CHAPTER 11: SHE’S BUSY

I spent most days now with Allen since Chuck’s already went back home a few days ago and Marsha was still in London (I’m really jealous of her!). Sometimes I hung out with him and Joy. Or just him. Or just Joy. But Joy was very busy. She was interning in some major company since the start of summer. She was very ambitious. And she had the head and the heart to get along with that. She was very awesome. She was so young but she had already accomplished a lot. She even already had a lot of letters or recommendations from various important people. She was nice, though. Very sweet and could be a lot of fun too when she was not wrapped up with her job or her studies.

They were also a very sweet couple. Very mature. They had been together for more than three years now so it was only natural that their relationship was very stable. I could see that they truly love each other.

It was also fun hanging out with the two of them. They kinda acted like the second Chuck and Marsha. They pampered me a lot. They accompanied me to places. They bought me food. I felt spoiled. Heh heh heh. Not that Marsha and Chuck didn’t pamper me, but it was fun getting all those attention from someone else beside my two best friends. It was new and exciting and hella’ fun. Heh heh heh.

Today too, I was supposed to have lunch with Allen and Joy but I was still busy painting decorations for the Summer Festival in the D hall building where they stored decorations before they were going to be used. I took out my phone and texted Allen to let him know I wouldn’t be having lunch with them today.

“Lee,” Jimmy, one of the committee members for the festival approached me and sat next to me on the floor. Me and him go way back since high school. He was a cool guy. Very strong, but hot tempered.

“‘Sup,” I greeted him.

“Are you going back to Chentra this year?” he asked, helping me holding up the cardboard cut-out for me as I painted them.

“Nah… Don’t think so,” I answered him. “You?”

“Not this summer. Probably on New Year,” he told me. “I got a call from Liam a few days ago,” he informed me.

“Really?” I turned to him excitedly. Liam was also one of my good friends from junior high. Last I heard he was in the military school or something.

“Yeah. He’s opening a small bar on King’s Road in a few days. He wants to invite the old gang,” Jimmy told me.

“What? Wasn’t he in the military school or something?” I asked Jimmy and he smacked my head.

“The hell you’re talking about? That ass in that kind of school won’t even last a day without getting into a brawl!” he laughed and so did I. “Nah.. He kinda scrambled all over the place after graduation. It seems that he managed to get himself a sponsor or something, so he decides to open a bar.”

“Everyone’s coming?” I asked excitedly.

“Well, most of them have been contacted by Liam. We’ll just see who’ll show up,” Jimmy shrugged.

“Hey,” someone tapped my shoulder and I turned around to see Allen standing behind me.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” I asked in surprise.

“Delivering your food,” he said dangling a plastic bag in front of me.

“What about Joy?” I asked and let him sit beside me.

“She’s in tutor class,” Allen told me as he opened the bag and took out my lunch. “Aren’t you gonna wash your hands?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at my paint-stained hands.

“Not finished yet. Feed me,” grinning, I commanded him shamelessly. Chuckling and shaking his head, he opened the package for me, complying.

“Since when are you two so close?” Jimmy ased, frowning and staring with curiosity, watching Allen fed me some lemon chicken.

“Since Marsha and Chuck keep shoving him to me while they run away, avoiding all responsibilities,” I scoffed with a mouth full of food.

“That’s very un-Chuck-ly,” Jimmy states matter-of-factly. “I can see Marsha doing that, but not Chuck,” He added, pointing out the facts.

“I know, right?” I was indeed in full agreement with this because that was also how I felt about Chuck regarding Allen and Joy. Especially Allen.

“What are you talking about?” Allen asked, confused.

“Chuck’s an ass, basically,” Jimmy said and I smacked his head. He winced before continuing. “Well, I mean. He’s the kind of guy who always finds fault in everyone. Especially those he doesn’t know and aren’t friends. More specifically, he’ll try to find faults in everyone who shows even the slightest interest in Marsha or Lee. And he won’t stop at just that. He’ll scare them off with his pranks, threats and whatever he has up his sleeves. He’ll only tolerate people, new ones when he’s sure they won’t harm or try anything with Marsha and Lee. And he’ll accept anyone with an open arms when they’ve proven themselves to him.”

“Prove how?” Allen asked, cutting Jimmy before he can continue.

“Well, for one, we will have to be willingly protecting Marsha and Lee, and I mean not like protecting against the rain the sun and stuff like that. I mean like real protection with our lives,” Jimmy said and I went silent with this. “Marsha and Chuck come from a very prestigious family, if you hadn’t noticed. Their families are well known, thus, well liked and hated. Not only that, Marsha is known for her beauty and Chuck is known for his short-temper. They have people who wanted to get to them, and they usually went through Lee because they thought he’s the weakest link. Not all wrong, though,” Jimmy said, looking at me. I swallowed and shrugged when I continued Jimmy’s explanation.

“I learn, ever since I realize where they came from, to protect myself and how to protect them. I learn martial arts and everything so I won’t be a burden and so I can protect my two best friends,” I explained to Allen who listened intently while keep feeding me.

“Lee probably became the strongest of us all by seventh grade and people were basically afraid of him when he was declared as our leader by Chuck and well, us. Other than the proof of loyalty, why Chuck actually accepted us and made a little gang, is because most of us have known each other since elementary. So, yeah. He thinks we’re harmless. And we are. At least to Marsha and Lee,” Jimmy smiled smugly as he ended his story.

“He’s very protective, isn’t he?” Allen said slowly, thinking.

“More like over-protective,” I snorted, pouting.

“My point exactly,” Jimmy said, “I guess he’s matured?” he asked me, nodding at Allen.

“I hope so,” I snorted again. “If he keeps scaring people away, when will I get a real girlfriend?” I whined to Jimmy who snorted and chuckled.

“Chuck and Marsha’s not enough for you? You want to get a girlfriend too?” he teased, I pouted and glared at him. “Now you even have this guy right here,” he pointed to Allen who just smiled and chuckled.

“Shut up!” I smacked his head again. “I want a girlfriend!!”

“Then just come to Liam’s party. I bet he’s inviting lotsa chicks,” Jimmy grinned.

“I’m definitely coming!” my eyes widened at the sudden realization, or remembrance, that all of my gang members were skirt chasers their whole lives and that meant there will be plenty of chicks there. I was excited! I was practically jumping up and down before Allen grabbed my shoulders and told me to sit still.

“Right, right, eat first,” he said, shoving a spoonful of rice into my mouth making me almost choke.

“I’ll text you the address later. Gotta run!!” Jimmy said, shooting up from the floor and running like hell when Kimberly came into the hall, screaming his name. Jimmy must have skipped a meeting or something. I laughed seeing Jimmy ran and stumbled onto people and things.

“Stay still,” Allen grabbed my shoulder again to make me stop shaking my body from laughter.

“I bet he’s gonna get it good from Kim when she catches him,” I turned to Allen, grinning in satisfaction. Allen smiled, shook his head and reached out his hand to my face and brushed my lower lip with his thumb. He then proceeded to lick said thumb.

Hmm? Is it the sauce? I licked my own lip and taste the faint sour taste. I grinned at him.

“Thanks,” I sid to him and went back to painting the cardboard cut-out while he went back to feeding me. “Oh, by the way,” I turned to Allen again when I remembered something after I saw Kimberly leaving the hall, fuming, “are you free tomorrow?” I asked him.

“Pretty much. Why?” he asked back, shoving another mouthful of rice into my mouth. I chewed and swallowed it before speaking again.

“I have to go to Kintara, South Beach, for a job from the student body. They want me to find them a good lodge for the summer camp. Chuck and Marsha can’t come and I kinda really don’t want to go alone. Sorry if it’s so last minute,” I grinned, embarrassed.

“Well…” Allen said thoughtfully, “I have practice until four tomorrow, but after that I’m free. We can spend the night there and go look for the venue early in the morning. How’s that sound?” he offered.

“Can we still get a room though? Tomorrow’s weekend after all,” I frowned.

“I’ll take care of it,” He said, smiling reassuringly.

Well, if he insisted.

“Let’s ask Joy to come too!” I said suddenly feeling very excited.

“She’s busy,” Allen said immediately, lowering his head. My excitement went out the window with that.

“Huh? You haven’t even asked her yet,” I told him, not understanding.

“She’s been very busy lately,” Allen said, still looking down at the empty plate in his hands. “Internship, tutor class, cheerleading and God knows what else,” he let out a bitter laugh that I haven’t heard he made before. I frowned at that. I didn’t like the sound of that laugh from him.

“Have you spoken to her today?” I asked slowly, carefully. I was afraid to meddle in people’s business but I couldn’t help it when it came to Allen.

Don’t ask why.

“I have,” Allen nodded, “She’s preparing a presentation for her internship.”

I wanted to pat his hand but stopped halfway when I saw my hands that were still covered in paint of many colors. So, instead, I called out to him, sternly.

“Hey!” I called out to Allen rather harshly I even shocked myself. Allen immediately looked up at me, surprised and questioningly. He raised his eyebrows at me. “Umm…”

Crap! Now I didn’t know what to say. Dammit!

I scratched my head in frustration but then I remembered the paint. “Ah!” I shouted as I was regretting my actions, staring at my hand that I used to scratch my head in disbelief. Allen laughed before quickly taking a bottle of water and a towel from his bag. He poured some of the water onto his hand, wiping it on my head, and then wiping the hand on the towel. He continued the act a few times until he was sure that my hair was pretty much clean.

His hand was so big. But gentle… I thought unconsciously.

“Thanks,” I said to him apologetically, embarrassed, when he was finally done. “Sorry,” I apologized and he patted my head with his big hand, smiling.