Chapter 6: The Goddesses I

At my school, there was a group of girls who collectively were called “The Goddesses”. Super popular and attractive, they were worshiped like celebrities in our school and you never saw them without an entourage in tow. Among these goddesses were Haruka Nakamura and April Smith, both who shared a number of a classes with me and both who probably didn’t know I existed.  

My relationship with these two girls began when I accompanied Jorvan to a beach party where apparently he had some sort of “business” to take care of. Among the many guest there was someone whom I had idolized for many years. Hitomi Nakamura. She was a well-known painter and former street artist that rose to fame through her iconic movie posters and later became an art director for a famous game company. 

I’ve never considered myself as a person who could get celebrity-struck. Living in Starlight Shores, you see celebrities often and after a while, you sort of just go “Meh, another big shot who thinks people should gravel at his feet because he’s famous”. But I must admit that I became tongue tied when I finally worked up the nerve to approach her.

Hitomi turned out to be a rather down to earth person. Not only did she give me helpful advice on how to improve my painting techniques but she also shared with me her many stories of her earlier failures. After learning that I attended Gooder High School, she began to ask me questions about Ms. Parzen, my art teacher and revealed she and Ms. Parzen had been good friends dating all the way back to college. When I told her that Ms. Parzen had advised me to try to get into a private school for fine arts rather than remain at Gooder High, Hitomi told me to do the opposite. She said Ms. Parzen was an excellent teacher and that I’d be a fool if I thought I could find a better instructor. 

A few days after that pool party, apparently Hitomi had a talk with Ms. Parzen and Ms. Parzen told me that Hitomi was interested in seeing some of my work.  I was invited to visit her home one Thursday afternoon and I tell you her house was gorgeous. One of those fancy looking places you’d see on TV or read about in a magazine. According to Ms. Parzen, Hitomi wanted me to work on a painting over at her house and every day she would offer me tips and critiques. A rare service she was offering on account of Ms. Parzen telling her that she didn’t believe she was capable of bringing out my full potential, which I didn’t agree with, but I didn’t want to turn down a chance to work with Hitomi either. 

I rang her doorbell several times and waited for minutes but no one answered. I started to think that maybe Ms. Parzen had mixed up the dates.  Or maybe Hitomi had to cancel at the last moment and I just didn’t know it yet.  But fate was on my side.

“Well you’re here early. That’s a good start.” I heard right as I was getting ready to text Ms. Parzen.

I turned around and I tell you I could have died right then and there.

Haruka Nakamura. Haruka Nakamura was looking me right in the eye. And by the Watcher, I could have sworn that she had just spoken to me a few seconds earlier.

“Wait, it this your house? Do you know Hitomi? Don’t tell me Hitomi is your mo-”

My excitement got the better of me. I started spitting out questions like a machine gun spitting out bullets.

Haruka didn’t answer any of my questions but she didn’t object when I followed her into the house.  

“The pool is right through that door.” she finally said “I trust you can let yourself out when you’re done cleaning? And please don’t think to steal anything. We have cameras.”

Although I could understand how I could be confused for a pool boy-I was a walking embodiment of swagger and charm-I figured it was best to clear up the misunderstanding as soon as possible.

“Get out.”

She didn’t believe me when I said I was here to see her mother. As soon as I said I wasn’t the pool boy, she gave me that glare that Jorvan always gave me when I asked him if we could order out.

“I said get out or are you deaf? Do I need to call the cops?”

“But I told you-” I tried to explain to her again that Hitomi was expecting me here.

“You think you’re the only creep whose tried that lame excuse? Girbits Worthington tried that too. And as soon as I went to the bathroom, I come back and find the pervert snooping through my underwear drawer and taking pictures.”

  “No really, Ms. Parzen told me to come here.” I decided to show her the text and prove my innocence. I had a feeling that if I didn’t, she’d accuse me of being a bra snatcher next, even though she was probably an A-Cup. But I knew better than to tell her that joke. I still remember my mom putting my dad in a headlock for calling her tahtahs “mosquito bites”.

After she read my text and called her mom to verify it, Haruka loosened up and became more cordial. She explained to me that her mother was running late from work and I was free to wait in the living room. But after she left to go study in her room, I secretly snuck in the gym room. Right in the corner was an easel and a paint brush and I tell you they called to me like a 2 for 1 special at SimDonalds. They were like a giant magnet to my soul.

“I’m getting ready to work-out. What are you doing in here?” Haruka said, sometime later.

I was too engrossed in my painting to turn around. I admitted “I know I was supposed to wait for you mother to get here but I just couldn’t wait any longer. When I see an easel and a blank canvas…..I just lose control you know? Is it okay if I keep going or….

“Suit yourself. Just don’t talk to me while I’m on the treadmill.” 

And so began my quiet afternoons with Haruka Nakamura. While I painted, she jogged. Day after day. We never spoke. We never acknowledged each other’s existence. We were simply lost in our own little worlds, oblivious to everything and everyone around us except for our own separate goals. I was painting to impress Hitomi every day and Haruka was running for…..well I honestly didn’t know. But I felt like it was somehow important. And I was sure it had nothing to do with staying fit.