"American Girl Breaking Traditions everywhere"

Chapter eight

Zhi walked down the street his heart rate beating at a speeding rate that no doubt would get him a speeding ticket had he been driving. His stomach had been doing cart wheels and his heart in a race since Chrissy walked out the door. Zhi was in a position where he couldn’t decide if he should side with his family or side with his girlfriend. He liked Chrissy no doubt but he wasn’t exactly sure he was willing ot loose his family to it.

Had his family been like a normal family and only be angry with him he probably would have sided with Chrissy. Only the problem was Zhi’s family wasn’t normal and he knew what happened to people who sided against the family. They were shunned and no one talked to them after ward. So like an idiot he let Chrissy walk out and once again let his family lead his life.

Sighing, he absent mindedly opened his car door. It was Sunday afternoon and he had just finished a round of batting at the park. He threw his bat into the back seat and was just about to jump into his car when a hand grabbed at his neck and squeezed hard causing him to freeze. He clenched his teeth in pain and turned slowly to the owner of the hand.

Lydia smiled back at him and squeezed harder. “Ok, you break my window? I can deal with it. You break my friend’s heart? I take it quite personal.” Lydia let go of his neck and bit down on her lip the fury in her eyes showing. “Why would you do that? Why would you bring her to your parents’ house just for your parents to insult her and let her walk home? I should have you jumped. I don’t care how much karate you know!”

Zhi smiled to lighten up the tone and said “I don’t know Karate.”

Lydia’s serious tone and facial expression remained and she said “Even better”

“Ok, truthfully I was confused and I have no idea why I let her run out like that. I sometimes can’t control the power my parents have over me. I like Chrissy I really do but what you don’t see is that if I would have sided with Chrissy that night my parents and family would disown me. Sometimes I don’t even understand there ways.”

“So you’re going to let your mother stop you from dating Chrissy?” Lydia asked. Zhi remained quiet and Lydia nodded her head “Well alright then. Do me a favor. Don’t make any contact with us at all. Stay away from any area we might even WANT to be in.” Lydia looked at him long and hard till she finally rolled her eyes and walked away.

Zhi watched as Lydia walked away and continued till she found her car. She opened the door and looked back at him her eyes glaring at him. She got in turned the car one and drove out of the lot not even finding him worthy of more eye contact. Zhi shook his head and got into his car. He wondered what he would do.

For minutes he sat in his warm car. The silence overwhelming. He thought about all the memories Chrissy and he had managed to make in the small amount of time. He thought about the words that Lydia had said and how much meaning she put into her words. He liked Chrissy a lot. He liked her… Moments passed as he dawned on the words and he came to realize that he didn’t like Chrissy. He loved her.

He smiled when she was around and he loved the feel of her in his arms. His heart jumped for joy when he made her happy and he couldn’t get enough of hanging out with her friends. Her family opened their arms wide and accepted him and his family did the exact opposite. Zhi rested his forehead on the steering wheel. His options were simple. Be happy in a life with Chrissy around or live the life his parents wanted following tradition. His decision was just as simple as his choices.

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Chrissy sat in a chair staring out the window. The day was ending and the sun was setting. She had taken the day off instead of working after church and moped around the house. Church had been a sort of good thing. She loved the new church she attended and even more she loved God. Church was his home and it was one of the places she felt at ease.

Chrissy sighed and looked up at the ceiling. She took a moment to ask God why he would bring this man into her life to take him away. But Chrissy, unlike many, had faith. She wasn’t angry at God at all. She knew everything was played out for the better. Her only problem was making the pain go away.

Distracted Chrissy never noticed Lydia come close to her and only felt her arms embrace her in a hug. Chrissy leaned into the hug and relied on her close friend for strength. “I’m so sorry C” Lydia said to her.

“It’s not your fault Lyd-e. I shouldn’t have fallen for him so fast.” Chrissy said. Chrissy and Lydia stood there for minutes letting the silence say more then words could. Chrissy knew her friend didn’t intentionally set her up with Zhi. She knew that Lydia had no way of predicting the future and so she didn’t blame her. Infact she blamed no one. In her mind she wanted to blame Zhi’s mother and Zhi but in her heart she was in too much pain to do so.

“Well, I say we take a ball and a bat. We tape the ball on his windshield. Then we hit the ball. Multiple times. He owes me anyway.” Lydia said letting go of chrissy.

Chrissy smiled and shook her head. “Violence is never the answer Lydia. Remember what your therapist said?” Chrissy mocked Lydia.

“Ugh I still hate that guy. I’ll never forgive my doctor for suggesting my parents take me to a psychologist after their divorce. I WAS FINE!” Lydia said throwing her hands in the air.

Suddenly a car caught her attention outside and she found herself staring at a car that looked quite familiar. She watched it and nothing happened. The car simply stood in front of her apartment building. Chrissy had the room to the front of her building and her window was in plain view and ear shot to everything that went on in the front.

Suddenly the door to the car opened and a man came out. The man looked around and Chrissy focused on him. Suddenly the man looked up and Chrissy had complete eye contact with Zhi. Her heart melted and her soul cried out for him and at the same time urged her to run. Chrissy quickly moved from the window and let go the breath she had been holding in.

“That is not a good sign” Lydia said moving to the window. Lydia glanced out and said “What? I don’t see any thing!”

This ment that as they spoke Zhi was coming up the steps. What could he want? What did he have to say? There was nothing he could say to undo what he had done? And even if he came to apologize and she accepted which she naturally would it wouldn’t change his mother’s opinion! Chrissy breathed in and out trying to hold back tears of worry and fear. Chrissy looked up at the confused Lydia and took one long deep breath. She had to be strong. She had to hold onto her composure at least till night time. When Zhi wasn’t coming to her apartment.

The door bell rang making her jump and she shared a moment with Lydia where they both thought about who would be at the door. No doubt reading her mind Lydia bolted for the door and Chrissy came flying after her.

“Lydia if it’s him let him speak first!” Chrissy yelled following Lydia to the door making it there just seconds after Lydia. Lydia’s hand rest on the door knob and she looked at Chrissy.

“I talked to him earlier and gave him a chance to speak. He didn’t say anything! Why would we give him a chance now?” Lydia said her tone serious.

“Because WE didn’t give him a chance earlier Lydia! You gave him a chance I DESERVE my chance!” Chrissy looked at Lydia and after a moment Lydia nodded her head. She calmly opened the door and there he was.

Chrissy stared out at him and adored the features she had come so close with. She looked at him and was overwhelmed with moments he’d swept her off her feet. She thought back to the memories in the stadium and her heart melted at the thoughts of the kiss cam. She didn’t need to say it out loud because her heart screamed it. She was in love with this man. His charm had her crazy and his scent seduced her. There would forever be a mark in her heart and mind that said “zhi was here”.


“I need to talk with Chrissy and if you don’t want to talk with me Chrissy I understand but I will be here every day until you will listen.” Zhi said.

“I’ll listen.” Chrissy said.

“Just give me one minute chrissy pleas-“ zhi stopped and said “You’ll listen?”

“Yes” Chrissy told him loving the look in his eyes seeing the hope.

Zhi reached for Chrissy’s hand but she dodged it. She wasn’t ready for his touch. She didn’t know what lie ahead for her and she wouldn’t want to be mislead into a world where she thinks there might be a chance when he doesn’t want one. Zhi nodded his head and signaled for her to step outside in the hall way with him.

Chrissy stepped out and Lydia glared at Zhi. Lydia looked at Chrissy nodded and closed the door. Zhi began to speak when Chrissy told her to hold on. Chrissy put her hand over the peep hole and heard Lydia say “Aw man!” Chrissy smiled at her friend and told Zhi to begin.

“Chrissy all my life I have done what my parents have told me. I’ve met their expectations and denied my self so many things. But I can not let them take you away from me. I wont let them. It was stupid of me to let my mother talk about you like that and even worse that I didn’t go after you or stand up for you. I was confused but I’m not any more. Chrissy I love you and I don’t care what my parents say. In fact Chrissy… Marry me?” Suddenly Zhi got down on one knee and took out a ring. The ring was a simple gold band engagement ring.

Chrissy was shocked. She looked at this man who was on his knee and was completely blown away. “Oh goodness... Zhi! We just met! We can’t get married!”

“Chrissy all of that doesn’t matter to me. You matter to me Chrissy. Actually we’ve known each other for almost a month. Next week would be the anniversary to make one month.” He said rationality in his voice.

“Zhi tell me you’re not doing this because you think it’s the only way I will take you back because Zhi I… I’ll take you back with out a ring.” Chrissy bit down on her lips at the words she had almost let slip out.

Zhi rised and grabbed her face. He kissed her lips with passion and she let her defenses down. For a split second everything went away and logic played no roll in her thought. Her heart screamed she would marry this man any minute. “Chrissy just say yes. I want to be with you for ever. I love you. You make me crazy! And I mean that in the best way possible.”

Chrissy bit down at her lip and felt completely unsure of herself. Here Chrissy had a man in front of her. The hottest Asian she had ever met let alone dated. He was willing ot give up his relationship with his family for her. But was that good? He was crazy about her, but how could she tell if he was too crazy for her? Chrissy hadn’t ever done anything she didn’t think was logical and safe. Was she willing to let it all go for him? Was she willing to just jump off a cliff not knowing whether her parachute will come through or not?

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Lydia held the phone to her ear as she looked through the peep whole watching Chrissy stare out and wondering what was going to happen next.

“I’m telling you Jo! The man just went on his knee and whipped out a ring. What else could it be? A friendship ring? Do Asian people even believe in those things?” Lydia said to Jolene ripping her face away from the uncovered peep whole for the first time in a bit.

“Wow, that boy is seriously confused! I should go down there and hurt him for putting my sister through this.” Jolene said.

“Jo you can barely see your own feet stay where you are and stay calm. No hurting any one until that baby is out and healthy.” Lydia said moving back to the peep hole. “I can’t tell if she said yes or no!”

“Well what are they doing?” Jolene asked.

“Making out…” Lydia said deciding she suddenly didn’t feel so good about watching them.

“I think that’s along the lines of a yes, don’t you think so?” Jolene suggested sarcastically.

“Well I have a good view of her hand and I don’t see a ring!” Lydia said. Suddenly Chrissy and zhi stopped kissing and began talking more. Just then Chrissy turned toward the door. Lydia gasped and ran to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator. The door opened to the apartment. “So I did this interview for this secretary job. I hope I get it.” Lydia said.

“She walked in didn’t she? She knows you were watching her. You might as well just ask her if she said yes.” Jo said to her likely a smile on her face mocking Lydia.

“Well I’m not doing as much as I was before so I think its time I get a job again.” Lydia said into the phone holding back things she would say but didn’t want to clue Chrissy in on her intrusion of their privacy.

Chrissy walked into the room and smiled at Lydia. She reached for the phone and took it from Lydia. She held it against her ear and said “I said yes” with that she hung up and walked out of the room.

“CHRISTINE ANNE DUGGAN! Don’t you dare walk away like that! YOU SAID YES!” Lydia followed her and grabbed the phone from the counter where Chrissy had left it. “Hold up! Let me redial Jo!”