LS: The Beginning (21 page)

I pointed at the scoreboard repeatedly, since her answer was right there.

When it was my turn to play, I threw my balls accurately, knocking down all the pins and sometimes leaving one, hoping she would top my score. I wanted a bit of competition.

The game was nearly over with me leading by ten points. We both had
one last round to go. I could feel the tension rising as her heart throbbed.
Please miss! Please miss!
She thought. I loved making
her happy and winning would divert my goal.

I drew backwards, moving
in a slow motion to add some drama to my final move. Sharon stood still, clenching her teeth in suspense.

The ball rolled but hit no pins. “Ouch,” she said.

“It’s your turn.” I stepped aside.

If she could clear the rack, she
’
d be the winner. She wasted time with aiming for the pins, and the
ball hit all the pins narrowly missing two.

“Aw,” I said.

“Oh well. I guess the only man won,” she replied.

Before the
score was entered, the last two pins mysteriously fell down. "Oh my God!" she screamed, jumping up and down with glee.

She was awarded a third chance to top my score. She reached for the ball, smiling like never before. She cleared the rack, crowning her the winner.

“Yay!” she said, giving me a hug.

“I guess the only woman won.”

Sharon laughed. “Very funny,” She said.

I read every human mind within the vicinity, especially the official in charge, but found no one
connected to the mysterious push of the last two pins. As for Sharon, she saw it as her lucky
day. I didn’t think the same. I noticed there was someone in the building whose head was impenetrable. I was certain Lisa was
not close by. If she was, not only would I have sensed her, I would have
physically seen her as well.

At first, I didn’t recognize anybody on the other alleys.
L
ooking again, I saw a light-skinned guy who appeared to be Lisa’s
ex-boyfriend, David. We hadn’t had any contact with each other, so
moving towards him would be inappropriate. I watched Sharon celebrate as I stood with my arms folded across my chest. She celebrated her victory all the way to the parking
lot. It wasn’t annoying but rather entertaining to see her perform assorted
dance routines. She was really happy.

We had to skip playing pool, because we were running late
for our movie and unlike going with Lisa, we would have to use the car. I
hadn’t heard from Lisa since our last conversation on the phone and I
sincerely missed her sweet, soft voice.

Driving very fast was the only option I had in order to meet
the movie on time. As we entered the designated screen, ads were still rolling. A sigh of relief burst from our mouths as we rushed to find our seats.

We had chosen to watch a drama. Actually it was more
she
than
we
, but I didn’t object because I knew Sharon would never make any
unnecessary moves, I couldn’t say as much for Julie.

Halfway through the movie, Sharon said, “
way
Do you like the film?”

“So far, it’s rather good,” I replied.

When going with Lisa, I conformed to silence. We would telepathically discuss about the movie, which by the way seemed awesome I limited the types of genre
Sharon and I could watch – but then she wasn’t a fan of most genres like horror
,
etc., whereas with Lisa, we watched whatever genre our mood permitted.

“She’s a really good actress,” Sharon commented, using her little finger
to point to the screen.

“Yeah, I think she is,”

“What do you think she should do since the guy likes another girl?”

As Sharon said this, she turned to look at my dark brown eyes, waiting to hear
what I had to say.

“It depends,” I responded.

“On what?”

“On how he feels about the other girl,” I replied. “She would only be deceiving
herself if she chases after a stolen heart.”

Sharon looked surprised.
Is she trying to relate it with something?
Her
mind didn’t reveal the answer: she was thinking solely on the movie and
nothing else.

The movie was about a young woman named
Whitney
,
who had fallen in love
with her very close male friend. He didn’t feel the same way, because his heart
belonged to another woman.

Sharon gripped my arm as the suspense infiltrated her subconscious; the
movie overwhelmed her to the point my icy arm had no effect on her. The suspense didn’t captivate me; rather, it was irksome. I kept myself busy
by reading the minds of every single person in the room, and it was really
amusing. It's fun to hear what people are thinking when it's not about you, or someone you know.

The film ended with Whitney gaining the heart of the one she loved,
which gave Sharon a huge grin across her face. “It’s just a film. The real world doesn’t always have such happy endings,” I
said as we left the screen.

I wouldn’t have guessed I’d hit a nerve, but thanks to my special
abilities, I knew. Sharon seldom translated her feelings onto her face, so it
was really hard for a normal human being to know how she felt. I hugged her close with one arm.

“Hey, I’m sorry; just being fair.”

She barely cracked a smile, thinking,
Is he referring to the question I asked him?

“Do you still want to go to the city bar?”

“Yeah, only if it’s okay with you,” she said. 

Her eyes seductively looked at me. How could I have said no to that? No man could.

“Sure,” I replied smiling.

I opened the passenger’s side door for her
and quickly settled in the driver’s side.

“What about your parents? You hardly talk about them. Even when my mom asked about them, you didn't reveal much,” Sharon
asked.

She was right. I hardly talked about them. If only she knew I seldom called them either. Although I really loved them, I wasn’t very close to them – especially my dad. I had traded a few e-mails with my mom.

“Yeah, you’re right.” I removed my phone from my pocket as we entered the car. “I need to
speak to my mother. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, that’s okay,” she said, even though I didn't seek her permission.

“Hey Mom,” I said.

“Hey!” she screamed. “Is this my baby boy?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Don’t you have my number?” I asked.

“I do, but it’s displaying private number on the screen.”

“Oh, my bad, I forgot to change it back,” I said. I had hidden my caller ID
because I wanted to play a prank on Lisa, which didn’t work. “So how are you doing, Mom? How’s Dad?” I hadn’t heard from my
father in a very long time, but I was used to it. His job made it impossible
for him to be at home.

“Your father’s good. He left for Spain yesterday. I’m not doing
badly myself. Since you refused to pick up my calls, I had to call Susan and find
out if you were alright. There’s something I think you should know.”

Sharon and I had reached our destination and my mother was still on the phone. I
cut off the engine and continued my discussion while Sharon waited patiently.

“Hmm, what could that be?” I asked. Her earlier tone was cheerful so I knew
it couldn’t be bad news.

“You have a younger sister,” she said.

I smiled. “That’s great, but how’s that possible?” I asked, looking at Sharon, who
was playing with her fingernails. My mother had explained to me
that after my birth, the doctor had diagnosed her of being barren. “We adopted. I was so lonely, and with your father moving around the
world, I needed a companion.”

“That’s wonderful, Mom. What’s her name?”

“Her name’s Jacqueline. She’s going to be six next month.”

“What a lovely name. I can’t wait to meet her,” I said.

“She says the same. I’ve told her a lot about you.”

“Oh, that’s so nice of you.” I glanced at Sharon. “I’m sorry mom, but I have to go now,” I said.

“But you haven’t told me about your acclimatization!”

“Sorry Mom, maybe some other time. Love you, bye.”

“Love you too.”

I looked at my wristwatch and back at Sharon.  “I’m sorry,” I said.

She shook her head. “Oh no, don’t be.”

As we arrived at the city bar, I was asked to show my ID. I wasn’t of age yet to enter such places
at night, but at the same time I was in my second year at college,
where everyone’s likely to be an adult. Sharon was two years older than me but
she never knew my age, and she never asked.

I whispered to Sharon. “I don’t think I brought my ID.”

“Oh no worries, I’ve got this.”

She smuggled me into the restaurant and secured a table for two. The bar looked like a Chinese restaurant but less dainty than one. The main differences where a stage and an empty dance floor. They were situated at the east wing of the
building, with the remaining area made up of different types of tables and chairs. It wouldn’t be
called a city bar if it didn’t have a bar, which was located directly opposite the stage.
Julie said places like this were called pubs in her the UK.

It was getting late, and the restaurant section of the place was about to close, so I ordered a mountain burger meal for Sharon. I loved watching Sharon eat. She was used to the stares I gave her whenever she was eating. She blushed every time I smiled at her.

Growing up, I never had close female friends, so hanging out with Sharon
was a remarkable experience – but then, being with Lisa was a life-changing
one. Sharon had finished her meal and was ready to order dessert when a song
began
playing from my pocket. I silenced the tone with a push on the green
button.
Lisa was the caller.