My Pretend Girlfriend

My Pretend Girlfriend Chapter 3 - The 20 questions game

"So that's how it went.." Venus ended off in a trail and held her breath. She had a feeling knew how her friends would react to this.

The phone line was silent for a moment, before Jacklyn and Shosanne exploded into yells and screams at the other end.

"Oh my god," the both of them chorused together.

"V, are you serious!?" exclaimed Shosanne excitedly.

"Oh, V! That Chase guy is amazing!" sighed Jacklyn.

Venus laughed and shook her head. "Jack, Sho, the both of you are overreacting. Chase just needs my help and as the sister of his best friend.. I'm doing my best to help. Nothing else."

"But," said Jacklyn, dying to see more romance develop between Chase and her best friend, "he could have asked anyone! Anyone! But why would he choose you?"

Venus shrugged. "I guess that's because I'm his best friend's sister? Mars is trust-able.. So he probably thinks I, as his sister, can be trusted to keep his secret too."

A beeping sounded on the phone. Venus remembered. Chase.

"Sorry guys, I've got to end the call now, somebody else is trying to get through," she said, trying to hide the smile from her voice.

"Wait! V!" Shosanne hurried over the phone. "Just want to let you know something I noticed today. About the way he looked at you. It was.. Different. He looked at you so carefully, like you are so fragile. I think he really cares about you. Yeah, that's about it. Go pick up your call now! Talk to you tomorrow, bye!" The both of them hung up. Then Venus remembered the other beeping noise and linked the call.

"Hello?" she said, anxiously.

"Venus? Hey.. I promised I would call, didn't I?"

"Chase," Venus breathed. "So... What's up?" she was trying her best to keep her cool. She always picked up the phone when Chase called her home, but the calls had been always for Mars.

"Nothing. It's normal for a guy to call his girlfriend, right? Hmmm. What are you doing now?" his voice was husky.

Venus quivered. "Nothing much. I'm lying on my bed. Was chillin' with my friends over the phone before you called."

"Oh. I'm lying on my bed too. Was listening to my ipod with same old songs playing before I got bored."

The thought of lying the both of them lying on their beds and connected by a phone call away made Venus' heart beat faster. So by that, does he mean that talking to her is interesting?

"What were you listening to?" she asked curiously, wondering if they shared the same taste.

"It's a song by a band not many has heard of. Matters At All. By Kids In Glass Houses. You've heard of them?"

"Yes! I have a few songs of theirs in my ipod too. They are good."

The mood between Chase and Venus seemed to have lightened. Venus felt herself smiling. He talked a little more and even joked occasionally, and Venus felt fairly at ease dipping in and out of the conversation.

"Okay," said Chase, "Let's play a game. Called 20 questions. I get to ask you 10 and you get to ask me 10 too. We'll take turns. And whatever you answer has to be the truth. Ready for it?" Venus thought she heard enthusiasm behind his voice.

"Alright, bring it on!"

"Okay, great. Ladies first!"

"Question 1 for Chase," Venus thought for a moment. "What is your biggest fear?"

She could hear his every breath clearly through the phone. They were long and heavy like stage curtains, hiding the surprise behind.

"To lose the person who means the most to me," he said simply. "That's easy. My turn. Question 1 for Venus. What's the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?"

Venus laughed, her voice chiming lightly through the phone like bells. "Well. Last year, I tore my gym pants during gym. Worst thing was, I didn't notice and ran about the entire lesson playing volleyball! The color of my garment was the talk of the day. Oh my god."

Chase guffawed. "That, is epic. I should have been there to witness it," he said with a smirk in his voice that Venus could detect over the phone.

"Shut up! My turn. Question 2 to Chase. Who is that person who means the most to you?"

"You're that interested? Okay, let's just say I haven't found that meaningful person yet. Question over, my turn. Question 2 directed to Venus, who did you give your first kiss to?"

"I've not been kissed yet," Venus admitted, feeling her cheeks burn.

"What! You can't be serious. I know you receive love letters every week. Mars told me. He complained that some of them even made him their postman. I think it's rather like you haven't let any boy kiss you?"

"Nope, I'm dead serious," Venus said. "I'm safe-keeping my first kiss for the special one. Till then... No kissing is going to happen." And because you are the one I'm waiting for, she thought.

"Wow," Chase muttered. "I'm... Surprised."

"Yeah yeah. In case you don't know, I'm quite a traditional person. Anyway, Question 3 to surprised boy. Why did you date Sophie?"

Chase was thoughtful. "Hmmm. Actually... I don't know. Maybe because she seemed pretty attractive and nice at that time. And then she changed. So here we are." He laughed. "Question 3 for Venus..." His voice was flirtatious. "What do you like about me?"

There was a fiery sensation in Venus' cheeks. Emotions bubbled within her as she fought to find words to reply him. She was glad they were talking over the phone, and not face to face. Should she tell him the truth?

She gulped. "You are... Good-looking. Gentlemanly. And and... Crazy." Then she hung up. And regretted immediately. Where's your resolve? she thought, taunting herself silently.

Seconds later, the phone rang again. She picked up the receiver to hear him laugh, his voice echoing through the phone line.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"S'alright shy kid, I won't tease you anymore. Well, I've got to go now, I hear my mom yelling for me." Venus heard him hold the receiver away and shouted back "In a minute" and then held back the phone. "Talk to you again soon, sleep well Venus!"

Venus was relieved he decided to drop the topic. "Goodnight... See you on Saturday."

"See you too, goodnight," Venus could feel him grinning through the phone. "Girlfriend." he finished the sentence.

"Idiot!" She hung up on him again and made a mental note to hit him the next time they meet. Her heart was still pulsating fast. She rolled on her bed, burying her face in her pillow and fell asleep smiling with his voice saying "girlfriend" echoing in her head.