He Was a Friend

/2/ She's so cute, as usual. /

He started the car's engine and waited until Louise got in the passenger's seat. She was pouting as she threw away her bag in her seat while shooting daggers in his direction.

He chuckled again.

Look at her all mad now. She's so competitive as usual.

Smirk not leaving his face, he took off his race singlet, wiped off all his sweat using it, and pulled out a spare shirt from his bag. Before he can even wear his spare shirt, in his peripheral vision, he caught his childhood friend trying to pull up her own tank top just like he did.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, as he hold off her wrist.

She looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Changing, obviously. I had a sports bra inside, dummy," she answered in a matter-of-fact tone, while shaking off his grasp.

His forehead knotted in disbelief.

"You do know that your car's not tinted right? I'm asking just in case you forgot," he said with a hint of impatience in his voice, and his hand still grabbing her wrist.

Now, it was Louise' turn to knot her forehead.

"You do know that I go to gym almost daily wearing sports bra right? I'm asking just in case you forgot, too—"

She wasn't able to finish her words, because her vision was suddenly blocked by something – a face towel he threw at her after he let go of her wrist. She pulled out a sigh, and used the towel to wipe her stomach, nape and back. She left it in between her back and her singlet, and gave him an unsatisfied look.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm with my old-fashioned father than my best friend. Can you, like, you know, chill?" she said, while adjusting her seatbelt.

He continued on wearing his spare shirt, and avoided her gaze.

"Get a boyfriend and I'll leave the scolding to him, with open arms."

"... Says someone who doesn't have a girlfriend," she snorted.

"Let's make this clear, Lou. Not having a girlfriend was my choice – I love deciding how my days go by and doing just that. It's unlike your case where you... well," he laughed as he adjusted his own seatbelt and started the car after.

He flinched and let out a long pained wail when he felt his ears being torned off by the girl beside her.