Chapter 1178: Dignity (part two)
Let's meet at that coffee shop we both like!" Leena said. She knew she couldn't avoid this and was ready to submit. She just hoped that Patricia could save her some humiliation and not yell at her in public.
"All right. Get a move on, then. See ya!" Patricia raised her eyebrow smugly after she hung up. 'This girl really needs to be taught a lesson. Why doesn't she respect me? Then she wouldn't have to go out of her way to calm me down when I'm pissed,' she thought.
"See you later," Leena said weakly, and put her head down on the steering wheel. She was so depressed right now. Leena would rather be dead than face Patricia.
Leena stopped feeling sorry for herself after she remembered why she went out in the first place. She fumbled with her phone in her haste to call Claire, but the girl wouldn't pick up. She pressed redial repeatedly, but there was still no answer. She started to worry, and couldn't know that Claire was practicing her turn on the runway. The music was so loud it drowned out the phone. How could she even tell someone was calling? Her head was in the clouds right now, her worldly cares forgotten.
'Where did she go? Why didn't she tell me?' Leena thought to herself and wondered if she needed to call Kevin to ask if he knew. It was eleven o'clock and she'd known for an hour that Claire was gone. Who knows how much of a head start she already had?
After she thought about it for a moment, she finally gave in and called Kevin.
"What do you need? Shoot!" Kevin said. He thought the call was from Claire, so he even didn't look at the phone number carefully and kept locking his eyes on the soldiers who were practicing on the playground.
"Sorry! Are you busy?" Leena was taken aback by his abrupt manner. He knew she never called unless it was super-important. Why was he so rude?
"Oh, hey honey. I thought it was Claire," Kevin said in surprise. He didn't think it would be Leena, because she rarely called. Besides, her phone was broken.
"Is Claire with you? I can't find her." Leena stated this plainly. Sometimes, the plain truth was the best policy, and Leena lived by that. She figured she'd let the momentary case of mistaken identity go. Why create more drama?
"Oh! That. She told me she went out with a friend and asked me to tell you if you called. Looks like you have a new phone?" He knew who Claire was talking about, without even guessing. That must be Louisa. He figured that was okay as long as they didn't try and mess up Leena's life.
Yeah! Just got it. She's still outside, right? Now that I know she is safe, I'll stop bothering you. Bye!" Leena said. The only reason she called in the first place was to figure out where Claire was. Now that she had the answer, she figured he was too busy to talk.
"Wait, bae. Did you apply the bruise cream yet?" Kevin tried to interject quickly, catching her before she hung up. Sometimes he wondered whether she really missed him. He was wondering why she almost never called.
Um, I forgot," Leena said, sticking out her tongue. That was because she was in such a rush to get out and find Claire, so she cut several corners in her morning routine. Claire was missing, so how could she remember something like that?
"I counted on Claire to help you with it, but she didn't tell me before she took off. So see if you can do it yourself. I'll help you when I get home tonight," Kevin said, now leaning against the tree. The sun was shining through the leaves, bathing his body in sunlight.
"Okay! Got it. See you tonight," Leena said with a tender smile. She didn't care too much as long as he cared about her.
See you tonight. Take care of yourself." Kevin said with gentleness in his eyes. Pity that Leena couldn't see it.
Okay, I gotta go now." Leena hung up. She put her head in her hands when thinking of seeing Patricia later. She was not looking forward to that at all. But she faced that like she faced life -- head on. So she started the car and drove to the coffee shop.
Patricia was a good looking woman, but not as delicate as Leena. She had a different kind of beauty. Heads were turning in her direction and furtive glances were thrown in her direction while she waited for Leena.
"Sorry! Didn't mean to keep you waiting." Leena apologized breathlessly and sat down before Patricia could say a word. She totally forgot her manners, which also showed how tired she was.
"What did you do? Lollygag on the way here? It wasn't a long drive. What took your slow ass so long?" Patricia snapped, rolling her eyes. She was farther away than Leena, but she made it here earlier than her. She really had some nerve to make her wait.
"You're one to talk! You drive like you're training for the Geely Super League. Speaking of which, does your family know you're a racer now?" Leena said and took her coat off, draping it over her chair.
"Not yet. I don't want to freak them out. There is a race next month and I'm thinking of entering," Patricia said with a frank smile. Racing was her favorite pastime. As it was also risky, she always did it in secret, fearing that her family would forbid her to do it. That would be all she needed, so she kept it from them.