Chapter 4: Spilled

The star of the night sat on the poolside, softly paddling her feet on the water. Mea felt uneasy with the way Deuss stared at her. She could feel it even without glancing twice at him. But she’s thankful she hasn’t made a move, unlike Kent.

“So. You really have this side.”

Mea sighed. “Yes, one more question and I’ll stitch your lips shut.” Too bad she stopped at yes and continued the rest in her imagination.

She’s holding on to Renee’s lectures. The next few days will be her polite days. “Don’t keep asking the same thing,” she said kindly instead.

A smile formed on Kent’s face and sat closer to Mea. “I have another question.” Mea never heard him talk in that voice before—a whisper, more like a low growl, coming in stronger than he looks. Maybe he’s showing his true colors now. She listened but pretended not to be inquisitive.

“What if you date me?”

Mea suppressed her laugh, but a giggle slipped out. The moment seemed ridiculous for Mea. “What are you saying?” she asked simply, but in her mind, she could decline him with a ‘Fuck no.’

“You like the thought, you laughed like that. Shy. But blushing,” Kent noticed and folded his arms on his chest, feeling the pride on successfully making a girl blush.

Oh no. “No way,” she said and looked at him disturbed. She looked too defensive immediately, and Kent more so believed that Mea desired it but was playing hard to get. Oh no.

Again, Kent winked at her. If he’s going to wink every day for the rest of the vacation, then Mea will convince herself that he has a disorder.

She turned her head and searched for her friends for help. She has zero mastery with flirting with men, what more with turning them down. At her college parties, the guys that tried to reach close to her were manageable to block; they only gave compliments that she could swiftly accept as a friend. But nobody came with a question as straightforward as Kent. This was her first time on a direct attempt, and she needed help with the ladies that lived their lives breaking hearts. 

Mea saw the three girls in the pool. Pamela and Renee were in the water while Mary Ann was on a pink donut float. 

Paul Sohan was on the side of the pool too, with his body submerged in the water as he held himself up. He didn’t seem like he can swim yet. 

Mea caught Erric looking at her, and he did not turn away. He sat on a recliner near where Paul Sohan is. His hair was wet, dripping, and pitched even darker than a moonless night. With a sight such as an art that stares deeply at you, it feels like a sin to not gaze back in awe.

“Focus on me.” She returned her attention to Kent when she felt him hold her hand. “We’re the nearest ones together, you know,” he said in that voice again, sounding eager and looking reassuring in his eyes.

He kissed her knuckles. Mea felt weird on even trying to figure out whether what she felt were butterflies or cringe. Kent’s ways are absolutely opposite of what she expected. He wasn’t giving her a chance to pull away either as he entwined their fingers. “They fit,” he said.

“You talk to all girls like this, don’t you?” Mea asked. It was a need to remind herself that this man seeming to make her feel special has made all other girls feel equally special. Too many special things result in averageness, not really unique.

Kent only laughed at her. “Jealous already?” He convinced himself immensely that Mea was affected but shy, just like the women he caught before her. They gave him this sense of satisfaction that he might not be a hot hook at first sight, but if he tries, he could drag them into him. A Kent Lin’s efforts are certain. “I’ll get you a drink, alright?” he said, which Mea presumed was in the attempt to escape the question.

“Mea.”

She flinched at the sudden splash of cold water on her body. “Renee!”

They had always done this – at swimming class, batch outings, and Renee’s vacation plans like this one. She would always catch one of them busy and suddenly either splash them with water or pull them down the pool. None of them feels mad right after, maybe because of the charm of long friendships and the fitting vibe.

“So, how’s the first flirt of the night?” she asked and sat beside her.

Mea taps her upper body with her towel. “He’s awful. Too full of himself.”

“Then you do something with that.”

“It’s his problem.” She took her phone from the matt behind her, a safe distance from the water. “I’d rather practice with online chatting than this, this is horrible.”

Renee grabbed her phone and took a picture of her as she struggled to get it back. “What is wrong with you?” she screamed and stood to reach it, but Renee tiptoed higher.

“Settle down, I’m typing the caption!” she complained, rushing to press her fingertips on Mea’s phone. “Aaaand done,” she said, lowering down her hand and giving her the phone.

Mea caught her breath in puffs and glared at Renee before she snatched her own phone back. Angrily tapping on her screen, she visited her own Gossip profile and saw Renee’s post. It was her photo with an annoyed face and her arms are reaching for the camera.

@itsmecristy: Me when u tease too much

Her jaw dropped. The frustration came worse when she was bombarded with the unending sound of whooshing and the piling up of her requests tab. Gossip’s algorithm is just sick.

And she couldn’t even delete it. It’s part of the app’s features to not delete anything already posted. 

It’s feeling more and more like a dating app instead of a gossiping app. Well, maybe it depends on which posts you see on your feed. Everything’s timing, she guessed.

***

Erric and Paul Sohan joined Thor and Deuss at their table when the Brooks couple left. They must have finished discussing the business.

“Talked about the project?” Erric asked right after he sat and raised his hand to signal on a staff. The girls knew they wanted another round of drinks. It’s all that groups of men order when they sit on that particular spot.

“No. It’s business unrelated,” Thor smirked and drank the last of his liquor.

Deuss kept slowly swirling the wine in his glass. He looked at Thor and spoke, “Maybe you should elaborate.”

Thor looked back at him. “He doesn’t like things like this, you know that.”

“That’s why we need to start on him now. Sooner or later, he’ll need it.”

Thor and Duess have talked like this before – as if Erric wasn’t on the scene. It was about him being homeschooled from his first-grade days to twelfth grade in senior high school. Their parents decided immediately that he must study college online. They sent it on his phone like speaking of a mere fact. Erric did not get to choose; he did not receive any question if he approves or not. There was no negotiation.

Thor, as the man that spent the most time with their parents because of his training as the successor, knew it would be best to follow. On the other hand, Deuss pushed that Erric should learn to socialize with people, which would happen if he’d enrolled in physical classes at a Singaporean University. No matter what he said, they still went on to setting Erric in an online class.

“Talk to me. I got ears here,” Erric said already half upset.

Thor sighed. “Alright.” He signaled a nod on Deuss, making him start the explanation.

“You,” Deuss started, taking his hands off his now-empty glass and folding his arms on the table, leaning forward. “You’re gonna make a move on Renee.”

Immediately, Erric exhaled in disappointment, stood up from his seat, and turned away. 

“He’s kidding, they wanted anyone of us. Of course, you wouldn’t,” Thor slipped in. He had a smile that did not directly depict that he found the joke funny. Erric had seen it before. He hated receiving it—a smile without happiness, flashed only to give a sense of comfort, through pity. They never help; they make him feel helpless. He’s not helpless.

He sat down again but more agitated by Thor’s pity than Deuss’ joke. “So who will?” he asked, trying to hide his irritation down.

“Still thinking about it. I have more options—girls—in families of more fame, a higher business standpoint, and not to mention the extra friends equally as sweet as them. Renee’s not special.”

Thor’s ability to think of having women as business badges always surprises Erric. Thor might need more pity than what he shows his younger brother. The strive to practice economic principles has transformed his thinking. Women are human. You don’t get to pick one depending on how great they would improve your financial status. Erric only wished he could say that right in front of his face.

“Does Renee know this? You said ‘they wanted anyone of us.’ Her parents arranged alone, or did she have a say on this?” 

“No. Mrs. Brooks said Renee doesn’t want to marry. She loves her life right now—all expensive fashion, all grand parties, all little boys.”

Erric scoffed and fixed himself on his seat. “So she plays too?”

Thor clicked his tongue and shrugged one shoulder.

As more time passes, Erric notices that almost everybody plays with hearts nowadays. Our thirst for entertainment is touching things it’s not supposed to be—particularly relationships. Emotions aren’t basketball you could just dribble around, pass onto each other, and shoot at every chance. It’s more than that—sometimes he thinks, so much more that this generation can’t comprehend anymore. God, I sound old.

“I was wondering,” Deuss started. “Do all those four play the same?” He was staring at the four women in the pool. Pamela and Mary Ann were taking turns capturing photos while they sit on the float. Renee and Mea sat together on the poolside, their feet waddling on the water. Kent joined them with a drink for both of them. “Kent’s making his move on Mea. She showed up dazzling today,” Deuss expressed his interest without taking his eyes off the woman. “And her voice a while ago,” he whispered.

Erric was almost certain that his whisper was just Deuss thinking to himself. But what about her voice? He turned his gaze towards her just in time to witness Renee accidentally spilling her drink on Mea—while smiling. He doubted if it really was an accident. She was obviously giving way for the two.

Kent accompanied Mea back inside the lobby, his hand was on her waist.

“My turn,” Deuss said and stood up, ignoring all the staff that just came his way for the next drink Erric asked for. Just a few steps away, he stopped again and looked at Erric, nodding his head and pointing his thumb in the ladies’ direction. He wants him to come.

Erric looked at Thor, he had that look of approval on his face. “Hey, Bud,” he called at Paul Sohan who’s been quietly eating his food while all of them talk about grown-up moments. This isn’t new to him as the youngest sibling, and he would only ask questions that intrigue him or involve him. His brothers are thankful he’s not as spoiled as they thought he’d be—well, except for food. “Why don’t we go food tripping?”

Paul Sohan nodded without complaint. Both of them stood and walked away while Erric followed behind Deuss.

Deuss sighed, “Alright, picking phase. Who’d you want?” he said as they walked towards the pool.

Erric scratched his forehead. “Nobody.” He doesn't want to do this.

“You always say that first. Remember the opening of Pereira Boutique in Singapore? Same question, same answer, but later on you picked Diana, and now you got her stalking you all the time. Admit it or not, you’re a good flirt when you try.”

“You make me sound like Kent.”

“You are, except you rarely try. What, once a year?” he chuckled, jokingly belittling him. Eric was more comfortable with belittlement than support out of pity. He’s not a man of too much pride. He liked laying low, beneath fame and money, just beside physical solitude and a few minutes of dialogue—the kind of conversation he can easily leave if he’s out of energy. That was why he could seem active in social media but not talk to enough people in real life.

“Mary Ann,” Erric finally chose.

“And Renee’s mine. What’s new? All of Thor’s leftovers are mine,” Deuss said. They went on their ways as they planned it.

Deuss walked down the stairs of the pool. “Hey, I could take a picture of the three of you.”

The girls smiled and looked at each other. Pamela gave him the phone and mumbled, “Thanks.” They went to pose on the stairs, each of them sat on the top steps. 

Deuss took only one and Renee frowned; she always wanted lots of pics in case the first one doesn’t look pleasing enough. 

“Why the face?” he asked Renee as he gave Pamela the phone—who started to get busy responding to gossips immediately.

Renee went back to submerge her body into the pool again, beside Deuss, and they started talking. He restrained himself to interrupt her outbreak of information. He’s had notable experience with chatty ladies and practicing to be silent has paid off. That’s how the silent, uncaring type of Deuss was known to the world.

Seated on the side of the pool, Erric stared at Mary Ann who looked at her friends innocently. It was as if she didn’t mind being the only one who isn’t occupied with something, or someone for that matter. Not until he called her name, calmly, with deep concern or curiosity. She couldn’t get what it was, but her name sounded more lovely when it came from his voice.

“Do you want to sit with me?” Erric finally asked.

And Mary Ann—she didn’t know she had a side more silent than she usually was. She kept her lips shut at will, but her mind, the Erric Lin had just shut it off.