16 TOO DEFENSIVE

It was difficult to trust people nowadays, and Kenny didn't give away information about her, though her newfound friend tried his best to be as friendly to her as possible. However, her guard still up. Lol, he can't even enter the golden gates of her trust!

Although she might be talkative sometimes, which could betray her facade, she tried as much as possible to not get comfortable with the guy. Strangers are strangers, end of the story. However, the story ain't going to finish undeveloped because Fate is brewing something in her Cauldron of Destiny, and there are enough for everyone to experience.

All this time, while they were eating, Kenny kept a poker face. Mustering all her strengths took her a while as she was this close to having a nervous breakdown with all the hard thumping of her heart. It's her first time a guy paid for her food and eating together with her as she only used to being with gals since her college days many freaking years ago. (A/N: Huh! As if she's that old. Don't believe her. Only her soul is a closed-off granny. *Laughs in million kernels*)

"What?" Kenny said after noticing that Derek was staring at her. "Stop staring. You're making me feel the cringe." Without an afterthought, she was blunt with her words. Kenny can be brusque with her words when she gets too engulf with her acts, giving a vibe of nonchalance emanating from within, however, she could suppress that bluntness when she's aware and not in the skit.

"You made it sound like I am an obsessed stalker," Derek said, paraphrasing what Kenny was implying. "You were also blunt back then. I applauded you for being badass although it was unreasonable and childish, you dared to put sarcasm at the pedestal." He continued, laughing at his own words as if those were jokes he tries to share.

"What do you mean?" Oblivious, Kenny asked, putting down the spoon and fork she's using to eat her lunch. Casting him a glance, she retorted, "I am overthinking. I'm over-processing. So you better expound that."

Derek laughed. "What? You've forgotten already the commotion you and my friend did last time?"

Hearing him ask that question made her stomach churn; making her nervousness rise to her head, creating a migraine, as she senses that her head is throbbing a little, "Shut up. I don't do humiliation, mister."

"Well, you just did." The man in front of her is laughing so hard like her existence is a joke. Hearing him laugh that way made her veins popped up.

Slapping the table hard, she stood up and almost spilled her milk tea, suppressing her roar as her embarrassment filling in. "Okay, enough. That's enough!"

It astounded Derek at what he saw for a moment and his expression mellows afterward, smiling. He swept a glance around but nobody seems to cast them a curious look. This girl can be a lioness sometimes but has very high self-discipline.

She grabbed her drink, chugging it all before she speaks again," Say, who is this friend of yours?" She scowled at him. "You are giving away hints that you wanted to talk about him. Now spill it." She's simple but not dumb, reading in-between the lines of what his acquaintance is implying.

Relieved that she's not flipping out, he said, "Are you interested now?" Teasing the woman in front of her again, not even minding how she glares at him. "You're just embarrassed. Did I guessed right?" Scowling, she throws daggers at him in her mind. "Don't tell me you're killing me in your head?"

"What kill? I'm burying you alive."

He stopped laughing after hearing it. "Jokes aside, what I am implying is that you're too defensive about yourself when in fact you are interested in my friend." Dumbfounded, she threw him a questioning look.

"You joking again?"

"Yes, I'm joking."

"Want me to murder you right here and then?"

"Oi Im just making you smile."

"What? Old man, get to the point."

"I'm not an old man. I think we're just a few years apart."

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay. What I mean was, I like your attitude." She stared at him, surprised. "Oi, don't take it the wrong way, girl." He suddenly said, avoiding misconception at all costs especially this girl in front of him gets it in the wrong way easily. "You're the first person to disrespect that spoiled brat.

"Ow? Now you badmouthing your friend?" She raised her brows and folded her arms.

"Lol no. I mean, you're definitely perfect for him."

She almost fell from her seat after she heard him said it.