Mia's Plan To Woo Eric Lee... And Other Awkward Moments

So, I’m in love with Eric Lee. He’s funny, smart, kind, humble, really thoughtful too, and yeah, super freaking cute. And I have been in love with Eric Lee since the second he helped me to my feet my freshman year of high school. I was walking down the hall towards math, when suddenly, my feet forgot how to walk, and I face planted on to the tile. I wanted to die. Suddenly, as if out of a spicy romance novel, I heard this smooth and deep voice ask, “Are you okay?” I look up and see this South Korean model, kneeling in front of me, extending his hand to help me up. At first, I thought I had died, and this was Heaven, so I placed my hand in his, and he helped me up. He then hands me a handkerchief, which up until then, I had never seen before in real life, and says, “here, you’re bleeding a bit.” This was the moment I realized, I was in fact, not in Heaven. I shakily took the soft cloth and brought it to my nose, which, upon contact I became instantly aware that I wasn’t bleeding ‘a bit’, but rather my nose had turned into a faucet. He helped me all the way to the nurse’s office. He cracked jokes, he talked about nonsense, I honestly don’t remember the walk itself, but by the end of it, I was a goner.

The next day, after 3 washes, I went to give him back the handkerchief. I had my apology for staining the material memorized and four different repayment options for him to choose from, when to my utter horror, I saw him cavorting with Lucas Nam. Lucas freaking Nam.

Lucas and I used to know each other. In elementary school, before hormones ruled all, we were even kind of friends. We both loved dinosaurs, writing, and building forts. Then one day in summer, while working on our tree fort, our friendship ended. We had just finished adding the door, when he turned and kissed me on my cheek. I panicked. Pushed him, we both then fell out of the tree. I sprained my ankle and while he left unscathed, needless to say, he never came over to play again. And he never really talked to me again either. Now, he’s the most popular guy in our senior class and as far as I can tell, he’s a complete stereotype. The typical good-looking, tall, egocentric, shallow, fuckboy, with mediocre grades, that somehow every high school girl, and many high school boys, are in love with.

Seeing Eric and Lucas together stopped me in my tracks. Literally I couldn’t move my legs forward or backwards, I felt glued to the spot. Eventually Lucas saw me, he gave me a weird look, put his arm around Eric’s shoulder and walked in the opposite direction. My heart ached as the possible love story I had cultivated for Eric and me in my head was seemingly already dead.

Over the next three years, my interactions with Eric have been sporadic, at best, but unfortunately, non-existent most of the time. Yet whenever I would get the chance to talk to Eric or even just see him, a new pang of hope would hit my heart. Now, here I am, starting my senior year and I’ve finally worked up the courage to do something about it. To tell him. Well, to sort of tell him… well, okay, so I set a goal, to come up with a plan, to eventually tell him!

I finish getting dressed and look at myself in the full-length mirror in my room. Dark blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and grey tennis shoes. Tan skin, no makeup. My short black hair brushed, and yellow T-Rex earrings in. I let out a long sigh as I look at my dresser and see the handkerchief on top. I nod, reaffirming to myself, this is the year. Yes! Okay. I can do this. I look back at my reflection and smile, “No matter what, today, you talk to him.” I have possibly eight opportunities to see Eric.

HOMEROOM, STATISTICS, ASTRONOMY, GYM, lunch, HISTORY, A.P. ENGLISH and finally THEATER. I grab my backpack and before I leave my room, I say a quick prayer, “Dear God, please give me the courage to talk to Eric, and please, please, please, don’t let me embarrass myself. Please God. Amen.”

Freshman year I got a job at a restaurant in town; it’s kind of ideal as it’s super busy on the weekends but pretty dead during the week. I’m an excellent saver and over the summer I was able to buy my first car! It’s a 30 years old, compact little car, and nothing in it really works but it starts and that’s all that matters. I named her Ilene. I put my key in the ignition, and turn, the engine struggles to come to life, “Come on Ilene!” I sing and as she roars to life, I continue the chorus in triumph, “At this moment, you mean everything!” I drive to school already feeling a bit victorious.

I get to Homeroom and take a seat in the back. Quickly scanning the room, I spot a small group of people in a circle. I wonder if Eric is in there somewhere. I hear Lucas before I see him and my heart begins to race, where Lucas is, there’s a good chance Eric will be too. Another six minutes and the bell will ring, the group will break up, and I’ll get to see…

“Mia!” I look up and see my friend Robin take a seat at the desk next to me, “Can you believe we’re seniors now?” I struggle to smile as I reluctantly look away from the group to focus on her. “It’s for sure wild,” I agree. She begins her soliloquy and it’s nice, her voice is perky and she’s so positive. Before the bell rings, I’ve learned all about her spiral last night, which started with watching baby pandas and ended this morning with the ‘whistling language’ people in Europe. “So, are we still on for a movie tonight?” I nod just as the bell rings.

As subtly as I can, I turn to watch as the group disperses. My heart races as Lucas comes fully into view… Eric should be right there… but he isn’t. I exhale loudly then take out a red marker and draw a line through the word Homeroom, on my schedule. No need to worry though, seven more chances to go!

Statistics and Anatomy were also Eric-less. Next up, Gym, the one and only class I truly hope not to see Eric in as I have no balance nor athletic ability. I change into the mandatory black sweat shorts and grey T-shirt, both are a size too big, because I like to be comfy. I walk into the gymnasium and am greeted by the site of red dodgeballs. I turn back around to find the coach, I’ve just now remembered I am allergic to plastic, or have web-feet, or an aversion to red, but before I can decide on an illness, I run into a tall figure in a matching uniform. “Sorry!” I look up and lock eyes with Lucas.

His brown eyes narrow in annoyance as he looks down at me, “You’re going the wrong way.”

“Not if I want to avoid playing dodgeball.”

His brows raise quizzically, as if unable to fathom how someone couldn’t want to play a game where they get pelted with balls. A whistle blows from somewhere behind me and Lucas’ gaze shifts away from me; then without giving me a second thought, he walks away. I hang my head and know there’s no use anymore, I’m going to have to play.

Coach Ferb blows her whistle again, “Everyone line up in a row.” We line up and wait for further instructions. “Alright, Nam, Campbell, up front.” I roll my eyes as Lucas Nam and Sabrina Campbell make their way to stand next to the coach, they nod to each other in exhilaration for what’s to come. “C before N, Campbell, pick first.”

One by one, my fellow classmates are all selected until it’s down to just me and Tony… honestly, I think they didn’t pick him out of kindness, he has pretty bad asthma. As for me, well, I suck. It’s Lucas’s turn and he’s staring back and forth between us. After a long sigh he says, “Tony.”

I can’t stand Lucas Nam.

An eternity later and this class has still somehow not ended. Sabrina’s team has won three games and Eric’s team has won three. I’ve been hit eleven times. I’m praying it’s the end of the game soon as I have been struggling to breath, having been running back and forth trying to avoid the balls. A sound catches my attention and I turn to look as the gym doors open, but I can’t make out who it is, before a dodgeball smacks me in the head. I hit the ground and just lay there; at first it was because the room was spinning, but after a few seconds, my head is pounding, and I can’t find the will to move.

“Hey, are you okay?” I open my eyes and of course, who else could it be, other than Eric Lee, kneeling at my side.

I almost want to cry.

“Fine.” I manage to finally squeak out. He smiles at me, and I’ve literally never felt better.

He stands up and holds his hand out for me. “You know, we have to stop meeting like this.” I was almost stable on my feet, when I register what he’s said, and my knees give out. He catches me before I collapse into a puddle on the floor. He places my arm around his shoulder, then our eyes lock, and we both smile at each other.

Oh my God, is this it? Is this the moment to interact? Should I tell him how I feel? God, no, too soon, just say hi! No, not hi, say something flirty. Wait, no, I don’t know how to flirt… maybe something witty… fuck, say anything!

I open my mouth – “Eric, what are you doing here?” Lucas jogs up to us and interrupts our moment. I close my mouth, uncertain if I should be grateful that the word vomit that was going to happen has been stopped or annoyed because this rare moment where I’m alone with Eric is disrupted. I turn to look back at Lucas, but instead I catch a whiff of Eric’s cologne, it smells like the ocean. I close my eyes and try to subtly lean in closer.

“I was taking a detour back to Physics when I saw Mia hit the floor.”

UGH! I groan internally and briefly wish the stupid dodge ball had just ended everything. I curse the wretch that created this “game”; them and their children, and their grandchildren and their grandchildren’s grandchildren, and their grandchildren’s stupid house plants!

“Mia, are you smelling Eric?”

My eyes open instantly, and I see both guys staring at me. I feel my cheeks go crimson, as I’ve been caught, being my truly weird self. I look into Eric’s brown eyes and sheepishly reply, “You smell like the ocean… it’s nice.”

He returns my smile, and my heart skips a beat as I see his eyes sparkle at me. “Thank you. You smell nice too.”

I hear someone take a deep inhale and I turn to see Lucas smelling my hair. I pull away from him, closer to Eric. Lucas nods, “You were sweating a bit back there and I can smell you too. I think we wear the same deodorant.”

There are no words.

I purse my lips together and nod slowly. Memo to self, buy new deodorant. I slowly start to move my arm from around Eric’s shoulder. “Thank you for helping me up. Again.”

Lucas looks from Eric to me, “Again? How often do you fall?”

Coach Ferb blows her whistle as she joins us on the side of the court, “is everything okay over here? Mia?”

If I say yes, I know I’ll have to go back to playing, whereas if I say no… I quickly glance at Eric, hoping beyond all hope my spontaneous plan actually works. “Actually, I’m kind of seeing stars still. Can I go to the nurses?”

Coach Ferb nods, “Nam, take her to the nurse. Lee, get back to class.”

Oh no. No. No. No. NO! “I think I can get there on my own Coach.”

“If you’re seeing stars, I don’t want to risk it.” She blows her whistle, ending the discussion and walking away. Eric turns to look at me, “I should get back to class anyway.” He then looks to Lucas, and holds out his fist, “See you at lunch.” Lucas casually bumps his fist then nods as he leaves. I watch as Eric walks out of the gym then sigh in defeat.

Suddenly, I feel my arm being lifted and watch as Lucas attempts to wrap my arm around his shoulder. I try to pull my arm away, “What are you doing? You’re like a foot taller than me, I’d have to walk on my tiptoes.”

“You’re right.” But he doesn’t let go of my arm, instead he pulls it over his shoulder than with his other hand, he sweeps me off my feet, into his arms.

“Oh my God!” I wrap my other arm around his neck, anxiously anticipating him dropping me.

“Calm down Mia.” He starts walking and I hear the murmur and whispers from the people in class. I will never live down this humiliation.

When we get into the hall, the awkward silence between us becomes palpable. There’s no one else around, which is a good thing and I slowly start to relax. “So, you’ve got a crush on Eric?”

“What? Why, would you…? How…? In what…? There is -”

He chuckles, “A dead giveaway, besides you inhaling his scent, are the goo-goo eyes you have when you look at him.”

“First of all, you smelled me, and you hate me, so, so much for that inhaling them being a dead giveaway nonsense.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“And second… do you think he knows?”

“He doesn’t know. For as smart as he is, he’s still a guy, and we can be kind of obtuse about things.” We walk a bit more in silence, my mind racing with questions. Does he know if Eric likes anyone? Does he have a type? Do I have a chance? I’m impressed he knows the word obtuse…

“Don’t waste your time, you and Eric, you’re not right for each other.”

“Why do you say that?” We walk into the nurse’s office, and I see Nurse Ashton shake her hear at me, “Again Mia?”

“Lucas threw a dodgeball at my head.”

“So, your legs stopped working?” I blush again as she looks away from me to Lucas then gestures towards the bed. “You can put her down over there. I’ll be right back with an ice pack for you.” She disappears out of the room and without a word, Lucas plops me down onto the bed, then turns to leave. I hurry to my feet and catch his arm before he leaves, “Why do you think Eric and I aren’t right for each other?”

Lucas shrugs, “I don’t think he likes being pushed out of trees.” And with that, he left.

What a petty little… You didn’t even get hurt. Yeah! That’s what I should have said. I walk to the door to yell my comeback at him, when Nurse Ashton reappears. “Your legs are fine now?”

“They were fine before; I don’t know why he didn’t let me walk.” I take the ice pack from her and slump onto the bed, “how much longer is there left in this period?” She checks her watch, “About half an hour.” I lay down on the cot and wallow in doubt about my possible romantic relationship, could Lucas be right? Why would he say such a thing?