Our new year

C#29

Thanks to KateHP for editing this chapter.
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Belle looked at Keiran as the words 'friends' came out of Megan’s lips. Keiran didn't say anything. His eyes were fixed on Megan.

"Are you guys here on a date or something?" Megan said in an awkward tone looking at Belle. Keiran answered her question before Belle.

"No, it's just a friendly dinner." This was the first sentence that came out of Keiran's mouth after Megan’s arrival.

"What are you doing here? I mean, you were living with your mother right?" Megan asked Keiran. Her tone sounded interested and curious.

Keiran was about to answer her but stopped when he saw a girl shouting Megan’s name.

"Oh God! I'm coming!" Megan exclaimed in annoyance.

"I have to leave. I'm already late, but I felt extremely happy to see you here, Keiran." Even though she was in a hurry, she said the last part slowly. Honesty was clear in her tone.

Belle looked at Megan as she turned her back on them and left. She was gone.

They settled back to their chair around the table. No one said a word. Even though the curiosity inside Belle was growing, she remained silent. She was hoping that Keiran would start telling her about Megan himself.

After a minute or so, their food finally arrived and Belle dug in. Belle noticed that Keiran hadn't started eating from his plate. He was lost in thoughts. He was holding the fork in his hands, but his eyes seemed blank.

Belle put down the spoon in her hands and stared at Keiran and spoke. "Are you okay?"

Her words brought him back to the real world."No! Yes! Yes!" he replied and nodded his head few times.

"Something bothering you?" Belle asked again, in hopes of getting an honest answer.

"No! Uhm it's just that I wasn't expecting her here." Belle knew who he was referring to as her.

"Last time I saw her, it was outside my home back in my hometown, two years ago."

"You never mentioned her before?" Belle shot another question at him, but Keiran went with the flow.

"I did," Keiran said, pouting his lips a little while his eyes looking at her softly.

Belle narrowed her eyes at him."I don't think so."

Keiran shook his head in disbelief. "Remember when those stupid mean people at our school were messing with you?"

Belle tried to recall the foul memory and finally, it hit her brains.

"The person who gave you the thread-like chain you always wear in your neck ," Belle said her thoughts loudly.

Keiran nodded in response.

Belle was about to ask another question, but Keiran cut her off as if he sensed what was she going to ask him next.

"Let’s eat."

After they were done eating their dinner and dessert, they stood near the railing to see the view before going back home.

The wind was blowing. The lights of the small town was giving a marvelous feeling to the people who were looking from the hill, including Belle.

Keiran and Belle were also enjoying the view. They were accompanying each other physically, but their minds were deep in thoughts; in separate thoughts.

Belle was thinking about Megan and Keiran. She was thinking of the time when Keiran told her how much that chain meant to him and how he would break whoever’s nose if they tried to take it away from him.