Love Stories (Flash Fiction)

Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay

Flash Fiction #144

“My first love was a total disaster.” Lola said. “I really liked this guy in my class for no reason in high school. Then I was silly enough to tell him that. I was in general very shy, and I didn’t know what came over me. I thought he was going to laugh at me and ridicule me, but he didn’t. He said he actually really wanted to go out with me, for which I was so grateful. Soon afterwards, I realized that he was saying the same thing to at least two other girls…”

“Well, at high school, my neighbor liked me. He’s of the same grade.” Koko said, “his family was nice, talkative, charming. We didn’t grow up together since the family moved to our neighborhood when we had already started high school.”

“Is he good looking?” Lola asked.

“Well, quite good looking, I think.” Koko said. “One day his mother invited our family over for dinner. We thought it was a dinner party for several families, but only to realize that we were the only family they invited. His family was so happy, loud, and talkative. They laughed all the time. When we came back home from the dinner, we felt so exhausted because we also laughed, smiled, and talked loudly with them. Otherwise it would not be polite. You know they are quite conservative and women have to play certain roles, mostly in the kitchen. You know that sort of thing. So my mother said.”

“What happened next?” Lola asked.

“Nothing. Nothing came out of it. I went to college and left.” Koko said.

“You know I always think my father had a Japanese lover. My father was a university professor and once he traveled to Tokyo to attend a conference at Waseda University. When he came back, he had photos with this Japanese professor, who had a divorce several years back. My father exchanged email with her and also cooperated with her on some research projects. Rumor had it that she’s my father’s Japanese lover. Now looking back, I don’t think she’s my father’s lover at all. I just think she’s a phantom, who was being used as a tool for my parents’ game of mutual torture.” Sawi said.

“How about some real love stories? I mean some real romance.” Choo said.

“Well, Here is a love story. My colleague of eight years. She just got married. Her name is Lucy. She’s an Asian woman who worked in California. Then she got online and dated somebody named Steve who lived in New Jersey. One day, Lucy just quit her job and flew to New Jersey to be with Steve. She found a job in my company and that’s how I got to know her. Guess what? Five years later, Lucy and Steve split because Steve said he couldn’t love Lucy anymore. Steve flew across the Pacific and married a girl ten years younger than Lucy and brought her back.” Lola said.

“Oh, come on, this is not a real love story.” Lola’s companions cried out.

“Wait, I haven’t finished yet. Lucy was at first devastated. However, soon Lucy started to go out with Richard, who is ten years younger than her. And the two just got married.” Lola said.

“Ten years younger? What if Richard would dump her one day?” Choo asked.

“Well, romance is risky, isn’t it? I mean Lucy is a very positive girl. She’s still good friend with Steve and his young wife, and she even invited them to her wedding. I love Lucy. I don’t know if I am brave enough to marry a man ten years younger than me.” Lola said.