Butterswap

11

"Oh my god, Holland, you're going to really have to crane your neck to see the top."

"Ha. You're so funny I forgot to laugh." I whacked his arm and he yelped, playfully jumping away from me. We exited the car. The driver would come back to fetch us in two hours.

"Wow." I marvelled at how big the glass structure was. "It really is damn tall."

"Who would have thought the tallest structure on the planet could be this tall." He added sarcastically.

"Quick, Keenan, snap a picture for me." I handed him my phone.

"I can't capture the top of the building without cropping you out."

I pursed my lips and glared at Keenan.

"Gosh, you're so annoying."

"I'm joking. One, two, three!" I smiled freely as the camera clicked. I looked around, the wind blowing my hair softly around my face and closed my eyes. I wanted to remember this moment forever. I wanted to be able to feel the same kind of freedom again one day.

"Your turn." I pushed Keenan in front.

"Say cheese!"

"Cheese." He said unenthusiastically.

We walked around for a bit, admiring the architectural designs of the buildings surrounding the Burj Khalifa.Comfortable silence settled between us as we took in the views. We walked into one of the malls. My eyes widened.

"Oh my god!" I rushed into a store and picked up a floral designed sneaker. I've had my eye on it for a long time.

"What's your shoe size?"

I stared at Keenan dumbfounded as he snatched the shoe from my hands. He crouched down to remove my current pair before fitting in the sneaker.

It fit.

"Alright. Could you wrap this pair up?" He said to the nearby sales lady. She nodded.

"I-"

"I'll get it for you."

I was stunned.

Keenan walked to the counter before paying for the expensive pair of sneakers.

"What the-"

"Don't look so surprised. I'm a thief so when I sell items I steal, I get money. I may not have as much money as you, but I still have quite a bit of it." Keenan winked at me as he carried the bag. "Let's go."

I was still speechless.

He bought the both of us cotton candy ice cream as we walked back to where the car was going to pick us up. However, Keenan's sudden niceness had me truly and utterly baffled.

"Oh, look." Keenan tapped me on the shoulder and I turned. I gasped and my eyes widened.

"Wow." The orange, yellow hues from the sun reflected off the many glass panels of the surrounding buildings. I scrambled to pull my phone out from the bag to capture a photograph.

"Just enjoy it." Keenan murmured.

I blinked and relaxed.

I squinted at the light. We stood in the middle of the pathway with office workers rushing around us to get home to their families for dinner. Keenan had his eyes closed, his lips pulled into a smile. He let the sunlight shine on his face, casting a bright red hue on his features. I closed my eyes and did the same, enjoying the heat and light behind my eyelids.

Suddenly, I was pushed by yet another rushing man. I slipped and held on to Keenan's shirt. Keenan's eyes snapped open as he caught me in his arms. He held me in his embrace for few seconds and I made no moved to pull apart. I could feel his heart thumping beneath my palm, under his shirt. The bag containing my sneaker had dropped to the floor, ignored. His hands were supporting me, gripping my waist. I had the intense desire to tip toe and lean forward, for god knows what reason.

We sprang apart when a bicycle whizzed past us, the cyclist ringing the bell. I smoothed my hair down, trying to calm my frantically beating heart. Why was my heart beating so quickly? Stupid disease...

"Are you falling for me?" Keenan smirked.

Trust him to come up with a joke at this time.

"You wish." I squeaked. Thankfully, our car pulled up beside us on the main road. I heaved a sigh of relief and we clambered in.

"Is there something you've done that you're actually secretly proud of?" Keenan cut the awkward silence between us.

"Well, I topped my class a few times last year."

"Aw, come on, Holland."

"I've snuck out of class before-"

"Good job!"

"-to go to the library to borrow books I'd forgotten for class."

I winced.

"Wow." He facepalmed. "At least we both know that you would have been able to be an amazing lawyer once you graduate." He shrugged.

"What about you? What's your most embarrassing moment?"

"Heh, probably getting caught in your house that night." He admitted sheepishly.

"You've never gotten caught in the act?"

"Nope. That's probably my greatest accomplishment." He snickered.

"Then what's your second most embarrassing moment?"

"I was walking home from another one of my successful escapades." At this, he winked at me. "When suddenly an old woman began waving at me. She smiled and had her arms wide open. Of course I didn't want to be rude, so I went forward to return her hug. She screamed bloody murder and a pair of cops down the road came up to me. First time I got called to a police station, not for theft but for the outrage of modesty." He rolled his eyes. "Turns out she thought I was her daughter coming home for dinner, but realised she got it wrong when she felt my, you know."

I guffawed in the seat and snorted out some incoherent words I couldn't even understand myself.

"That's so stupid!" I finally got out.

"Tell me about it." He sighed but joined me laughing. "What's the dumbest thing you've ever done?"

"Oh God, I still remember till this day how I called my professor 'mum' when I wanted to ask a question. It was so embarrassing." I whined, dragging my hand down my face.

"There, there. I'm pretty sure everyone's done that before." He patted my back as he snorted. I sighed, my face has gone all red on me.

We stopped in front of the hotel and I tipped the driver.

"I could have driven you." He grumbled. I snickered.

We went up to our room to get showered and changed. Keenan suggested room service for dinner but I insisted on the diner buffet that started at seven thirty.

"It's our last night anyway." I said sadly.

I crashed immediately after an amazing dinner, sleep taking over my whole body. I could hardly process the words Keenan was saying. I think it was along the lines of goodnight.