4
"Your move Joan," Xiao said, Joan scratched her head staring at the small pieces of wood on the other big piece of wood,
"Look, I don't get it," she said, Xiao frowned,
"I get it, but I don't get how to strategize, like game plans." Joan raised an eye brow,
"Wanna meet my other brother?" Xiao laughed,
"Uh, no thanks," and she picked up the pieces and put them back into the box as Kevin came in. Xiao looked down, Joan smiled,
"Hey Kev, what's up?"
Kevin stopped, "Um hey, not much, just… just got back from work." Xiao continued to look down, Joan gave her a nudge,
"Ow, oh hi," Xiao muttered, Kevin kept looking at her, Joan shook her head. You two are hopeless. She thought to herself. Kevin smiled,
"Right, I'd better get going then," and he went off. Xiao watched him until he was out of sight,
Joan clucked, "No, no, this won't do."
Xiao woke up, "What won't do?"
Joan laughed, "You two! God! It's so obvious!" she exclaimed, Xiao frowned,
"I don't know what you're talking about," she picked up her bag and left,
"What happened? Xiao come back!" Joan called after her,
"Damn," she said as she heard the door close. Xiao didn't stop walking, she just kept walking, faster and faster until she was running, running away, running from nothing, everything. She stopped running when she got to a tall building, the library, where she saw God, a fairly young man. She could always somehow tell if it was Him.
"Come here Xiao," He said, Xiao obeyed,
"Why are you running?" He asked, Xiao looked down,
"I don't know." She said,
"I guess, I'm afraid," she told Him, God frowned,
"Afraid Xiao? Unlike you to say so." Xiao looked away,
"Oh, of getting hurt, hurting someone, not meeting expectations… oh, and my grades dropping." She began to list. God nodded,
"And your family?" Xiao bit her lip,
"They wouldn't likely approve of me dating someone who wasn't Chinese…" she said sadly,
"Kevin is a good person," God said,
"I know he is." Xiao agreed,
"But…"
"But what Xiao?" He asked, Xiao shook her head,
"I don't know… I just don't think I'm ready God, not yet." She concluded.
"Whatever you think is right Xiao," God said patting her on the shoulder. Xiao nodded.
~
Joan didn't understand why Xiao had walked off yesterday. Did I offend her in some way? She thought as Kevin got out of the lift,
"Hey squirt," he said as he went to find some breakfast,
"Hey," Joan replied, not thinking,
"Had breakfast?" she heard him say,
"Yes," she replied, "gotta run Kev,"
Kevin nodded, "Bye, make sure you say hi to your friend for me," he told her, smiling. Joan smiled, and then thought about it,
"I'll consider it…" Kevin raised an eye brow,
"What's that supposed to mean? You seem sorta… vacant today." Joan shook her head,
"Almost as vacant as you seemed when you saw Xiao, bye." She said, and shut the door.
"Phew!" she said aloud, she saw Xiao walking towards her, with her guitar on her back. Xiao bit her lip, I hope she isn't angry with me… she thought. Joan called out, "Hey, how are you?" Xiao called back,
"I'm better, look I'm sorry I walked out yesterday," Joan laughed,
"Yeah what happened?" Xiao sighed,
"I don't know, I'm weird,"
Joan smiled, "Aren't we all?"
Xiao smiled. "That a guitar?" Joan asked, Xiao laughed,
"I guess,"
"Come on, don't wanna be late for school… do we?" Joan said,
"Oh defiantly not!" Xiao agreed.
~
Xiao shook her head as she saw the huge pink and red banner with "VALENTINE'S DAY IN 5 DAYS" the 5 was taped on. The identical banners hung in every hallway.
"How exciting!" Joan told her,
"Valentine's Day isn't actually that 'big' in New Zealand," Xiao said, "I guess it's just a reminder this year about the talent quest the day before." Xiao continued, "I just hope I don't make a huge fool of myself,"
Joan laughed, "As if that's possible," Xiao shook her head,
"Oh, believe me Joan, it's possible, have you met my friend God?" Joan laughed,
"Yes, in fact I have,"
"He told me to make my own dress for a wedding instead of getting a fitted one. It's a wonder how I learnt how to sew, with a machine!"
"Well, He told me to build a boat, Everyone thought I had lost it."
"No way!"
"Uh huh! Yeah way!" Joan confirmed.
"Don't you get annoyed at his 'don't ask questions and give me answers' thing that He has?" Xiao asked her, Joan agreed wholeheartedly,
"Drives me nuts!" she said as she felt a tap on her shoulder, and Joan turned to find a familiar guy… Xiao turned around,
"Hello G-" she got a nudge from Joan,
"We're in the middle of school!" she said, God smiled, Xiao frowned,
"What now?" she said,
"Yeah, what now?" Joan echoed, God grimaced,
"I'm not that mean am I?" He asked, Joan and Xiao looked at each other, then shook their heads,
"No sir," Xiao said,
"Not at all" Joan added. God smiled,
"Good, right Joan, I'd like you to do something for me," Xiao turned away with a little,
"Yes!" and she walked off. Joan sighed heavily,
"Ok, I'm listening,"
"Joan I want you to tell Kevin that Xiao is not available." Joan shook her head,
"No, I can't do that," she said, God frowned,
"Do it," He said, and disappeared into the crowd.
"Oo! I hate it when He does that!" she stamped her foot and went off to find Xiao.
~