Maureen's POV
It was Saturday and since we had a weekend holiday at school, Karla suggested that Noah and I should hang out. We both were reluctant at first until Jane started to persuade us too. So today Noah and Kai were taking me 'somewhere,' I didn't know where. Kai told me that it was a surprise, so I was pretty excited about it. Noah and I desperately wanted Kai to tag along because we both deaded the awkwardness of being alone.
Obviously, Jane and Jack had been already informed by Karla about where we were going. Jack flirted a lot with Jane and she too responded positively either by flirting back which happened rarely or blushing which she always did. Jack and Jane 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, Jane and her ex-fiance were going to be married when Jane caught him red-handed sleeping with some elderly woman. He wasn't even drunk when 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 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 Jane to file a report against him too, but she denied it, being the saint she was. I still remember her crying continuously on my mother's lap for hours. My mom 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 Jane finally got over her ex and was now open for love. Jack seemed a good guy who was in his mid-thirties, unlike Jane who was twenty-eight years old. But as people would say, age didn't matter in love especially between these two.
* * * * *
"Karla, why is Kai not coming with us?" I rasped and she smiled apologetically.
"He suddenly complained of a stomach ache but denies going 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 ay, 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 Kai 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 color as his eyes. His hair was tousled and some strands of his darl 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 kate and my thick-rimmed glasses giving me a perfect look like my English teacher.
"You guys should leave now. It's fine if Kai doesn't tag along with, you two can have fun," Karla 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 Kai along with us," I suggested and cracked a smile.
"Oh don't bother about Kai," She said and waved dismissively. "You'll like the place so much that you'll insist on going there every day. 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 eyebrow 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.
Jane had insisted me to have lunch with Noah and so did Karla. The lunch consisted of sandwiches, prune cupcakes and lemonade, nothing fancy. I was quite surprised with Karla and Jane's strange behaviour when it came to Noah and me. It was like they were plotting to forcefully make us go out together.
As Noach drove the car out of the gate, I looked up at his room's French windows and saw Kai smirking at us. My eyes widened and I blinked rapidly at the small figure. Kai immediately hid behind the curtain when he saw that 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 making it evident that I already like him, right?
Wait, what am I even saying?.. Do I like him?
He leaned towards me ever so slightly, his eyes never leaving the road, but due to his close proximity, I felt myself blush 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 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.