I didn't answer or reply to any of Ryan's calls or texts. I decided to pay him back for what he did I didn't answer or reply to any of Ryan's calls or texts. I decided to pay him back for what he did by playing his own game but with my way. While he kept his phone off, I kept mine on and straight out ignored his calls.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCzaqnZ5tH
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It's Saturday, so naturally our usual coffee shop is hosting a karaoke night tonight. We'd often go there and conquer the place like it's ours. The guys suggested doing so tonight, and I couldn't agree more. It was a good distraction to lighten my mood a little. I invited Denise, who invited Charlotte and Veronica. I was a little surprised when Denise told me she's friends with the twins. Apparently, they all went to gymnastics classes together since the beginning of high school. They're really "dope" people, she told me. I didn't mind extra company anyway, and neither did the guys. They were actually pretty cool about it when I told them about the girls coming, especially Cody.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74mRJpbAPK
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"It's good to have some femininity among the group for once," Cody said.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrg5ke7jxY
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"Say that again and slit your throat," I reply with a sarcastic, sweet smile.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgZwRC6nuJ
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We went and greeted the workers like they're old friends. The whole group was there, even Amber (yay!), but I didn't see Charlotte around. I asked her sister, who told me that Saturdays are anime marathon nights, in which charlotte and her boyfriend, Luke, would watch anime shows all night.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzQ5ZajkjX
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"They're Otakus," Veronica said.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkU3C2WXED
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"Oh-Tacos?" I marvel at the unfamiliar word.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsauRuRINak
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"Yeah, I thought it was food, too," Denise said.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlXDoWvb6f
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"It means their strong anime fans," Veronica clarified.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4KoNwyb6K
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We started singing solos, duets, and even as groups. We didn't care about the people watching us as we sing unattractively. The boys would choose Taylor Swift or Katy Perry and sing along to the lyrics in their own girlish ways, and the girls would score their impersonation accordingly. I rapped along with Jordan and Cody a couple times and was crowned Queen of Rap by Denise, much to everyone's opposition.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAINwAqOKI
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We disturbed a lot of costumers and workers, who kept telling us to keep it down. That only made us sing worse and louder than before, earning more complains as a result. One of us earned a few claps from the audience: Tyler. He surely can sing like a pro, and he never ceases to impress us every time we hear him. Of course, whenever he held the microphone, Amber would cheer for him dramatically as if he's singing in a concert.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOdKVxaeGU
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I felt carefree, just doing what I wanted, careless of others' opinions and thoughts of me. I ignored everything else and focused on having fun. I pushed all the drama and troubles out of my mind. I didn't think of Ryan just once.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrzgWuBscE
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Denise invited herself over to spend the night, much to Cody's satisfaction. I didn't mind her at all. Although I only met her two days ago, she's treating me like we're old buddies. She burrowed a pair of orange shorts and a spaghetti white shirt from my wardrobe and made herself at home. We grabbed junk food and drinks before going to the living room to watch a movie. Cody and Will were playing FIFA before we turned it off to watch our movie. We settled on Magic Mike because why not? Cody and Will cringed from the thought, so they moved to Cody's room to continue their game there. Kat and Rosie went to sleep early tonight, saying that they're going house shopping tomorrow early for Rosie since Kat had no work.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdTn4CyAwv
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My phone rang in the middle of the movie, lighting up with Ryan's picture. I silent it and go back to the movie.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV598FKMJ3p
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"You still ignoring him?" Denise asks.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbVO2fjzpo
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"Kinda."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u3yhO98DE
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"Kinda? Girl, you're totally shutting the poor guy off."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1KInx6RfB
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"Well, he deserves it, "I shrug, sipping from my coke, "And are you taking his side?"1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1nbf2e9cE
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"I ain't takin' nobody's side, sister. All I'm saying is give him a chance and listen to what he has to say, you know?" She answers, quickly taking defense mode.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4sh98nFsz
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"He's making me regret worrying about him," I explain, "Like it's my fault at the end."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvVAaAUHez
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"Maybe he just needs time before telling you what happened to him."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTzf8n4E72
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"How much time? He needs to know that I'm not a patient person."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarYE8TM3iy
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"Well, then be patient for, Nicky, and maybe he'll be patient for you when you need time one of these days."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgta2jqKJC
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She rests her hand on top of mine and looks at me assuringly. I t feels nice just having someone like her to talk to when I need it. I never had a girlfriend before, so having Denise treat me like that is something new to me coming from a girl, yet it has some familiarity to it in some way.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0bu2DXYSn
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"Maybe you're right."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf43QdTkXAT
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"Like hell I'm right! I'm Denise McQueen, Nicky."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQkTM7rnOH
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"What's up with the new nickname?"1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh60nPobKiO
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"I just felt like it'd time I have a different name for ya."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4xoAfzmM7
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After Denise left the next day, I spent my day in an inner battle with myself and debating whether or not to pay Ryan a visit to talk. Denise had me thinking about what she said all night last night till I came to the decision: I should go open up the topic with him. And yet I was never more hesitant about it. Even after getting his address from Dylan, who I figured would have it, I was still not close to decisive.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9zZCqJK7s
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I ended up taking Cody's car and waiting outside his house for 25 minutes, doing nothing. I took a deep breath before I left the car to walk towards his mansion. Oh, did I mention that he lives in a fucking mansion? The thing is so huge it can fit the whole school in it.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnZJHeI41t
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I pass by two guards, who don't bother to ask me who I am. They need to do something about their security. I mean, one of the guards just grinned at me like it's my place.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJowc67uJD0
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I reach for the doorbell, and as I wait for it to open, I recite what I was planning to say one more time.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikdua7Ocjj
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Ryan, I know that there are things you prefer to keep hidden from me, but I want you to know that I care about you because you're my boyfriend and I care about you...1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvG7NPyMGHe
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Shit, I'm really bad at this!1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTyeHn8feR
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The door opens, and I hold my breath in anticipation. A pretty lady in a maid uniform opens the door with a smile and my heart beats go back to normal. She asks who I am and I respond back, "I'm Nicole. Is Ryan here?"1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PtCM43rZc
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"Matilda, who is that?" A woman yells from inside.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUBfOUT3jI
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"It's a friend of Mr. Ryan, Ma'am," Matilda calls back.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYf5kouPTIm
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Listen, Ryan, I get that you wanna keep things from me, but you need to know that I only wanna help you...1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbUVhXF4fr
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"I'll take care of it, Matilda. You can go now," Ryan opens the door wider. He was wearing a sleeveless tank with dark blue shorts and looked like he was in the middle of a tough workout session.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtnRULxpRe
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"Shadow."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvig0Dn20x
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"Ryan."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBYSLqUT6u
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He waits for me to start, and for a few seconds, I forget why I came here in the first place. I guess it's because he looks like fucking beast with his muscles flexing and sweat dripping from his body that I got lost for words.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yTQKlrS6F
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And then I recall what I'd been reciting since yesterday.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68tH2WH9dc
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"Oh, you um...forgot you pen with me." That's it Nicole, smoother than silk. What the fuck is wrong with me?1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMnK5YQqqZ
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I point the pen in my hand at him, "I came to return it." I try hard to avoid his hard gaze that's piercing through my body.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcM2smCtMbv
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"But this is not my pen," he raises an eye brow, humor and amusement simultaneously evident on his face.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwpUx9yV4x
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"Yeah," I lift my hat up, brush my hair to the back then put it back on—an action I unintentionally do when nervous—and mentally curse myself and my damn dignity. The whole thought of apologizing or even admitting anything I've done wrong is not exactly something innate in me. Yes, it's selfish and not right, especially when it's really me at fault, but I can't bring myself to do it.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa83CaKgT9i
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Then again, for certain people in your life, you'd do whatever it takes to fix your relationship with them, even if it means bringing your stupid ego below their feet.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJLRe68gKx
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"It's actually Cody's; I found it in his car, and..." I trail off and watch his expression getting more and more humorous. "Look, I'm really bad at this."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFlTSvzQrU
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"You don't say."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs8af7OWgt
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"Please, just go with it as it is," I take a short breath. "I know I've been a little pushy lately. And I know that even if I'm you girlfriend, I shouldn't be like that. I also know that there are some things you don't want me to know. But I don't give a crap about all of this because I care about you. So can you just please let me in? I know I might be asking too much, but like I said before, I don't care about—"1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRKwy4nRxQ
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He cuts me off abruptly, holding my face with both his hands and kissing me intently. I kiss him back with similar affection, taken a bit off guard by the sudden gesture. He pulls apart a couple seconds into the kiss to look me in the eyes and say, "you know nothing, Shadow."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZXFfaMoaA
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"Huh?" I say, breathless.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdMWUUkcrK
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"I said you know nothing. All you said might be true to some other guys, but not to me. In fact, I wanna share with you everything about me—all my problems and stress. I was planning on telling you everything in the right time, but you never gave me a chance."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrd6OUGpJgF
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"I'm sorry, Ryan."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoZ3Ugy0uK
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"There's nothing to be sorry for. We both just had to get each other better, that's all," he then pulls me into a hug. "I know I can be really understanding, babe."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZ1W8lRnvd
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I push him away, "Don't get too full of yourself, Hastings." Then I punch his chest, "This is for interrupting me earlier," I punch him again, "and this is for hugging me while you're sweaty."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDHvNGUxLV
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"How sweet of you," he says sarcastically, rubbing circles around his chest. "Now, don't you wanna come in?"1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfAjNxlliR
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"No, I better go back before Cody realizes I stole his car."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyUr49CkRp
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Right on cue, Cody's stupid face lights up on my phone screen. Ryan leans against the doorframe while I answer, only to earn myself a shitload of yells from my dear friend.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjMEjdIH68
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"What the fuck, Nic? You stole my baby? Are you fucking me over, right now?! I told you I have a date tonight."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYsmejBMLm
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He did?1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3ANKKlIus
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"Calm down, bastard, I'm on my way back."1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgOoWKKxmS
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"You better be here before I tie my shoelaces," and he hangs up.1004Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggMSBQCPIv
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"He really needs to see a doctor," I sigh.
