Without You

Chapter 15

Li Mei's POV

"We're here!" I hear Wang Yuan yell. But I pay him no mind, I was still busy eating the cake.

He and Cindy sit down at the table with us.

"So how's your modeling career?" Qin Qin asks.

"You're a model and you eat that much?" Cindy asked, astonished.

Wang Yuan's POV

"You're a model and you eat that much?" Cindy asked. But I knew her too well. I heard a hint of rudeness in her voice and tone.

I expected Xiao Li to blush, like the old Xiao Li would.

"Yea. What's your point?" She asked coldly, looking up from her plate for the first time.

Cindy scowled.

"I just don't think you should eat that much, that's all." Cindy answered.

"Uh! So what time do you want to go out tomorrow, Xiao Li?" Qin Qin interrupts them before anything else happens.

"Why'd you say that?" I whispered, slightly mad at her behavior.

She didn't reply and looked away.

"Anytime would be fine." Xiao Li shrugs, shoving another bite of cake into her mouth.

"Hey! I should go with you guys too!" Cindy flashes Qin Qin a grin.

"No, thanks. I don't want to be embarrassed." Xiao Li snickers.

Wow, she's really changed.

Cindy opens her mouth, completely taken back.

"Fine." She says eventually.

"I don't want to be seen with you anyway." She adds, getting up and leaving to go to the living room.

Xiao Li scoffs but there was still a mischievous grin on her face.

Man, her smile was so heartwarming.

"Xiao Li, let me show you where your room is." Qin Qin said. Xiao Li nodded and followed her upstairs.

Li Mei's POV

"This is your room." Qin Qin says, opening a door.

The room was big and basically the same layout of my old room. There was a king-sized bed, a desk, a shelf, a walk-in closet, and a bathroom with a shower enclosed with a glass cage, a bathtub, a sink, and a smaller room with a toilet.

"Thanks. I love it." I smiled.

I plopped myself down onto the bed.

"So where are we going tomorrow?" I asked.

"I was thinking we could just go to the mall, talk, shop. Have lunch at the food court." Qin Qin shrugs.

I nod.

"I'll let you settle in and unpack." Qin Qin says, walking out the room and closing the door.

I took out all my clothes and hung them on the hangers in my closet.

I put my calendar on my desk. I took out all my mechanical pencils and pens and put them in a small drawer in the desk.

After I finished unpacking, I went back downstairs.

"Xiao Li! We're watching "Finding Soul"! Do you wanna watch?" Junkai's voice filled my ears as I arrived at the bottom of the stairs.

"Sure! Hold on a second!" I call back, going into the kitchen for more food.

I opened the pantry and scanned the shelves for food.

Wang Yuan's POV

"I'm gonna go get something to eat." I whispered to Cindy before getting up and going into the kitchen. I see Xiao Li looking through the pantry.

"Boo!" I shout, expecting her to scream.

"Oh. Hey." Xiao Li says plainly, not even turning around to acknowledge my presence.

"What're you looking for?" I asked. "Maybe I can help you."

"No, thanks. I'm just gonna take whatever I can find." She shrugs.

She opens the door to the freezer and finds a ice cream cone. She takes it, a bottle of water, and leaves.

My heart stung for a second. When did she become so cold?

'It's nothing, Wang Yuan. You have a girlfriend. She shouldn't be on your mind.' I thought to myself while grabbing a bag of chips.

I take my seat next to Cindy and open the bag of chips.

I see that Xiao Li has already finished her ice cream.

"Want some, Xiao Li?" I asked, moving the bag closer to her.

"No, thanks." She answers, shaking her head.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cindy rolling her eyes.

I sigh and turn my attention back to the movie, but I couldn't really watch it. I kept glancing back over to Xiao Li to check what she was doing. Halfway across episode 12, I realized that every time I was in a scene, she wouldn't pay attention and would go on her phone. That hurt.

"I'll... be right back." I hesitated before putting down the bag of chips and going up to my room.

'Why do I feel this way? It's not like I like Xiao Li again. Right? No, I just want to be friends again.' I thought.

I hear a knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I raised an eyebrow. Maybe it was Xiao Li, coming to apologize to me!

"It's Cindy. Can I come in?" She knocks on the door again.

Dang it. She had popped my bubble of excitement.

"Oh... sure." I reply.

"Hey! We're going to play truth or dare! Wanna come down?" She beams, coming into the room.

"Sure. Let's go." I say, getting up and following her out the door.

"Are you alright? You seem a bit... sad?" Cindy frowns, a bit concerned.

"Nah. I'm fine. Let's go play truth or dare!" I force a smile, trying to sound happy. Good thing I can act, or else she would've realized I was faking.

She smiles and we go downstairs.

The six of us all gather into a circle.

"Alright, who wants to go first?" Qian Xi asks when we're all settled.

"Ooh! Ooh! Me! Me!" Cindy squeals, raising her hand high in the air.

Xiao Li scoffs.

"Childish." She mutters. I felt embarrassed.

"Alright! Hmm...... Junkai! Truth or dare?" She asks.

"Truth." Junkai answers.

"Chicken." Xiao Li teases, playfully punching his arm. He rolls his eyes but a smile was still plastered on his face.

"Alright! Who was your first love?" Cindy giggles.

"Xiao Ming. No question there." He answers.

After a few more rounds, it's Cindy's turn again. By that time, Junkai was covered in eggs and I was flooded with soda.

"Alright! Xiao Li! Truth or dare?" Cindy asks.

"Truth." She answers.

"Alright! Who do you like right now?" She asks.

Xiao Li freezes, then slowly starts to blush. My heart stops. Could it be me?

"Ooh! Xiao Li! You have a crush? Who's the lucky guy?" Qin Qin beams, glancing at me.

"He... his name is..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

QOTD: Do you have any pets?