I'm waiting outside the bubble tea shop, taking sips from my plastic water bottle. I crouch over my phone, sitting in the little seating area outside the shop. At least these chairs are not as plushy as the ones inside. It's pretty chilly. Around fifty degrees Fahrenheit. I zip up my coat.
Xu Zi Quan has his back against the wall a few feet away from me. He seems to be texting, judging by the rapid tapping. Mom still hasn't replied my message to pick me up. It's been about ten minutes. What's the holdup?
Jacob's walking home. Jacob is able to rely on himself because, apparently, he only lives a twenty-minute walk from here. Lucky him. Unfortunately for me, I can't quite walk what's meant to be thirty-minute drive, can I?
Fatima had to go to gymnastics. So, she got out of here right after messaging the social studies teacher. But not before thanking me profusely. I didn't really know how to deal with her ups and downs of emotions, so I simply smiled along. Welcome to my life.
My phone buzzed with a sharp beep. A new message. Mom finally replied!
Mom: Min Kai's jiujitsu is taking longer than normal. Can one of your friends drop you home? I also have to pick up your dad, so I can only be there in about 40 minutes. Don't worry about Karate. It's cancelled today.
I forgot. My mom also has to pick up my brother, Min Kai, and Dad. Love how she thinks my crazy classmates are my friends. Adorable. Internal sigh. I'll be stuck here for an hour. Even if Karate is cancelled, I still have homework to get done. Like the math, chemistry, and physics test this week. Yes, the one I've been procrastinating on. To be honest here, I already know the stuff on the test, but because failure isn't an option, I need to start preparing for the end of year tests while it's only mid-November.
Min Hui: It's fine. I'll wait then. (thumbs up emoji)
I shove my phone in my sweatshirt pocket and get up. I hate changes in plans and delays. Frustrated, I impulsively lash out with a front kick at the nearest street lamp. It makes a dull "thunk" sound. Nope, didn't make me feel any better.
I wasted an hour in that stuffy bubble tea shop just to check a task off my to-do list. Now, I have to wait even longer. I stare at my phone for a second--useless thing. I can't do anything well on it, nor can my laptop because it, ever so conveniently, decided to die on me.
"So this is what you do with your karate skills. Here I am thinking you're out there fighting bad guys." I jump at a male, but unjudgmental voice, stiffening when I realize who it is. I refuse to look behind me. I forgot Xu Zi Quan was there. Wonderful. Now he's seen me kicking inanimate objects like a madwoman. Why does this dude always get front row seating to my worst moments?
I sink back into my chair. I feel tired. Tired of all the things I need to do. Tired that time feels like it's slipping out of my hands. Without thinking, I tell him, "My mom can't pick me up, so I'm stranded here for an hour."
Taking his time, Xu Zi Quan walks over to me. He waits a moment before doing anything. Since when do I impulsively kick street lamps and tell classmates my troubles? He stuffs his hands in his jeans pockets, slowly rocking back and forth on his heels. "My dad is picking me up in a few minutes. We can drop you, if you want."
He looks right in my eyes. Xu Zi Quan seems like he genuinely wants to help. But I can't let him. I don't want to burden him with my problems. "I live in Issaquah. It's half an hour from here. Don't worry about it."
Xu Zi Quan nods slowly, but I can tell he hasn't given up. A beat passes. "I also live in Issaquah. So, your place is on the way. Might make you feel better instead of freezing to death here."
I chuckle. He's not wrong.
That does change things.
The cons are: it would be awkward to sit in a car with a classmate I barely know for half an hour, I'm imposing my problems on him, and I don't know how my parents would react to me coming home in a boy's car.
Dad, especially, has told me multiple times how boys are dangerous. How, you ask? I have a whole essay on it my dad made me write. His way of keeping boys away from his precious daughter is by making her standards so high, only the best of the best can pass. In my opinion, it's a strategy that worked incredibly well. I'm one of the few tenth graders who haven't been in a romantic relationship, or even acted on a crush. When I get a crush, I just wait till the hormones calm down.
Back to the carpool situation, I'd be warm, get home sooner, technically not burdening him because he said it's on the way, and my parents would feel less guilty about leaving me outside.
Well, there it is. Four is more than three. Pros outweighing cons.
"Uh, you know what?" I reluctantly accept. I stand up, facing him. I also stuff my hands in my pockets, sweatshirt ones. "I'll go with you. Thanks for the offer."
"You know," Xu Zi Quan speaks. Don't tell me he's changed his mind. "About the bubble tea spreading globally..."
Oh, about that. You mean my failure at communicating normally? Yes, I do remember.
"Maybe the others don't care about history and these sort of things, but I think what you said was intriguing. I like that you cared about stuff like that." He paused. He wasn't bored to death? I thought he was just like the others. Maybe I judged him to fast... "Do you ever feel like you're on a different frequency than most people?"
All the time. All the damn time. I can never relate to people.
I nod, "It's so hard to understand people. But, it's even harder for them to understand me. And even if I tell them what's going on in my head, they kinda zone out. Personally, I don't think I'm boring, so I guess the problem lies in them. I mean, of course, there are some people who get me. You?"
My dad. He is one of the few people who are close to the same frequency as me. Our brains, the way we think, are so similar. I'm also pretty close with my mom. And my brother? Well, it's hard not to be gravitated by his natural charisma. I take another sip of water, giving him a chance to speak.
Xu Zi Quan looks down, tugging at his shirt, flattening the wrinkles. He finally meets my gaze. "I feel like I can understand people, but it doesn't go both ways."
No one tries to understand him? But he's so interesting. What he said in the library that day is meaningful and, honesty, fascinating. Who wouldn't want to get to know more about him?
He pauses, hesitant to say more. Oh... I understand. You don't usually reveal the depths your soul to strangers, and we're strangers... I think... I don't even know what we are anymore. But for some reason, we maintain eye contact. It's like, Xu Zi Quan--he's different. I've never met a person like him before. It feels like forever when a loud honk noise fills my ears.
What's up with me? It may feel like forever, but, like everything in my life, it's just temporary.