Chapter 4

That event with Elli kept driving me crazy! I wanted Elli to change her opinion of me no matter what. I often went back to the clinic to see her, even faked illnesses if I had to. But no matter how loud I moaned and acted, she never fell for it. She just sends the doctor to see me instead. You have no idea how frustrating that was.

Then I tried to win her over with gifts. I picked wild flowers every day, but they end up getting thrown away. I bought her expensive things; lotions, jewelry, perfumes, the works. She would not accept a thing. Of all the girls I have ever met, Elli was just hard to please!

Time kept passing by, and I kept trying. But no matter how hard I try, I could not win her over. I even tried to make up new ways to impress her, things I never had to do before. I even considered begging for a second chance, but that would have been too pathetic. Instead, I would spend days hatching new ideas to get her to like me. I just end up making her even more upset.

Well, sooner than later Winter came knocking on our doors. That small village was covered in a foot of snow at all times I tell ya! Everyone stayed inside to hide from the cold, but that never stopped me. Now that I think about it, I was so obsessed with Elli, that I barely spent any time with the other four that Winter. I was either at home thinking up new plans, or at the Clinic focusing my energy at Elli. Funny how the other girls didn't notice that I was there.

Even though the other girls were not happy with me, they still tried to keep their make believe relationships alive. Ann would bring me hot food a couple of times a week. Popuri brought me an egg, but she got upset when I boiled it and ate it. I thought that's why she gave it to me in the first place? Women, who can understand them? Then Karen would bring wine, and sleep over at my house. Really had to keep my cool while she was over. I do remember the nerd bringing me books to read, but I hate reading!

Close to the end of winter, the village held a festival of some sort. I think it was called the Starlight Festival, or something. . . People would eat good food and head up to the mountain to gaze at the moon or stars or something. At that time, I avoided Festivals like the plague. The girlfriends gather at the same place, and going would mean getting caught. But I had a plan!

While Elli was at home, I slipped a letter under her door when no one was looking. I knocked, and hid so that she won't know that I placed it there. She opened the door, and found no one. She did find my letter before going back inside. I even made sure the letter was unsigned so that she won't throw it away as soon as my name was seen.

In the letter, I asked her to meet me at a different location away from the other villagers. An open field halfway between the summit and base of the mountain. I picked a time when I was sure that everyone was already up at the summit. That way I could talk to Elli in private.

I hid behind some bushes as I waited for Elli to show up. I wasn't even sure if she was gonna show up, but my gut feeling told me to be patient. My gut proved to be right. She was a few minutes late; but there she was, walking to the empty field all by herself. Everything was perfect, the field was open, so we had the perfect view of the stars and the moon and all sorts of crap village girls like to see. Not a cloud in the sky, a perfect setting for a date!

I took a deep breath, it was now or never. I came out of hiding, and greeted, "hello Elli!"

She nodded at me and answered, "I figured it was you."

"I see, guess it was pretty obvious, huh? But if you knew it was me, why did you bother to show up?"

"You said that you needed to talk about something. I feel that it would do no harm to listen," she answered.

I smiled at her, but I had a small problem. I made up this plan to get her there, but I never thought about what to say. I didn't panic, I kept it cool. I figured that if I treated that night like a normal date, things would just flow nicely.

I looked up and said, "the stars are nice. . . Aren't they?" I asked to break the ice. Thinking back, I could have come up with something better, but that's all I had at that time.

She took a deep stressful sigh. "They are," she said as she looked up to see them. I figured things were gonna go well. She didn't get mad for dragging her away from the others. Just her, me, and the stars. Things were quiet for a few minutes, I wanted to say something but I remember what happened last time I tried to be cassanova. Things didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable, but it did feel strange. She came looking for something, but I had no idea what.

"How is the farm coming along," she then asked bringing back that old conversation. I was a bit nervous, but I kept it cool. "It must have been a tough Winter since nothing grows. Spring is coming soon, you have any plans for it?"

Last time she asked about my farm, I got careless and made her mad. I was prepared for it that night! I figured that she doesn't go to the farm at all, so I told a little fib.

"I'm trying. I'm not used to the work, but I'll get the hang of it sooner or later. I just need a bit more time, that's all."

"I see. . . " I remember her saying. But the tone she used was telling me that she didn't believe me. I never figured out how she knew, I assume that she was talking to the locals for info. Or she might have visited my farm without me knowing. But that wasn't important at that time, all I cared about was that she still was there, and I still had a chance to make her mine.

I looked at her dramatically and asked, "Why do you even care of that farm so much? Were you good friends with my grandfather?"

She shook her head no, and answered, "I just think that you should do your best. If you do, you can stay in the village. People don't think highly of you yet, and I'm worried."

My eyes widen. "You want me to stay in the village that badly?" Elli never answered my question. I continued, "Listen Elli, I don't know why you want me to farm. Trust me on this, I am no farmer. There is more to life than to dig a bunch of holes, and watch some plants pop out of the ground. There is music, dancing, and so many games to play. I'm sure that if you gave me a chance, you could have so much fun too."

I did it again, carelessly stomping on my grandfather’s farm in front of her. When she turned to look at me, I knew that I was in trouble. She had the angriest face, that if looks could kill, I would be a dead man. Well. . . Dead sooner anyway. If she was any other girl, I would have stepped up and put her in her place. But for the first time in my life, I was scared of a woman. I really felt like I was gonna sink in the snow and die.

Even though she looked that aggressive, she never yelled. She just turned away and said, "If you don't want to stay here, then leave! I don't want to know someone who will just disappear from my life and never come back! Goodbye!"

She left me there in the mountain, stunned solid. My heart sank. For the first time in my life, I was truly turned down. All those other times were potatoes compared to what happened that night. I didn't know how to take it. I did my best, pulled all sorts of tricks from my blue hat; and still she never responded the way I wanted her to.

I went home alone, and laid on my bed. I remember that night well, I never slept a wink. I may have even shed a tear or two. All I was sure of that I spent the rest of the night thinking about her. Those words she spoke that night disturbed me. My heart was so hurt, I thought I was gonna die for sure.

I came to the village planning to score with as many girls I can. Be lazy, eat a lot, have some fun. But that night, something changed. I no longer wanted to leave. Not because I wanted to be rebellious, although I was now above doing that. Instead, I truly wanted to stay. I wanted to leave too believe it or not. It was like two sides of me are playing tug of war. I was being torn apart from the inside.

I stayed home for the rest of Winter. I had enough food to hibernate until Spring. The girls did come over, but I never answered the door. I even pretended that I wasn't home, or did I even need to pretend? I was so zoned out, I may not have been all there, just staring blankly at my ceiling. I was ashamed and embarrassed, and I refused to let anyone see me that way.