“Adam, will Gerald not get mad at you for hanging out with me?”. I am really concerned what might happen of him befriending me. Yeah, Adam is fun to be with but I don’t want to jeopardise his relationship with Gerald.
“Just because I am his bro doesn’t mean I can be your friend”. He smirked, “Plus you love hanging out with me than him.”
“That’s true”, I teased back and let out a small giggle.
He chuckled back but as his eyes met mine, he dropped it into a smile but his honey eyes did not sell it. He shifted his gaze quickly from me to the open sea. “We should really get going”, he said flatly.
I looked at him suspiciously. Why the change of expression? I shook my head pushing this aside. “Come on then let’s go”, I told him reaching out for his shoulder.
“What ar-”, he jumped on his seat lightning fast. “Sorry, come on then”.
I followed him trailing behind him whilst studying his sudden swing of mood. A minute ago, he was all smiles but he quickly acted weirdly. Almost impulsively.
“You’re just like Gerald”, I said before realising what I have just said.
“Who is like Gerald?”, he asked with his back still facing me.
I shook my head and covered my mouth not wanting to blurt things out again. Why did I even say that? I mentally slapped myself for saying thinking of that out loud! But it was true, Gerald’s mood swings were impulsive. I double slapped myself mentally for even thinking of him again.
“You know… trying to forget Gerald is like trying to remember someone you never loved”, he sighed turning his back around to face me in a pained expression.
“What? No…”, I yelped in surprise. “I don’t love... Gerald”, I replied almost whispering.
He shrugged his shoulders ignoring my plea, turned himself around and continued walking.
I remained silent still following him into the car park. I don’t love Gerald like that. But maybe Adam meant was love like a friend? Yes that’s it. Of course that’s what he meant! Yeah… I did love Gerald as a friend. But then again, why was Adam’s face like that? I want to ask him but this day has just been blown everything out of proportion. Right now, I really can’t think of these things. I need to stay focus and check up on Sam now.
“Here it goes”, letting out a deep sigh before hopping into Adam’s car.
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“So this is the place?”, Adam said whilst peering through the car’s window in awe. “I’ve never seen such a place like this in Manila!”
A towering block of flats greeted us as we were driving down into the parking lot. First time I came here, I was gobsmacked as well. It was like a whole new world out here. Grass hedges lined the road with old style street lamps guiding us into the car park. I like the place but not love it. It just does not suit me. Why live in a place like this when you know you’ll see a whole different world within five minutes out of the gates? It was just a microcosm of a dreamed perfect world; it was just the perfect escapism from the truths of life sadly.
“Next time ulit”, I told him unbuckling the seatbelts. “Thanks Adam. Bye!”
“Are you sure?”, he responded. “I can stay if you want?”
Chapter 13
Start from the beginning
