"So, cat got your tongue?"
Kavitha broke out of her trance. Kavitha smiled awkwardly her face feeling hot. "Hi! erm, you look nice." Mental face-palm.
Erik grinned, his dark eyes crinkling into a boyish smile. "Well, c'mon!"
Kavitha smiled back, trying to ignore the fact he didn't return the compliment. Well, he didn't have to, right? Well, yes but it would have been nice if he did. "Coming!" She sing-songed as her mom does. Erik didn't seem to recognize she was trying to be funny, he was checking his watch. "The carnival starts in a half-hour, we better hurry. My friends are waiting inside." Kavitha beamed. "Of course! I'm so excited." She bounced on the balls of her feet. Erik, threw his head back and laughed, what are you a bunny?" Kavitha crossed her eyes and nibbles on imaginary lettuce." She looked up expecting Erik to laugh. However, to her surprise, he didn't. That joke always gets her best friends bursting out into laughter. Erik cleared his throat, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Anyways, we better get going." Erik, threw his arm over her bare shoulders, the butterflies in her stomach were crazy. Erik pulled her in close, his fingers adorned on her hair. Kavitha smiled fondly at him. "Let's go." Her voice was soft.
They walked side by side to a red convertible. Kavitha wanted this moment to never end.
As they were walking, Kavitha rose her eyes to see a familiar raven-haired male across the street. Sometimes, Kavitha forgot they are neighbors.
It was a rude awakening. Kavitha saw that Ajith was holding a strange sort of briefcase is his hand. He clicked his car keys and carefully placed his noir case in the passenger seat of his car.
Kavitha furrowed her eyebrows. This was odd. Even for Ajith. Usually, Ajith didn't go outside unless his mom forced him to. It must be something important.
Ajith was about to get into the car when their eyes met. Ajith's eyes were bright though his face was tense. Ajith looked like he wanted to say something but he closed his mouth solemnly and in a seemingly agitated way turned and got into the car, closing the door after him.
Kavitha's mouth felt dry. She deeply wanted to apologize to him. With all her heart. She watched painstakingly as Ajith's car accelerated and drove away.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Kavitha turned back to Erik who was already in the passenger seat in the front row. Kavitha smiled weakly at him. "Sorry, got lost in thought."
Erik laughed teasingly as Kavitha entered the sleek red convertible.
Kavitha instantly smelled some strange cologne. Kavitha instantly wrinkled her nose, She liked Ajith's spicy cologne much better. It reminds her of her mother's cooking. It was much more pleasant-smelling the cologne that resides in this vehicle. She kept thinking this as the driver began to drive the car.
Still thinking about him again. Kavitha sighed wistfully. Perhaps it's because her heart needs her to go apologize to him.
She felt sadness growing in her heart. She turned to the boy next to her. He had dark brown hair that was almost black and sweet almond eyes. He seemed to be Asian-Canadian. Though she didn't know if he was Vietnamese like Erik. Against her better judgment, she meaningfully made eye contact with him.
She smiled at him and reached out her hand. "Hi, I'm Kavitha, call me Kavi. It's such a pleasure to meet you!"
The cordially-haired boy grinned widely, showing a row of perfect teeth. His hand was warm in hers. "The pleasure is all mine."
"I'm Vren! (Vren from Destined!) the boy added cheerfully. Kavitha smiled her warm smile. She knew she was going like Vren.
The boy in the front seat who was driving, turned his head to face Kavitha. He looks like Vren not because he was also Asian but he actually shares the same features. The same wide smile and warm eyes.
Although, he wore clear rimmed glasses similar to Erik and had dyed blond hair with blue tips.
"I'm Vince, the cooler twin brother." the boy introduced profusely with a mischievous smile and a twinkle in his eyes. Kavitha grinned. "Nice to meet you Vince."
Vren stuck his tongue at playfully at his twin. "I'm older, don't you forget that." "By a minute!" Vince retorted. Kavitha chortled graciously. "You guys are quite a pair." "That, we are," Vren observed. 'For sure" Vince said. Kavitha could see his face in the rearview mirror as he shook his head with a gentle smile on his face. "Mmhm." Erik acknowledged.
"So, Kavi what's your thang?" Vince asked, directing the car in a u-turn. Kavitha laughed, he pronounced "thang" with a flair like Erik once did.
"Science", she responded passionately. "More specifically Chemistry." Vince whistled, while Vren smiled warmly at Kavitha. Erik, laughed in a seemingly condescending way. "So you are alike, Vren and Vince are science geeks too."
Kavitha frowned at that comment. However, Vren touched her hand gently. "Science is wonderful. I love chem and physics! I'm like to be a Chemist one day. What are your aspirations?"
Kavitha smiled brightly. "That's beautiful! I'm interested in forensics! I'm want to be a crim science investigator or perhaps a detective of some sort. Obsessed with finding justice." She let out a chuckle when she said the last part. Vren laughed heartily while Vince grinned his best smile.
"Erik, instead of calling us educated people science nerds." Vince started sternly. "I said geeks," Vren interrupted his voice matched his smug smile.
Kavitha felt uncomfortable at this, However, Vren eased things up. "Perhaps, Erik you need to find things that you are passionate about so you would no longer find us silly."
Kavitha nodded with encouragement. She ever so wanted Erik to find his passion. She finds him amazing although once his heart was filled with passion, he would ever be so beautiful.
Erik shrugged, distantly gazing out the window, shielding his eyes away.
Kavitha being good at reading people could see that was something was more to it than a lack of passion.
"Erik, are you ok?" She asked concern filling her voice.
Erik turned back, his face hollow though his smile was upturned in a notorious smirk. Something Kavitha never expected out of Erik. Kavitha felt sick.
"Never been better sweetheart."
Vince rolled his eyes to the back of his head. "Anddd he's back!"
"Erik!" Vince scolded, astonishment was vibrant in his face.
"Hmm?" Erik lazily lifted his eyes to Vren's.
Kavitha could sense the frustration in her Chem buddy's voice. Heck, she felt it in her veins. She loved Erik dearly but god forbid she had no clue why he was acting this way. It hurt. A lot.
Ajith, annoying as he was...and kinda arrogant or kinda not actually. The best way to describe it is whatever Ajith was arrogant or not he would never ridicule someone's passion. Kavitha knew he was passionate about business. As well as Human Resources and he'd probably go on a rampage about it in his own mysterious way.
Kavitha sighed for the second time for the duration she was in this vehicle. The number of times she thought about dim ol' Ajith. She really needed to apologize to him but that was beside the point. Erik was in her vision now.