Helping the Girl Get the Guy

Ten ♤ B5 and Lean On

When we reached Hong Kong, the bad weather welcomed us. It was raining hard, and I had forgotten to take my jacket with me. Though we had umbrellas, the cold breeze was not cooperating with my skin. I ended up shivering, but tried my best not to let it show.

"The weather will get better by tomorrow, I googled it," Luke, Nathan, and I, jumped in surprise when we heard the woman's voice.

I had certainly forgotten that Mrs. Latorena were with us. She did not even bother talking to us during our flight. I wondered what made her so shy.

Mrs. Latorena must have been in her early fiftys. Her chiseled face made her look like Kate Winslet in my favorite Titanic movie. Mr. Arthur said that she's the head of the Arts department. No wonder why her hair was in intense red.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Luke placed his jacket on my shoulder. "Can't afford to see you coughing and sneezing. I could already imagine your mother placing a knife on my throat if that happens."

"Thanks," was all I was able to say. Upon reaching Hong Kong's immigration lane, I looked around, people looked damn serious. Some of them were even wearing face masks. As far as my schema on SARS is concerned, that virus was so over this country.

When it was my turn to reach the counter, I noticed something odd. The Chinese man sitted on the chair was no other than our neighbor, three years ago.

He seemed to recognize me as well, making his eyes even appear smaller as he smiled.

"You're Jessica Quinn, right?" he asked.

"Indeed, my passport proves it. How are you Mr. Tan?" I replied, handing him my boarding pass as well as passport.

"I'm still amazing. Look at you, you're all grown up!" he exclaimed but still keeping his voice down. "So, who among those two is your boyfriend? I bet the blonde one, eh?"

I glanced back, Luke and Nathan were patiently waiting for their turn. Mr. Tan must have noticed that I was with them. I shook my head. "I'm not dating them, we're actually here to represent our school," I beamed in response.

"Oh, in case you need a tour guide, I'm on break during Wednesdays and Saturdays, I left my number and my address inside your passport. I hope you have fun here in Hong Kong." Mr. Tan returned my boarding pass and passport. I bid good bye once more and headed straight to where the luggages were located.

I waited for several minutes for my luggage to appear on the conveyor belt.

"Where is it?" I started panicking. I wanted to ask for Luke and Nathan's help to check for my luggage but they were busy goofing around, sitting on top of the conveyor belt, allowing it to move them.

I held a hand on my temple, unconciously wishing my mother was here. As much as I wanted to act independent, I couldn't.

Mrs. Latorena tapped my shoulder. "Found it yet?"

I shook my head. Mrs. Latorena tied her red hair in a bun, and said, "I bet it's just here somewhere." I immensely hope it's here, or else, I'd be flying back to Australia just to get it.

"Hey Jess, is this your luggage?" I heard Luke say, causing me to turn. Luke, who's becoming more of a jerk than of a friend, was sitting on top of it. Nathan, who happened to by crush was laughing with him. I narrowed my eyes at them, but the more I try to look irritated, the more they irritate me.

"Okay, I give up, let's get down," Luke finally said, after five minutes of using my luggage as their toy.

"Glad you came to your senses," I gave him a sarcastic smile. Luke and Nathan left the conveyor belt, and both of them carried my luggage, placing it near where I stood.

"The hell Jess, how many kilos of rice did you put in here?" Luke spoke with his arm sliding on his forehead.

I held the luggage by its handle, and uttered, "It's just all the clothes that you bought for me, it's your fault douchebag."

"Language, people," Mrs. Latorena warned. I thought she seemed indifferent, like a hologram that did not bother with our affairs.

Grinning and all, Luke bumptiously said, "It's not as if we're staying there forever, unless you wanted to spend more time with me, we can extend."

I shrugged. "Not a care in the world." Luke shool his head and mouthed the word 'tricks' and with that note, I realized what he was doing.

I glanced at Nathan, who was eventually watching me and Luke while we're petty fighting. He gave us a wry smile then walked ahead of us.

"It worked," Luke whispered, and I just nodded in return.

The four of us left the airport and rode the double decker bus which has a 5B sign on it. "This leads to Causeway Bay. We'll be staying in Mediterranean Hotel," Mrs. Latorena said, as if she was our tour guide.

I watched as Mrs. Latorena take a seat on the bus' chair, and if I hadn't glanced at Luke's direction, I would have had zero choice but to sit beside her. I sent a signal to Luke that I did not want to have a bonding moment with such lady. Luke sighed, then motioned for me to sit beside him instead. I exhaled loudly, and the moment I settled, I had stupidly forgotten that Nathan was with us. What the heck? How could I not think of my crush existing in the same place and time as I was?! I began to feel guilty and estrange, as if something was wrong with me.

Nathan, who had been keeping a smile on his face from the moment we landed, took a seat beside Mrs. Latorena. They were two rows in front of me and Luke, which is why, it was difficult to comprehend Nathan's actions.

"I don't get it, you want me to sit beside you but your head's bobbing up like a giraffe to get a better view of Nathan, you're incredibly weird." Luke kept his eyes on the window without looking at my direction as he talked.

"Sorry, my bad," I said, placing a hand on his head, patting it.

"I get it, Jess. No one would really intend to sit with me," Luke crossed his arms and leaned back. He was even making sounds as if he was sobbing.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Seriously?"

He did not respond, and he continued making that irritating sound.

"Ugh, Luke, stop it," I commanded, placing my hands to my ears.

But he did not. I squinted my eyes and took heavy breaths before doing what he did to me while we were on the plane. I rested my head lousily on his shoulder and took one of his hands, placing it on my cheek. Luke seemed shocked with my actions making him to startle in his seat.

"That's more like it," He grinned, turning his head so it was resting on mine.

Despite the fact that he often makes me feel annoyed, I found myself smiling with the realization that Luke and I were being comfortable with each other -- of course, as friends.

"Just so you know, this is the last time I'm going to be clingy with you," I said without showing a hint of any expression.

"I doubt that," Luke snickered a laugh, and he was so close to being right.