Falling For Mr. Nice Guy

by Nia Arthurs

  Sky, Rider’s younger sister, passed by with a discarded blue grocery basket. “Leave the boy alone. He’ll find out soon enough that we don’t marry outside of our community.”

  “You two are jumping way ahead of yourselves.” I glanced at Rider. “I’m not in love with her.” I turned to Sky. “And I’m not marrying anyone anytime soon.”

  “Ha!” Sky pushed her glasses firmly up her nose. “That’s what I said, but you can’t run away from reality. It’s how things are done.”

  I strongly disagreed. The Chinese tradition of arranged marriages had been lost somewhere in the Caribbean Sea.

  “Grampa and Grandma don’t believe in that,” I insisted, defending myself even though I didn’t have to.

  “Grampa and Grandma have become creolized. They have forgotten our traditions, but Mama has been working on them both. Soon, you will feel the effects of that.”

  “Whatever.” I disregarded her warning and focused on my phone. Cece had sent me a message. The photograph depicted a chubby child with her face screwed up in fright. She was frozen with her arms pumping by her sides and her body twisted. The caption read: ME RUNNING AWAY FROM MY RESPONSIBILITIES.

  I snickered.

  Rider made kissy faces in my direction.

  I stuck my tongue at him.

  Few people understood my connection with Cece. In Belize, Asians stuck to themselves. Over the past few years, we had been breaking the stereotypes and merging with other cultures. But for the most part we were still generally known to be a quiet, close-knit community.

  When I started hanging out with a little black girl from the north side, my parent’s friends wondered why Mom and Dad allowed the association. It was unusual for a Chinese boy to latch on to a Creole girl.

  However, my parents didn’t make a big deal. They were cool with it then and they were cool with it now. As long as Cece didn’t distract me from school or work, they saw nothing wrong with our friendship.

  I noticed a customer walking toward me and put my phone away. She was a pretty Latina girl with a wide smile and long dark hair that curled to her waist. She tucked her hair behind her ear and batted her eyelashes at me as I checked her items. Cece would say that she was flirting, but I tended to believe that Cece told me such things because she didn’t want me to feel bad about my lack of appeal.

  “Hi,” the girl said when I was half-way through her items.

  I pushed a bag of rice in front of the scanner and eyed her. “Hi.”

  “I’ve always seen you in here but I never had the chance to talk to you.”

  I nodded, uncomfortable with the conversation.

  “So, a couple of my friends are meeting up at the Platypus Park later, like around nine o’clock.” She glanced around the store that was starting to fill up now that the seven o’clock Saturday rush hour had begun. I quickly bagged her things to move the conversation along, but she held my wrist to stop me. “If you’re free later, you should drop by. It’s a couple of us from the sixth form.”

  “Sure. I’ll think about it.”

  I smiled shyly at her and declared her total. She handed me the money and then winked. “Keep the change,” the girl said as she gathered her groceries and strolled away.

  I glanced up, hoping that Rider had missed the exchange. Thankfully, my cousin was too busy with his own customers to pay my strange conversation any mind.

  The hours flew by as they did when the store got busy. I kept my eyes downward and my head focused on counting the correct change. I was ducking my head and minding my own business a few minutes before closing when someone slapped a biscuit package before me. My smile bloomed unconsciously.

  I’d brought Cece a pack of Oreo cookies the day that we became best friends. Since then, the little black circles of goodness were dubbed ‘ours’.

  “What can a girl do to get some service around here?”

  My head jerked up in surprise. Cece’s answering grin was wide and brought a sparkle to her brown eyes. She was dressed in a fancy blouse and light blue skinny jeans. Her curly brown hair was out and it fell past her shoulders in beautiful ringlets.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I begged Mom and Dad to get me out of the house. I’ve been trapped in there all week,” Cece pouted.

  Just as I had a responsibility to my family—and so to the store—Cece had a job with her family. She was the unofficial summer babysitter to her younger sisters. At least I got paid for my work. Cece was often informed that the roof over her head and the food on the table was her allowance.

  “I can’t believe they let you go.”

  “Yeah. Once they heard I’d be with you they were chill. They trust you so much. It’s insane.”

  I didn’t know about that. I’d received the ‘hurt-my-daughter-I’ll-break-you’ speech from Mr. Walker the minute I became aware that girls were more than playfellows. I never overstepped my bounds and was careful to always keep the door open whenever Cece and I were alone in a bedroom. I’d gained Mr. Walker’s respect and I didn’t play around with that. Still, I was surprised that they’d simply dropped her off here knowing that we had no plans.

  “What did you say we’d be doing tonight?”

  “Hanging out and watching movies,” she smiled and waved at Rider who was tallying the last customer’s items. My cousin nodded at her.

  “What are we really doing?” I asked, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

  “So, Shawn invited me to Platypus Park tonight—”

  “Nope. I won’t be a part of this.”

  She slapped a dollar and twenty five cents on the silver counter and tugged at the ends of her hair. “Why not?”

  “Because I can’t stand Shawn,” I insisted, putting her change in the cash register.

  “Come on. I just want to go, peek around and see what it’s like and then come back and hang at your place.”

  I snorted. Cece was a convincing liar but I had spent too many years with her to turn a blind eye to her tells.

  “I promise. That’s all I want to do.” Sensing that I was not convinced, Cece grabbed my hand. “Please,” she gazed at me with her big brown eyes, “I really want to go.”

  I caved as she gave me puppy dog eyes. Cece knew I was powerless against that.

  “Fine,” I agreed, since it meant that much to her. “But only for fifteen minutes and then we’re leaving.”

  “Deal!” She grinned and shook my hand, the gold bangle on her wrist twinkling as brightly as her eyes. “This is going to be so much fun!”

  Yeah, I doubted that

  CHAPTER THREE

  I was not a recluse. Especially with Cece as my best friend. She pushed me out of my comfort zone as resolutely as a mama bird tossed her chicks out of the nest so they could fly. Cece had drawn me out of my shyness. I could hold my own in a social situation without needing to withdraw.

  So when I rushed home to change into something dressier than my work clothes, I was almost excited. I planned on avoiding Shawn Anthony with my every breath, but being asked to a sixth form party was a big deal.

  What were the odds that Cece and I would both be invited by different people?

  “Good night,” I nodded at my parents as I walked up the stairs later that evening.

  “Hi Mr. and Mrs. Kim.” Cece waved at them.

  “Hey, guys.” Mom strolled to the foot of the staircase and watched us walk up. “Wow, you look nice, Cece.”

  “Thank you.” Cece froze on the middle stair and did a little curtsy. “We’re heading to Platypus Park tonight.”

  “Oh really?” Mom’s tone of voice made me cringe. Sometimes, Cece was a little too candid with my parents.

  “We’re just going to make an appearance and then come straight home, Mom. If that’s okay with you?”

  “Fine.” Mom allowed. “But I don’t expect to hear that any one of you has been drinking. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said and then dragged Cece up the stairs before
she admitted to her mom that she’d been invited by a guy.

  Mom didn’t trust us guys as far as she could throw us. She’d forced Dad to give me “the talk” twice, once just for the heck of it and the second time to emphasize the importance of abstinence and marriage.

  My parents were traditional but I didn’t mind. I had Cece and she was all the drama that I needed. I had seen what other guys at the academy went through with crazy ex-girlfriends. I shuddered at the thought of the horror stories.

  “What are you wearing?” Cece catapulted herself on my bed like she usually did. I closed my bedroom door, making sure to leave it slightly ajar.

  “I don’t know. Probably a shirt that doesn’t need ironing and jeans.” I shrugged.

  She slid off the bed and slipped into my closet, sorting through the clothes hanging in there. Mom constantly bemoaned the fact that she hadn’t given birth to girls. Both Adam and I were completely disinterested in the world of clothes and shopping, but Mom insisted on filling up our drawers with choices anyway.

  “What do you think?” Cece broke into my reverie and held a long-sleeved white shirt up to her chest. She pursed her lips and lowered her eyebrows. I snickered. My best friend was taking this party too seriously.

  “I’m going to the park, not to a funeral.” I waved my hand dismissively and hopped unto the edge of the bed. “Next.”

  She grinned and sent me a look before rummaging through the closet again. “Want a button-down or a polo?”

  “Polo,” I replied. “It’s not worth the hassle of ironing.”

  “Don’t be lazy,” Cece scolded with her head still in the closet. She selected a polo shirt and tossed it at me. “You’re welcome. Now go look nice.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not?”

  That was the extent of her argument.

  “I don’t know why I love you,” I mused, walking to the bathroom to change.

  “Because I’m awesome!” she called as I closed the door.

  I shoved my sweaty T-shirt over my head (the store needed an air conditioning upgrade) and quickly slapped on some deodorant before donning the clean shirt. After changing into fresh jeans, I walked back into the main room. Cece was lying down on the bed playing a game on my phone.

  She was obsessed with the motorcycle racing app, but refused to delete any of her apps so she could install it on her own phone. Cece’s cell was completely out of space thanks to the loads of pictures she’d uploaded on the memory card. I planned on getting her a 34 gigabyte chip for her birthday.

  “She groaned when the game bested her again. “You’re lucky this phone is expensive or I’d stone it against the wall.”

  “Please don’t.”

  She grinned at my expression. “I was only kidding. Gosh, why are you so sensitive?”

  I bent down to grab my shoes from beneath my bed. “I’m not. I’m just asking you not to destroy my only reason for living.”

  She glanced dubiously at the smart phone in her hand. “What? This is your reason for living? I thought that was me?”

  I laughed. “Somebody’s getting cocky.”

  She rolled her eyes but a smirk played with her lips. “Come on. You take longer than I do to get ready, pretty boy.”

  “Pretty boy?” I narrowed my eyes at her. That was new.

  “Yeah, your face is so smooth and hairless. Like one of those K-drama pretty boys.”

  I wasn’t sure that I liked hearing her say that, but I was certain that she meant well. “Just… don’t say that in front of anybody else. It’s degrading.”

  “Degrading?” Cece smirked, but I ignored her and held my hand out so that I could help her off the bed.

  “Come on. Let’s go crash a party.”

  She giggled as we sailed down the stairs. “We’re not crashing. We were invited.”

  “I know. But crashing sounds cooler.”

  We both waved at my parents before strolling down the quiet street to the park. I lived in a residential area with no bars and only a handful of small stores. The lampposts above illuminated our way in soft white and yellow glows.

  Big houses with flowers climbing up gates and overflowing over sidewalks and drains perfumed the night air. Crickets chirped on either side of the nearly abandoned cement road. Only a few cars passed once in a while to prove that we weren’t the only two people on earth.

  In a few minutes a park with a wide basketball court, bleachers, and a playground came into view. We passed the park, crossing the street to the other side where fancy cars were parked near the Sea. Picnic benches spread out every few feet.

  Young adults lounged on the slats, with drinks in their hands. The girls sat in between male legs and underneath slung arms. Some couples were already making out. Mom would have a conniption.

  “Oh my gosh!” Cece turned to me and squealed. “This is so exciting.” I didn’t share her enthusiasm, but I figured that she had enough for the both of us.

  Someone moved in the shadows. “Fancy seeing you here,” the girl from the store said as she drew near. She smelled of liquor and perfume. It was a strange blend that was not altogether unpleasant.

  “Hi.” I waved.

  She glanced at Cece. “Oh no! Is this your girlfriend?”

  “No,” I said quickly. Maybe a little too quickly. Cece sent me a strange look.

  “I’m his best friend.” Cece offered her hand. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Carla.” She waved a manicured hand to the party, ignoring Cece’s extended arm. “I invited your friend out tonight. You wouldn’t mind if I steal him from you?”

  “Actually—” Cece opened her mouth but Carla lurched forward and grabbed my arm. She dragged me away with the strength of ten men. I glanced apologetically back at Cece. She covered her chest with her arms and stood dejectedly.

  ***

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