The Lost Girl

Chapter 6

Double confessions

Julia

I am shocked by the confession. I do not know what to say. I am happy by his confession. I am beginning to love him too. His character, smile, looks and heart. Everything seemed too good to be true. But, are we progressing too fast? I am not in the right mind now to decide on this. Besides, Kenneth's sad face has been on my mind most of the time. I need to ask him what is exactly bothering him. As a friend, I can't leave him alone. "I like you too, Red. You are awesome the way you are. But, I need time to think through and sort my feelings out. I need to be sincere to you." I replied while looking at him in the eye. He gave me a gentle gaze. "I understand." He said and placed my left hand at his left chest where the heart is.

After that, he brought me to his chest and hugged me for a long time. I just remained at the same position feeling stunned before he released me and said, "goodnight".

I opened his car's door, got out, slammed the door shut, waved goodbye at Red and looked on as his mini cooper droved out of my house's area.

I walked to the lift of my housing block before noticing Kenneth, in his red t-shirt, sitting at the block's chair for residents. Shocked, I walked towards him. "I guessed you had a great night. Just saw you leaving his car". Kenneth said. He smiled but his face still looked sad.

"How are you? You seemed out of sorts when you waved good-bye to me. Are you okay?" I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You don't need to know." Kenneth answered. He suddenly pulled me to his chest and hugged me for awhile. "Just this will be enough," he whispered to my right ear. Not knowing what to do, I patted his back, hoping he will feel better. Seeing my friend so sad, despite not knowing the reason, still breaks my heart.

Kenneth accompanied me to my home. While in the lift, he seemed deep in thoughts. It was my first time seeing him so sad. He looked so different from his joking and joyful self. I felt so unease and bad for not being able to change that expression.

I entered my house and smiled at
Kenneth. "Do you want to drink something first before heading home?" I asked and gave him a concerned look. He shook his head and said, "It's okay, rest well and goodnight!". "Goodnight!" I replied before shutting my door.

Next day, I walked to my lectures' hall again. I bumped into the girls and they just gave me unfriendly glares and look especially Cynthia. I guessed that was due to me not avoiding Kenneth. After they brushed past me, I walked into the lecture room and looked around. I did not see Kenneth.

After two lectures for the day, I still did not see Kenneth at all. Is he sick? I wondered. I walked out of the lecture theatre and saw Cynthia walking towards me. "Thanks to you, Kenneth's father is now jobless. Do you know that he is actually working in my Dad's company. I asked my Dad to fire him. After all, I am not interested in looking out for a guy who is not interested in me." She smirked. My mouth dropped at what she just mentioned. I felt so bad for Kenneth. It seemed like my fault.

I went to Kenneth's house after my lectures. I pressed the doorbell and waited nervously for awhile. Someone unlatched the door. It was Kenneth. "Hi," he smiled. He looked kind of weak. "Are you okay?" I asked him. "Yes, I am. It is just a fever." He replied. "I will cook some abalone porridge for you, I watched in Korean drama that it is good for health". I offered. He shooked his head but I walked straight to his kitchen. I took out a can of abalone I bought earlier after school. My gut feeling told me that Kenneth most probably is not feeling well. Afterall, throughout my past three years of study, I have not seen him miss school before.

"You do not need to bother," Kenneth coughed while saying. "It is my duty." I replied. "It is not like you are my wife or girlfriend. Haha." He teased. I rolled my eyes and gave him a lame stare. "To think that you still can joke when you are sick?" I replied.

I stirred the well boiled porridge before soaking in the slices of abalone that I cut. I waited for a minute before turning the flame so that the abalones would not turn hard. I took the bowl of porridge with my gloved hands to the dining table. "Eat it." I said. Kenneth, who was sitted, started to blow the spoonful of porridge and dig into it. "Didn't know you cooked that nice!" He smiled. "I learnt from my mum." I said proudly. "I bet your mum's one will be nicer," he brushed his hand on my head. I shrugged it away, annoyed. While watching him eat, I asked him a question I have been aching to ask. "Was your father fired because of me?" I asked. Kenneth placed his spoon down and looked seriously at me."It would have happened even without you. I am not interested in her at all." He smiled assuringly. Suddenly, he placed his left palm on my face. "I am interested in you," he said.