THE OLD ME BACK

Chapter 50

"Are you already tired, Alesha?"

With so much concerns on his eyes, I tend to smile plainly and nod.

"We can rest there for a while," he points out the long bench that we are about to pass by. It's a 5-meter cemented bench that serves as boundary for the sea waves not to pass through the roadside.

"But I can still walk even if I'm a little bit exhausted," I insist while I'm keeping the strands of my hair on my forehead to be behind my ear. It's already windy that the sea breeze passes through is soothing our skin.

"Are you sure of that? Perhaps we can be there in downtown later this evening," he suggests.

"But we can be there as early as we could so that we can go home early," I still insist which makes him nod for multiple times.

"That's what you say so," he utters while still looking at me. "Your want should be prevailed, my beautiful Alesha."

Then he winks at me with a smile characterizing by malice. By this, due to my surprise,
my hand abruptly taps his chest which causes him to burst into laughter. How could he wink that way like he's trying to convey malicious thought?

Gosh, is he trying to attempt if I am that easy to get?

"I find you unattractive in that wink you did," out of nowhere I comment on him, which forces him to look at me to figure out the reaction of my face.

"Well, I will accept that criticism. You really look and treat me as unattractive guy," he says that causes me to be guilty based on the tone of his voice.

"Are you mad at me then because of that?"

"Why would I be?" He asks, which the curve of his lips starts to form. "That's what most girls usually do just to deny her feelings not to go deeper."

"Not at all, okay?" I defend right away.

"I used the word 'most'. I may never know, you're one of them," he says that while his smile can't be faded out already on his lips. Gosh, I hate him smiling that way. What's that thing is he trying to prove?

"You're supposed to be mistaken by this part. I'm different," I enlighten up regarding my side. "Anyway, how could you say that? Do most girls really do that usually just to deny their feelings?"

"Based on my observation," he answers. "I have no girl friend yet, even just once, but that's what I usually observe from girls to the guys they encounter with to make it not so obvious."

"I don't know, but here, I'm just telling the truth," I speak up with no hint of manifestation. "Winking the guy's eye is not an attractive thing to me. Seriously."

"I hope there's an exemption from that, but don't worry Alesha, I'm not into winking my eyes. I just did it once to a girl I'm falling in love with. Haha!"

"Oh really? Should I be lucky by that?"

"You're really serious, huh?" He taps my shoulder afterwards. "By the way, we're already here. What's the first we should get entered? That mall?"

"Sure," I shortly answer while controlling myself not to laugh even just a bit because he's going to be triggered now. He can't really go with my seriousness! How poor he is in that thing. Bwahaha!

We enter now in the mall, attempting my hand to be held by him but I refuse it because there are many students who suddenly lay their attention to us. I don't want to make issue at the same time. Although their opinions to me is not anymore important, but just the idea of holding my hand by him is not a good thing to happen for me.

But here he is, he unconsciously holds my hand as he leads the way to one spot I think we're going to go. And I'm right, he wants us to be here in the stuffed toy section.

"Choose whatever you want and I'll buy it," he dares me as he is holding now his wallet. "No price limit."

Because of this, I remember way back when Hanky got me here and he also wanted me to pick anything I want.

"I'm not in a mood. I'm sorry, I can't decide which is to be picked." I tell to him honestly, but to my shock, he picks something I never expect. It's not a stuff toy but a turban coming from the other section beside it.

"Let me put it on your hair," he says while he's fixing it now on my forehead. "I think it suits on you."

"Oh, thank you. Do you really think so?" I ask after facing on the human-sized mirror. A cloth-made turban appeared to be floral is now on my hair that keeps the curly strands not spreading out compared before.

"Yes, do you like it?"

"Somehow, yes," I respond honestly. "But thank you for this. I'll treasure it."

"No problem. By the way, just be here. I'll buy first ice cream for us."

"Sure. Go ahead." I'm still looking at the mirror when I see its reflection that he already goes towards the Sweets Section. While I'm moving the turban up of my forehead, some girls approach me with glares and poker face.

"How fortunate is this girl to be with one of the members of Boylight," says by one of them, then she gets her arms crossed. "I can't help but to think if she charms our baby boy. What do you think?"

"She's an ancient girl trying to live in a modern world. By that, she will never be suited to Denzel."

"You know what sis, she looks like Alesha. But I know she's not. She just wants to copy her because she might think she would be liked by our baby Denzel. Do you agree?"

Sighing deeply, I make sure that I still have the composure even if the way how they look at me is a kind of underestimation.

"Very much, sis. She's really far from her. The way how she dresses herself up, it's kinda poor and out of style."

Gosh. They really don't know what they are talking about.

I glare at each of them while they're talking about me right in front of me. Argh, where did they get the guts to talk against someone who is already standing in front of them? Why don't they tell it to me directly?

"Are you done?" I ask seriously, with my glares don't stop darting at them.

"And where the hell you wanna go? You can't escape us, ancient girl."

"I just want to go with my suitor," then I look at Denzel who is already getting near on us. "Is there any problem with that?"

"Really? Your suitor? Are you kidding?"

I sigh and try smiling at her naughtily. "Do I look like having more time here not to be serious? It's up to you if you believe. I don't care, anyway."

I'm about to walk out when one of them grabs my hand that makes me turn to her again.

"Gosh! Let go of me, could you?!" I'm getting mad already while making ways for my hand to be free from her tight grip.

"Who are you to act like that to us, huh?" She lifts her eyebrow up and others roll their eyes upward. But Denzel is on timing that he grabs the girl's hand away from mine.

"What's the matter? Why are you all doing this to her?" He asks, so much obvious that he is after his breath because he runs hurriedly towards us.

"Wake up, baby Denzel. You are just a victim of her enticement."

"Pardon?" He unbelievably asks upon crossing his eyebrows to each other. "Everyone could possibly like her, even guys out there, no matter what she looks like, because I know she's still beautiful and smart. She's none other than Alesha Dizon, my soon-to-be girlfriend."

"WHAT?!"

All of their jaws suddenly drop out of shock. Now, tell me, am I really how you all think of me I am?