Chapter Thirty-Three: One Step Towards The Truth
   “No.”
   “No?” He looks at me dumbfounded. He pouts, making the plastic bags sway with his movement. “—darn. I thought you’d say yes.”
   I huffed, crossing my arms. “Well I’m not interested. And second, I don’t like you.”
  “But isn’t my offer tempting at least?” he whined, stepping close. “—you’re really hitting on my self-esteem right now, Avery.”
  I bent down, picking up the plastic bags that I dropped due to the overwhelming offer he just blurted out. “Like I told you; I’m not interested.”
     “Why? Is it because you realized you have someone else in your heart?” he lightly jokes.
    It wasn’t funny in the least.
     I groaned, then sprung up from my crouched state with the plastic bags now dangling on my fingertips. I taunted. “You want me to chuck this scissor?”
    “I don’t think you’d want to get arrested for assault,” he eyed me cautiously.
     “Tch.”
   “Jokes aside,” Oskar trails off, looking at a far distance for a mere second. “---didn’t I promise that I’ll tell you why Tom is acting this way if you go on a date with me?”   
     “I could just ask him,” I try to brush him off.
     “But you couldn’t, could you?”
    Bullseye. Damn it.
    “You see, if you go on a date with me, then you’ll get your questions answered,” he murmured, staring at the busy people passing through us. “—and you need to go on a date with me to further prove that.”
      “Can’t you just tell me?” I grumbled.
     “I can’t tell you the full details,” he looks at me and flashes a small smile. “—but I’m pretty sure going on a date with me will trigger it.”
     “Trigger what?”
    He mockingly grins.  “That’s for me to know, and for you to find out.”
       “Do I have a choice?” I murmured.
    “It’s still up to you.”
    I stared at my shoes, countless of thoughts circling my mind in that one split second. I do want to know. I mean he’s already involved in my life...I deserve the right to know at least.
He said I’m his friend, so I should know what’s troubling him.
I can’t also outright ask him. Things have gone sour lately and asking would make things worse.
If what Oskar says would truly answer this undying curiosity, then I’m willing to go.
    I closed my eyes, inhaling a deep breath while I calmed myself, feeling the tensed stance on my shoulder loosen. Then I flickered my eyes opened, and stared at his starry eyes.
     “I’ll go on a date with you…but---”
   “I’ll consider it a friends…uhm, hang out,” I looked away, and towards the bustling street. “—so, don’t mistake it as romantic or something.”
   He briefly replied.  “I never intended to make it romantic from the start anyway.”
     I whipped my head to find him smiling. “You helped me before. And now it’s my turn to help you.”
     “Because that’s what friends do, right?”
. . .
“Did something happen to you and Tom?” my mother casually blurted in the middle of our silent meal with the sounds of television blaring by the background.
I paused, holding the fork with intensity, then proceeded to stab the spring rolls and plopped it to my mouth. “Nothing’s wrong.”
    “But you two haven’t walked together in the morning and afternoon too,” she pointed out, casting a gaze at the television and to me. “—that kid is such a bright and persistent one that it’s unusual for him to not come.”
     “Did you forgot to realize that his world doesn’t revolve solely on mine?” I spoke nonchalantly, minding my attention to the dish in front of me. “---and that he has other friends, not just me.”
    “Did you two have a lovers quarrel?” she replied too teasingly for my own good.
     I shot her a glare, frowning my lips. “We’re not lovers! And like I told you, we’re not fighting!”
         “You can always tell me,” she pouts, pretending to pull off a sweet, pitiful woman act. Drama queen. “---you used to tell me your secrets before, and now, you’re so distant.”
      “It’s called privacy,” I responded while I chewed on my rice. “---you can’t just expect me to tell everything now.”
      “But I might be helpful,” she suggested. “---I can probably give you some advice.”
     “I mean Tom is a really nice guy. It would be a shame if things fall out between you two,” she pondered.
     “Maybe you’re always harsh on him? At least give the kid some slack. He went all his way to be-friend you and that’s how you repay him?”
    “Mom,” I grumbled, putting my fork and spoon down. “---it’s my business. Not yours.”
      “Tsk. You’re cold-hearted as always, Avery,” she looked at me with a playful frown. “---or do you have your sight on another guy?”
    “Oh yeah, that kid that just walked you home,” she says ecstatically, eyes shot wide like a light bulb lit up her head. “—is that your type?”
    “I’m done,” I grumbled, pushing the chair aside and grabbed my plate as I head towards the sink.
   “Avery! Tell me the juicy details!” she hollered amid the television reporting about the weather.
      I ignored her, turning open the faucet and started to wash my dish. What’s with everyone and pushing me to every guy? I’m not interested in anyone and not as hell the both of them.
. . .
    “I see you’ve put effort in your outfit today,” Oskar eyed me from head to toe with a sarcastic tone.
       I shrugged, shoving my head underneath my jacket. “Thanks. I personally grabbed the first outfit my eyes laid upon. Pretty nice, isn’t it?”
    “Avery,” Oskar shakes his hand, a glint of disappointment and interest perking in those eyes of his. “—you could’ve at least putted some effort.”
      I stare at my black pants paired with sneakers and grey hoodie with a pink t-shirt beneath as I tied my hair on a bun. “This is good. What more do you expect from me?”
     “At least a cute dress,” he murmured. “---it’s like you’re one step close to actually wearing your pajamas.”
    “It’s my style,” I clicked my tongue. “—so, don’t mind me and let’s go while the sun is up.”
    He looks like he wants to add something, but clamps his mouth close and we started walking side by side onto the busy town.
. . .
“You suck.”
I stare at him bluntly, watching as he desperately and frustratingly shoves another coin onto the machine. I try to reach my hands forward and he puts them off away of reach.
    He looks at me wryly. “I can do it. I swear I’ll get you that monster stuffed toy even if I find myself broke.”
    I scoffed, shooting a brow up as I stared at the probably rigged machine. Isn’t that the gimmick these days? Like the claws are purposely loosened so that object gets thrown back.
   “It’s no use, idiot. If you thought you could impress me like in those movies, then you’re wrong,” I snickered, watching as he hastily pulls the lever of the machine to the right and presses the button.
The claw grabs the stuffed toy and I’m almost sure it was bound to fall off—again, when the claw almost loosens and slips the stuffed toy but it clutches on the legs and drops the stuffed toy, successfully getting it.
     I stare at him and the monster stuffed toy in bewilderment like he won the lottery. He actually got it.
     His fingers slightly trembled as he picked up the stuffed toy and handed it to me with a smile. “See? I knew that it would come around.”
    I snickered, taking the stuffed toy to my chest. “I can just about tell how surprised you were that you also managed to get it…so your lies won’t work.”
    I stared at the stuffed toy. It was colored black with bunny ears and the other eye had a white eye patch; the opposite eye had a cross stitched eyes same as the lips.
      “But thanks. I’ll make sure to take care of it—especially when you spent three dollars on getting it,” I retorted, calmly running my finger down the stuffed toy’s head.
  “So, where shall we go?” he asks, walking near to where I stood.
. . .
    “The library?” he whisper-shouts, eyeing me in distaste. “—really? Of all the places, we could’ve watched a movie or something.”
     “Well I’m beat,” I calmly replied, leaning my back further on the chair with a yawn. “—I figured the library is the best spot to rest.”
      “You do realize that the library is a place for reading, not sleeping,” he points a finger to the center of my forehead.  “—and it feels like we’re working all of a sudden.”
     I was too lazy to brush his hand off and let it remain until he realized I wasn’t going to do anything about it. “But I’m tired. Socializing is draining me, plus, you have to keep the end of your bargain.”
     I cast a side-glance at him. “You promised you’d give me answers. So, tell me...why is Tom acting so weird?”
    He sighs, leaning forward on the table with a hand propped on his chin. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
    “That’s why I precisely went, is it not?”
     “Avery, Tom is acting like that because he….” he shakes his head, thinking deeply with lips pursed into thin line. “---you know what? I think it’s best if Tom tells you why.”
    “What?!” I screeched, then covered my mouth immediately when people stared at my direction.
     I glared, pinching his sides as he tried to hide the pain. “Then why did I go through all this trouble just for you to tell me all of it is useless?”
     He winches, removing my hand that was laid on his sides as he silently yelp. “Tom cares about you Avery---so much. Much more than you think you’d know.”
   “It’s unfair for him if I outright tell you,” he sighs, rubbing the spot I pinched him. “—but one thing’s for sure is that he’s misunderstanding this entire situation.”
  “Misunderstanding?”
    “Avery, it takes both parties to communicate,” he responded, eyeing me seriously. “---if you don’t, then you’ll never reach to an understanding.”
     “What are you saying? Stop beating around the bush,” I hissed, getting my temper ahead of mine.
“What I mean to say is that you should confront Tom. You should clear up the misunderstanding between you two.”
  “I can’t understand you!” I cried, clutching to the hem of his shirt. “—I’m not good at understanding other people’s feelings. Just…tell me.”
      He looks at me hesitant, as if he was about to break something so fragile. “Promise me you won’t regret knowing.”
      I nod, swallowing the lump on my throat. Is it that nerve-wrecking?
      He sighs, eyeing me, then blurts out the words I never thought I would hear.
    “Tom…. has feelings for you.”
    I could only stare at Oskar with my heart drumming loudly on my chest as my fingers grew cold and my body became still, like someone just broke down the most shocking news in the entire world.
It’s like the world came crashing on me.
    “He…likes me?” I say in a mere and hesitant whisper, as if saying it out loud would make things worse.
     He rubs the flesh in between his eyes. “Yeah. He really likes you. Now I feel like a douchebag for telling you.”
   “If you really cherish him, then you should go and confront him,” he muttered, staring at the wooden floor. “---that way, you’ll both come to terms.”
“It’s probably my fault too, so sorry about that,” he adds.
   “I…I don’t know,” I say utterly conflicted, my words jumbled up as I feel my head became light with all these sorts of revelations. He likes me?
That’s not true right? No one likes me. No one has. Why would someone like him like me?
I’m way out of his league. I’m just…average.
      “I should go,” I uttered, standing up from my seat as I slung my purse on my shoulder and hugged the stuffed toy on my other free hand.
      Oskar shots me an unsure and weary glance. “Are you sure you’ll be alright?
      To be honest, I wasn’t sure at all. If I trusted what Oskar said about what Tom felt, I could be playing the biggest fool or the stupid naïve idiot for never realizing.
I really did hurt his feelings, didn’t I?
‘What’s it to you? Stop being a nuisance.’ That’s right. I said that to him before I left. He must’ve misunderstood…right?
But there’s one thing I must do. And it waits for no one.