THE CHURCH GIRL

Chapter 8

NAOMI'S POV****

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"So, Naomi, are you just naive or you just don't remember your childhood?", Andrew broke the silence trying so hard to break the odd ice of tension for once thinking he can breathe freely without Dad's serious face weighing him down.

I shot down a confused and annoyed look at Andrew who just chewed on his food and waited for my reply,"Eeeer....what is that supposed to mean?", I asked him popping a half cut meat ball in my mouth.

José shrugged and looked at my confused face,"So neither of you...", he pointed at Julia and me,"...remember Ken? ", Now it was Julia's turn to be more confused than I was. My dad ate in silence looking from one child to the other with an amused face as if he knew something. Ken just smiled like we were supposed to figure out who he was

"Are we supposed to know who ken is?",Julia asked curiously.

"Yes you are, you three used to bully eachother and you always the one who came back home crying Naomi. How can you forget such a satisfying childhood", Ana Maria cut in with everyone except Julia and I laughing.

Julia and I turned to eachother simultaneously and gasped, looking from Ken to eachother, "Oh my God!", Julia gasped through words till I got the hint too.

"Oh no!", we both turned our surprised look to Ken who just sat there laughing with everyone, God..he looked adorable when he laughed.

"Hi again piglets", Ken said still smiling.

"Kendoll!",Julia and I said in unision. My dad laughed which surprised everyone even my mom.

"How can you not tell us it was you this whole time making us look like idiots trying to figure out who you were", Julia said amidst anger and happiness.

"I was trying to surprise you two, and you did look like idiots", ken said through laughter as I attempted to throw a pickle at him which would have looked too childish.

"You look different. Not like that kendoll mannequin we named you after", Julia teased making everyone laugh.

Ken was our childhood friend. We went to the same kindergarten together and even junior grade before he travelled to study law in another country. We lost contact of each other and that was it. When we were young, Julia and Ken used to spend a lot of time together even way back in junior grade. They liked each other, but never admitted it to themselves or anyone. Like me, Julia and him also lost contact after he left and now here he is which is a little weird. We didn't even recognize him. He was like a put together boy doll so Julia and I nicknamed him Kendoll. We had each other's back except if it was us fighting.

"So why.... Or how are you here?", I asked slicing down my meatball in between waiting for an answer and holy moly the eyes that turned towards me in full circle glares was astonishing. "What?", I asked looking back at them confused too. What was the big deal with my question. Guess I was too forward but he answered anyway.

"Well, I'm in town for a couple of weeks, kinda waiting for a placement here from my firm permanently. I bumped into Andrew this morning and he invited me to dinner, so technically that's how I'm here, the why, well is free dinner, so why not",he replied with comfort and a little smile which was a little annoying to me. Everyone went back to their food satisfied with his reply but I wasn't. Not even Julia because I saw a pinch of nervousness fall on her face. That was not a new reaction where Ken was concerned. She still liked him. The worst part was Ken was stealing glances at me and not her which was not a good thing.

"Naomi, are you gonna move back here anytime soon?", Sonia asked out of the blue giving my mom a worried but scornful look. "I was planning on using your room for a nursery", everyone gasped in surprise.