Missing Piece

CHAPTER TWO

As the following week progresses, I found myself wandering back to Emma during meetings. Why is she on my mind so regular these days and above all when I'm at work? I hate distractions and she proved to be a distraction since she was on my mind continuously. This just left me perplexed. As the week ended, I've finally gotten the chance to talk to Kent. He was heading my direction with an appearance of calmness but only his eyes gave him away. Maybe I shouldn't be so willing to talk to him.

"Hey Travis." he said calmly, a little bit too calm. He placed his right hand casually on the roof of my car.

"Hey! Wass-up man?" I asked. I opened the car door and rest my belongings in the back seat.

"Just a bit tired." he said, "The last two weeks have been exhausting and non-stop!"

"Yeah, I know." I said, "Me too."

"You heading home now?" I asked. I closed the door and faced him.

"Yeah," he replied, "Thanks for letting Tom drop off my car."

"No problem." I said to him. He paused and leaned on the car for support letting his mind drift away in thought.

"Why did you do it?" he asked out of the blue.

"Did what?" I asked confused.

"Ask her to give me a lift when you could've dropped me home!" he shouted at me in exasperation. He ran his hand through his hair which signaled that he was frustrated.

"As I said, I had something to take care of that needed my attention." I replied.

"Come on! We both know that ain't true!" he exclaimed.

"How was it?" I asked.

"Really?" he asked, "You saw that it is difficult for us to agree on something. Yet, you still asked her to give me a lift and now you're asking me how it was?"

I looked at him knowingly. A smirk started to form on my face. He looked at me in utter disbelief. I have known him throughout my childhood years and I have never seen him react the way he did towards me in my entire life, especially over a girl.

"How was it?" I asked once again.

He let out a sharp breath.

"She is so frustrating!" he said. He passed his hand in his hair and a frown creased his face.

"I refused to talk to her throughout the car ride at first but she made a statement saying that we can forget what happened earlier today. You know me, I don't let anything drop easily!" he said shaking his head in somewhat disbelief. He bent his head and passed his hand through his hair slowly.

Finally glancing up at me, he said "we quarreled the entire trip! Looking back at it, I can't believe the only time it ceased was when she got a phone call from a friend, someone she called Em!"

I shook my head and laughed at him. He looked annoyed at me.

"The entire trip?" I asked still not being able to control my laughter.

"Oh man!" he exclaimed, "That's why I hate telling you stuff!"

He started pacing up and down my parking space area in the parking lot. He looked angry with himself. I guess he's really pissed that I'm making fun of him. He never likes it.

"I think you like her." I said. He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned his face to me. He looked shocked. It looks like he's never contemplated that idea.

"No way, man!" he yelled, "She's too frustrating to deal with!"

"That's why you like her!" I tried explaining to him.