Chapter 7

David was a friend she had met in school. Everyone had called him Dave for short and he had also seemed to have preferred it. He had explained to her one time that everyone called him David at home. But Amy had continued to call him David, the one she had become close with before finding out that his family was affiliated with hers. If there was one thing she later learnt about David's family, is that they knew a lot of people.

"No one of interest this time?", their conversation continued back in the living room. She might have overthought it, but Amy thought she caught David's eyes lingering longer than normal on her legs as she raised it to sit sideways on the couch.

He chuckled lightly. "No. No one"

"Uh-uh", she said in disbelief.

"Believe it or not Amy. There's no one to fool around with. And hold up, I don't believe I talk about that with you"

"You don't?" she asked teasingly. When it made

him a bit lost for words, she laughed. "You dont", she assured him. "It's more or less like an insinuation. Its kinda hard not to notice it. You know that something that makes your trips very enjoyable" She emphasized the 'very' still smiling teasingly at him and rolling her eyes.

He glanced at her fondly before looking down smiling awkwardly.

Was he that uncomfortable talking about that with her? Amy wondered why.

"Yeah... well it was not my usual trips this time. It was business so couldn't really think of those things "

"I did meet someone funny though. I wonder. Is it a trend for business men to keep long beards"

"What?"

"This man I had a deal with had very long beards. You know me, I have nothing against beards. And I don't mean the kind that can still be considered normal. Worse, he kept stroking it all through the meeting ahhhing and oohing at almost every thing.."

Amy burst out laughing. "At what point does beards become abnormal?"

"I don't know but definitely not what he had on his face".

Feigning seriousness she asked, "Have you seen your father lately? He seems to be going with that trend". David stared at her ready to retaliate until she began to crack up again.

"You know, you are one to talk. I do remember your father also having these beards one time..."

She interrupted him. "No..no. My father's beards are just fine. He keeps them neat and nice".

"I just wonder how hard it was for you not to crack up".

"For the sake of the meeting, I had to endure". He sighed dramatically.

"Now a serious boy eh", she stared at him while he raised both hands up, shrugging.

"When do you plan on going home then?"

He groaned quietly. "I honestly don't know nor do I have any plans to do so soon"

"Huh. Thought you were serious now. So you'll keep avoiding what you know is inevitable?"

"I know I can't avoid them for long okay. Just not yet. I guess I'm not that serious yet", he smiled humorously.

They stayed quiet for a while, Amy staring at a random object, while David watched her. He really did miss her and he hoped to spend as much as he could with her before it would become hard to do so.

"We should meet out next time", Amy said after sometime.

"We could still do that", he said. She smiled softly at him.  "Not today", she said shaking her head.

"I'm actually meeting up with some friends tomorrow night for some drinks. You could come with me", he suggested after a while. "You remember Ava from school right? She'll be there I think with some old friends"

She looked at him. "And you want me at this gathering? I remember Ava but I never spoke to her that much"

"It's fine. It doesn't really matter. The more the merrier and plus, you can meet new people".

"You mean your friends"

"Still new for you". She shrugged in response.

David really was quite different from her. Honestly to herself, it was not a bad idea. She knew David and apparently Ava. She could drink and leave early if she got bored. She made up her mind already but she said said nothing in agreement. And she did not know why, but for some reason the invite had felt like he was trying to provide an escape for something she was not complaining to him about. It peeved her a little but she reasoned that he could have been concerned at her suddenly about to get engaged.

After talking some more, David stood to leave. She stood along with him. He moved closer to her and pulled her into another hug. They stood like that for a while.

"I really missed you Amy" He said and she 'hmmmed' in response.

"You smell nice", she could not help but say. She felt him smile against her as they stayed hugging .

"Yh? I got it on the trip". She pulled away and stared at him.

"Hm. And what did you get me?"

He put his hands in his pockets smiling and then brought out a small jewellery box. "I... got you this".

He placed the box in her hands and Amy let out a quiet sound, surprised at the pair of earrings inside. Amy had been joking about the gift but if she would have expected anything, it was definitely not earrings. They were not new to exchanging gifts, but David had never gifted her jewellery. And she had started to think that it was perhaps something that was meant different, maybe a bit more special for him. It made her a little awkward accepting it but she also could not bring herself to reject it either. She knew that it would hurt him if she did that.

She smiled at him, "It's nice. Thank you"

"Let's see more often yeah. Before you get completely stolen away"

"Back at you. You left for two months and look what happened. I'm engaged"

"Yes... yes you are". He cleared his throat. "See you later then"

He moved in to peck her on the cheeks before leaving.