MACE: Does He Really Like Me?

I walked back to the room I shared with my two sisters and collapsed on bed. Putting my arms over my forehead, I closed my eyes and recalled the conversation I had with Luke. The words, “I like you Mace,” rang inside my head.

“What do you mean like?” I reacted incredulously.

“You know like,” Luke chuckled. “As in the attracted and want to be with you kind of like.”

I swallowed hard. “But, isn’t it too early for you to be concluding that?”

Luke chuckled again. “Why? Is there a duration needed to get to like someone?”

“You don’t know me well,” I pointed out. “We never really hung out together except last night. How can you say already like me when you hardly even know me?”

“It’s true that I don’t know you that well,” he admitted. “But I’ve always thought you’re a great person to be with. I’ve always marveled at your dancing talent too. You dance better than any of the girls in our youth group.”

I felt my face burning as I listened to everything he said. “Geez, I didn’t know you saw me dancing,” I said self-consciously. “But thanks for the compliment.”

“I saw you dance during the presentation we had last Christmas and when you’re fooling around with the girls,” Luke supplied helpfully. “You look happy when you’re dancing.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. And I was honestly shocked at how accurate he was with his observation. “Thanks again,” I muttered. “I do love to dance.”

“From now on, I’ll do my best to find out what makes you happy and make sure I get to be the one who puts that smile in your face,” Luke said sweetly. So sweetly that I could imagine the smile on his face. At that moment, I wasn’t smiling but my heart started beating faster.

“I wish you wouldn’t say that,” I said under my breath.

“Why?” asked Luke in a genuinely confused voice.

“'Coz it makes me uncomfortable,” I answered honestly. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to react. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.”

“You could try saying you like me back,” he said suggestively. “That would really make me happy.”

“C’mon Luke, stop kidding around,” I said slightly annoyed. “It’s not funny to make light of such things.”

“Who said I’m joking Mace?” Luke asked and his voice suddenly turned serious. “Do you think I don’t mean what I said?”

I was not prepared for his abrupt change of tone. “It’s just that this is all too sudden and unexpected,” I answered hastily, not wanting to get into an argument. “It’s all kinda’ hard to believe. Plus, you’re telling me over the phone. I can’t see your face and your eyes.”

“What does my eyes and face have to do with this?” His voice became softer this time.

I wanted the ground to swallow me whole at that moment. Do I really have to answer such an embarrassing question?

“So that I can see how sincere you are,” I replied, my voice getting lower too. “I think things like this should be said personally, not over the phone.”

“I see,” Luke answered in the same soft voice. “So, you want to see just how sincere I am huh?”

I nodded my head even though he absolutely couldn’t see me doing so. “That would… that would be a little more reassuring,” I muttered feeling the heat on my cheeks again.

“Okay, let’s meet at church tomorrow around 2:00 PM by the stairs,” he said in a satisfied voice that sounded like he just solved the country’s poverty problem. “That should give us enough time to talk. I’ll tell you everything personally. Is that alright?”

“I – I guess,” I stammered.

“That’s great then,” and his voice definitely brightened. “I’ll see you tomorrow Mace and please tell your grandma I send my sincerest apologies for disturbing her sleep.”

“Uh sure,” I answered taken aback by his apology. “Thanks for apologizing.”

“It’s only right that I do so,’ Luke said gently. “I wouldn’t want the grandma of the girl I like to hate me.”

I could only feel my cheeks redden all the more as the phone clicked, ending our conversation. If he could have seen me, my face was probably as red as a tomato.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Hey Mace, what’s up with you?” came a very familiar voice that snapped me out of my reverie.

I turned towards the direction of the source and saw my two younger sisters, Cassie and Shane, who just entered the door to our bedroom. Cassie is next to me and Shane is our youngest. I must have been pretty focused on my thoughts not to have heard them open the door at all.

“Nothing,” I answered flatly.

“Really?” Cassie said skeptically. “You look spaced out.”

“More like troubled,” Shane piped in who plopped on the bed beside me.

“C’mon Mace, spill the beans!” Cassie coaxed. “Boy problems?”

I sat up and faced both of them. “Well, if you must know, it does concern a boy,” I said slowly. “You know Luke James right?”

Cassie nodded. “Yeah, one of the youth members and knights of the altar.” Behind her, Shane nodded in confirmation. Cassie tilted her head and eyed me curiously. “Why?”

“We talked over the phone,” I replied.

“Oh, so he was the one you’re talking to?” Shane interrupted. “I was wondering who was on the other line since it took sometime to finish. I was going to call my classmate about our test.”

“Yeah, it was Luke,” I admitted. “And guess what?”

At my words, both Cassie and Shane looked at me expectantly.

“He told me that he likes me,” I mumbled looking down, my hand clutching part of the bed sheet.

“Oh, that’s a surprise,” Cassie remarked after a few second’s pause. “I mean, there were no signs of any feelings from him at all.” Cassie is also an active member of the youth group and comes with me regularly during meetings and activities.

I looked up and nodded. “His confession, in fact, shocked me because I didn’t think he saw me in a romantic way.” I chewed on my lip thoughtfully. “I think it all started yesterday during elections. He was not acting his usual pestering self. He was attentive, thoughtful and rather sweet.”

“Hmmmmm,” Cassie was wearing her philosophical look. “Maybe he saw you in a different light?”

“Maybe he saw you for the first time,” Shane jumped in, all too happy to give her theory.

“No Shane, we’ve known each other for more than a year already,” I pointed out.

“I meant that it’s the first time he saw you as a female and member of the opposite sex,” Shane said brightly. “All this time, he saw you as one of the guys but yesterday, bam! He saw the light!”

My mouth dropped open at what my youngest sister said. I certainly didn’t expect her to say something like that. I turned towards Cassie and even she had a surprised look on her face.

“Wow Shane, that’s quite a theory you’ve got there!” Cassie exclaimed a millisecond later.

Shane smiled smugly. “I’ve been reading the books Mace has and this scenario happened in one of her Sweet Dreams collection.”

I smiled faintly. Trust my youngest sister to base her theories on love to the plots of my pocket books. Geez, I wonder what she’ll come up with the next time another situation arises. “Let’s put it to the test then,” I told her.

She gave us a proud look. “I’m pretty confident with my theory.”

Cassie and I burst out laughing. Shane can be really witty and silly at the same time.

“I admire your confidence,” Cassie said barely able to say out the words in between her mirth. “You should sprinkle some of that to us, it would come in handy.”

“But hey, what about you Mace?” Shane asked abruptly. “How do you feel towards Luke?”

I stopped short. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “It’s not like I started out having a crush on him you know. And all these things he told me are still surreal to me. I never thought of him as a boyfriend. We’re only friends after all.”

“What about a little attraction?” she persisted. “Do you find him cute? Even just a little cute?”

I conjured an image of Luke’s face and recalled how he looked when he laced his fingers with mine. My heart started beating faster at the thought of his touch. Why the heck is my heart going thump, thump, thump? I can only pray my cheeks won’t start to heat up; otherwise, my sisters would get the wrong idea.

“Well?” Shane asked again.

“I guess he’s cute in a rugged sort of way,” I said carefully choosing my words. “He 's not ugly but then, he’s not exactly what I’d call gorgeous either.” I nodded to confirm my words. “Yep, he’s ruggedly cute.”

“That’s a start,” Cassie remarked. “You don’t find him repulsive at least.”

“He’s tall and tanned too,” I added.

“Oh, so he’s tall, tan and ruggedly cute huh?” Shane said with a cheeky grin.” She turned to Cassie with a delighted look on her face. “That’s definitely not a bad start, not a bad start at all.”

Cassie laughed and I threw a pillow at them both. “Shut up,” I shouted laughing despite of myself. “You’re putting words on my mouth Shane!”

“Nope, I was merely repeating what you said,” she protested. “Isn’t that right Cass?”

“She speaks the truth sister dear,” Cassie agreed. “Looks like you kinda’ like Luke James back too.”

“I do not!” I exclaimed. “Just because I say he’s kinda’ cute doesn’t mean I like him already!”

My two sisters looked at me knowingly and Cassie nudged Shane. “Hey, if ever they would get together, Luke would be Mace’s first boyfriend right? ‘Coz that one-week boyfriend of hers last year don’t really count.”

My eyes opened wide at Cassie’s words. My cheeks burned in sheer embarrassment. “Shut up you two, just shut up!”