CHAPTER 9: The Climb

Aaron glance over to his watch to see he has arrived just in the nick of time to pick her up.

On regular occasions, he wouldn’t care about giving rides to just anyone but since they were in a special predicament, he might as well treat her like a princess since he was a lady’s man.

A couple of minutes ago, he left his class right when the bell dismissed the students. Then you ask him why? He usually takes his time getting to and from school so it was oddly peculiar. From the way he was acting to his train of thought, everything was odd. In his perspective, his buddies and classmates who admire him found it all to sudden, ‘what is going on with him?’

As the students began to walk out from school, he pictured her running to him in a hurry, with her hair in a mess.

He was never the boy who kept his time on the hands of the clock nor has it occur to him what time the bell will ring. He just knew he had promised to pick her up after school and it was that simple. To him, all his actions were normal but to those who know Aaron Yan, it was rather strange.

Tell me, how often do you see a boy leaning against his car waiting for someone? Aaron crossed his arms as he wait for her to come out, any second now. She’s going to be running over to him and when she does, he’s going to blame her for making him wait. Patience isn’t one of his traits to boost but he got to start somewhere right?

As the crowd of people who past him, stealing a glance once or twice, he found himself paying more attention to the time then his what he was actually doing!

But it wasn’t the by-passers that irritated him, it was the fact that the she wasn’t coming out on time. He was there on time, precisely on the dot while she wasn’t.

‘Where is she?’

To say she wasn’t on time would be undeniably incorrect.

Instead of focusing on her teacher’s lessons, her mind was mainly focused on the clock on top of the class. She too, have not taken much notice of the time since she was always diligent with her work during class so she never bother looking up at check the time.

However, today was different.

Was it because Aaron promised to meet her after school? He said he was going to pick her up from school... is he?

As she half-heartedly listen to the teacher’s voice, her mind was occupied with the clock’s hands counting down the ticks.

Just when her mind was ready to give up, the bell ring loudly through the rooms, dismissing the students from a long day. Gui quickly said her byes to Genie as she left her in awe. Of course, Gui did slip a few hints here and there that she was going to meet Aaron so Genie only smiled, giving her encouragement as she watch her friend head out the door in a flash.

“Where is she going so quickly?” A classmate of theirs ask Genie. “Home.”

“She sure left in a hurry, something or someone must be waiting for her at home.”

Genie only smiled and walked out of the class.

When Gui walk past the gates to meet Aaron, she soon came to a complete stop as the lonely street became crowded. Just a couple of steps away, she could see a group of girls surrounding something... or someone.

“It must be him.” She whispers quietly as she unknowingly step back only to bump into someone.

“Oh what he is doooinnng here?” –Student 1

“Are you meeting your girlfriend here?!” –Student 2

“A GIRLFRIEND? HERE? IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD? DON’T BE RIDICULOUS!” –Student 1

“OOHH, CAN IT BE ME? I CAN BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND!” –Student 3

Gui was awe-struck so she must’ve bumped into a wall or a tree so she brushed her thoughts away and stare at the crowd. As each girl in the crowd shout their affections out, Gui sighed and continue to stare at the scene before her. She was blankly staring at his popularity when she fail to notice that the tree or wall she bumped into is neither of those but a human being.

When she felt someone tap her shoulder, she twirl around to come face to face with George.

“Hi George...”

“Why so gloomy?”

George glance over to the direction Gui was looking at and he smiled, he had always been good at piecing together puzzle pieces so it was only natural that he knew what was going on.

He threw his backpack over his shoulder and grinned. “Your boyfriend sure is popular.”

When he heard no response from her, it gave him another reason to ask another question, a question he was had been curious to ask.

“Would you mind if I ask you something?” Gui signalled him to proceed. “Are you two really going out?”

Gui look over to Aaron and faintly smiled. “Mhmm, do we not look good together?”

“What do you think? In my point of view, we are two completely different people. He is mister popular and me? I am miss nerd who is the biggest dork on the planet. If you ask me, we are two different people living two separate lives.”

“I asked you if you guys are going out.”

“We are...” Gui look over to Aaron, once again, questioning what they were. “...We are not lovers.” 

When she said that, she heard him let out a sigh. “What? Do you think we look like lovers?”

George stare blankly at her as she burst into laughter, patting his back. “Joking! Jokes! I was just–”

“I hope you didn’t say you were.”

“Huh?”

“I find you different from everyone else. In my world, I am stuck with people who are rather clingy and they live in their own world with their own rules but I never minded them since it has nothing to do with me. But since I met you, I find you... intriguing. Many girls if they see their boyfriend surrounding by another girl would quickly run and chase the other girl away but you didn’t. You didn’t go over there but you choose to stay here instead. Maybe it is you don’t want to ruin the moment or you are hiding.”

“I’m hiding... and what am I hiding?”

“Mhmm, why are you hiding?”

Gui look over to him and grinned, suddenly interest in another matter.

“How are you friends with Li Quan? I didn’t know you were friends with him.”

“Yeah, I know, I get that a lot. Maybe this is what you call opposites attract. He is what others call the alpha male while I am nowhere close to that title.”

“You are just like me...”

“I am aren’t I?”

Gui laughed as she step in front of him and offered her hand.

“Although I don’t particularly like the idea of you being friends with Li Quan, I can get use to it, with time. Now allow me introduce myself, I am Wu Ying Jie, nickname Gui for short. You can call me either name if you like.”

“It’s nice to finally meet the name of the girl who intrigues me. I am George Hu–”

“Future police officer right? I know, I remember you.” Gui finished calmly as they both laugh out loud.

“Anyways, if you want me to divert the girl’s attention, I can. Just say it and I will be the distraction.”

George asked as he point over to the overwhelming number of girls surrounding Aaron, like he was a celebrity. With this much girls around him, he can start his own fan-club.

While Gui stood back and watch the crowd, Aaron caught her standing a couple of inches away from him.

‘Why isn’t she coming over here? Can’t she see that I am being attacked?’

“Just say the word and I can–”

“It’s okay, he is someone who adores the attention.”

George leap in front of her, blocking her way. Flashing that smile that was on par with Li Quan’s and Aaron’s.

“Take this as a token for being my friend.” And before she knew it, he grabbed her wrist and together, they ran off.

Unaware that Aaron had been watching their interaction from the very start.

Apart of him wanted to run after her and bring her home with him, like he originally promised but the other part of him didn’t want to step out of that line that connects them together as friends. As stubborn as he was, at least he can differentiate between what’s right and what wasn’t.

It was a very thin line that connects them as friends and he does not want to lose the grip on the string, but as he watch them disappear out of his line of view, his main goal that brought him together with her begin to quiver.

Was it because she is someone who was untouchable?

She’s different, no doubt about it. She is someone who puts on a double identity to fit in, she is the girl who claims she won’t fall for him, a player. And he found it okay, he had no problem when she confessed to him. She hates players more than being in an arrange marriage with a stranger, but fate had a funny way of bringing two people together didn’t it?

To make matters more complicated, she was in a arrange marriage with a player.

Did she hate him that much? Did she hate the Aaron who was the player that much to run away like this?

Whatever the case was, Aaron had time to think about what she is thinking but his thoughts never match her actions.

She was someone who he couldn’t be with, she is someone who he shouldn’t fall for, she is the girl who is different than him.

She was innocent, he isn’t exactly the innocent type.

She believes in true love, he... not so much.

At some point in their life, they would have to go back to being who they were before they met so it is better not to get attached.

Aaron smirked as he realize what she thought off.

‘She didn’t want to get too attached to him, that’s why he ditched him for that guy.’

But if this was her true intentions, it really didn’t settle in Aaron’s mind.

Instead, it made him rather frustrated. But why?

Why is he frustrated when she wants to get distance from him? What was so wrong with him?

He was too mad to think about anything else so he called his buddies.

Change of plans, since she is the one who started this, he, too can play as well.

So tonight, he is going to let everything loose and do what Aaron Yan does best, the infamous player who only concentrated on alcohol, parties, ladies and loud booming music.

Tonight, he is going to drown himself in everything and anything that makes his world his, he is going to have a big reunion with his player self. It is something he should have done at the start of this ridiculous 6 months trial marriage crap.

Aaron coolly started his engine and drove off to meet his friends at their regular VIP hang-out destination