To All The Girls I've Loved Before - Jenlisa

Chapter 2

Summer, 2007

The Korean girl tightened her grip on the Thai girl's shoulders, then tapped her softly, advising her to slow down.

"The ice cream shop's over there," Ruby Jane pointed to a small store, and although Lalice couldn't really see her arms she intuitively looked towards the same direction and saw what her friend was referring to. She parked the bike on a vacant wall and followed Ruby Jane inside, who has already bought two sandwich creams for them. They settle on a railing near the streets instead of the store's dine-in options so they can watch people outside.

"Wait, so you're saying when boys annoy you they like you?"

"That's what Mindy said."

It's the middle of the month and the girls have been going around the neighbourhood again to pass time. Lalice was worried about flying back for the summer wondering if their friendship would change, but she found that picking things up with Ruby Jane felt just like a home you've left for a year – as cosy and as familiar.

Ruby Jane's mom also bought her daughter a cruiser bike after finding that Lalice has been doing most of the work for the two of them, but Ruby Jane refused to ride it, saying she prefers being Lalice's passenger on the back of her bike.

Lalice preferred it, too, but she wouldn't tell her that. She adored the way the Korean is clingy to her and would do everything to sustain that.

Lalice frowned on her ice cream. "That's probably not true."

"That's what Mindy said."

"That's stupid."

"You're young. You wouldn't know."

"I'm only one year younger than you!"

Ruby Jane shrugged her shoulders. The girl has gained half an inch of height against the Thai this year but still hasn't lost her chubby cheeks. Lalice has taken to them fondly, especially when the girl pouts.

"But we're still older. And Mindy's had two boyfriends and she says boys like you but they just don't know how to tell you, so they annoy you instead."

"That's not what I feel when I annoy my classmates," Lalice retorted defiantly. "It just means I want to annoy them because I don't like them and they're annoying."

Lalice hasn't fully improved her vocabulary this year, but Ruby Jane's not critical. It doesn't mean she won't let it slide, however.

"So, you don't like me?"

Lalice stopped eating her ice cream.

"Why would you say that?"

Ruby Jane shrugged again as she licked through the ice cream sandwich. "You annoy me all the time."

Lalice pouted, hiding a small blush creeping up on her cheeks. "That's not true at all."

Truth is, the Thai liked annoying the Korean because she always does this small pout before she hits Lalice's arm playfully. She enjoyed making her laugh and adored her small fake outbursts. And since she's at this age that she's less eloquent with communicating, she latches on to doing the things she knows can make Ruby Jane laugh—and, to Ruby Jane's mild displeasure, repeats it.

Constantly.

"Then why do you annoy me?"

Lalice ignored her pointedly, focused on licking her ice cream. Ruby Jane then grabbed her wrists and got on her ice cream, refusing to be ignored.

"Hey!"

"Mine's finished, I want more."

"Then buy another!"

"But I want yours, it tastes better."

"They're the same ice cream!"

"Yours is better!"

Lalice gasped when Ruby Jane insisted on another lick on her ice cream sandwich. She knew her friend's just teasing her at this point.

"Why are you annoying me?" Lalice squeaked a whine instead of actual words, but it didn't really matter. Ruby Jane knew what they meant anyway. She pressed her sticky fingers on Lalice's cheeks, forcing her into an exaggerated pout.

"Because you're so cute when you're angry." Ruby Jane made a pouty face along with her. After the Korean dropped her hand, Lalice's small pout remained unwittingly, giving Ruby Jane a satisfied chuckle.