Bittersweet Candy Bowl

27. Flirting with Disaster, original chapter posted 11/3/06

Page 5 of 6

Transcript

[Paulo’s flashback continues for this entire page.]
*Paulo’s eyes widen in amazement. Sparkles and bubbles float in the air around him.*
Paulo (narrating): Somethin’ about making a girl swoon like that.. It felt.. It felt.. .. AWESOME.

*Paulo smiles and waves at the group of teenagers.*
Paulo (narrating): Like I wasn’t always going to be useless around girls.. Like I had something going for me. So I looked for more!
*One of the girls waves back as they walk away.*
Aaron’s second girlfriend: Bye!

*Paulo meekly approaches a girl with braids.*
Paulo (narrating): I practiced..

*Paulo talks to a girl with a flower in her hair. He’s blushing, but with a soft smile on his face.*
Paulo (narrating): .. and practiced..

*Paulo leans against a locker as he chats up a girl wearing a ponytail, who smiles and laughs. There’s a sly grin on his lips.*
Paulo (narrating): .. and practiced..

*Paulo has a hand on his hip, grinning confidently as he talks to a girl with curly hair in two pigtails, who looks at him with hearts in her eyes.*
Paulo (narrating): .. and practiced..

Paulo (narrating): Until one day..
*Lucy stands in the hallway, arms crossed, looking uncomfortable.*
Lucy (thinking): Can’t those older kids just leave me alone?!

Alexa: Oh, Paulo~ ♥
*Lucy notices Paulo.*

*Yet another girl stands next to Paulo, with one hand on his face and the other on his chest.*
Alexa: For a young one, you sure know how to treat an eighth grader like a princess~ ♥
*Paulo grins at her.*
Paulo: That’s just the magic at work, babe~ ♥

*Paulo laughs, looking assured.*
Paulo (narrating): I got pretty damn good at flirting. Girls were totally drawn to the confidence. I tried not to let it get to my head..

Paulo: See ya later, Alexa~ ♥ I just got a little unfinished business to attend to..
Alexa: Okay~ ♥
*Lucy looks on, confused.*
Lucy: …

*Paulo comes over to Lucy. He has a smug smile.*
Paulo: Lucy.. s’been a while..
*Lucy backs away, frowning apprehensively.*
Lucy: P-Paulo..

*Paulo smirks, cocking an eyebrow up and looking flirty.*
Paulo: How ’bout you and I finally take some time to REALLY get to know each other?
*Lucy blushes. She looks even more nervous.*

*Lucy shakes, clenching her fists. Her tail puffs up.*
Lucy: Paulo.. you.. you..

*Lucy punches Paulo in the head. He looks bewildered as he falls over.*
Lucy: JERK!

*Lucy storms off, looking angry as tears well up in her eyes.*
Lucy: You’re just like ALL the rest!
*Paulo holds his bruised face, looking up at her in confusion.*
Paulo: ?!

Lucy: Ugh!
*Paulo looks down, dejected.*
Paulo: …

*Paulo stands all alone, still holding his face, and looks down.*
Paulo: I thought.. I thought she’d like that.. Was that too much?

Author commentary

Veronica: I like that he trained himself to be confident around Lucy, only to be PAINFULLY REJECTED. Maybe some girls like a confident super forward guy, but not everyone does!!! You damn fool!!

He honestly couldn’t have tried it on a worse girl.