Helping the Girl Get the Guy

Sixteen • The Jessica, Queen

Mongkok was surprisingly beautiful, especially at night. Despite the rain, Luke, Nathan, and I managed to walk around the night market is quite famous for one can buy anything for a cheaper price. Each stall has something different to offer.

"Jess, you've had like six eggettes," Luke said the moment we reached a stall where another vendor of Hong Kong street food. I learned from a travel magazine that one should never miss out on street food of a foreign land -- food can speak so much about a country's culture.

"Does it really taste that good?" Nathan asked. I was only able to nod as I took a big bite of eggettes, smiling and hoping I don't get a call from the restroom immediately for it would surely be embarrassing.

"In other countries, these eggettes are called bubble waffles -- they literally look like bubble wrap but are made of pancake mix." I told my fellow travelers after finishing the food, entirely by myself.

"Yeah we know that already, Ms. Boring tourist." Luke snorted.

"As if you know better." I said and before I could even say something about the different dips that can go well with the eggettes, a lady's voice shouted, "Nathan!"

The very familiar voice came from no one else but -

"Jenny!" Nathan shouted back, smiling. Jenny walked toward us, consistently waving her hand like she's some K-pop icon on stage.

"I didn't know you'd be here!"

Really?

She looked more than prepared, like a walking Zara mannequin - long green coat, buttondown crop top revealing her abs, light blue skinny jeans hugging her thighs perfectly, and a pair of fur boots I only see on celebrities.

"Do you want to join us?" I stopped staring the moment Nathan asked her.

In my head, I knew I had responded no in severe numbers, but her mouth was powerful. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She giddily replied.

And just like that, I knew, another day wasted.

"Double date it is!" Luke surprisingly exclaimed, placing his arm on my shoulder. I was ready to push it away but I saw Nathan shifted his gaze from Jenny to Luke's hand and that hit me.

This is an opportunity. If he gets jealous, it means one thing -- he likes me.

And I wish, I can sense that.

***

The four of us walked toward the night market where different things can be bought at a very cheap price.

Luke bought to buy a dozen of cute Dora digital watches (with different straps) for her cousins. He mentioned he had twelve cousins from both her mother and father's side - and they are all girls.

He even asked, "do girls like purple, or pink?"

"Just buy 6 of each," I suggested.

"How about you, which do you like?"

"I'm not going to roam around Hong Kong with that." I am not really fond of wearing anything on my wrists or my neck. It makes me feel uneasy. If I get married in the future, I wouldn't probably wear my wedding ring.

"Oh please, as if you had never worn one when you were younger.

I shook my head and he gave me a look of disbelief. "Fair enough. I never had one so," he turned to the lady and raised her two fingers.

The lady nodded and handed him two watches.

Grabbing my hand, he said, "I get the pink one, and you... are wearing purple." He secured the Dora digital watch on my wrist. It looks nice although it did not exactly go well with my green sweater.

"Wow, someone's screaming screw toxic masculinity." I giggled.

He just winked with a smile while he strapped the pink wach on his wrist.

"How do I look?" He asked, posing like a model in one of the Tagheur advertisements - showing off the watch.

"Like Boots?" That was the first thing that came out of my mouth and it wasn't even funny or -

Wait, what do care?

He snorted. "Jess, Boots is not six feet tall. I need an adjective."

"Handsome?" This time, my mouth was fast and smart and wasn't lying. Luke is indeed handsome.

"That's the word." He said, placing an arm on my shoulder. We started walking to other stalls like that -- like a foreign couple looking for gifts to bring to our relatives back home.

"Don't worry, I don't think Nathan would mind seeing us in these."

"I hope he does." I thought it was just my mind talking. Luke's expression changed. "Why?"

"Remember? We want him to get jealous." I said.

That's when Luke sheepish grin appeared.

We spent two hours searching for other things to buy not just for ourselves but also for our families and relatives -- hats, band shirts, gaming cards, and shoes.

We dropped by a Nike outlet store because Luke insisted on buying a new pair of running shoes. He opted for the gold and black which he kept on calling "Zoom." I don't really understand why people pay attention to names of shoes anyway.

After paying, Luke and I walked toward the store exit and before I could even get a glimpse of what was in front of me, Luke immediately pulled me causing my back to hit his chest. He hastily placed his hand on my eyes and I swore, the paper bags he was holding punched my body so hard.

"Ouch!" I cried out.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling his breath in my ear.

"What? What it is?" I asked, trying to remove his hand.

"Don't. Stay." And I obliged. Whatever it is, Luke better explain why.