(Falling) Failing in Love at First Sight [English Version]

02: Second Place

The number two. I suppose it means some things for me. As early as elementary school, the number two has been in my life. For example...

During my days in elementary school, I was an honor student. The medals that I mentioned before? They were from me being a top student. Actually, it may sound strange, but throughout the time I liked Eliza, I was stuck in fourth place. After that, when I was in the fifth and sixth grade, I was in second place. But, that wasn’t the only thing I was in second place.

Throughout my years in elementary school, I was always chosen as a contestant for mathematics competitions. I can’t remember how I was always picked – I guess I was just a bit better in math than most people in my class. There are a lot of different competitions, and you would see me in all of them. Though, you may have already guessed this, but the highest place that I got is second place.

In some of these competitions, you needed to be a team of two for each school. I’ve been paired up with different people in the six years that I competed, and well... I kinda had a crush on one of them. To be exact, she was my last partner.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, the names that I write here aren’t their real names. That includes Eliza’s as well. Anyway, her name is Ivory. She has a sister named Ivy. If it hasn’t crossed your mind yet, then let me tell you this: they are twins. Ivory is good in math, while Ivy is good in science. Both of them are very smart, and are quite popular, too. When we finished elementary school, they also were in the top places.

They were so popular back then that they were “liked” by a lot of boys not only in my class, but in other classes as well. I actually made a list of who liked them, and it somehow turned out that Ivy is liked more by the boys than Ivory. But, I think my information back then was lacking. They were probably liked by a lot more boys, which probably included one of my cousins.

And because they were liked so much, especially Ivy, me, the twins, and three others formed a little group. Oh, I forgot to mention this, but the six of us who were part of this group were writing in the school paper. In other words, we were school journalists. These facts don’t really matter much. Or does it?

But still... How and why did I like Ivory that way? Well, even now I still don’t know. It just... happened, I suppose. I didn’t regret it though, but then again... Nowadays we hardly talk at all. That applies to most of my older friends as well, not just her, mind you. Ever since we finished elementary school... wait, it was waaay after we finished elementary school, I suddenly found myself not able to talk to my old friends.

But, even so, I still think of them as a friend. Well, it’s not like I don’t hear from them, you know? I mean, nowadays almost everyone has Facebook, so I know how people are doing, in a way. Speaking of which, I should really say hi to them. I guess I’ll do that after I write this chapter.

Well, to tell you the truth, I kinda followed them around. Not in a stalker kind of way (in no way will I stalk someone... unless someone pays me to do so, I guess.), but, well, I went to the same high school as they did. Then again, I only studied there for about two months (the number of twos in this chapter... I lost count.), and the reason for it... let’s talk about it some other time. I guess that’s how life is telling me that I had no chance with her, even though I knew that it wouldn’t be possible for her to feel the same way as I did. Anyway...

Hm, I’ve ran out of things to say! I suppose that does it for now. That was pretty boring, huh? But, it would be nice if you stayed a little longer and read this story if it doesn’t bore you that much. Well, I’ll see you later!