, my stomach grumbled.

"I am going to say yes because my stomach said so." We both laughed and gathered our things as quickly as we could as per request of my growling stomach.

We decided the diner that me and my gang goes to was the safest bet upon satisfying our growling stomachs (yes, his too), since it was the closest to us. Neither of us brought our car because our dorms were only a five minute walk to the library.

"Hey Vee, you aren't with your gang tonight?" Hazel, the kind mid-thirties woman asked me as she listed our orders up.

"Nope, just me and another friend." I smiled at her sweetly. She strutted away after muttering that she'll be back with our orders in a jiffy.

"So Vee, tell me something about you." James suddenly blurted out, his cheeks reddening as if he wasn't intending that to go out of his mouth. "I mean, um- I just thought this wasn't a onetime thing you know? I know you have a boyfriend and all, but I just want to be your friend and its okay if it-."

"You ramble too much." I interrupted with a laugh. "Of course this isn't a onetime thing; I am honored to be your friend."

"Thank God, that would've been awkward if you didn't say yes."

"Well, thank God I did."

The dinner was spent with us laughing at some childhood stories James told me. Most of them were to embarrassing to repeat but some were iconic.

"You did not!" I exclaimed throwing a piece of chip at him.

"I did!" He laughed, unsuccessfully dodging it.

"Oh my god, I thought our childhood stories were embarrassing!" I beamed still gasping for air at what he just told me. "You are an embarrassment of a child."

"I know I am, though it's not a 'child'. It's plainly 'embarrassment of a human'. One time, in my History class last year, I farted so loud that that moment brought everyone to life in the most boring subject of all time. I was so embarrassed that I had to dye my hair just so they'll forget it was me."

"You dyed your hair what? Brown?" I asked.

"No, blonde." He chuckled.

"Well, isn't that a sight to see?" I laughed clutching my stomach. I just couldn't picture him as a blonde, so it was funny.