The next day Ash and Ace were the ones who woke me up from sleep around nine in the morning. I guess everyone is standing in the way of my rest. I planned on staying in the entire day. Now here they are dragging me out to where I don't know. I didn't even tell them I came back but I know Lay did. ( Can she ever be on my side?)
"So can one of you at least tell me where we're going?" I ask as we head to Aces' car parked outside my apartment building. None of them answers me. Ace looks at me grinning, with her hands on my shoulder she keeps dragging me to the car.
"It's not like I'm going to run. I'm already going with you guys . Shouldn't I at least know?" I ask in a futile attempt to get the information I want but they both ignore me.
"It's a surprise" Ace says while Ash just laughs. From the looks of it I know this is definitely Aces' idea. Am sure of that. Ash seems to also be in thesame situation as me so I reach for her shoulder from the back seat. She was sitting at the passenger side.
"Ash" I call out softly. "You know we are on the same side right. Why don't you just tell me. Am sure she also kidnapped you" I say and they both burst out laughing.
"Patience Bee. Exercise just a little patience and you'll know. I had this wonderful idea of a fun day and am sure you guys will love it." Ace says. (I don't trust her ideas at all). I turn to Ash and she gives me thesame look.
"Uhmmm Ace. We all know your ideas for fun hardly exceed spar dates and shopping. Except if you have kinda magically changed in the two weeks I've been away" I say while I watch her eyes go wide in shock.
"No way you think that Bee. Ash I hope you don't agree with her" she says giving Ash a quick look before turning her eyes back on the road. Ash just smiles. She probably doesn't want to get an earful from Ace.
"Okay" I say resting my case. "Surprise me then" I challenged knowing fully well she won't.
Minutes later we park in front of a movie theater. I really didn't see this coming.
"I told you It was a surprise" Ace says grinning practically jumping out of the car while we follow. This really is a surprise. She hands us our tickets before we make our way inside stopping at the counter to get our popcorns. Our seats are fortunately in the middle row. Just perfect. Neither too close nor far from the screen. The movie starts and I relax to enjoy it. It seems coming out wasn't a bad idea at all.
We leave the theater after the movie and Ace drives to a mall nearby. (I knew she just had to include shopping.)
"So I think we still need to shop after a nice movie" she grins.
"Yh, right" is all I say.
"We're not going to stay long okay and besides we need to get your dad a gift for his retirement." She says.
"Wait. I thought it was just a dinner." I asked surprised. That was what Lay told me.
"That wasn't what your mum said when she called to invite me. She said they were having a small party at home." Ace says.
"Lay cannot even pass a message correctly." I groan at that. I would have been shocked going to meet a different thing all together. Even if I ask am sure she'll say she thought she said a party.
"It's still thesame thing. Just a different name with more people" Ace says laughing.
What was supposed to take only a few minutes according to Ace takes us three good hours because Ace just had to be Ace. She dragged us to try so many things and we ended up with a lot of shopping bags for that. After that we headed to a restaurant in the mall to get some food. I was really hungry. We place our orders and our food arrives a few minutes later. My phone chose to ring at that particular moment and the name on the screen makes me uncomfortable. I press silent as usual and turn back to my food. I take a bite and raise my head to meet both girls staring at me.
"What?" I ask
"You'd have to talk to him one of these days you know" Ace says and I just keep quiet. I didn't even know they saw the name on the screen.
"She's right Bee. You know you can't avoid him forever" Ash says.
"Am not ready for that" I respond slowly.
"No one's ever ready for anything Bee" Ash answers "It'll happen eventually so why not now." She adds
"I need time to sort out my thoughts" I answer
"What exactly are you scared of Bee. Tell us. Let's know if we can help" Ash says and I think about it.
"I don't know. But I guess I'm just scared we won't go back to the way we were." I answer honestly. I'm hardly this open with the girls but then nothing had been going the usual way these days. I really do need someone else's opinion.
"You know what I think?" Ace says suddenly. (You're definitely thinking something crazy).
"Not one of your crazy ideas Ace. She doesn't need one right now." Ash interjects, trying to stop her.
"What do you mean crazy. I can be pretty reasonable okay and I think this is going to solve the issue on ground." She says sounding excited. ( This is definitely going to be bad)
"Just have a little faith in me guys. I'm not that bad you know." Ace whines.
"Yh right" Ash quips.
"Anyway, I'll still say it." She says then turning with all seriousness she continues "I think you should get yourself a boyfriend." She drops the bomb and we all go quiet.
"Well done Ace. It's not like she'll go shopping for one and besides what has it got to do with the situation on ground?" Ace asks after a while.
"Simple logic guys. It's not like she can avoid Ric forever. A boyfriend will keep him in check. He needs to get his heart broken to forget about his feelings for her. Simple" she grins as if she just hit a jackpot.
"Oo Ace. That's helpful but I think getting Ric a girlfriend will be the better idea. That way, he'll have someone to think about and possibly fall in love with" Ash says. They both look at me like people waiting for me to patronize their products. I look at both of them and just sigh in response.
"Let's just eat okay" I say instead. "The food's already getting cold and I'm hungry." I add
"You should really think about it Bee."Ace says and I just nod in response. Just so she'll drop the topic.
"I'll think about it. Don't worry." I say "And what's Henry up to. He called saying he got a job to manage a bar. Do you think his old man's on his neck again?" I ask just to change the topic and Ace takes the bait, going into how Henry's father wants him to go back to work at his law firm which we all know Henry doesn't want to. Henry is a lawyer just like Ash. They both worked at his father's law firm. That was before he had a fall out with his dad and left. He hasn't worked another job in about six months so it was a bit fishy that he suddenly decided to get one. Our conversations take an interesting turn from there with Ace at the hem of everyone of them. She talks non stop making the atmosphere cheerful and I'm once again glad I came out with them, the problem with Ric asside.
We spent alot of time chatting in the restaurant and it was already evening when the girls dropped me at home. All in all, I had a lovely day.
Lay was washing dishes in the kitchen when I got home. That's strange, since she hardly does anything around that side of the house.
"Hey sis. Is this really you in the kitchen?" I ask and she turns to me laughing.
"Yh, seeing I had to entertain your guest. What choice did I have?"
"What guest?" I ask wondering who would come see me but only one person comes to mind.
"Ric was here. Infact he just left a few minutes ago. Waited for you for hours. Didn't you get his call?" she asks and I look anywhere but her.
"No I didn't" I lie "I'll call him back then." I continue with yet another lie. I know very well that I do not planning on calling him at all. And why was he even here. How did he know I was back in town.