Sparks Fly

CH13: Mystery guy/girl

"This or this?" I ask while holding two tops for him to choose from.

"I can't believe you made me skip my classes for this".

"This is important. I have to pick clothes that soothe your eyes".

"You'll look good in anything," Neil says.

"No-no, don't try to smooth talk me."

Neil picks the pink top and we head towards the checkout counter. There's a long line so Neil, who can't stand in one particular place for a very long time, roams around the boutique while I go stand in the line. I take this time to check in on Sara as I have not been able to hangout with her in a long time. She picks up on the second ring and we catch up on this week's happenings. While talking she seems a little down, her voice comes out a little course. I dismiss it under the changing weather conditions and continue to talk to her. In between this Neil comes back with a hanger in hand. A set of black lingerie hanging from it. He pushes it towards me and I push it back towards him. I mouth 'no' to him while he places the bra in front of my chest, trying to figure out how it would look. 'So sexy' he mouths back. I tear the set from my chest and hand it back to him.

"What? You wanted my help," he says innocently.

"It's not even my size," I shriek.

"Well, won't they grow."

"They won't grow," I remarked shockingly.

"Maybe you need to water them enough," he tries to joke about it while laughing.

"I'm keeping it back." I take them back to their designated place while Neil shouts behind me,

"I'll pay for it."

"What's going on," Sara asks on the phone.

"Neil is asking for a beating."

"Aha," she says in a dismissive tone.

"Are you alright?"

"I will be," she says and cuts the call by saying she has work she needs to tend to. Work on a Sunday?

On our way back home I ask Neil to drop me at Sara's home. She opens the door of the apartment in a state I really can't decipher. Her hair resembles a cuckoo bird's nest, her face has smudged remains of makeup. I follow her behind to her room, she starts brushing her teeth and I make myself comfortable on her bed. 10 minutes later I hear the shower being turned on. I bring cutlery from her kitchen and transfer the noodles onto the plates. I put on Netflix and search for Mean Girls. She enters her room, freshly showered with a towel wrapped around her hair. She looks at the scene in front of her and smiles.

"You know me so well," she says and dives into the noodles while I start the movie.

We're in the middle of the movie when Sara switches the TV off and says, "I think my dad is seeing someone."

"Ok," I reply. Not sure what to say next I try with, "You're not happy about it?"

"No it's not that. I didn't think there would be someone after mom and me".

"How did you find out about it?" I start with that.

"I was staying at his place yesterday. I went up to his room to say goodbye and kind of heard him on call with someone. He was being so sweet and was whispering into the phone. As soon as he saw me he immediately cut the call. No bye. No greetings of sorts. He simply cut it. As if he wanted to hide it from me."

"I'm sure when the time is right he'll tell you about it."

"But it doesn't feel right," she confesses.

"Well he has to move on with someone".

"Then what mom and I. Because as soon as the other woman enters, she is followed by her children. Then what place do I have in his life".

"Sara, pull the breaks here. Your father has been alone for a long time. Even if he's with someone that necessarily doesn't translate to marriage and kids. He just needs someone."

"I am there," she exclaims.

"Other than you."

"Why?" she says dejected and puts her head on my shoulders. I wish I had the answers for it but I don't. A tear slips from her cheeks on my shoulder and the only thing I can do to reassure and comfort her is to pull her closer.

I leave Sara's home once her mother arrives and take an auto ride back home. I get down in front of the building gate and hand him the money but he asks for change. I look for the guard around but even he's not in sight right now. I tell him to wait for me as I run to my house to get the money. Luckily for me, a car goes right past me with Neil's mom sitting in the passenger seat. It would be easier to just go to the parking lot and ask her for change than to go all the way up. So I follow the car into the parking lot and see Neil's mom get down from the car. She still lingers around while talking to whoever was in the driving seat. When I get really close to the car she looks at me from the corner of her eyes and immediately covers the window blocking my view of the driver's side.

"Gia, what are you doing here? Is Neil with you?"

"I just came back from Sara's house. Actually I took an auto back home and needed change to give it to the driver."

"Oh," she says as relief washes her face. "No problem, I'll come with you and give it to him".

The car driver takes this as the signal and takes off. He doesn't turn his car and straight away leaves from the other parking gate.

"Who was he?" I ask

"Just a work colleague," Neil's mom answers. Before I could say more she asks

"I'm surprised Neil is not with you."

"Why would he be with me?" I counter question her in a least interested tone.

"Well he is always with you" she says as a matter of fact.

"He doesn't have many friends that's why" she laughs at my answer.