Peter Hunter, Excerpt #4: Peter's Greatest Weakness
Excerpt #4: Peter's Greatest Weakness
“What’s
with the bracelet?” she asked, daring to play with his mala.
Her
fingertips brushed against his skin and he felt something like a shock travel
up his nerves.
“Uh,
it’s a gift from my karate teacher,” he said as he took it off and held it up
for her. “It’s supposed to be for prayers and stuff.”
She
took them and regarded the beads, then him. “Are you a monk-in-training or
something?” she asked.
“Something
like that. I mean, I’m not going to be a monk,” he added quickly. “But he’s
been teaching me about Buddhism.”
She
handed the mala back. “That’s cool,” she said. “So is that what you’re sitting
here thinking about so seriously?”
He
wrapped the mala back around his wrist. “I was wondering what my biggest
weakness is. You have any ideas?”
“Biggest
weakness?” She tapped her chin in thought. “You have a lot actually.”
“Oh,
do I?”
“You’re
an idiot, for starters.”
“No,
I’m not,” he contested. “I get B’s.”
She
assured him very seriously, “You’re an idiot. Believe me. Something could be
right under your nose, staring you in the face, and you’d be completely
oblivious.”
“Okay.
Fine,” he said. “Is there anything else?”
She
nodded. “Oh sure. You’re a head case. Always staring out the windows and
thinking about deep things.”
“What’s
wrong with that?”
She
wrinkled her nose. “Maybe you spend too much time looking out the window
instead of looking at what’s right in front of you.”
“And
what’s in front of me?” he challenged.
She
let out an exasperated laugh. “Oh my god, you really are an idiot.”
“That
was number one,” he argued. “We’re on number three now.”
She
shook her head, seemingly frustrated, though he had no clue as to why. Then she
scrutinized him for a long moment.
“Got
it,” she said. “You’re biggest weakness is how slow you are.”
“Slow?”
he repeated.
“Yeah.
Slow. You’re either slow to figure things out or slow because you hesitate and
drive other people crazy waiting for you.”
“What
are you talking about?” he asked. “I’m always on time to everything.”
She
stared at him with large eyes and an expression that made him think he had
missed her meaning.
“Oh.
My. God,” she said. “You’re a bigger idiot than I thought.”
“Geez,
I feel great now,” Peter said with a laugh. “I’m an idiot, a head case, and
apparently an even bigger idiot. Thanks, Alicia.”
She
laughed then playfully patted his desk. “My turn now. What are my flaws?”
He
studied her for a few seconds, unconsciously smiling. “Besides calling me an
idiot? I don’t see any.”
“Oh,
I like you,” she said. Then her face erupted into a blush. “Not like,
like-you-like-you,” she corrected. “Just… you know… I’d better go.”
She
got up quickly, and walked away. For some reason, Peter wished she would stay
and call him an idiot some more.
Otherwise...
Comments
Post a Comment