Parasols

Chapter 7: Undermining

overlaps with chapter 6

Chapter 7: Undermining

~haruka~

All my excitement drains away and is replaced with fear when Ryo gets roughly pulled around the corner. I stand there, mouth open, frozen in shock.

The words, "Thank you." stills on my tongue, and I swallow it back down.

A girl bumps into me with unexpected force.

"S'cuse me." She grunts, and pushes me even more. I stumble, nearly falling, and I will myself to keep my head down.

I swallow hard. Before I know it, more people are entering the house and it gets more crowded. The colorful lights suddenly became a blur, and my eyes start twitching in the effort to focus again. Without realizing, my hands start shaking, and I take my other hand to clutch the other in a vain effort to stop the shaking.

"You okay there?"

My eyes widen a little, and I turn my head to see who is--

Will.

OhmygodhesawthatIwassocarelessohnonowI'membaressed--

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

Will chuckles a little and reaches out to pat my head.

"I'm glad you came."

I try to fight back the blush that is creeping up my cheeks, but I can't.

He wanted me here! He actually wanted me here at the party!

"Um, I'm really grateful! If you didn't invite me, I'd probably be reading in my room again, and--"

"Is that why you're always in the library all the time?" Will says, laughing.

"Well, yeah, because I like books and their stories and..."

I'm not getting anywhere!

"No, I like books a lot too!" Will exclaimed. "Not just Harry Potter, but all kinds really."

"Do.." I stop myself, questioning myself if I realy wanted to ask him this question. "Do you like romance?"

He stares at me for a moment, and for a second, I think I've said the wrong thing. However, he slaps his hand to his mouth, and coughs, as if trying to be discrete.

"Don't tell anyone." he whispers, winking.

My jaw drops. And here I thought that all guys have the emotional capacity of a rock!

I nod vigorously. "I love them!"

Will raises his eyebrow and grins. "I've seen your check-out history."

"Ah--" Suddenly flustered, I stare at the ground, the heat from my cheeks now climbing down my neck. "Well, I really like them, and it's kinda that 'woah' feeling and that 'gwah' rush when you read it and--"

I stop myself, realizing I was blathering, and Will's going to get tired of me talking about 'sappy romance books' like how Ryo always--

"Oh yeah, that feeling whenever you read a fluffy contemporary book is awesome, huh? Have you read, To All The Boys I've Loved Before?"

My eyes widen in shock. "N-No, I haven't."

Will smiles. "It's really good. It's about this--Oh, uh, do you want me to tell you what's in the book?"

I nod my head so strongly, I almost start to get dizzy. "Yes. Continue."

Will stiffles his laughter with his hand cupped to his mouth. He clears his throat, the same way Dad would start a story when I was young.