Guess who I am

Chapter 8 - Write to me

Mr. X's note made him frown, because he couldn't be satisfied.Compared with this game, he hopes that they can get together immediately.He thought about it all night, and he went to the learning center early the next morning to post his reply.

As a result, he overdid it.

There was already a green note pasted there, with familiar (though far less elegant than usual) scrawling on it.

J,

The last message was a lie.

I drank some whiskey as I suggested to you earlier!Ah, the feeling on top is a bit wonderful...

Let me get my wording right.

I love the way we are together now, this version of you and me.What if the magic disappears after you find out which of the three is me?What if you can no longer feel the spark between us?

Or, what if you like my good body, but soon get tired of it?What if I can't speak?And what if I mutter so much that you just want to knock me on the back of the head to shut me up?

What if you wish in your heart that I was this and not that?So in this case I made another mistake.You set a trap for yourself—and you—and the results are bound to disappoint.

Jacob grabbed a pen and continued writing at the bottom of his note:

X,

I have a say in this matter.

But by noon, Jacob hadn’t heard anything back, so he wrote another note and tacked it to the center of the bulletin board with a bright red thumbtack.

X,

XXXXXXX

***

The garden is cold at night.Jacob wrapped his jacket a little tighter.The cameras were rolling, and Scott sat across from him at the other end of the bench.

He looked at Scott's dilemma, as if he didn't know what to ask.His ex-boyfriend moved, opened his mouth, closed it again, cleared his throat.Then he spoke calmly: "Can you forgive me? About my hurt to you."

A light wind ruffled Scott's hair, blowing a stray tear onto his nose.Jacob closed his eyes.The swelling in his chest made it impossible for him to speak, and he felt that if he opened his mouth, he would also sob.

He nodded instead of answering.

Scott moved closer to him. "I'm really, really sorry. If only it could be redeemed."

Jacob took a deep breath, dispelling the tearing pain in his chest. "I know, but you can't."

"Yes." Scott sighed. "I can not."

Jacob looks at the camera, then back at his ex-boyfriend. "I'm glad we were put in a group. I didn't realize how much I needed to talk to you until we started this assignment."

"About that. I put us in a group on purpose." Before Jacob could respond, Scott added, "And we don't have to turn in this interview. I think, I mean , this is an excuse, you understand?"

Jacob sighed.Scott's truth didn't surprise him.Maybe he knew it from the beginning. "Yes, I know."

Scott nodded, looking down at his hand pinching his thigh. "I just wanted to get this out of the way. I've been watching you in every class for the past six months, thinking about when I could talk to you again."

"Scott. There's no way we'll ever go back. But maybe, I'm not sure, maybe we'll be friends again in a while. There's only so much I can do."

"Okay. No problem. Is...do you have someone else? The guy who gave you the whiskey and called himself Mr. X?"

"If this has upset you, I'm sorry, Scott, but it's true, I'm not staying where I am."

After a moment of silence, Scott stood up with his head down. "I, uh, I hope you're doing well."

Jacob stands up and turns off the camera. "Me too."

Scott hesitated, then leaned towards Jacob suddenly, kissing him hard on the lips. "I'm just... goodbye, Jacob. He's a lucky, lucky guy."

No, Jacob thought, watching Scott pack up and leave, I'm the lucky one.

Yes, he was lucky.

Too lucky.He was sure of that.

***

When Jacob arrived at the learning center the next morning, his heart was pounding and his palms were sweating as he walked toward the bulletin board.His Mr. X must have written him back by now.definitely.But would he want to meet?

God, he hoped so.He was ready to hold that man in his arms, kiss him, talk to him, listen to him, smell him, taste him, feel him.

His phone rang, vibrating in his pocket.Number unknown.Mister X maybe?

He replied breathlessly, "I'm Jacob."

"Hello, my name is Casey, I just saw your advertisement for roommates, is the room still available?"

Jacob couldn't believe her words. "Excuse me, what did you say?"

"It's the rental house in Northeast Valley—"

"What—" He put the phone from his ear, clutched it tightly in his hand, and walked straight across the cafe towards the bulletin board.

Without much searching, he found that his original ad was pinned to a bulletin board, and most of the information strips hadn't been removed yet.

What is Mr. X playing?

In doubt, he browsed through dozens of notices before finding the note he was looking for.

J,

Congratulations, I almost got scammed by you.I get it now.Those sticky notes passed on the bulletin board made me think that there was something between us, but it turned out that this is just your way to lure me to let my guard down, it is your way to find Mr. X.

From beginning to end, I was the fool.

Good job, Jacob.You really made me think you liked me.I went to your place last night to answer your last note myself, but saw you kissing someone else, I guess if you saw the disappointment on my face at that moment, you would have laughed.

This is the last time I write you a note.You can rest assured that I will not look at this bulletin board again.I hope you are well.You can see all your remaining ads pinned all over the school.I believe you will find the perfect roommate.

– Mr. X

Jacob crumpled up the note and threw it in the trash.His stomach was churning wildly, and his heart was about to jump out of his throat.With trembling hands, he fumbled for a piece of paper and a pen in his schoolbag.

he wrote.

He nailed the note.

X! ! !

No!No, you are mistaken.Don't allow this stupid misunderstanding between us.That was so pointless and embarrassing.

The man you saw kissing me was my ex-boyfriend.He was saying goodbye to me, that's all.

I don't want my ex.

I want my X.

Please look at this.Please write me back!

Yours - and yours only - J

He skipped class to go home and crawled back into bed.

Only 10 minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

He murmured and opened the door.

There……

standing outside the door...

It's Mr. X.

-TBC-