Too Bad He Got Rejected

The next afternoon as GuiGui was practicing her saxophone, the front door opened and her mother came into the living room. Her hair was wet, her raincoat was soaked.

GuiGui raised her eyes to the window and saw that it was as black as night outside and pouring rain. The snow of the day before had lasted only a few minutes. This afternoon GuiGui had been concentrating so hard on her music, she hadn't even aware of the rainstorm.

"Mom--- are you okay?" she cried, rushing across the room to help pull off her dripping raincoat. "Why are you home so early?" She glanced at the clock. It was four-thirty.

"Don't ask," her mother replied. She shivered and turned to GuiGui. "I'm chilled to the bone."

GuiGui gasped when she saw that her mother's white uniform was stained with dark red blood.

"Mom--- what happened?" she cried.

"We had a little accident at the home," Mrs. Wu said. "One of the patients slipped in the bath and got cut. It looks much worse than it was. Only my spare uniform is here. Upstairs. I had to come all the way home in this downpour to get it."

"Then you're going back to work?" GuiGui asked still holding the raincoat.

"Yes. I have to take Xia Lan Xiong's shift too. She has the flu." She headed up the stairs to her room to change. "Oh, look at my shoes. Soaked through, and they're my only pair."

GuiGui followed her to her room. "You're always at the nursing home, Mom. I never see you anymore."

"GuiGui, don't start complaining," her mother said sternly. "I'm not in the mood. Believe me." She stopped at the door to her room and turned around. "I'll be home Saturday night for dinner. I don't have to go to work until late that night. You and I can have a nice dinner together and chat."

"No, we can't," GuiGui said.

Her mother's expression changed to bewilderment.

"I have a date," GuiGui told her. "With a boy."

Mrs. Wu's eyes went wide. "Hey, that's great."

"No wisecrack?" GuiGui asked, finding herself a little disappointed that her mother hadn't cracked her usual sarcastic joke.

"I'm too wet for wisecracks," her mother said. "Besides, I'm happy for you. I know how lonely you've been."

As he mother changed into a clean uniform, GuiGui told her about Wang Zi, how he was the new boy in her homeroom, how they went for a walk in Taipei Park, how he seemed shy but nice.

Mrs. Wu, pulling on the white skirt, appeared very pleased. "Can't wait to meet him," she told GuiGui, smiling. She straightened the skirt. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I talked to your dad."

"And?"

"And he's out of intensive care. He's in a semi-private room. The doctors think he'll be able to come home in a week or two." She hurried over to GuiGui and gave her a quick hug. "Isn't that great?"

"It sure is!" GuiGui exclaimed happily. "And that means we can visit him at regular visiting hours." She glanced at the clock on her mother's bedtable. "Oh, no! I'm going to be late for work. I'm relieving Kristy tonight, and she really gets steamed if I'm two seconds late."

"Come on. Get your coat," Mrs. Wu said, staring into the dressing mirror. "I'll drop you off on my way."

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The rain kept most customers away from the coffee shop. A few people came in, shaking the water off their coats, rubbing their hands, and shivering from the cold. It was a big night for soups, and chili, and steaming cups of coffee.

But GuiGui spent most of the time sitting in a booth in the back doing her geometry homework. She had nearly finished the last problem when a dark figure slid silently into the booth across the table from her.

"YaLun!" she cried, startled.

He grinned at her, water dripping from his brown hair down his forehead. He pulled off his jacket and stuffed it beside him on the seat. He was wearing a faded blue shirt under the jacket.

"How's it going?" he asked, shaking his head.

GuiGui closed her notebook. "Slow," she said. She felt a chill. He was staring at he so hard, so intensely. Her stomach suddenly felt fluttery, tight. She glanced to the kitchen. Ernie was sitting on a stool near the sink, doing a crossword puzzle in a folded-up newspaper.

GuiGui slid out of the booth, eager to get away from his unblinking eyes. "What can I get you?"

"Coffee," he said, tapping his fingers rapidly on the tabletop. "And a doughnut if they're not too old."

"They're from this morning, but I think they're okay," she told him.

Why does he make me so nervous? she asked herself as she dropped the doughnut onto a plate, then headed to the coffeepot. Is it because I'm attracted to him?

Or is it because there's something strange about him, strange and dangerous?

Does he like me? she wondered. She filled the cup too full. She tilted it and let some pour off the top.

No. He doesn't like me. It's not like I'm pretty or anything. Maybe he's really lonely. Or maybe he's just playing games. Maybe he's secretly laughing at me.

Yes, she decided bitterly. He's probably laughing at me.

She decided to try to find out more about him.

After setting the doughnut and coffee down, she slid back into the booth. He didn't look at all surprised. His expression was blank, unreadable. He took a big bite of the doughnut, flakes of sugar sticking to his lips.

"So where are you from?" GuiGui asked, trying to sound casual.

He chewed, then swallowed, then took a sip of coffee. "From around," he replied, his dark eyes gleaming.

"Where's that?" GuiGui asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just around." He took another bite of the doughnut. "I move around a lot."

"You're not in school?" she asked, determined to get information from him, any information.

"Yes," he replied quickly.

"Where?" GuiGui asked.

"Well, actually, no," he said, avoiding her stare. "Dropped out." He took another sip of coffee, looking at her over the steaming cup. He grinned. "I'm a high school dropout."

She laughed uncomfortably. "School isn't so bad," she said. "I'm in the band."

She immediately regretted revealing that.

Why did I tell him that? she wondered, feeling her face grow hot. It sounds so dorky.

"What do you play?" he asked seriously. "Tuba?"

He didn't seem to be joking, but GuiGui was insulted. He thinks I'm so big and fat, I should be playin tuba. Why didn't he say flute?

She shook her head. "You're making fun of me," she said, turning her eyes to the kitchen. Ernie, hadn't moved.

"No, I'm not!" he protested, raising both hands in the air. "I just thought maybe you play tuba."

"Well, I don't," she replied sharply. "I play saxophone."

"That was my second choice," he said, lowering his eyes to his coffee cup, a hint of a smile crossing his lips.

"So, do you work?" GuiGui asked, changing the subject.

"Do you like to ask questions?" he snapped, his smile fading.

"Sorry." Again, GuiGui felt her face grow hot. "Just curious. If you want me to go, I'll---"

He reached across the table suddenly and grabbed her arm. "No. Stay." He didn't seem to be aware of his own strength. His tight grasp was hurting GuiGui. She was about to protest when he let go and pulled his arm away.

"I'm looking for a job," he said, his expression a blank again. "My mom and dad, they want me to get a job. You know, until I decide what I want to do."

"Where have you looked?" GuiGui asked.

He let his eyes survey the empty coffee shop. "Well, this place looks pretty good," he said, his smile returning, his dark eyes gleaming. "Looks like you could use some extra help here. What do you say?"

GuiGui sighed. "Not funny. Where have you been looking?"

"Well, I had an interview at the mill," he said. "I think it went pretty well."

"The mill has been closed for years," GuiGui blurted out. "My friend Hebe drove me up to see it."

"Oh. Then I guess the interview didn't go very well," he cracked at his own joke.

She had caught him in a lie.

Maybe, she thought, everything he says is a lie.

What is he trying to hide?

Suddenly he reached across the table again and touched her hand. "Hey--- you busy Saturday night?" he asked. "Let's go do something wild."

I can't go out with him, GuiGui thought, realizing that her heart was pounding in her chest. I don't know anything about him.

And I don't trust him.

She suddenly remembered Wang Zi.

"I already have a date for Saturday night," she said.

YaLun stared at her as if trying to decide if she was telling the truth. "Too bad," he said finally, jumping to his feet.

GuiGui looked up at him. His features were tight with anger.

He reached into his jeans pocket, then tossed two rolled-up dollar bills onto the table in front of her.

His face was red. His eyes were narrowed, his lips drawn tight.

"See you," he said coldly.

"Yeah. Okay," GuiGui replied in a tiny voice.

He grabbed his jacket with an angry jerk, then turned and stomped toward the entrance. He pushed open the door and stepped out into the rain, still carrying his jacket.

"Wow," GuiGui said out loud, not moving from the booth.

What a scary guy, she thought.

Like a bomb ready to explode.