Lost and Found

l3

"It's the unknown that draws people."
― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

Listen to How I Want Ya by Hudson Thames feat. Hailee Steinfeld

The sun was always at its most intense in the afternoon. However, that afternoon the glare was suddenly obstructed by several dark grey clouds. Minutes later, the neighbourhood was enveloped in darkness. In the distance, thunder rumbled but the rain never came. An hour later, the clouds drifted away and the blistering rays of the sun once again radiated throughout the neck of the woods.

"Unpredictable weather's quite the one unique thing about Singapore, " Covson strode right next to me, leaning his body against the railing. I nodded my head in acknowledgement and thought over the chances of him divulging anything about his family background if I were to asked him. I was that desperate to find out the only and one truth behind my parentage.

Was it a mistake to pack up and absent myself without a bidding a proper goodbye? Did I make a rash decision to fly here? Should I have given Emily a chance to explain herself as the least form of closure for myself?

Emily lost Parker. And shortly after, she lost me too. Was it too spiteful of me?

A flurry of questions that bombarded my mind was triggered his appearance. I was very much in a daze and confusion. The multitudinous coffees I had this morning were not very helpful after all.
"What's in that mind of yours? You seem to be in deep thought and a foul mood. Sharing your burden or confiding in someone would help, you know. I will be glad to lend you a listening ear," he continued, unperturbed by my cold stance.

"Why will you give a damn about me? Why are still acting all nice and kind? Why is it that you automatically assume I'm thinking when it clearly can be because your presence isn't welcome? A lack of response has copious reasons behind it," I was not about to give in that easily.

"If this defence wall you are building up is due to Jayce, I will apologise on behalf of him. To be honest, I myself have no clue whatsoever as to why I am caring so much. It's strange that I feel this weird connection towards you. I have never spoken so much to someone either. And lastly, my mother's a psychologist and the fact that you're an open book doesn't help your case," he justified his actions and did not once look at me. He was gesticulating all animatedly as if in the midst of storytelling. But the only thing that captured my full attention was his third sentence.

"You feel a weird connection towards me? What on earth are you talking about? Do you happen to be a paedophile?" I was weirded out and shifted inch by inch away from him. Didn't strange, phenomenal things like telepathy apply to only twins?

"Maybe it's a fate telepathy thing?" he offered weakly, seeming put off by his own actions as well.

"Look, can we just start all over? My name's Covson Deyes and I am a First Officer. I will turn 18 officially only in a few weeks' time."

Although, still slightly sceptical about his previous words, I was not about to turn down his earnest reintroduction, "My name's Karlie Knight and I am a fellow First Officer, turning 18 on 27th December. Pray tell we aren't going to start a round of twenty questions."

- - - - -

As a form of compensation for the oddity, Covson volunteered to take me on a mini tour around Singapore good naturedly since it was Sunday and students were relieved of all duties and dismissed from any courses.

"Hey!" Yoana and Jeanette spotted us 'round the corner of the exit school, with Ed and Jayce in toll.

"I was just about to look for you. We are eating out for lunch and catching a movie or maybe just chillax. But it looks like you are kind of occupied, aren't you?" Ed smirked suggestively before Jayce's scowl deepened. Have I ever stepped on his toes and gotten into his bad books?

"He is trying to be a kind soul and take me to the local attractions. I don't see anything not platonic with that. For the reason that you guys already have plans, I will not put a damper on that," I said and kept my expression neutral.

"Why don't you just join us! We will just adapt and make a change of plans, the more the merrier anyway! Any objections?" Jeanette proposed eagerly.

Jayce's eyes narrowed into stilts, before snapping impatiently, "Let's just go already."

Covson cast a glance at me, conveying the message that he was sorry for the abrupt adjustments of plans, I guess? Yoana and Jeanette tugged at my arms and dragged me along with them, disrupting my train of thoughts.

We were then at the carpark where five sleek, noteworthy cars stood out prominently, not like sore fingers but like celebrities among the mundane sea of crowd. They were parked side by side, starting with a metallic grey Lamborghini Veneno, a bright red Porsche 718 booster S, a shiny black BMW i8, a glossy green Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 and lastly, a Porsche 918 Spyder. I was stupefied. Aware that these kids were rich, I was not informed that their riches stretched way beyond that.

"Your jaw is touching the floor, girl. Don't be so surprised, this is nothing compared ... " Ed's teasing words of gloating trailed off as Covson smacked him across the head. I muffled a laugh and covered it up by a pretentious cough as a glare was sent my way. I happened to have an unhealthy fetish for sports cars if you haven't already guessed that by now.

"These are our possessions and since you have zero idea on whose belongs to who, we will let you take your pick and which you want to hitch a ride in," Jeanette gave me the honours and like a toddler licking his lollipop for the first time, I walked towards the Porsche 918. I smiled giddily after caressing its hoot gently.

"Are you going to stand there till next Christmas?" Jayce rudely remarked. To my horror, it dawned on me that I was about to take a ride with the Devil himself. The pleasant smile slipped from my face immediately. I was about to retrace my steps to the neighbouring car when the departure of the rest register with my brain.

Entering the car with much grace, I was fighting the urge to slam the door, but inflicting damage on the innocent car was just as bad as abusing animals. I shut the door and looked straight out of the window.

The tension was thick enough for a knife to cut through and the usual fondness for silence was gone. Fidgeting and turning my body away from him, I attempted to rolled down the windows.
"Sorry to tell you, but your pathetic attempts are foiled the moment you set foot into car. The windows are permanently locked." Jayce murmured in annoyance.

"Why lock the windows?" I asked, aghast. What kind of freaky behaviour is that? I looked over from head to toes, expecting to find something out of the place that could give substance to my verdict that he was an alien or monster of some kind.

"I don't owe you any explanation," he said in a monotone voice that was surprisingly calm. Gone was the anger and aggravation that laced his voice or features.

"And I don't owe you any explanation for that either," he took his eyes off the road for a moment to give me a look of displeasure. It was then I realized that I had spoken my thoughts out loud.
"Look, I am coping with more issues than you can think of at hand and the stress is getting to me. The trust issues don't help ..." he stopped at mid-sentence, looking like a deer caught in headlights, nonplussed that he even bothered to explain for his unneeded actions.

He was not alone. I was not expecting anything of that sort from him. Hell, his voice and expressions that were void of anger were enough to catch my off guard.

And did he incidentally mention that he has trust issues? Was his cold and indifferent stance a façade?

He was definitely a mystery to be solved. And at that moment, the problem that I had slipped my mind.

• • • • •
A/n
And we have a picture of Jeanette and Ed, played by Ophelie Guillermand and Luhan respectively, up there. Enjoy!

-SmiLe :-)