Love Unfolding

KAILEEN ANDY LEWIS

A week has pa.s.sed since then and also, I only have a week remaining in my job at the restaurant.

It"s about to end.

"yahoo"

But there"s someone pestering me every night in my office just by his presence. He has never missed a night coming over doing nothing but steal glimpses of Claire.

"Why are you here again?" I whined as soon as Kevin walked into my office.

He smirked, "As if I"m here for you."

He comfortably sat on the chair and noticed someone standing by the window.

"Hi Kev," Donna greeted as soon as their eyes met.

"Oh, you"re here," he snapped then her attention shifted back to me.

"Just ask her out already," I said while groaning.

I was talking about him asking Claire.

"As if that easy," he answered.

"Oh, I didn"t know you are this slow," I mocked.

"Slow your a.s.s," he glared.

"Make a move already," I insisted.

"She"s a catch," I added then I blurted a suppressed laugh.

As though catching on my gist, he shot me a sharp glare. Then leaned his back and groaned.

Well, that was the exact same words he said to me way back the time I went home after the first day of my cla.s.s" field trip.

That was the time he kissed Erika"s hand in front of my cla.s.smates that I ran home by evening to give him a beating.

"So, you just ate your own words huh," I pressed on to annoy him.

"hahaha"

"Didn"t you say you"ve got a lot of girlfriends in your lap?" I continued still with a mocking tone.

"Then why can"t you ask Claire the same way you did to them?"

"Is Claire any different?" I wiggled my brow playfully.

My brother didn"t say a word, he occasionally glared at me then groaned after.

"hahaha"

He inhaled deeply then sighed.

"I don"t know how to handle someone"s heart," he finally made a sound.

I grinned, "Are you saying you are scared?"

He didn"t react. He just put his arm in his forehead as he leaned back to his chair.

"Could it be that "scared" is even an understatement?" I pressed on as I smiled mischievously at him.

"Being scared makes you know it"s real, you know—" I still pressed on.

He turned his head to glare at me again and I just answered that with a wiggling brows.

"hahaha"

"Are you saying I"m in love?" He asked in annoyance.

I laughed, "Who knows, maybe?"

"That"s why ask her out and see for yourself."

He sneered.

"If not, why are you so worked up anyway?" I added then smirked.

By then, both our attention shifted to Donna as we heard a mocking chuckle from her.

She then rolled her eyes as soon as she met our gazes and smiled mischievously after.

Well, I knew her. So, there must be something.

"What?" She asked as both Kevin and I eyed her.

"Spill the beans already," I commanded.

She chuckled again, "Nothing."

"It"s just that— you two are really siblings."

"There"s no denying it, "d.a.m.n two idiots", " she added.

I gasped in disbelief of what I was hearing but then the door flung open and Claire walked in.

She stopped halfway and curiously ran her gaze at each of us.

"Did I interrupted something?" She asked.

"No," I immediately answered.

"Great timing, my brother here will go over with the doc.u.ments in my behalf as I will head out for the night."

Kevin threw me a quizzical look.

"I have a date with my friend here," I pointed to Donna.

Well, that was true. I really have plans with Donna but Kevin"s taking over my work isn"t part of it. I just spurted it out that moment.

"You"re dating your bestfriend?" Kevin asked in a high tone.

"Yes," I answered proudly.

"I"m not like— some of those people forgetting their bestfriend when they"re in a relationship," then I stuck out my tongue at him moved myself away from the table and grabbed Donna out the door leaving him with Claire.

"hahaha"

[**********]

I was humming a tune as I drive.

"So where are you taking me this time?" Donna asked.

"Secret," I answered without taking my eyes off the road.

She clicked her tongue, "The last time you took me out on a date was when I looked like a beggar dining in a three star Michelin restaurant."

"shoot"

I hysterically laughed as I remembered that.

"Not this time Donna," I uttered between my laugh.

"We"ll go eat street foods tonight."

And so we did.

"hahaha"

The ride was quiet far "cause no street foods in the heart of the city but it"s worth it.

We walked, we ate, we laughed not minding anyone. We"re just being ourselves.

Donna is the kind of friend who you can drag anywhere you wanna go and there"s me: likewise, anytime of the day and any time of the night.

And so here, she"s dragging me to eat some foreign foods this time. But most of the ones she suggested I blatantly rejected.

Hence we fought, we bicker, we challenge each other to the point that seemed like in a provoking fashion but that"s what exactly makes it fun— then we reconcile like d.a.m.n idiots.

"hahaha"

"I can"t eat more," Donna groaned as she caress her stomach.

We were seated in a bench nearby.

"Who said you can eat like there"s no tomorrow?" I sneered.

She laughed.

"Thanks for the treat," I said taking a side glance at her.

"Please don"t remind me," she groaned again.

Right, I didn"t have a cash on me so she end up paying for everything.

"poor Donna"

"hahaha"

A silence pa.s.sed us, we both just stared up in the starry sky.

"Remember Terry?" I broke the silence.

"Claire"s mom," I clarified.

Donna just hummed and nodded.

"She"s once a street food vendor at the park near the restaurant."

Donna didn"t say a word for a moment. She just stared at my side face.

"Wow, and she owned a fancy restaurant now," she stated, more like talking to herself.

"I was a regular customer back then," I continued.

"…until my senior years and then I gave her a hand to put up the restaurant."

Donna whipped her neck to me with a dropped jaw.

I just laughed, "Well, I just gave her a hand until I thought she can handle it herself and look at it now."

Donna exhaled loudly, "I shouldn"t be surprised "cause it"s you."

I smiled, "I"m planning to do that again to someone though."

Donna"s brows met and threw me a confused look.

"But this time, I think it"s a little bit challenging," I added.

"… the convincing I mean, "cause pride won"t let her but still—"

"… but still I think I will win, " I smiled widely convincing Donna that I"m d.a.m.n serious of the matter.

"I just want her to get back to her feet." I added.

Donna sneered again while shaking her head sideways.

"I can"t believe you"re doing this," she stated.

"And who"s that "lucky" girl?"

"I"m not telling," I smirked as I side glanced her.

"I"ll tell you when I finalize things up."

Again she sneered.

"hahaha"

"Enough of other people, we"re on a date so we should talk about us," I shifted the topic.

She raised her brow, "What about us?"

I got up on my feet, "Everything..."

"We"re on a date, if we talk about other people, it"s like a date with a girlfriend talking about exes."

She snorted, "So you"re now a dating expert?"

I rolled my eyes.

Donna got up too, " So what about us?"

"…like we can talk about absolutely anything without judgement?"

I eyed her, "Y…yeah, like that."

"…like you— cracking lame jokes and then accusing me of not laughing at it?"

"Hey," I whined.

I could sense that she"s toying at me.

"… like you"re the problem solver without expecting anyone to return the favor?"

I raised my brows, "Am I?"

She chuckled then nodded.

"…like you"re the ever humble person there is? Down to Earth; meek but not weak?"

I smiled, my heart flutters for all the kind words she"d said but I masked it with grumpiness.

"Hey, why is it all about me?" I complained.

She laughed, "Fine, now tell me about me."

I rubbed my chin as though thinking deeply then I twitched a smile.

"You are awesome—" I plainly said and she stared at me antic.i.p.ating more but I don"t plan to add more.

So after a while of waiting—

"That"s it?" She disappointedly asked.

I nodded while mischievously smiling.

She sneered then took off her sandals to throw it at me. Hence, I begun to run.

"hahaha"

"After all the speech I did, you just gave me a word "awesome" ?"

"Come back here idiot!" She shouted while jumping with one foot while I went running away even more.

"hahaha"