The Experience Buddy [Completed]

Chapter 17

My stomach was still doing flips the next day. I could still remember the texture of his lips, the scent of his breath and the warmth from the skin of our faces pressing together.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." I groaned.

How could he just kiss me like that? What was worse was, how could I just kiss him back? Currently the top two contenders for worst decision in my life are this kiss and selling Mr Duffey, my rabbit doll that I had for as long as I could remember, at the charity sale last year.

Needless to say the journey back was awkward. Luckily, campus wasn't that far from Redwood City.

I glanced at the screen of my phone and saw that there was no text message from Hero. Like what was I expecting?

Madison and Frank had received my gifts for them just in time, and so did I receive mine from them just this morning, for us to unbox our presents together. I tossed my phone in a corner of my desk and used my laptop to dial into our video conference.

As expected, Madison was stoked about the matching cups since the design suited her tastes as well. Although Frank teasingly begged me not to get anymore stuff that would openly call them out as a couple. Madison would then playfully hit Frank on his back. Seeing the two of them, it made me start to wonder how I would act if I were someone's girlfriend. Would I be different or would I still be the same?

"Quick! Open yours! See what we got you!" Madison urged impatiently.

I hastily tore apart the brown paper that was wrapped around a rectangular box, to reveal a handheld tablet. My eyes widened to the size of golfballs and my mouth was left agape.

"Holyshit! You guys!" I exclaimed.

I was on the verge of tearing but I held them in.

"How? Why?" I was scrambling to find the right words.

"So that you can write anytime, anywhere on a bigger screen, instead of using that pathetic phone of yours." Madison grinned.

"Love you both." I planted a peck on the video camera of my laptop.

"Love you too!" Madison blew kisses into the screen.

"Eww." Frank gave a face of disgust but then broke into laughter after.

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Another two more days passed by without contacting Hero at all. I spent my days indoors to focus on my writing. Every time I feel like my mind was digressing from the task, I would make myself think about the prize money.

I received a text from Nat that she and Cheryl were back. When I finally saw her that night as she entered our room, I felt torn from within. I wanted so much to fill her in on all the details of the past few days, minus that kiss of course. But at the same time, I was afraid I might slip up accidentally and spill the beans on who I actually hung out with. Double the guilt when that person is someone she knows.

While she was unpacking, I asked her to fill me in on her winter break. Her older brother who got married last year, had a daughter together with his lovely wife, in October this year. When Nat saw her niece for the first time on Christmas day, she couldn't peel her eyes away from the adorable baby. She showed me pictures she had taken and I also melted at the sight of those doll eyes and chubby cheeks.

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New year's eve came pretty quickly. Hugh has returned in the morning and straightaway "demanded" that we gather at Hero's place tonight and countdown together to the new year. The thought of seeing Hero again puts my mind into a frenzy. I paced around in my room, thinking about what I should do and how I should act later.