Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Love or Hate ❯ Volume Four, Chapter Twenty-Five: Strange Designs ( Chapter 25 )

Strange Designs

-Mai-

Why am I here? Why do I “have” to get married? This was my uncle's stupid idea. Why can't he let me be?

I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

“What's wrong?” Isao asked. I wrinkled my nose and shook my head.

Truth is, Raja's all I have. My mom died when I was about… five or six. Maybe I was older. Dad was never in the picture. They sent me to live with Uncle Raja in Okinawa. I had only seen one picture of him when he was a baby. I had no idea what I was getting into.

“Why don't we leave?” Isao asked. I looked up.

“Huh?” I asked. He shrugged at me.

“There's no point, right?” he asked. “We could just leave.”

“And go where?” I asked.

“The studio? A park? Anywhere but here,” he said. I sat back in my chair. What's with this guy? Everything about him annoys me. Why does he have to look so pretty? His voice made me want to stab my eardrums. That smile… Grrr! I want to reach out and strangle him.

I forced myself to smile.

“But what about lunch?” I asked. Isao shrugged.

“We'll make it to go,” he said.

“I don't think you can do that,” I said.

“You sure?” he asked. I raised my eyebrow. He's been planning this, hasn't he?

“I don't think it will work,” I said.

“Want to bet?” he asked. So annoying. I rolled my eyes.

“Fine,” he said. He stuck his hand up in the air.

“Waiter!” Isao called. “Waiter!” How the fuck is he this smug? So infuriating.

“I don't get you,” I muttered. Isao turned back to face me.

“Excuse me?” he asked. I shook my head.

“I don't get you,” I said again.

“What do you mean?” he asked. I tried to think of something to say. Why can't I say it? My face felt hot. He started smiling.

“Stop that!” I snapped.

“Stop what?” he asked. I gritted my teeth.

“Shut up,” I muttered. He blinked at me. I rose to my feet.

“I can't,” I said. “I just can't.” I walked away from the table.

“Mai?” I heard him ask behind me. I flipped him off as I walked off.

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I hid out in a bathroom stall. I can't get his and Raja's faces out of my head. Why do they keep doing this to me? I threw back my head and breathed out. So stupid. My phone buzzed. Hm? What is it now? I took out my phone. Ah, a new text from Yoko. Please save me!

“Hey. You need an out?” I read. I was quick to reply.

“God, yes. I can't take seeing his face anymore! Help me!” I breathed out and hit send. Finally, I can get out of this shitty date. I looked at the door. What do I tell Isao?

I shook my head.

I don't need to come up with an excuse. I should just say it. Consequences be damned. U don't care what Uncle thinks. My phone buzzed. Well that was fast.

“Okay. Tell me where you are,” Yoko wrote back. I quickly texted my location and hit send. There, that should do it. I straightened up my dress and walked out of the stall. Much better.

Track Twenty-Five