“Mmmm. Not bad,” he mutters to himself, then sits down across the table from us.
I don’t understand what he’s referring to. Is it my lack of clothing style? Compared to Ashley, Carina, and Stacy, I’m like a country bumpkin sitting among the city chicks, what with my purple cardigan and my deep-blue jeans and sneakers.
I’m about to ask for clarification when Zac comes and interrupts me.
“Hey, Loki, why are you crowding over my new friend?”
“Friend?” Loki asks curiously.
“Of course they’re friends.” An Asian guy comes out of nowhere and hogs Zac on the back, which makes Zac swat him on the shoulder. The Asian guy whines but then chuckles at me.
“Hello, Ivy.” He takes out his hand for a shake and smiles at me. “I’m Kai. I happen to be this guy’s best bud, so if you want to know any of his secrets, just ask me. And for the record”—Kai leans closer to me—“he cries like a baby.”
“Get off it,” Zac says shyly, shoving his friend roughly to the side until he’s now sitting next to me. “Don’t believe him, Ivy. I don’t have any secrets, and I don’t cry like a baby.”
I only shake my head at their display. The way they interact, they look very close.
While Zac, Kai, and the one named Loki converse with each other across the table, I notice another of their band mates isn’t joining them. He somehow appeared to sit at the head of our booth without me noticing.
I look at him. He doesn’t talk. He only drinks his coffee. Then in a flash, his eyes catch mine, and I flick mine to stare at the empty table in front of me.
When I look up again, he’s still staring at me. His face is serious and stoic like. It’s as if he’s contemplating why Zac has chosen me to be his friend.
I get quite nervous when people stare at me like that, so I look down again. Mandy comes to my rescue and asks him what his deal is.
Zac just chuckles. “Don’t mind Trey. He’s the observant one.”
The three girls following Zac like little cocky hens after a handsome roster come and sit at our table too. They all gather around him, pushing me even farther into the corner.
I watch Ashley, Carina, and Stacy as they pluck some cream and give it to Zac to eat. He looks at me and only opens his mouth wide.
Disgusting. What is wrong with him? Why is he acting so intimate with them if he doesn’t like them?
I turn my eyes from them, and they land on Loki.
“Smile,” Loki says, and before I can even prepare myself, a flash blinds my vision. As I blink away the spots, he hands me the picture.
“Let’s see.” Zac takes the picture from my hand and looks at it before I even have a chance. That Zac, why is he being like this? He even smirks at me and says, “You look funny, Ivy.”
I want to take a look at my own picture, but Zac pockets it. I make a scolding face. I want to ask him why he took my photo, but I can’t get his attention now that he’s gone back to talk to the hens.
After some time, the mood of the café takes on a playful tone. Right now, I’m surrounded by my own clan. I find myself sitting next to Kai, who’s talking to me a mile per minute. My friend Mandy, who was sitting to my right before, is now sitting on the other side, busy gobbling at her carrot cake. Loki sits next to Kai, playing with his camera. Zac and his hens are on the other side of the table, facing me. At the end of the table is Trey, who still continues to stare at me in his own weird way once in a while.
“Aren’t you eating anything, Ivy?” Zac asks out of the blue.
I shake my head. It’s not that I’m not hungry, but I’m trying to save money for more important things, like going to university or buying Zac that shirt I owe him.
Zac, as if noticing my dilemma, shouts to everyone that whatever we want is his treat today. The hens screech like parrots now, including Mandy. I shake my head, content enough to just wait for them to finish their snacks before Zac can take me home.
When Zac looks at me again, he shakes his head and clicks his tongue while looking at my space on the table, which lacks any food or drinks like the others. Zac gets up abruptly, leaving the hens dumbfounded for a bit, disappearing off to somewhere. I don’t pay him any attention. All I’m thinking is how long it will be before I can go home.
A few minutes pass by as I continue to listen to everyone’s conversation. Then all of a sudden, a glass of ice chocolate is placed in my view, accompanied by little éclairs and bacon and egg pie. Zac also leaves a fork and a knife on either side of the plate. I stare at the food in front of me, mouth watering.
“Eat it,” he says. I turn my eyes to him, and he catches them. We both stare at each other. I try to tell him with my eyes that it’s not necessary to buy them for me. But he doesn’t seem to understand my body language.
I’m about to speak out loud when he invades my personal space, pushing past Mandy. He leans in close—very, very close to me, right in front of everyone. He only stops when his nose is almost touching my cheek, then whispers into my ear, “It’s not polite to refuse your friend’s offering. So eat it.” With that said, he goes back to his seat, staring at me from across the table.
I turn my eyes to look at him again, unsure of whether I should take his offer. My stomach tells me to go for it, but my mind is resistant. Now I owe him for this glass of ice chocolate, éclairs, and the bacon and egg pie. I haven’t even paid him for the shirt I destroyed at the hospital last week.
Zac only nods at me, his eyes indicating to eat the food. Without further prompting, my body takes charge and I find myself gobbling down the food in an instant.
After some time, I become quite conscious of the many pairs of eyes staring in my direction. I pull back and look at what is left on my plate.
Was I really that hungry? I can’t believe I almost finished everything on my plate.
I burn bright red. Again, I lost myself to the world of great food. But those éclairs and bacon and egg pie are just too divine. If I had no audience in front of me right now, I would even lick my fingers.
Zac only chuckles as he watches my reaction. “You know, if I had a girlfriend, I would look for someone like you, Ivy, someone with a healthy appetite, not some skinny one who’s afraid to eat.”
I’m busy sucking the ice chocolate, but hearing the word girlfriend and my name in one sentence, I literally choke midway.
It’s a very messy sight. And I’m embarrassed that everyone ends up witnessing it. Even Zac, of all people. I think I’m about to have a heart attack.
Did he really say he wants me as his girlfriend? Don’t be silly, Ivy. Zac said he wants someone like me. I’m only an example.
“Ivy, are you okay?” Mandy rubs my back. I can only blink at her.
“I’m fine,” I finally manage to say. Then I give Zac an icy glare. What is he implying, saying things like that? He’s making me lose my equilibrium.
Zac doesn’t mind my icy ray beaming at him. He looks content, with one hand supporting his chin, smiling at me in his own teasing way, like he’s having so much fun seeing my disheveled state.
Suddenly, I notice the screeching parrots are gone. And when I look around, all the girls who were surrounding Zac before are now lining up to buy more food.
Are they for real? Just because Zac points out they’re too skinny for his taste, they all go to buy more food. Well, so be it. To show I’m upset by the whole event, I decide to stop eating too.
All the girls come back with cheesecake and éclairs and start gorging on their delicacies like there’s no tomorrow. The guys from Zac’s band, Trey, Loki, and Kai, are all laughing at the sight of the girls with cream all over their faces. Mandy and I want to laugh too, but that is just being impolite, so we refrain ourselves.
After a fun adventure of hanging out with Zac’s entourage, I’m finally relieved that our outing has finished and we are now heading home. But in my whole life, I did not anticipate Zac dragging me into his car, leaving his entourage behind. I did not anticipate seeing Mandy
with her mouth gaping open or seeing Zac’s band or the hens as they stare at me with wide eyes.
But that is exactly what happens when Zac says, “Let’s go, Ivy. You’re coming with me. Everyone else, find your own way home.”
Chapter 16
ZAC
Friendship Gifts and Subtle Hints
“Don’t you think Ashley is cute?” I tease Ivy while my eyes are on the road. When I don’t hear a reply, I flick my gaze to her.
Ivy has her arms folded tightly across her chest. She looks seriously pissed off. Her face scrunches up like she’s just eaten something sour. Even with that face, she still looks so cute.
Is she still mad at me for teasing her? Or… can she really be jealous?
Maybe. The more I think about it, the more it’s likely possible. Ashley did never stop hovering around me at Little Café.
Mmmm. I really want to know for sure. So I test Ivy again.
“Come on. Tell me, my dear friend. Do you think Ashley is cute?” I ask in my sweet, teasing voice.
“Why do you want to hear my opinion so much?” She berates at me.
“Because I want to see what my new friend thinks. If she were my girlfriend, would you approve? Then again, Carina is pretty cute too. Who do you like best? Who do you think suits me more? Carina or Ashley?”
“Stop asking me,” she snaps. “Do you enjoy seeing me riled up?”
“Riled up?” I ask in my fake innocent voice. “What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“I don’t enjoy talking about Carina or Ashley.”
“Why?” I ask, smirking. Ivy looks like she’s pouting. When she doesn’t reply, I chuckle again, then ask her the ultimate question. “Is it because you’re jealous?”
“Jealous?” she scoffs, her voice like a dragon breathing fire. “Why would I be jealous? You can like whomever you like. It doesn’t concern me. You should ask yourself who you like, not me. It’s just… I don’t like talking about them. That’s all.”
“Really?” I probe again. “Are you sure it’s not because you’re jealous?”
“Yes.” Then she gives another huff and turns away.
My heart warms. Ivy is so riled up by this conversation that I know she must be jealous. And it’s all because of the subject of my future girlfriend.
My cute little Juliet. She’s so smart when it comes to everything else, but when it comes to the matter of love, she just doesn’t have a clue.
“I was serious, though, when I said I would like a girlfriend who’s not too skinny,” I say matter-of-factly when she starts huffing again. Then I drop in another hint. “Someone like you would be nice.”
Ivy only stays quiet for a little while longer, then turns to look at me. She asks in her quiet voice, a soft tone now, no longer holding that fiery dragon from before, “Are you taking me home?”
“Nope,” I answer immediately, shaking my head. “I’m taking you to Laces, the boutique.”
“Why?” She moans in irritation.
God, Ivy sounds so cute when she moans like that.
I don’t usually see this side of her. I’m glad she sees me as her friend now, because I get the privilege of seeing her act like this. I know if I weren’t her friend, she would never show this cute side of herself.
“Yes, to the boutique. And as for why, you have to wait and see.”
Ivy folds her arms across her chest again and mumbles quietly to herself. “I can’t believe you lied to me again. I thought you were going to take me home. I don’t trust you anymore. I don’t want to be your friend anymore. You’re so mean, Zac.”
I can’t help but laugh. That earns a glare from her.
“What’s so funny?” she asks angrily, her cheeks going red again.
It’s only when my laughter dies down that I manage to let out, “You were mumbling to yourself. You sounded so funny, like a little kid whining. You sounded even worse than Moon.”
“Zac, I am not whining. I’m only complaining because you lied to me. You didn’t keep your promise.”
And then Ivy does something that is so out of character. She starts drumming on my arm. I’m so startled by her reaction that I only laugh even louder.
“Ow! Ow! Stop it, Ivy,” I tell her when the drumming increases in speed and force.
Before, when she declared she didn’t want me as a friend, she would be cautious around me, not allowing me to touch her anywhere, and now of her own free will, she has decided to touch my arm. Even if it’s in her little fit of rage, that still makes me happy. In fact, I’m way over the moon.
“Ivy, stop it.” I chuckle again, acting like a worm, trying to overthrow her maneuvers.
Out of the blue, my common sense strikes back. This is dangerous. Having Ivy lash out her anger at me isn’t a problem, but I’m currently on the road, so I’m afraid if Ivy carries on, I might have a serious accident, what with me hitting a tree before.
I manage to somehow park my car in an awkward angle and hold her fists, stopping her before she causes me to have an accident on the road.
She stops hitting me and starts taking deep breaths. I find my own breath going shallow and have to heave more oxygen into my lungs too.
The air around us turns heavy. My eyes glaze over, taking in her flushed cheeks and wide-open eyes. I stare at her chestnut irises that are dilated and my stare drops down to her pink lips. She pokes out her tongue and licks her lips and then her front teeth bite into her lower lip.
Oh God. I think I’m falling deeper and deeper in love with this girl. Lord help me. Stop me before I commit a crime that goes beyond the boundary of our friendship. Please help me, because I want to touch those lips right now.
I swallow and grit my teeth, willing my hand to let her go. Ivy retreats like a cat who’s just escaped from the clutches of a dog.
“Ivy. Okay, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I laughed at you. I’m sorry I lied to you. But just this once, just trust me. I’ll take you to Laces and then I’ll drop you off home.” When she stares at me with that look of distrust again, her teeth biting her lip, I reassure her. “Seriously, Ivy. Just to Laces and then home. I promise.”
“You’re not lying this time?” she asks me, her eyes wavering.
“Cross my heart.” I smile at her, lifting the heavy atmosphere as I pretend to write a cross on my chest.
Ivy smiles back, and I want to bang my head against the steering wheel then.
God, she’s so cute. I want to kiss her right now. I want to be able to stop time and kiss her to my content.
But time doesn’t stand still for me. A few minutes later, we arrive at Laces. I hold on to Ivy’s hand and take her to the women’s section.
Despite it being called a boutique, there’s nothing small about Laces. Stretching from one end of the block, it covers an entire floor of the Grand Building. One can get lost in this store if one doesn’t know where they’re going.
Dragging Ivy until we’re in the formal section, I pull a few different dresses off the rack. I even make sure to pick out all the beautiful designer ones. Some have laced sleeves and others are sleeveless. I go to another row, pulling on to Ivy’s hand, and select a few smaller mini jackets to go with the sleeveless dresses. Then I dump the whole lot into Ivy’s hands. Ivy looks at me and then at the many beautiful dresses in her hands.
“What are they for?” she asks me.
I chuckle again. “Ivy.” I stress her name softly. “They’re for you. Go try them on.”
“No. I don’t want them. I don’t need them.”
“I’m not asking if you want them or need them. I asked you to go try them all.”
“Are you demanding me, Zac?” She turns her face up to look at me, her own face determined as well. I can tell she doesn’t like to be bossed around.
“Am I?” I ask back.
“Yes, you are.” She drums her feet. “You’re always demanding. That’s one of your traits, Zac. Remember that time you asked me to pick up your crutches off the floor in the hospital. Y
ou demanded me to do it. Wouldn’t it be nice if you inserted some polite manners into your speech?”
Really? Am I always this demanding? And I don’t use polite speech? Gee, my behavior does sound appalling.
“I’m sorry if it came out that way,” I apologize. “Please, try them on.” When she hesitates, I tell her, “It’s a gift, for the start of our friendship.”
“But…”
I know she’s going to refuse me again, so I interrupt her and say instead, “No buts. Go try them on. Pleeeaaasssse.”
It sounds like I’m a dog whining at its owner. But anything to make this girl happy; I’m happy to go along with it.
Ivy nods her head and smiles, then goes into the women’s changing room.
A sales assistant sees me and makes her way towards me.
“Hello. Are you looking for formal dresses for your girlfriend?”
Girlfriend? Wow, she’s smart. I like her already.
“Yes. But I already found some. I’ve given them to her already.”
“Well, do you need anything else? Like a scarf or a belt to go with the dress.”
A scarf. Mmmm. I never thought of a scarf.
The lady assistant takes me to the accessory section.
I fumble around, looking for a beautiful scarf that would match Ivy’s dress. I pick a few and smile at her. “I’ll let my girlfriend try these on.”
She smiles and leads me to the changing room. “Would you like me to pass them to her?”
I shake my head. “It’s okay. My girlfriend likes me to take care of her. I’ll bring these over myself. You can go help someone else. Thanks for these.”
“Oh!” She looks slightly surprised with my comment, but then a smile appears on her face. “What a sweet boyfriend you are. I’m sure she loves you lots.” Then she leaves me to my own devices.
I smile and go to knock on Ivy’s door.
“Ivy. Are you done yet? Can I see?”
“No. I’m still changing,” she shouts back through the door.
Seriously? She’s still changing. I left her for quite some time now and she’s still changing. Does she not want me to see her in these dresses? No way will I allow that. That’s the whole reason I asked her to get changed, so I can see her in these dresses.
Let Me Love You: A Novel Page 15
