Chicken Sandwich: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Dream Girl

Two weeks have passed and Paul seemed comfortable in seeing Sara in class. “I just noticed it seems you are not scared of Sarah anymore” Diane whispered. “Yeah, for I know my place already and that is not worthy of her. So I know I will just be a classmate to her, and I am already happy with that” he boasted. “Paul she is looking at you” she again whispered and Paul covered his face with a book. “Is she still looking?” he asked and Diane was laughing at him. Paul peeked and looked for Sarah and she was nowhere to be found in the classroom. “You tricked me, she isn’t our classmate in this subject” he said. Diane was still laughing and imitated what he said earlier. “Yeah yeah okay I admit I am still scared of her. Keep laughing I hope you fart all day” Paul said and he looked away.

Lunch time came and the two of them parted ways. Diane spent her lunch break with her girl friends and they ate lunch out of campus. Paul got together with his high school intellectual buddies and they were having a debate on the best console game out in the market. Amidst their raging debate someone shouted “He is choking…Help!!!” and the canteen fell silent as everyone turned to see where the voice came from. Paul immediately leaped from his seat and amazingly jumped over their table as he rushed towards the person choking. He pushed everyone aside and went at the back of the young man choking; he wrapped his arms around the man’s body and interlocked his hands. Paul adjusted the location of his hands and forcefully tugged twice and something came out of the choking man’s mouth. The man was able to breathe again and the colors of blue started to fade away from his face.

“Are you okay now?” Paul asked and the teary eyed man nodded. “Thank you” the guy was able to whisper and he extended his arm out. Paul shook his hand and patted his back then returned to his seat. Everyone was looking at him and lots of students were giving him a thumb up sign. “Damn that was amazing!” said the curly haired guy beside him. “Yeah I can’t believe you leapt over this table in a snap Paul, really amazing right Fred?” said the thin guy with glasses. “I was talking about the Heimlich maneuver; you really are a moron Jeff!” Fred said. “Hey guys let’s get out of here, everyone is looking over here and I’m not too good with attention” Paul suggested and they all stood up and walked out of the canteen.

The trio sat down on a grassy area in the campus and Fred and Jeff were still talking about what just happened. Paul on the other hand had his attention stolen away and was completely frozen. “That girl is so beautiful” he suddenly uttered and the two fell silent as they followed the direction of his eyes. “Oh you must be talking about Kara Miller, yeah she is the most famous chick on campus” Fred said. “I wonder if she would go out with me.” Paul said as if he was in a daze. Fred and Jeff started laughing and Paul quickly stood up and tidies his clothes. The two were in shock as he started walking towards Kara. There were only six more steps he had to take and she suddenly looked at him. Paul froze and slowly turned around and walked back to his friends who were laughing at him.

“We knew you could not do it, welcome back to reality man!” Fred said and Paul sat down and took a deep breath. “Hey dude, she is like the hottest chick here in campus and look at us? Do you think she would even smile at us? What were you thinking anyway?” Jeff asked. “Curly blond hair, hazel blue eyes, that mesmerizing smile and a hot body…geez what the hell was I thinking?” Paul uttered and the two erupted in laughter. Paul kept his eyes on Kara as the two did the same, a few seconds later she smiled towards their direction and Jeff and Fred tugged on Paul’s arm. “She smiled at you Paul” Jeff said as he kept tugging. Paul stood up and placed his bag on his back, “Guys like you said she is Kara Miller and for sure that smile was not meant for people like us. Come on let’s get to class” he said and started walking away.

Late in the afternoon Paul was lying down on Diane’s bed and he was telling stories to Jaypee. “During lunch someone was choking and his face was turning blue. From my seat I leapt over the table and ran to him. I went in his back and did the Heimlich maneuver and he was okay from that point. I save a life today buddy” Paul related and Jaypee was full of smiles. “You should not be telling lies to him Paul” Diane said who was leaning on the door holding a plate of chicken sandwich. “Oh so you were listening the whole time. It’s the truth buddy, I am not lying to you” Paul said. “I trust you buddy” said the little kid as he reached out his fist to Paul. “Jaypee its time for your homework, come on go to your room” Diane said as she handed the plate to Paul.

“You don’t believe me right?” Paul asked as he took a bite on the sandwich. Diane sat down on the bed and stared at him, “I heard about it a while ago in class but the jumping part not really” she said. “This chicken sandwich is really delicious, I should have skipped lunch so you could make me more” Paul stated and took another big bite. “So tell me about the other thing that’s bothering you” Diane told him as she lay on her bed. “What other thing?” he asked. “Oh come on Paul, I have known you for a long time and I can tell when you have a problem” she said. Paul took a deep breath and placed the sandwich back on the plate and lay beside her.

“Do you know Kara Miller?” he asked her. “Of course, she is probably the most famous girl on campus. Why was she the one who choked?” she answered. Paul shook his head and whispered “I choked” and Diane looked at him curiously. “I saw her and decided to get to know her but when I was almost there she looked at me and I choked” he revealed. “So what are you going to about it?” Diane asked and Paul looked at her. “Nothing, I don’t stand a chance with a girl like that. She is a dream girl, and maybe I will just let her stay that way so I won’t get hurt” he answered.

Rain started pouring outside and Diane was feeling bad for his friend. She could see in his eyes that he doubts himself at that moment and she decides to remain silent for she didn’t know the right words to console him.

The following day the rain did not stop and Paul was waiting for Diane so they could head home together. As Diane arrives she hands her pink umbrella to Paul, “You go ahead take this umbrella with you. Don’t worry about me Kathy will be bringing me home later, she has a car” she told him. “I can wait for you if you want” he offers her and she shook her head. “I will be fine, I just have some things I need to attend to” she said and Paul nodded. “But wait, this is a pink umbrella, can I just wait for you instead? The guys would laugh at me if I use this. If we are together at least they would say it is your umbrella” he stated. Diane laughed and patted him on the back “Just go, you will thank me later” she said and she hurried back inside the building.

Paul stood still for two minutes as he was watching the pouring rain; he mustered all his guts and spread the umbrella. As he was about to take his first step into the rain he heard a lady voice behind him. As he turned to see who it was he again froze, it was Kara Miller. “Share your umbrella?” she asked and smiled at him. Paul’s heart was racing and he could not speak a single word, all he could do was nod at her. “Thanks” she said as she wrapped her two hands around his right arm.

As they stepped into the rain Paul felt like he was walking on clouds on a sunny day. He tried his best to hide his smile and as he turned to look at Kara he saw her smiling at him. To make things even better he saw Jeff and George standing still under the rain looking shocked and staring at them. He managed to flash them a big grin as his two friends stood with disbelief.

As soon as they reach the main gate Kara let go of Paul’s hand. “I live nearby…is it okay if you walk me home?” she suddenly asked and Paul was again in the land of ecstasy as he once again stood there frozen in front of her. “I guess that’s a no” Kara said as Paul shook his head and got back to his senses. “It’s okay, just show me the way and I will take you home…I mean take you to your home…it’s better to say I will walk you to your home” he mumbled and Kara laughed at him. She wrapped her hands around his arms again and pointed the way so they started walking.

For ten minutes Paul enjoyed every step of their walk towards Kara place. For ten grueling minutes he managed to keep his smile to himself. They reach Kara’s house and she quickly runs towards their porch. “Thank you for walking me home” she said and smiled at him. “You’re welcome, I have to get going now” he utters and quickly turns around. “Wait!” Kara shouts at him. Paul turns around looks at her, “My name is Kara” she told him. Paul nodded his head and smiled at her, “Nice meeting you and walking you home Kara, my name is Kara…oh I meant Paul…sorry I am not really good at this stuff” he said as he bowed his head. Kara laughed a little and she headed inside her house. As Paul turned around he brought out probably the biggest smile he has ever had, but as he started walking it faded away.

Paul knocked on Diane’s window and after a few seconds she opened it and greeted him. “Hey, can I come in?” he softly asked. Diane stepped away from the window and sat on her bed; Paul climbed inside and sat on the corner. Diane was drying her hair with a towel as she was looking at her gloomy faced friend. “Something happened today on my way home, Kara shared the umbrella with me and I walked her home. I should be happy right? I was, but on my way back home it hit me, it could have been some other guy” he said and Diane remained silent.

“I was just at the right place at the right time; it’s funny how fate teases us sometimes. It was raining and I had an umbrella and she didn’t. Its normal for someone to share an umbrella, it could have been any other girl or guy, but somehow it happened to be Kara Miller” Paul sighed and looked around the room then looked at Diane. He stood up and walk towards the window, “Can I borrow your umbrella again?” he asked her. “Where are you going?” she asked but Paul quickly went out and shut the window.

Thirty minutes went by and Diane’s window opened. Paul went inside and saw Diane tucked inside her blanket. “Don’t get up, I bought you some medicine for colds and fever” Paul told her and Diane was speechless for a moment. “Hey I’m going to get you a glass of water, would like some hot chocolate?” he offered her and she quickly shook her head. “I’m not sick, I’m just tired” Diane told him but Paul had already gone out of her room. Paul came back with a glass of water and a cup of hot chocolate. “Hey, I’m not sick, I am just tired” she repeated. Paul took out two tablets and handed it to her “Come on take this” he said. Diane downed the two tablets with a glass of water then Paul handed her the hot drink.

“Paul stop treating me like I’m sick, I’m fine, I’m just tired” she said. “You were soaked in the rain and whenever that happens you always get sick” he replied. “I took a bath, I wasn’t soaked in the rain, when you arrived I just got out from the bathroom” she insisted. Paul took a deep breath and tucked her inside the blanket. “Diane you were never a good liar, next time hang your wet clothes at the back” he said and she smiled at him.

“She was pacing back and forth inside the building, she had no umbrella and somehow I knew she wanted to get home. That’s why I gave you the umbrella and yes I lied to you but at least you met your dream girl right?” she revealed and Paul pinched her cheek and shook his head. “Do you know why I called her a dream girl? Because that is where she will remain only in my dreams. You on the other hand, you are my best friend and I don’t want to see you hurt or sick. Even though I met Kara Miller today I’m not that happy because in exchange you will eventually get sick. So I’m not happy at all” Paul revealed. “Its getting late, I told them to bring your supper here. I have to get going now and I will check on you first thing in the morning. Keep your mobile phone on your side and if you need anything just send me a text message okay?” he told her and she nodded.

After Paul had gone home Diane felt the slight pain in her heart disappear, she closed her eyes and waited for her supper to arrive but suddenly her mobile phone rang. She quickly took a look and she received a text message from Paul.

“Thank you”