From Tokyo with Love
Chapter 20: His mistake

Outside the mall, was a renovated designed-park. It has many benches and where you can sit and from there you can view a bay. Ellie and Gabe were walking along the sidewalk, not talking to each other.

He was walking in front of her, unsure whether he would tell it or not. She had this habit of swaying her hands when it felt awkward between the people whom she was with. Finally he stopped. He walked closer to her, he held by her shoulders. She felt nervous by his sudden action.

“Ellie…” He paused and bit his lower lips as he looks down.

“Hmm?”

“Can you promise to me, that we could still be friends no matter what I said later on?”

“It depends.” She smiled nervously. She hates this kind of topic. It makes her nervous at the same time inquisitive.

“Okay. I deserve that. But no matter what happen, you’ll always be a good friend of mine. Remember that.”

“O-okay.”

“Here it goes.” He breathed heavily and she smiled. “Actually, Jessica is my ex-girlfriend.”

“Oh? Really?” she smirked oddly and continued, “so? What is the connection of that to me?”

“She wanted me to drag you off to Ryo.”

She nodded slowly and muttered “So she really does like Ryo.”

He scratched the back of his head and say, “Actually, I think it’s more obsession. I mean, she’s doing this just to get him.”

She stared blankly at floor.

“Ellie, don’t think that I take her side. Remember when we first met? Before we learned that we were classmates at English 3? When we got to bump to each other, don’t think it was planned by me and her, it was an accident, honestly. Then she saw us, so she used of that situation. Because she saw you and Ryo coming to school together, then I think she felt this, ‘love at first sight’ crap, so basically she thinks you’re a hindrance to them.”

She looked at him and then laughed, when she heard the phrase ‘love at first sight crap’. Even Gabe told her, how bad Jessica is. She didn’t feel any irritation or angry towards her at all, cause she felt that girls become untamed too, sometimes.

“And don’t think that I accepted her offer, because I got to mingled with you guys. It’s because you’re the only one whom I knew on our classroom, besides Jessica. She even wanted me to tell you that…”

“…I like you.” Gabe confessed. Ellie didn’t look at his gazed. Neither of them didn’t know that Ryo was standing there, and heard what he have said. He turned his back and started to walk away.

“…which is true, I like you before, during our high school days... and even now?” He said unsure.

“I like you too way back then; maybe I can call that infatuation. But---”

“You like him now?”

“I don’t know. I think he only sees me as a friend, so I also think and convinced myself that he’s a friend. Ugh! I’m confused. I don’t know if this is the one you called like, love or whatever…..” She paused and continued “and I think he likes Jessica too.” She said sadly.

“Ah!!” he covered his face. “He’s lucky, being torn between two pretty girls.” He said underneath his hands and she just laughed.

“Don’t worry; I still like you... as a friend.” She said cheering him up. He removed his hands on his face.

“Thanks. I like you as a friend too. Good friend actually. Besides friend is much nicer than lovers” He said and hugged her.

“Yeah, I think it’s true.” Then she remembered that his room keys were inside her bag.

“Crap.” She muttered.

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