Hans drops me off at the cafe we have agreed to meet at. I know he isn't comfortable or happy with me meeting Liana King but I reassure him that I will be perfectly fine. I don't know how Liana will act towards me now that she knows the truth.
I can accept that she will hate me like Panda King but I am not prepared to lose a friend. Anxiously, I slowly walk into the restaurant. I wore a maternity top today since my bump has grown a little. You can't see it unless you stare closely.
"Liana." I smile awkwardly as I sit down opposite her.
Her blue eyes widen as she glances at me. "Tin? I...couldn't recognise you."
"I'm sorry." I say again, closing my eyes as I wait for her reaction. I couldn't sleep at all last night because I was so busy worrying over how angry she will be.
"It's fine."
I open my eyes in surprise as she gently smiles. Why is she not shouting at me for lying?
"W-what?" I ask in shock. Why is she so calm? If our roles were reversed, I would have punched the person who lied to me.
"I admit, I couldn't sleep after you confessed." She says, her blue eyes staring into my brown ones. "But after thinking about it, it was my fault for not figuring it out. I even had a crush on you." She chuckles.
"You're not mad at me?" I ask.
"I know what kind of person you are Tin. You wouldn't do it without reason." She frowns, "But how did my brother touch you when he has a phobia? He can't even touch Ciarra."
I shrug, "I have no clue but maybe because he thought I was a man?"
"You look so beautiful Tin, how did I think you were a man?" Liana shakes her head at herself as she grins.
As a waft of bacon hits my nose, I gag and cover my mouth. "Sorry, I have to go." I say quickly as I hurriedly leave.
Once I am outside, I turn the corner and throw up. This is so embarrassing. There are a lot of people walking around and staring at me.
***
Spying on his sister was never a page in Panda King's book but here he is on this fine day, watching the cafe entrance from his car. His sister mentioned that she would be meeting a friend but which friend did she have in this part of town? Of course it was his over protective mother who had sent him.
As he taps his steering wheel and keeps an eye out, a beautiful woman with shoulder length dark brown hair, cascading down in waves runs out of the cafe. Something about her seems familiar but he can't quite place a finger on what it is.
She desperately runs and turns the corner. Without a thought, Panda finds himself slowly driving down and tailing her. She bends down and vomits on the roadside. People are giving her strange glances as they pass.
For some reason, Panda King's cold heart beats faster as he watches her turn pale. Why is he following her? Why is he worried?
Walking out of his car, he jogs towards her. As he nears, he can clearly see who she is. Tina Gold. His heart hasn't stopped it's frantic thumping as he holds out a handkerchief to her.
Her soft brown eyes widen in horror as she stares at him, "W-what are you doing here?!"
Panda, who has a bad habit of speaking things he doesn't mean and whose heart and mouth are usually disconnected, opens his mouth. He should apologise for what he said last time but knowing that she has another man just makes him angrier.
"Why are you throwing up here? Don't you know there are public toilets available?" Panda says. As soon as the words leave his mouth, he wants to slap himself.
Tina smacks the hand holding the handkerchief away and slowly stands up. "Leave me alone." She trips and Panda instinctively moves forward. He catches her in his arms and stares into her eyes as if he is searching for something he has lost.
"I'll drive you home." Panda says softly as he helps her to her feet.
"No thank you." Tina mutters with a glare. Does she despise and hate Panda King that much?
"It wasn't a question." Panda says and he whisks her up into his arms in bridal style. "Who said you have a choice?"
***
*Tina*
"Put me down!" I shout as Panda King carries me to his car. I punch his chest as he ignores me. Why did I have to meet him all of a sudden? I almost took the handkerchief he offered earlier, pretending to be a gentleman.
Is he testing me?!
"Are you deaf? Let me go!" I shout as he pushes me into the passenger side of his car. I pull on the door handle but he quickly sits in the driver's seat next to me and smirks, pressing down on the locks.
"Stay still." He says coldly and leans over towards me.
"W-what are you doing?!" I ask anxiously as he drapes an arm over me.
He smirks and tugs on the seat belt before buckling me. I reflexively place my hands over my stomach.
I sigh when he moves back. He scared me for a moment.
"Are you ill?" He asks as he starts driving.
"That's none of your business." I say, "Let me out right now. I don't want to go anywhere with you."
"You can't escape. Tell me what sickness you have."
"This is kidnapping!" I say angrily, "You and your fiancé are two criminals in a pod."
As he slams on the brakes, I hold onto my stomach as my head is flung to the side and I feel myself collide with the window. My head hurts so much. I see a trickle of red in front of my vision.
What is this?