Will you marry me?

All of that happened because of Marjorie. Marjorie Poissant, my best friend, if one can say. We know each other because she was always sitting in front of me, Virgine Poitras, when the teacher would put us in alphabetical order. We had a small competition together: in each test, the one that had the worst note would have a consequence. Once I forced my friend to offer flower to the guy she had a kick on. Since then, she's accumulating consequences to get revenge on me by giving me a bigger one at the right moment. She had three in stock, when a new student arrived in our class, Aoi Shizume. It had been a week that she had been transferred, but I was still unable to approach her. I was saying to Marjorie that I was waiting for the right time, but, in reality, I was just afraid of the reactions of the group that had approached her by curiosity (it's not every day that you see a Japanese who speaks French so well). It was at that very moment that Marjorie decided to use the big favor I owned her.

"After class, make a marriage proposal to Aoi, she ordered me while giving me a ring case.

- But…"

Marjorie showed me three finger to remind me of what I owed her. I look like I have no choice.

After class, Aoi came to see me in the empty classroom.

"There goes nothing", I thought wile kneeing in front of her (it's not so easy to perform that in a dress).

"Will you marry me?, said I opening the ring case.

- Let's start by being friends, she replied.

- O…Ok.

- See you tomorrow."

She went out waving her hand.

"See ya", I told her, a little too late.

Marjorie went out of her hiding spot behind the door, laughing.

"It's not funny!, I complained.

- You should have seen your face when she asked you to be her friend, she began while helping me get up. The most funny is that she didn't even reject you…

- Waa… She's right, I thought.

- But, you should be happy that you are friends now.

- Thanks.", I said lowering my head and blushing a little.

The next day, when I arrived, Aoi was waiting for me on one of the benches that face the school. I explained her the cause of my proposal and told her that I really wanted to be her friend, even her best friend if possible.

"It's true that I found it strange, usually there are several steps before marriage. I was wondering if it was a Quebecer's custom I didn't know yet.

- What would you have said if I had asked you to go out whit me?

- I would probably have said yes.

- Eh!

- What? Is it not normal to go out with friends? In addition, I was free that night… If you want we could go shopping tonight.

- I mean: what would you say if I asked you to be my girlfriend?

- Girlfriend, what is that?, she asked without waiting for a reply. Well, I guess that I'm a girl and your friend so that makes me your girlfriend. Ah yes, I almost forgot…"

She kissed me.

"I'll see you in class", she added as she heeded forward.

I stood there, frozen, asking myself what kind of person would kiss her best friend on the lips. It was my first kiss… I'm sure I'm doing a funny face; I hope nobody will notice it. I took a little time to refresh my spirits and heeded to class.

Aoi was sitting on my desk and we were discussing what we would do this evening and some other things when Marjorie arrived and said that we seemed to get along well.

"It's normal, I'm her girlfriend, said Aoi as if it was nothing, and then she went back to her desk.

- Your what!, whispered Marjorie.

- Girlfriend as a friend witch happens to be a girl, but what I still don't understand is why she kissed me.

- Have you never read manga? Japanese people seem to think that kissing is a fairly common greeting in North America.

- A greeting…, I thought as I placed my fingers on my lips.

- I have an idea; tomorrow I'll bring you manga as a reference. It will educate you a bit about the culture of Japan."

As promised, she brought me a stack of manga today.

"Girl Friends… Do you read that kind of stuff?, I asked pointing out a cover that shown two girls kissing.

- It's my sister's, but I've read it. I thought that you would relate to it since Aoi is your "girl friend" and that you are surely her "girl friend" too, she laughed.

That night, I almost didn't sleep. I was so caught up by the story that I absolutely wanted to know how it ended.

I gave my friend her manga back thanking her a thousand times. "Did you finally realised your feelings for Aoi?", she asked me. Do I have feelings for Aoi! What is it that I fell for her exactly? It's true that I've had fun with her, but I still feel a little weird when she kisses me. (I do not know why, but I haven't yet been able to tell her that, for me, it wasn't only a greeting.) I napped in the classroom, recalling some episodes of the story that I read last night. Do I really love her like that? Anyway, for her, the fact that we spend time together doesn't mean anything. It's just me that is nervous whenever she invite's me. Next time I'll see her, I'll try to be the one to kiss her, rather than let her kiss me as usual.

My name is Aoi Shizume. I've arrived in Quebec for a month now. I have a best friend, her name is Virginie. I had never been that close to someone. When I was in Japan, I had a friend, Akano Himitsu, and I wasn't like that with her. Sure, I was sad when I left her, but when my father told me the "good news" that he would be transferred to Japan next year; it's not Akano I first thought of, but Virginie. I always took caution not to attach myself to much to anyone so far, but when that super honest girl insisted to be my best friend, I just couldn't refuse. She did not appeared to be like all the other who would just talk to me by curiosity… I even kissed her. I had read somewhere that it was a fairly common greeting in North America. I didn't really think I would use it on someone, but when I saw her I couldn't help it, even though for her it was only a greeting... I was lost in my thoughts when she arrived, so it surprised me a bit when she kissed me. It's the first time that she's the one who kisses me. "Do you have fever Aoi?, she asked me. You're all red. "She put the tong. What do you mean? I'm not used to this kind of greeting, but I thought that...

Virginie..."

-There is a movie I want to see tonight. Will you come with me? »

I was overflowing with expectations... Will she still kiss me as last time... Should I tell her for my father's transfer? Ah, there she is.

"Aoi, do you feel better than this morning? If you feel unwell, we aren't obliged to go see the movie. If you want, we can rent a DVD and watch it at my house. »

Her house... I believe that this is the first time I'm visiting a friend home. The important thing is to make a good first impression to her parents.

"Hello, I'm Aoi Shizume. I'm your daughter's girlfriend. Please take care of me. "She performed a Japanese greeting after her tirade. Ah, I knew that I shouldn't have let her present herself. But hey, if I had told them that she was a friend, Aoi would have found it strange. All is left is to know how my family is going to react, I hope that they won't say anything strange.

"Shizume, it tells something, said my father.

-My father is Eikô Shizume, a diplomat.

- Having contacts with a diplomat's daughter, it is good for the business, isn't this papa ", said my mother. He nodded.

The discussion continued in this vein for a while. The aim was clearly to learn as much possible on Aoi. All of a sudden, my brother asked the question:

"Why do you like my sister? ''

Aoi seemed to wonder, like me, from where came that question. She looked at me and then lowered her head while slightly blushing (or perhaps her fever was coming back. If she felt ever bad, maybe we could escape before the end of the meal.)

"Uh...' Well..., she began. She is very honest. She is nice, fun, pretty and fun to tease.

My brother went out of table, suddenly disinterested; he had something to do elsewhere. We (discreetly) changed topic and the discussion continued on the worst banalities:

"What do you want do later my little Aoi?, questioned dad who already considered her as a second daughter.

-Translator, she told him, probably beginning to believe that those strange questions were a custom in Quebec when we brought a friend home. I don't want to become a diplomat like my father, because wouldn't want my children's to live the same thing I lived. Next year, my father will be transferred, yet again. He believes that I'm super happy to return to Japan. But I would like stay here better. It would also help deepen my French and English skill.

-We can host you without any problems. Do you want to sleep together or separate?", asked my mother looking at us. Seeing that we didn't answered, she continued: "It's not required to decide it immediately, but I am sure that your father will accept if you tell him that you want to stay here for your studies."

Aoi said she would talk to him.

My parents seemed satisfied and we left to take cover in my room to "study" (my father had said the word with a lot of sarcasm). As soon as we were safe, I apologized to my "girl friend" for my parent's behavior. She told me that it didn't really bother her; that she liked the atmosphere of my house. In her's, it was just her and her father. Often, he came home very late or because of a meeting that ended up in a restaurant or some work that would have stacked on his desk. She often ate alone. It made me kinda sad for her. I thought that was perhaps why she dreamed of having kids. To no longer be alone or something like that. I wished that it was it. It's not as if I could make her some... I even thought for a moment that she wanted to stay here because of me. I will try to forget that, to refocus.

"Do you want to watch the movie, I asked her.

-I feel a little tired. Would you mind if I napped a bit before.

She lay down on my bed and rested her head on my lap. She is cute when she's sleeping. I casually caressed her hair and sighed, thinking:

"Does she even know at least knows what girlfriend really means?

-She knows."

Oh, I said that aloud.

"So, why then?

-Shh..., she muttered, putting her index finger on my lips. Don't rush things... Don't imagine that...

-Your right… You said that you wanted to have children.

-I am sorry, so sorry, she apologized tearfully. I just can't help wanting to adopt children with you. I cannot help but dreaming at night that your proposal was not just a joke... Ah, no... I said it. You gotta find me disgusting to have such feelings for you.

-I have something to tell you seriously: will you marry me?

-Yes! ", she said, embracing me in her arms. I felt tears dripping onto my skin, but I am sure that, this time, those are tears of joy, the same as mines.