Love Unfolding

KAILEEN ANDY LEWIS

One Week Later

I was in my apartment that evening by the living room, tuning my ukulele when Donna came rushing in. I don"t even have to open the door for her, she just barged in; she knows my pin.

She sharply glared at me with both of her hands on her hips.

"What did you do?" She asked.

"Did what?" I feigned ignorance.

"Lea, Lea has dropped out of school." She bluntly said.

I wryly smiled, "And what does it have to do with me?"

"Andy!" She lifted her voice.

Oh right, she"s throwing me sharp gazes, pressuring me to spill the beans.

Really, Donna sometimes reprimands me more than my own mother.

"I really did not do anything." I denied.

She walked closer to me then her eyes went round as she gaped in disbelief as her eyes laid on something.

"s.h.i.t"

"The portrait"

The portrait I maid for Lea was hanging uncovered. I plan to deliver it to her tomorrow through a carrier.

And as much as I don"t want anyone to see it, much more to Donna but I didn"t know she would be coming rushing to me tonight.

Well, I drew it beautifully though just that… not with Lea"s happiest face nor with her sweetest smile; I drew her in her pitiful state "that" night.

I automatically covered the portrait with a sheet I grabbed nearby then turned to Donna looking really really guilty.

She slumped herself to sit on the couch.

"I heard their businesses plummeted down."

"Did you have anything to do with that too?"

I didn"t say anything anymore. She knows me anyway. I just stand by the window looking outside.

I know I went too far but this is how I play my game. People closest to me knew that.

I am no saint.

In my family"s world, I may be quiet but I am not blind.

More so, I am no idiot in my family"s business either. Though I am more like a shadow lurking around, I have all the information I need.

I also have people I could trust and I know some who I shouldn"t.

I am more of a bystander, but it doesn"t mean I can"t do a thing or two.

I am a wolf in sheep"s clothing.

So if you are testing my waters, you better know how to swim.

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

ERIKA LEIGH PARLAM

Three Days Later

I was feeling uneasy for a while now. I kept on glancing at Andy if I could get the chance between our lessons and sometimes I purposely tried anything to get her attention hinting something but she seemed not know or remember anything.

And I was more frustrated when she bid her goodbye around four in the afternoon ditching one of our remaining lessons.

"Why the long face?"

I lifted my head and saw Donna. She sat across me. I invited her for a cup of coffee around six.

"Tonight is supposed to be our first month in relationship." I uttered sounding sorrowful.

"But the idiot didn"t seem to remember it at all."

"Oh," Donna sipped her coffee looking regretful.

"I can"t hold her either because tonight"s her brother"s engagement party." I said lifelessly looking so d.a.m.n down.

But Donna choked and coughed with that.

"Is that so?" She asked but somehow I can sense that she was holding a laugh.

I didn"t give importance to it, I"m so down to bother with it, I just tossed her some tissue.

I only sighed stirring my coffee blankly then.

"When timing isn"t in my side, really."

"Tsk"