Chapter Three: Love Already?From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]Dear Pepper,
I am guessing you still haven't read any of my emails since it's been weeks and I have not heard anything from you. No reply to my email about my first job or my first house and no reply to my Night That Never Happened either. Well, I guess wherever you are the Wifi must really suck. You are in for quite a surprise when you finally get these mails.
Speaking of the Night That Never Happened...
Of course when I woke up the next day with a headache that was sure to stay with me the whole day (and I had work that day too! Ugh) Marcus was already gone. No notes, no goodbyes. I knew better than to expect otherwise but jeez, it wouldn't have hurt him to at least say bye. It stung, if only just a little bit.
BUT I got over it, because after all, I really didn't have the time to pine over someone I barely remembered having a conversation with. I am an
Apprentice Innovator--I had work to do, things to invent!
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
As soon as I slept off my hangover of course.
Anyway, as much as it stung, I knew better than to hear from Marcus again...except, I
did hear from him again. He asked me out on a "date"--at 3 am.
We both know what
that means so I think you'll understand why I turned him down. And I think he understood too, because I got a text from him again the next day (this time at a more socially appropriate hour), inviting me to this party he was going to.
I figured, why the plumbob not, right? I mean, it was actually rather sweet of him to invite me, considering we hadn't really gotten to know each other that well in the platonic way. All I remembered about him was that he REALLY liked to flex his muscles, and had a habit of spontaneously stretching and doing pushups and situps everywhere...even in a lounge.
Oh and he also worked as a Personal Trainer for The Other Sports Team. Figures.
So, as soon as I wrapped up with things at work, I headed off for the SimPorter. Thank the Watcher for the Simporter--it would have taken me days to get to Windenburg by car or any other mundane transportation! I thought I'd invite Johnny along too--he is my only friend and neighbor in Oasis Spring...and also because the poor guy is so lonely. I get it honestly. It's always just the two of us in Bedrock Strait.
So we headed off to Windenburg, to the address that Marcus had texted me, and oh my god Pepper, it was so beautiful! You would have loved it there! The Bluffs are basically this isolated island, and it's absolutely gorgeous. It's such a perfect place for a late night party!
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And the party was
fun.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Sure, Lily Feng was there too, but she was surprisingly easy to ignore--because she pretty much ignored everyone too besides the bartender.
You know who else I didn't expect to run into at the party? Eva Capricosa, my colleague. My
most senior colleague. She is an Extraterrestrial Explorer
and as it turns out, Marcus's roommate. She and Johnny really hit it off, and I was glad to see Johnny having fun and making friends. Maybe it's because of his bad jokes, but he is really a darling!
Marcus was quite the darling too...but in a different way than Johnny.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He even asked me to stay back a little later after the party was over.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
We took a little dip in the pool and talked about all kinds of things--from debating the existence of vampires (Marcus actually believes they are real LOL), to his home in Windenburg, his roommates Paolo, Eva and Jade (I have yet to meet Jade, but Paolo and Eva seem pretty cool. Especially Eva.
Extraterrestrial Explorer, come on!), to all the new exercises he was teaching his fellow club members (yup, not only is he a Personal Trainer, he
also is the leader of a fitness club called Powerhouse) to discussing the best fitness techniques to improve your...gluteus maximus. Aka, your butt.
Now that was a fun conversation.Me:
"A cup of run oolong, followed by a 30-min jogging session, followed by sit-ups and push-ups and ending with some stretching. Really? That's all I need for my glutes? And I can still have grilled cheese for breakfast?"Marcus:
"Sure thing. Though if you asked me, yours are already off to a fine start."Ohh Marcus...
I don't know Pepper. I might have been wrong to judge him so quickly that night. I certainly wasn't really in the right headspace. It's too early to say anything, but I think there just might be something here.
Your friend who loves you very much and is anxiously waiting for your mail,
Minty.
