Chapter 8

      I only woke up for the sake of waking up when the sun was shining so bright till I actually have the urge to curse mother nature while I laze up pushing the covers away with my feet feeling so annoyed like I wasn’t sleeping or having my rest at all before. I rubbed my eye lids while getting all those stuck up cockroaches shit which my mum used to call it when she had a hard time naming some white stains on the edge of your eyes. It was 10.30am or so I thought, I went into the showers and tidied myself up just a tad bit before I get my lazy ass down to the kitchen where I expected everyone to me waiting and yelling my name for morning breakfast. It was either that or nothing to have anything related to family gathering.

“Mum... Dad “ no one was around, the kitchen table was well laid out with a loaf of fresh bread toast, a bar of butter and a jar of jam in the middle that seemed to have not been budge open. The coffee and tea pot was still steaming hot. And there in the middle of the table, having my baby little brother Jeff minding his own business eating his cookies, biting them like he had no teeth at all.

“Hey baby bro, morning” kissed his cheek and pinched them while I was at it, making him pushed my hands away irritated. “Where’s mum and dad? “ grabbed a toast and just took a seat next to Jeff, expecting mum and dad to pop out any seconds like one of those magicians.

“Morning honey “mum came in with a bouquet of roses while she was carrying it like she was rocking a baby. “ Morning Mum who’s that for? “munching my bread and swallowing it slowly while keeping an eye on the roses she left on the kitchen counter, still wrapped up beautifully with a big ribbon in a shape of a large white bow. And it has a note on it. Mum smiled as she washed her hands and wipe them dry while she passed me the roses and put them in front of me. I sniffed it and gave a compliment enough to make her put the rose away as it was making my nose twitch in ticklish acts. “Fresh, nice” I pushed the roses away. And Mum just put the bouquet next to my empty set of tea cups. “Glad you like it, it’s for you”  I choked on my bread and took a drink from the tap water, putting my head upside down and opening my mouth while the water was pouring right down my throat
.

 I wiped my mouth dripped with water and just stared at the bouquet from far, not wanting to touch it. “Mum, where do you get it from? I mean, who gave it to you? And, are you sure it isn’t a bomb?” being sarcastic.

“Don’t be ridiculous Lea, Leon passed it to me. I was scrapping off some dry leaves and he dropped by to give me those. You were sleeping, so he didn’t want me to wake you up.” She passed Jeff his warm milk in a shaped teddy bear bottle in blue.

“I told him you weren’t feeling well. Needed rest “she continued

I sat back down and took up the bouquet and sniff it again. Counting the stalk of roses that was all bundled up neatly together. I opened up the card that was so tiny but still could fill up some good words. Stated just right there in the middle “ I miss you. Love Leon  I went  "awww and gave another awww and another awww “ just to make me feel so much flattered than before. I kissed the card continuously making Jeff actually laughed at me.

    I ran back upstairs to my room and figured a spot to put the bouquet. I came across this medium antique size vase that my great aunty got for my birthday. I cleaned it up and poured in some fresh water and put the roses in it. Just looking at how beautiful they blossomed made me missed Leon as well. I was about to head on to my cell phone to give Leon a call, wanting to hang out but Chloe was already on the line. “ Hello Chlo? Sup ?” I said.

“ Hey Babe, wanna grab some lunch together? My folks are out and I’m like really really hungry right now!! Pretty please?” there she goes with her sweet begging voice and her goofy puppy dog eyes positioned though I don’t really get to see them.

“ Well.. You do know that its only 11.16am right? ” making an excuse,  still in the back of my mind, wanted to reject Chloe’s invitation when I stated helplessly on the roses thinking about spending time with Leon. I just sighed at the side of the cell phone.

“Pleasee........” begged again.

“Fine, where are we meeting up?” brushing my hair with my fingers.

“Great! The Chocolate Cafe. Don’t be late! Love ya!” a kissed at the end of the call and clicked. I took a quick shower and just grabbed a simple sun dress and put on my favourite white popeye cap. Putting on some eye liner which I have to mention, was the first time I actually thought of using them. I’m not fond of make-ups much. Just a little glitch of some smooth lip gloss and compact powder on my face would do enough. And that day, I just happened to try on some eye-liner. Struggling to hold on to the tip of the brush, trying not to keep twitching my eyes and gave a long stroke on the top of my eye lids with a slight point at the end. It did made my eyes a little bigger and bolder. It felt good in a way.

I drove down to the cafe, searching for a parking lot. Finally got one when one gentlemen was kind enough to gave me the space when he was already actually waiting for it before. Maybe it’s because of my appearance today that made me just well lucky. I thought to myself a couple of times. I grabbed my purse and clutch it under my arm and went into the cafe. Chloe and May were waving their hands, grabbing my attention heading towards them and sat down. The Chocolate Cafe was actually May’s favourite place to munch, but then Chloe was also indeed in love with the place. Apart from my points of view, as I didn’t really care much about food or what I swallowed that goes in right to my stomach. As long as it does not make me throw up, I don’t have an actual favourite place to munch.

May look happy enough she was smiling and giggling, flipping her hair across her shoulders. While Chloe was also entertaining us with her jokes make us gave out a big laugh across the table.  Three of us were wearing dresses, like it was already planned out earlier.  “ Girls, I was thinking about working this summer. What do you think?” Chloe popped out a serious question middling with her pasta that was drowned in Carbonara sauce. She twisted the pasta with her fork while me and May looked at each other smiling. “ Working? This summer? Are you out of your mind?” said May leaning her head back and gave a lazy laugh. “ Well, actually it’s sorta a good idea” I sipped my hot coco looking at Chloe while was showing her thumbs up to me still struggling to swallow her pasta whole.

“ See, Lea agrees. Come on May. Working is actually quite fun! And we could go shopping after we have big bucks in our pockets.” Pat on May shoulder and giving her a broad smile.

“What if I do agree, where do you suppose we work? Do you have any idea how many of our graduates actually work around here? I’m sure there isn’t any available spot for us now” sounded not interested judging on May voice. May doesn’t like to work or do any stuff that included sweat. She’s more of the indoor girl. And when it comes to even working for a reason, it would be a miracle to even get her to agree.

“Well, Tyler’s dad owns this boutique shop uptown. It’s new and all. And they’re currently looking for promoters. So I just thought, maybe we would give it a try?”

“You’re not doing this to please your future father in law are you Chloe?” I and May gave a high five as we giggled about it. Chloe was already blushing, putting the napkin across her face, trying to hide from us.

“Fine, let’s do this. But promise me. We’ll do this together alright?” said May and held on to Chloe’s hands while she held on to mine. “ Best Friends Forever “ she continued. “ BFF’S “me and Chloe said together.

I was just admiring the patterns on the table cloth when May’s phone was ringing just in the middle of the table. Jeremy Calling. I kept looking at the flashings of her cell phone and just a minute, it was already in May’s hands, answering and walking out the cafe for some privacy talk. Then it just hits me like an earth quake about Jeremy wanting to break up with her. I kept staring out at the window, trying to read May’s lips as she was still on the line with Jeremy. I was hoping real bad that he wouldn’t do a stupid thing now to break up with her in the middle of this.

“Babe” Chloe gave a shook at my hands and I just stared at her.

“You okay?” she asked in a soft tone while staring out at May as well.

“Don’t worry. She doesn’t know” she went back to her pasta. I didn’t really understand what Chloe meant by May not knowing. And I leaned down forward putting the menu card in the middle of the table covering our faces, whispering something. “She doesn’t? If she knew, she would be so devastated about this.” I thought to myself for a minute then I looked back at Chloe “ wait, Jeremy talked to you about his this? Funny, I thought he said that I’m the only one who knew” I muttered to myself.  Chloe stopped eating and stared at me seriously to give me a look while wiping her mouth with the napkin.” Jeremy? About?”

“You know, about him wanting to break up with May?” I whispered.

“ WHAT?!” Chloe’s shout made one of the waiter accidentally poured some water on one of the guest. I hushed Chloe down and put our head under the table trying to cover up some humiliation. “ Jeremy is leaving May? WHAT THE..”I covered Chloe’s mouth before she even tries to shout again. “ I thought you knew about this?” I said trying to clear out the air and blaming myself at the back of my mind for letting the cat of the bag.

" Know what? I was talking about Jeremy being at your house for pizza. What on earth were you even thought I was mentioning about?”  Chloe looked up to see is May was still on the line with Jeremy. And she was.

“ Shhh!! Look, I don’t know what’s going on with them both alright. But Jeremy sounded serious about him leaving May. He told me, he just had to do it.” I said in a low tone voice as possible. “Shit, this sucks.” Chloe leaned back hard on the chair, crossing her arms together against her chest. I could tell she was pissed with Jeremy even just by thinking about it. “And May does not know anything about this?” I shook my head and stared out at May, feeling so bloody bad about this. “That ungrateful little jerk” Chloe continued, cursing Jeremy in her own language only she understands. “ Have you tried talking to Jeremy?” I frowned, it was a stupid question to even answer her. “Are you kidding? I’m not going to talk to a guy that is about to break my best friend’s heart.” I said angrily.

May came through the door and I gave a quiet signal to Chloe to keep her mouth shut and just get through with our lunch. “ Hey girls, sorry about that. Jeremy wants to bring me to the Rose Petals for dinner tonight. Isn’t that sweet?” she smiled and grabbed a cup cake. Chloe looked at me and I looked back at her and whispered “ I have no idea” I rolled my eyes.

“ What?” May ask us both. We gave out a smiled and just pretend that nothing was actually happening. Chloe must have think that I was lying, and May still doesn’t know anything. And I’m in the mid crisis here trying to figure out if Jeremy was actually drunk to other night that made him said something really stupid. Or that he was just stupid.

The lunch ended quite well, leaving me and Chloe behind watching May drove off.

“ How about that? A romantic dinner. Are you sure Jeremy said those words to you Lea?” Chloe sounded rather catchy, like she wants to catch me in a bad move, sending me to jail for criminal records to pile up.

“I’m not lying Chloe. I know what I heard. I just don’t get what that Jeremy is planning anyways” I rubbed my neck. And Chloe was busy texting Tyler that she didn’t even gave me any attention. I could feel she was irritated by just standing next to me. I just wanted to go home so bad.

“Chloe, are you listening?”  I try to grab her attention.

“Let’s just see what will happen next okay Lea?” she reached out for her car keys like she was in a rush or something. I was really insulted by the way she acted that I just nodded and reached out for my own car keys as well. I felt guilty all of the sudden. But I know I should, for meeting Jeremy up early in the morning without May consent.

I drove to the beach for some fresh air, trying to clear my head out. I took off my sandals and just walked bare footed on the surface of fine sand touching on to my toes. I stuff my foot in the water and just enjoyed the wind breezing through my hair.

Someone grabbed me from behind, picking me up and spinning me around.

“Hey babe” Leon kissed my cheeks from the back; his body was in his shorts without his shirt on. Body was dripping wet. “ I heard you’re not feeling well. You alright?” he put his hand on my forehead trying to figure out my temperature.

“ I’m better now, thanks for the roses” I smiled gave a smooth touch on his abs, wiping off some grain of sand that was stuck on his body and gave him a hug.

“You were surfing? At this hour?”

“Yeah, the waves were pretty tight. Just thought I gave them a shot. Didn’t expect you to be here Lea. Come, let’s find a shady spot shall we?” he grabbed my hands and we walked towards this big tree that I never thought exist near the beach.

“You seemed bother about something. Wanna talk about it?” he sounded really worried about me. That I changed the topic while I leaned my head on his shoulders and held on to his hands.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again.

“I just feel, something bad is about to happen.”

“To you?” he lay my head on his tight. I looked up at his green eyes. He smoothing my hair back, made me feel so relaxed at that time that I feel like taking him home with me.

“Not me, but me and my girls” I sighed and closed my eyes.

“I’m sure everything will be okay. You girls have been best friends longer than me and those guys had. I’m sure you girls will solve this problem out right? . Whatever chick problem it is” he giggled.

“ It’s more complicated than that Leon”

“What is?”

Suddenly someone shouted, made me got up immediately.

“ Dude!! Hurry up!”

Jeremy was standing right in front of us, Tyler was standing behind him holding on to his surf board. Jeremy eyes were only on me, but his message was to Leon. I frowned and looked away.

 “ I better go” I walked away with quick footsteps. Leon was chasing after me. “ Hey hey, what’s wrong?” he lifted my face up to check if I was actually shedding a tear. “ Im fine, really..” I gave a peck on his cheeks before saying goodbye. Watching from far, Jeremy was giving me that look. The look of guilt, but he never smiled or frowned. Just a look of a stranger.

“I should go “

“Hey, everything will be alright okay?” I turned around as Leon words reminded me how much he actually cared about me.