Bittersweet

Chapter 17

"Kate, Skye! She's here." Cameron escorts me inside his fine and elegant house. Skye and Kate run down the stairs and welcome me in. They offer me a seat in their living room. Wow. Their sofas are so smooth and soft. The sheets are shiny and seem to be made of silk. A housemaid of theirs offers me a glass of juice, which I shyly accept.

"Cam, is she having dinner with us?" Skye asks her big brother in a really cute way.

"Yes, yes she is," Cameron answers his sister. He walks toward the stairs and climbs up. Silly lad. He just left me here. But maybe, it's just that he knows that his siblings are here to make me

feel welcome.

"That's great!" Kate chimes in. "I baked your favorite, Sica."

"Umm... red velvet cupcakes?" I say, somehow unsure of what she means.

"Yes!" Kate exclaims. "And you can have as much as you want."

"Thank you," I say. I look around, admiring the Herrases' wonderful house. "You have a really nice house."

"Thanks," Kate says, taking a quick sweep of their house. "Our parents worked hard for this. The truth is, neither of them came from a rich family. When they met and fell in love, they promised each other they would work very hard for their future. And here we are."

"Wow," I say. "Just like my parents, too." Kate smiles.

"Guys, hey," we hear Zyan say from somewhere. "Why are you all---"

Zyan's voice trails off when he arrives at the living room and spots me. I press my lips together and give him a small smile. Among the 4 of them, it seems that Zyan is the most difficult to get along with.

"Hi, Jessica," Zyan says, smiling a bit. A wave of relief washes through me. I thought Zyan would just walk away and pretend that he didn't see me.

"Hello," I say to him.

We hear footsteps coming from the stairs. Of course, it's Cameron---now in his casual clothes.

"Mom says she and Dad can't make it to dinner tonight," he tells us. He looks at me with concerned eyes.

"Umm," I try to say. "It's---"

"Okay then, no problem!" Kate says nonchalantly. She looks at me. "Are you famished already, Jessica?"

"No," I answer in a polite tone. "Not at all."

She grins. Wow, she really is drop-dead. "Don't worry, dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

Skye mousily moves closer to me, biting her index finger. I smile at her and play with her hair. It's black and wavy. Her eyes are like Kate's, hazel brown, so nice to look at.

"You are so pretty," Skye tells me.

"Thank you," I say. "You too."

"Dinner's ready," Zyan yells from the dining room. We all get up and walk towards the room, Skye holding my hand, happily dragging me.

The dining table is rectangular with 6 chairs. On it are different dishes that smell delicious. The room is decorated with a small but high-class chandelier. Awesome.

Kate sits at the front. Cameron and I sit at the left-hand side of the table, while Zyan and Skye sit at the right-hand side. Some of the dishes I don't recognize---mashed potatoes!---but they all look scrumptious.

We pray first, and then begin eating. Cameron volunteers to get my food for me but I decline.

"Let me," I say to him. He smiles and nods.

We happily consume the delectable meals served on the table. Kate asks me why I only ate a little amount of rice.

"I'm on kind of a diet," I say. "It's so I don't gain much weight. And besides, the appetizers are yummy."

We say a few things from time to time while eating, and then finally it's time for dessert. Two of the housemaids replace the dishes on the table with red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and chocolate doughnuts.

"Wow," I mumble.

Cameron chuckles. "You like it?"

"Yes," I say. "You have a lot of good food."

"Especially for you," he says, then winks at me. I roll my eyes, smiling. My eyes land on Zyan. He's checking out his cupcake like he's afraid there's an insect stuck in it. I smile at the thought.

"Here, have one," says Kate, handing me a red velvet cupcake. It's just like the ones Cameron gave me. So yummy.

"The doughnuts are sweet, just like Cam and Jessica," Skye says, grinning, so that her dimples are showing. I don't know what to say, so I press my lips together and look at Cameron's reaction. He's biting his lip, already looking at me.

Suddenly, Zyan and Kate burst out laughing. "You guys," says Kate. "Aren't you used to being teased? Why do you look so nervous? Hahaha!"

"But hey, they do look good together," Zyan agrees.

All our eyes go to Zyan.

"I guess?" he says when he notices.

"This is the first time you said something about us," says Cameron. "Thanks dude." If the thanks was sarcastic or real, I don't know.

Zyan chuckles. "Don't mention it."

After more cupcakes and doughnuts, Cam and I decide that it's time for me to go. I bid the other three goodbye and thank them for a dainty dinner.

"You should come here more often," Skye suggests, then runs toward me and hugs me.

Awww. "We'll see," I tell her.

"Skye's right. Take care, Jessica," says Kate, smiling at me. I nod. I glance at Zyan. He waves his hand goodbye. I wave my hand back.

Cameron and I arrive at my house at 8:45 PM. We stand near my gate.

"Thank you," I tell him.

"Thank you, too," he says. He then pulls me in for an embrace. I rest my head on his shoulder, my hands on his back.

"I can't even imagine what would it be like without you," he whispers. I feel bury his face in my hair and inhale the scent---I hope its fragrance hasn't faded.

"Don't say that," I say. "Just... be happy. Okay?"

"I am happy," he says. "Because of you."

I smile. I hug him a little tighter and let go. I look him in the eyes. "I knew you would say that." I kiss him on the cheek. "Take care. Bye." I ring the the doorbell to my house.

He smiles that smile that is just so handsome to look at. "Bye. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I say. The gate opens, and Matt shows. He and Cam say hi to each other, and then I get in. I close the gate behind me, leaning my back on it, waiting for the soft purr of his car that will mean he's left.

What a wonderful and memorable night.