Homeless Vain

05

Fairy tales are tend to be perfect, flawless and end with the most beautiful ending where the characters live happily ever after.

Back in the schooldays, me and Evelyn used to tell our made up fairy tales to each other - well Daisy and Faye were not that creative to join. Started from how we wanted to grow up, how we wanted to meet our soulmates to how we wanted things to work out in our life.

Reminiscing that, I assumed that Evelyn might have just randomly planned her life but not me. My fairy tale would never be completed without specific persons lived in.

It was raining that day - drizzling, and I was sent out by my mother to the supermarket to buy groceries. Though I despised the idea to be in the public for quite some times, I obviously had no space to fight.

I was on my way to the parking lot with a big and quite heavy plastic bag in my hand while the other one was holding on the umbrella I was glad I brought along. And that was when I spotted him.

Him as him - the one who used to live in my fairy tale.

He looked like he just finished shopping too but his bag was much smaller than mine.

I was struggling to get myself composed upon seeing him after so long. It felt like a dream that we weren't talking through phone right now and I was looking directly at him, at his figure.

Nothing seemed different from the last time I saw him. Everything about him was just the same as the one I remembered. Except, he seemed healthier.

Maybe I should ask which gym he went to and asked them to close their premise right away.

He noticed me and he seemed shocked as well. Well again, I didn't blame him. The Ivy he used to see in schooldays was a bit chubbier and I had lost much weight ever since.

When he dragged his feet towards me, everything else around us seemed had stopped moving. What I could see was a charming guy who didn't have an umbrella, trying to soak himself in the rain.

"Wh-"

I couldn't finish my sentence when the wind was being unfriendly with me. It was a strong blow that my grip around the handle of the umbrella loosened. Obviously I could grab it with two hands but should I abandon this plastic bag and let it fall on the ground instead?

But again, back to my first silly theory.

"Woah, that's a close call," Kevin managed to get under my umbrella, holding tight the handle while I let the adrenaline in myself go down.

I knew how terrible I looked right now but I seriously didn't mind. If I needed to rate my friendship with Kevin, I'd just say that he's on the level that had seen me barefaced.

Same thing for Jacob.

Kevin was then laughing - silently, probably didn't want me to feel offended. Then he offered to hold the umbrella so that I could support the heavy plastic bag with two hands.

Well, I was hoping that he would take the plastic bag instead.

"I just wanted to say hi but now I have to work as well," he said while we were trailing the wet tar of the parking lot towards my car. I knew he was teasing me so I shot a glare in which he understood right away. "Take it easy sis."

I chuckled, "you offered yourself to help. And, hi to you too Kevin, I am fine if you're wondering."

I could see the surprise on his face. He probably didn't expect to see me being so sarcastic with him.

"That's true but I didn't do things for free," he tutted, ignoring my last remark, in which I could feel myself flaring.

"What'd you want then?" I questioned before I unlocked my car, Kevin was still holding the umbrella.

He waited there until I safely shoved my stuffs into the back seat and looked at him back.

But he didn't say anything, he just passed the umbrella back to me and pulled his hood over his head.

"I just needed a cover," he said, already taking two steps backwards. "Thanks for the cover."

And he left me stunned when he ran towards his car that was parked one meter away from mine.

"What...was going on?" I blinked, hardly processing the situation.

He didn't approach me just because I had an umbrella and he needed a protection, right?

Kevin Moon just made me feel deceived, but his intelligence needed to be praised.

My car was then filling in with teasing laughter. Another big mistake to turn on a video call whilst driving for four people in one time just because you needed them to hear on your rant.

"Was Kevin used to be that playful?" Faye asked, wiping her eyes that were stained with tears from the hectic laugh.

"As far as I remember, at school, he did that to Ivy a lot," Evelyn confirmed, as my ex-seatmate. "He just loved to tease Ivy."

I sighed, hitting the brake at the red light before I glanced at my phone rested on the holder, "maybe he thought I was easy. I mean, I reacted to everything he did. Crushie things."

"No, I don't think that was the case," Daisy interrupted, munching on a biscuit from her living room. "I think Kevin sincerely wanted to talk to you more."

I would be honest. My girls definitely fed my delusion so well.

"He did that to Evelyn too," I cut the idea, not to let myself drown in the sea of vain. I smiled victoriously when each of them were at loss for words.

"Excuse me!" the said girl flared, startling me as I was about to step on the right pedal when the light turned green. "Kevin interacted with me just because I was your seatmate."

For a moment, just a brief moment, I almost believed that. Something about Evelyn and her words that always assured me of its genuineness.

But, I shrugged it off.

My fairy tale with Kevin had long gone. Maybe he himself had forgotten about it too.

"Anyway," I spoke up, eyes still on the road. "Don't forget this weekend. My mom said, she will be waiting for you guys. It's been so long since she saw us in a complete number."

"Aww, I miss her too", Faye beamed. "I'll be there."

"Can I bring Jacob along this time?" Evelyn asked, hesitancy lacing in her tone.

But, the question somehow sounded so wrong to be asked. Both Faye and Daisy scoffed while I scowled.

We did share the same brain cells I guessed.

"Sorry to disappoint you honey," I paused, turning my steering wheel 360 degrees to the left at the junction. "Jacob is literally our bodyguard. Bring him with you."

"You guys are so lucky that we're sisters!" Evelyn said with excitement. "I don't mind sharing."

That was the most weirdest thing I heard so far, though I knew what did she mean.

Jacob was a protective guy - to his girl and maybe a bit to me since I was the only one left without a partner.

But of course the way he was protecting me was nothing but like an older brother taking care of his unattractive sister.

If I forgot to mention, yes Daisy had gotten herself a soulmate too. The most dramatic plot twist we ever had within our circle was belonged to her.

And the recent breakup I experienced, she was an inspiration for me to keep going.

Love will find you, regardless.

"Ivy, wait," Evelyn shouted, just as we had agreed to end the call. "Jacob said drive carefully. It's raining so don't rush."

Well, Jacob was the standard.