Chapter Six

It was Saturday and since we had a weekend holiday at school, Carla suggested that Noah and I should hang out. We both were reluctant at first until Katy started to persuade us too. So, today Noah and Kyle were taking me 'somewhere,' I didn't know where. Kyle told that it was a surprise, so I was pretty excited about it. Noah and I desperately wanted Kyle to tag along because we both dreaded the awkwardness of being alone.

Obviously Katy and Jack had been already informed by Carla about where we were going. Jack flirted a lot with Katy and she too responded positively either by flirting back which happened rarely or blushing which she always did. Jack and Katy made such a cute couple and I knew that they would go further with their blossoming relationship. It was an instant physical attraction and something more.

Eight months ago, Katy and her ex-fiance were going to be married when Katy caught him red-handed sleeping with some elderly woman. He wasn't even drunk when he was caught. We later discovered that he had promised marriage to the other woman also, since she inherited a good amount of property.

God knew with whom he would have finally ended up exchanging vows, but after he was caught both the ladies dumped him for good. A police report was also filed against him by the elderly woman as he cheated on her too. We tried to convince Katy to file a report against him, but she denied, being the saint she was. I still remembered her crying continuously on my mother's lap for hours. My mum even arranged her a trip to Indonesia and after the trip she did get a bit better, but now with Jack, she was beaming blithely.

I was really happy seeing that Katy finally got over her ex and was now open for love. Jack seemed a good guy who was in his mid-thirties unlike Katy who was twenty eight years old. But as people would say, age didn't really matter in love especially between these two.

* * *

"Carla, why is Kyle not coming with us?" I rasped and she smiled apologetically.

"He suddenly complained of a stomach ache, but denies to go to the doctor and says that he needs some rest. Maybe he ate a lot of peanuts. I told him not to."

I looked down at my feet dejectedly. From the corner of my eye, I could see Noah mouthing something to his mum, but I didn't get what. Maybe he was asking her to get rid of me since Kyle was no longer accompanying us.

Noah was resembling some serious Greek God cliché comparison in his plain, deep blue t-shirt and khaki pants, his t-shirt the same colour as his eyes. His hair was tousled and some strands of his dark brown hair were falling on his eyes. On the other hand, I looked like a peasant in my shapeless, stiff jumpsuit which even a three year old wouldn't wear nowadays. My wig was carefully tied into a high ponytail by Katy and my thick-rimmed glasses giving me a perfect look like my English teacher.

"You guys should leave now. It's fine if Kyle doesn't tag along with, you two can have fun," Carla said cheerfully and I uncomfortably drew circles on the ground with my toe peeking from my slippers.

"Er . . . We can always go later though, then we can even take Kyle along with us," I suggested and cracked a smile.

"Oh, don't bother about Kyle," she said and waved dismissively. "You'll like the place so much that you'll insist on going there everyday. Right, Noah?"

Noah just nodded and I opened my mouth to protest, "If you say so . . . But we can go--- "

"Come on," Noah cut me off and when I turned around, he was already seated in his car. His eyebrows were knotted and he looked irritated as quickly walked towards the car.

He tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel and his jaw was clenched tightly. He was getting mad, so without wasting much of his precious time, I quietly placed the picnic basket on the back seat and sat beside Noah without uttering another word.

Katy had insisted me to have lunch with Noah and so did Carla. The lunch consisted of sandwiches, prune cupcakes and lemonade, nothing fancy. I was quite surprised with Carla and Katy's strange behaviour when it came to Noah and me. It was like they were plotting to forcefully make us go out together.

As Noah drove the car out of the gate, I looked up at his room's French windows and saw Kyle smirking at us. My eyes widened and I blinked rapidly at the small figure. Kyle immediately hid behind the curtain when he I caught him smirking at us. That little devil! How could he have lied about being sick? Noah looked up too and glared at his little, mischievous brother.

"He pretended of being sick," I blurted out and Noah suddenly turned rigid.

"How did you know . . . " he trailed off in a low voice and covered it immediately by clearing his throat. "I mean why do you think he is doing this?"

"Well, he . . . erm . . . denied to go to the doctor and I-I caught him with that same naughty smirk, you know," I explained while stuttering awfully.

"I don't know what you're blabbering about," Noah muttered and continued to drive which made me turn silent and my cheeks scarlet in embarrassment.

Noah chuckled softly and it made me furious this time. My blood boiled and my hands were itching to touch him, to feel his soft hair, to . . .

No, I wanted to hit him hard!

It seemed like he read my mind because then he stopped laughing. He smiled at me innocently, flashing his adorable dimples. My temporary rage disappeared and I foolishly smiled back at him. Oh boy, dimples were my weakness. But my smile immediately vanished when he started laughing again.

"Oye, why are you laughing again and again? You are pissing me off!" I yelled and my hands balled into fists.

"I should have clicked a picture when you turned all pink," He said and I bit my bottom lip. I couldn't be blushing and make it evident that I already like him, right?

He leaned towards me ever so slightly, his eyes never leaving the road, but due to his close proximity, I felt myself blushing again.

He continued chuckling and pointed out, "Got you!"

"No, this is unfair! Stop teasing me!" I whined and huffed. He didn't say anything for a while, but then he parked the car in one corner. He turned towards me and I ignored his gaze to look around at the deserted street. "Where are we--- "

"Hush, you'll know soon strawberry," he whispered and got out of the car, leaving me bewildered and in wonder.