?MAY
I??
(R0m-nce is a Meal)
By Sommy Pearl F.
Chapter 67&68.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
As Ryder drove on the street, Many p@$$erby commented and some went thus;
? You’d better take it easy!
? Stop driving so fast and rou-gh!
? What’s your problem? Do you wanna get into an accident?
Ryder wasn’t concerned. He was still crying and driving so rou-ghly and fast. He remembered when they were still little.
FLASH BACK,, 14 Years Ago***
6 and 5 year old Ryder and May were seen building sand castles on the children’s pla-yground.
“Look. Mine is beautiful than yours” says Ryder.
Little May looked at his big sand castle with a frown.
“Liar. Mine is more beautiful” She snapped.
Ryder chuckled.
Suddenly, May’s sand castle fell down and scattered. She began to cry. Ryder quickly rushed to her and hu-gged her close.
“Stop crying, May. Many people are going to call you ugly if they see you cry” He said to her.
“My sand castle… My sand castle” She kept repeating the statement with tears dropping down her eyes.
“Hey, stand castle. Why did you break my friend’s heart? I’m gonna kill you” Ryder said to the fallen sand castle.
He thought that would help but it didn’t. She kept on crying. He sighed and broke the hu-g. He looked at her face and wiped her tears.
“Stop crying” He said.
May shook her head and continued.
“It was ha-rd to build that. Why did it have to fall and break my heart?”
“You know what?” Ryder quickly said.
“What?” May answered, looking at him.
“You can take mine” He said.
“What? Really? I can!”
“Yes. My sand castle is all yours”
“Yippee! Thank you, Ryder. You are the best. You never break my heart” She pulled him and hu-gged him ti-ghtly.
Ryder smiled and hu-gged her back.
“Thank goodness you are now happy. You aren’t crying anymore”
“That’s why I love you. You make me happy whenever I’m sad and you always hu-g me whenever I nee-d it”
Ryder chuckled.
“You are my… hu-gger. I love you, Ryder”
“I love you too, May” He replied.
PREse-nT TIME***
“So, I’ve been her hu-gger for a very long time” He muttered and finally stopped the bike.
****
Ryder who was now sitting on a child’s swing in the pla-y ground sniffed and finally gave a loud scoff.
“Guess who broke whose heart now” He said, in a whisper.
“Raymond,, that je-rk. I trusted him” Ryder said, feeling more hurt and finally broke down into tears.
****
Raymond’s hand left May’s hand slowly when they got to her room’s door.
“I don’t wanna let go of this hand” May quickly said and held it fast.
“Me too” He replied, with a smile.
May bit her li-ps.
“Do you wanna come in?” She asked.
“What?” He muttered.
“I’m quite hungry,,, so, I was thinking of preparing ramyeon. So, you wanna stay for ramyeon?” She asked.
Raymond smiled and nodded.
****
“Ah… So refreshing” May sniffed and ate the last one.
Raymond smiled at her, as he continued eating.
“Do you like it?” She asked.
“No” He shook his head.
May’s smile vanished and a sullen look took over.
“I love it” He added.
May quickly smiled.
“You’ve a knack for joking around”
Raymond chuckled.
“May?” He called, softly.
May looked at him.
“Yes?”
“Do you wanna know why I said I could be a je-rk for love some couple of minutes back?” He asked.
“Why?” She asked back.
“Ryder… He likes you and I was aware about it”
May stared at him and coughed loudly.
“What do you mean?”
“You are really slow witted you know” Raymond chuckled.
May said nothing.
“Ryder likes you… I think I just broke his trust”
“That doesn’t matter. Who I like is you and it doesn’t change the fact-
“May. I just don’t want you to tell him we are dating. Especially Coral”
“Huh?”
“Instead,, I’m gonna tell Ryder about us dating. I’m gonna apologize properly to him. As for Coral, I don’t think if she should know anything” Raymond said.
“Wait? She likes Ryder?” May asked.
“Yeah” Raymond nodded.
“That’s the reason why… she has been acting all weird… I should tell her I don’t like Ryder so that she wouldn’t hate me much”
“No, don’t. I don’t want you getting hurt. She looks like someone who could hurt you. Besides, she knows”
“I know right. I guess you are right,, we should keep it a secret from her”
“Anyways, I’ve a surprise. I just received a message few minutes ago. Guess what it is” Raymond winked.
May blus-hed.
“You got an alert?”
“I wished. Well, The Korean-Foreign Nationwide marathon is here”
“Wow. Very soon you are gonna be called to cook and get ranked”
“Yeah. And for the sake of my mother, I hope and pray to get the 1st”
May hu-gged him ti-ghtly.
“Don’t worry. You are gonna bring the trophy home. I’m gonna cheer for you and support you”
“Thank you” He hu-gged her back.
****
Coral who had been listening by placing her ear over May’s door was now boiling in anger.
She was gritting her teeth while her fist ti-ghtly clenched.
“I’m still glad Raymond took her. Maybe I still have a chance with Ryder. But why do I hate the fact they are dating now? I really don’t want May to be with anyone, It annoys me,, I really hate it”
Percy’s Apa-rtment****
“By the way, Percy. I forgot to ask” Sandra said.
Percy looked at her.
They were both sitting and eating the Italian dish.
“How was the date with Carlos yesterday?” Sandra asked.
“Hmm… Well, It was awkward at first but when we began to talk trying to for-ce a flow between each other, we later got used to each other. He’s a fun guy” Percy smiled.
“I’m happy for you” Sandra said, with a small genuine smile.
“Thank you. We have another date next tomorrow” Percy said.
“Nice” Sandra nodded, and ate a spoonful.
“This food is great” Percy smiled.
“It never get old” Sandra smiled back.
****
Coral went to her room and sat down on the be-d, still fuming.
“Why does she have to date before me? Why does Raymond and Ryder like her? What about me?!”
“I really can’t take it anymore… This is when I have to bring Sasha to the picture” She said to herself.
She went throu-ghher contact and quickly called Sasha.
? Hello?
Coral said, when she picked up.
? Oh, Coral? You finally called. I guess you wanna update me?
Sasha asked.
? Sure,, There’s a voice record you would like to hear.
? What’s that about?
? You will know once you hear it. Its what your friend, May said about you. She’s really awful, you know.
? What? se-nd it to me.
? Not so fast, hunny. It’s all about give and take,, don’t you think?
? Okay then. What do you want?
? You have May’s mother phone number, right?
? Yeah, I do.
? Good. We are gonna do it like this. Forward her mother’s number to me and I’m gonna forward the message to you.
? What are you thinking? I know you are plotting something bad but I won’t let you do it. I won’t let you tell her mother!
Coral chuckled, wickedly.
? I guess you’ll have to se-nd the number if I se-nd a pa-rt of the recording to you.
10pm****
Raymond was laying down on his be-d, thinking about May with a wide smile on his face.
He knew she would be thinking about him too.
He suddenly remembered.
“I wonder why he isn’t back yet. Ryder,, at least you should call. I’m already worried” Raymond said.
He looked at his phone and just like magic, Ryder started calling him.
“Talk of the devil” He chuckled.
Raymond quickly picked the call. He noticed Ryder was drunk. When Raymond asked where he was, he told him he was at the beach they did the camp.
Raymond sighed, took his car keys and hurried outside.
****
Raymond saw Ryder at a distance sitting on the sand close to the beach sipping soju.
“What’s wrong with him now?” Raymond thought and ran to him.
“Hey, Ryder” Raymond held his shoulder.
Ryder looked up and quickly slapped his hand away from his shoulder.
“Ryder? You okay?” Raymond asked.
Ryder stood up. He had tears already swimming in his eyes ready to fall out.
He scoffed.
“You’re really a je-rk, you know that”
Raymond sighed.
“I guess I do. What is it though?” He asked.
Ryder suddenly ran to Raymond and punched him ha-rd on his face, allowing him to almost stagger.
“Ryder?… What has gotten into you?” Raymond half yelled.
Ryder held his collar ti-ghtly.
“Let’s fight, Raymond” He said.
“What? Why?” He asked.
Ryder smi-rked.
“Who loses leaves May”
Raymond looked at him and his eyes started twitching when the tears ran down Ryder’s eyes.
TBC