The Lost Girl

chapter 5

What love looks like

Julia

It is two weeks to the final exams. After that, it is the period of waiting for results and graduation. I spent the past few weeks with Kenneth revising intensively. I hoped that both of us are able to score As for the final exams.

Red and me remained in contact via mobile texts for the past two months. He even came to find me when I was working on a Saturday's "morning to afternoon" shift. He treated me to a meal nearby and we had a great chat. The thought of him sitting opposite of me in the cafeteria with his casual PEACE tee made me blush. He looked good even in casual wear. He told me about how stressful work were and how he had to keep his cool each time his boss threw demands on him. I felt sorry for him and told him that this is life and he is already doing very well. He told me that he felt that I possessed a strong character. I told him that I felt flattered. We had a great chat and awesome evening.

I grinned my way to school as I thought about that weekend. I woke up from my stupor when someone kept waving his hand vigorously in front of me. "What are you doing? I am not blind. I can see your hand." I snapped at Kenbeth. "Oh. I thought you were having some wet dreams!" Kenneth teased me with his irritating know-it-all eyes. I rolled my eyes and replied, "Stop being annoying." We started walking towards the class.

Lectures ended for the day. Kenneth and me started walking out of school when I saw a familiar figure standing there at the bus-stop. It was Red. I stood there agaped. "How did you know I have classes today?" I asked Red with an astonished expression. "You texted me yesterday. Remember?" He winked at me. He realized Kenneth beside me and turned to face him. His expression was somewhat curious yet cold. "Who is he?" He asked me cooly. "He is my close friend who studied with me and stayed in the same area." I replied. "And WHO is he?" Kenneth voiced echoed while scanning Red conspiciously from head to toe. He seemed to have an unpleasant expression."It is hard to explain how we met, but he helped me once. I will explain to you some other time." I replied. "Oh." Kenneth replied curtly. "Hey, let's have a dinner date today! You told me you are free!" Red exclaimed, his eyes beaming. "Sure!" I answered with a smile. "Don't you have to prepare for the final exams?" Kenneth asked me questioningly while smiling. "It would be good to take a break for today!" I rationaled.

Kenneth followed me to our school's carpark where Red parked his car before leaving. During that period, I felt an awkward atmosphere between them. I dismissed them as my wild imagination.

"Vroom!" I heard Red's car engine started. "Let's head to Sparkling Cafe! Woo hoo!" Red exclaimed while whistling. Just then I saw Kenneth turning his head around and waving a good-bye at me. He looked at me, but his face seemed a little sad or troubled. Is something troubling him? I felt so bad for him.

Upon reaching the cafe, we sat at a corner and ordered our main dishes together with some desserts. Suddenly, Kenneth's sad face surfaced in my mind. I could not help it but I started to feel a little worried for him. Will he be okay? I wondered. Our main dish arrived and I just stared into the plate.

Red
"Aren't you digging in?" I asked Julia. She seemed out of sorts. I wondered what is troubling her. I felt nervous seeing her with Kenneth just now. I shrugged it off cooly, but that made me mustered lots of strength. He has a cute look that will definitely made all the girls in the campus fall madly in love with him. I am so worried that they will be beyond friends. Julia definitely thinks her friendship with him as simple as it is. But, I fathomed that it is not so simple in Kenneth's mind and heart. His expression upon seeing me was unpleasant with a mix of worrisome and a tint of disappointment. He definitely has a thing for Julia.

"How did u knew him? Kenneth." I asked Julia, trying to be as poker-faced as I could. "Oh. He lives in my neighborhood. I knew him in my first year of university. He guided me in my studies. He was nice and friendly. We were comfortable with each other and eventually became close friends." She replied, her face still seemed to show a little bit of worried expression. Her eyes were not looking at me and she seemed to ponder about something. Did she just said that they were actually COMFORTABLE with each other? My stomach churned and I prayed hard to God that it would not make any loud audible noises.

I held her hand with mine. She seemd shocked at my gesture. I smiled at her and asked, "Are you okay? Let's put all worries aside and enjoy this meal okay! Let's have fun for just today?" I smiled at her. She smiled back and said, "sure"!

We had a fun night. After dinner, I brought her to the Esplanade to watch my favourite musical. We got to know each other more. She knew the reasons why I loved that musical and told me that she started to appreciate it too. Often times, I felt like holding her hand or just wrapping my arms around her shoulder. Instead, I refrained myself. It is not gentleman of me to do that and we are not lovers. Not yet.

I sent her home in my Mini Cooper. At her block, I stopped my car. Before she approached to open the door, I held her hands with mine. "I want you to know something. It might sound cliched. But I liked you ever since I first met you. I liked you when we kept in touch. And now, I think I am in love with you. You seemed to show me what love looks like. Please do not be shocked. I can wait for your reply at your own pace." I expressed all my heart-felt emotions that I have kept locked within me all the time. My heart thumped fast as I waited for her reply.