“Ummm, pretty good…but it was made better by watching you. Why?”
“Well, tomorrow I have a team practice right after school and that’s a couple of hours of strenuous activity. I need to carbo-load and was wondering…if you would be willing to make it up to me for ‘ogling’ an unsuspecting me by buying me a spaghetti plate and having lunch with me here about this time?”
“Why Nina Okamoto, you are asking me out for a date? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black when it comes to being boldfaced shameless. And before you retract your lunch invitation, ‘yes,’ I would love to meet you here tomorrow at about noon…what do you want to drink?”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lunch with Nina the next day was a blast. Besides being downright irresistible, she was unbelievably energetic and quick-witted with a quirky sense of humor. In contrast, Nina would later share when our relationship had further developed that besides being okay-looking and physical fit, what attracted her to me was my well-grounded and laidback personality. It wasn’t long before I found myself being the straight man to her hilarious antics and was simply overwhelmed by this Japanese imp.
Over spaghetti, I learned that Nina had led a rather privileged life as the only child of two prominent attorneys who were the core of Honolulu upper society. Her family’s house (mansion would be a better term) was located in lower Manoa valley and was only a few houses down from University Hill where the university president resided. Although she could have been dropped off by her parents, Nina was independent-minded and elected to walk four blocks to her school whenever the weather permitted it.
I, on the other hand, came from a blue-collar family who lives across town. My dad was a plumber and my mother was the cafeteria supervisor at my old elementary school. Our house was old, wooden, creaked a lot, and tended to lean a bit, but it was home to me, my two younger brothers, and my little sister. As a graduate from a very “rough inner-city” public high school, I was attending college on a community grant and scholarships for promising students from impoverished neighborhoods. I caught the public bus to and from college, and work a part-time campus maintenance job in between classes.
Still, even though we came from two different worlds, Nina and I were drawn to each other and by the end of our lunch, fitted nicely together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. “Ooh, that’s the end of lunch bell. I’ve got to be going. Thank you for carbo-loading with me. I know that I will work it off in a couple of hours. Let’s do it again…my treat the next time.”
“And when will that be, my pretty little jailbait?”
“Jailbait? Ooh, and here I was beginning to think you were a ‘nice’ guy…but you’re nothing but a lecherous depraved bastard, aren’t you?” When all I did was give Nina my best Cheshire Cat grin, her almond-shaped eyes scrunched in faux-anger before twinkling in spirited delight. “Ha, I bet you didn’t know that I turned eighteen at the start of the year…which is well beyond the age of consent in this state. Ohhh, I better stop here before a certain Hawaiian dude gets nasty ideas in his head about seducing and exploiting a certain naïve Japanese virgin…big sigh…it sucks being so inexperienced and clueless.”
“Hey, hey, hey…don’t distract me with your sexy ways, woman. Getting back to the important things in life…what about that ‘free’ lunch? Hey, I’m a growing ‘kanaka’ (Hawaiian for a native Hawaiian) who’s poor and always hungry. When it comes to free food, this ‘buggah’ (pidgin English for bugger or a lowly person) has no pride.”
“Well…if you show up at my school’s basketball game this Saturday night at the campus gym and watch me do my stuff (and not from the sidelines), I’ll buy you a pork katsu (deep-fat-fried Japanese breaded pork cutlets) plate with brown gravy over two scoops of rice, a scoop of mac salad, and a side of kimchi (Korean fermented spicy napa cabbage) next week Monday.”
“Oooh, gurl, are you trying to seduce me through my ‘opu’ (Hawaiian for stomach or belly)? Pork katsu with brown gravy? Hmmm, I guess I can study in the library and then make my way to the gym to watch a certain Japanese cutie jump, kick, and flip around. Hey, just make sure you don’t flash your bra to those in attendance when you do your cartwheels. That pleasure is reserved for me, and me alone.”
“Well, well, well, we only met yesterday, and you’re already laying claim to my body. Interesting…very interesting…hmmm. I’ve never been in this position before. A casual and smooth-talking Hawaiian sweeping me off my feet…intriguing…definitely.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Saturday’s basketball game was definitely interesting…not because of the game…but because of Nina who nervously scanned the fans in the bleachers until she saw me. Her beaming smile and sparkling eyes conveyed her utter delight at my presence. She must have shared my presence with her squad mates because when they broke their huddle, all eyes of the cheerleading squad shifted my way…and not too subtly at that.
Nina was outstanding in her cheerleading, clearly outclassing her squad mates. Dressed in a form-fitting top and a ridiculously short-pleated skirt that highlighted her sweet little body, she drew a majority of the male attention with her natural beauty and sheer exuberance. I had a mean suspicion that Nina would be the subject of many male kinky (if not, pornographic) fantasies that night. Before I knew it, the game was over with a win for Nina’s school. I made my way down to the gym floor when I found myself being enthusiastically embraced by my diminutive cheerleader.
“You came! You actually came to watch me!”
“Hey,” I mumbled nonchalantly, “I couldn’t risk passing up a free pork katsu plate lunch.”
“You bullshit liar!” retorted Nina before she threw her arms around my neck to pull my head to hers, and to my complete surprise planted a paralyzing kiss on my lips to show her gratitude. I swear that time (if not my heart) stopped when her lively electric eel of a tongue slipped into my unsuspecting mouth and wreaked utter havoc with my brain.
All I know is that when we broke our lip-lock, her entire cheerleading squad and much of those in attendance were avidly watching our public display of affection. To her squad mates, I was that mysterious “older” guy whom Nina had somehow taken up with. To those in attendance, we were a riveting example of unbridled young love. However, to her parents who approached us with quick measured strides, I was an “unwanted” element and distraction in their precious daughter’s life and future.
‘Dad…mom…this is Jerry…Jerry Kealoha. He is my…friend…no, boyfriend (which came as an utter surprise to me). Please, don’t make a fuss in public and embarrass us. We can talk about it later.”
Judging from the laser beams that shot from their eyes, their clenched fists, and their locked jaws, I knew that I was in deep ‘doo-doo’ with Nina’s parents. “Nina,” her dad tersely uttered, “It’s time to go! Let’s go!”