CHAPTER 73: MAKING A PLAN

We drive to Malik's place after we finish our coffee. It's currently four in the afternoon and we're thinking to sweat a little so we do a little Wii competition. We decide to play squash and have a tournament until the three of us collapse on the living room carpet, truly exhausted.

"So, who wins?" I ask, huffing on the carpet with eyes closed. I don't really care, but still; it's a competition.

"I don't know," Keaton says from beside me, also huffing.

"Keaton wins," Malik says from above us as he collapses onto the couch.

"Nice," I fist bump him as he grins widely, still exhausted.

"I need a shower," Keaton frowns, looking down on himself in disgust.

"Same," I chuckle. My clothes are sticking on my body uncomfortable and my hair is so wet and annoying.

"I should have brought spare clothes," Keaton says regretfully.

"Just wear mine and throw yours in the wash. It dries fast," Malik says as he gets up and walks to his bathroom before walking back out with three sets of home clothing and throws two pairs for me and Keaton who smiles at him gratefully.

Grinning, Malik starts stripping. Intrigued, I turn to lie down on my stomach and propping my chin up with my knuckles as I watch him, also grinning. I turn to Keaton who looks red. I grin wider and jump up before following in Malik's footsteps and start stripping.

I strip off all my clothes before going to Keaton and straddling him. He looks positively troubled and tries very hard to keep his hand to himself. I respect that of him so instead of teasing him, I lean down and give his lips a little peck before getting up. I yelp when Keaton grabs my hand, making me fall down on top of him and the next thing he does is kissing me fully.

"Atta boy," Malik chuckles and I can feel him moving around us and peek in between kisses and see Malik trying to strip Keaton off of his clothes, which thankfully, Keaton consents to. One thing follows another and the three of us take a very, very long shower together and get out of the bathroom satiated but also extremely hungry.

"I think we've burnt all of our meals from lunch already," Malik chuckles as he flops beside me on the couch.

"What's for dinner, then?" Keaton asks as he helps me dry my hair.

"You still have time?" I ask, turning to the clock on the wall which is already showing 7.45. His flight is at eleven at night and the drive from here to the airport takes about an hour with traffic.

"Something fast and light, then?" Malik asks, taking his landline, "sushi okay?" he asks.

"Yes, pelase." I nod at him gratefully. Keaton also nods in agreement and Malik immediately places his order.

"Your phone has been ringing since forever," Keaton tells me as I glance over my phone sitting on the coffee table.

"I know. Just let it." I shrug. I put it on silent so it's not really bothering. But still annoying every time the screen lights up and another message or missed call comes in.

It's Allen. He's been calling and texting me since this afternoon and of course I ignore him. What am I supposed to say anyway?

"Is it him?" Malik asks, plopping down beside me. I turn to him questioningly. "The guy you're in love with."

"Why are you so curious about him?" I laugh but then I nod, "It is him," I tell him and Keaton who also takes a seat on my other side on the couch.

"Why aren't you answering, then?" Keaton asks, curious but also confused.

"'Cause then I'll just bolt out of here so fast you won't even see my shadows," I tell them with a grin although I can't help but feeling ridiculous.

"What are you? His booty call?" Malik asks, frowning.

"No, God." I laugh, slapping his arm playfully. "No." I shake my head but don't know what else to say.

"Well, good thing you didn't answer," Malik says, circling his arm around me, pulling me into a side hug, "or else Keaton's gonna go away all sad and brooding and having blue balls," Malik says, grinning at Keaton who chuckles, and me who rolls my eyes.

"Thanks," I grin at the two guys who smile back and, well, this is the upside of having new friends who know virtually nothing about you. They'll keep you as long as you don't fuck up epically. Also, your secrets of the other part of your world are safe with them.

"Sushi's here," Malik says as he gets up when he hears the doorbell.

"Don't mind it," Keaton says, taking my hand. I turn and stare at him.

This guy is probably worth more than Allen. And he doesn't look even half bad. He's handsome. Very much so. He's also charming and kind. Someone will be so very lucky to be with him.

"I really don't get you," I shake my head and he looks at me questioningly.

"What?" he asks.

"Nevermind," I smile at him, patting his hand which is on mine before I get up to get the drinks from the kitchen while Keaton helps Malik setting the coffee table for us to eat.

"Don't eat too fast," Malik chuckles as he sees me gobbling down my food.

"This is also really good," I tell Malik, "this is probably the cheapest but the most delicious sushi I've ever eaten," I tell him sincerely.

"You rich people really should go out more," Malik rolls his eyes.

"Technically," I am about to defend myself when Malik and Keaton say in unison, "Technically your friends are the rich ones," and I grin at that.

"But he's right. This is really good," Keaton chimes in, "the fusion place earlier was also really good despite the atrocities of how they came to be," he chuckles.

"Glad you like 'em," Malik says, "there are a lot of places I bet rich people like you have not visited," he winks at both me and Keaton who laughs while nodding, admitting, while I just roll my eyes.

"What kind of places?" I ask half curious, half challenging. I've been to places, okay? I huff mentally.

"Have you ever visited the Carnival?" Malik inquires with a knowing grin and well, he's right. I've never been to one before. I pout but can't help feeling curious and excited and he laughs at that, of course. "It's a 'no' then," he says to me and I pout even more.

"There was one back when I was a kid and we were planning on going but then I got the pox for two weeks and Marsha and Chcuk refused to go without me so we all ended up not going. By the time they came around again, we had lost interest and also were too busy doing other things," I tell them, now regretting a bit.

"It's coming around again right on time for Halloween," Malik tells us and I can't help but jump on my seat in excitement after hearing it. "How about it?" he asks Keaton and I with a grin.

I turn to Keaton who also turns to me and then laughs after seeing my face, "If you want," he says and I squeal.

"Wait, but Halloween is not far along and you're gonna be gone for most of this month, right? Will you be able to make it?" I ask Keaton.

"I can cut it short," Keaton says and when I'm about to protest, he continues on, "I'm just going there to sign a contract with a DJ so it actually shouldn't take too long. A few days at the most if it's done well and we have prepared a lot for this negotiation and I should be back by next week if everything goes smoothly," he tells us.

"If you're sure," I tell him.

"He's sure," Malik answers for him, waving his hand.

"I am," Keaton adds, reassuring me. I smile at him and can't help but to be excited once again.

I haven't told you yet but Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. Christmas is my most favorite, though. I just love festivities. Also, I like playing dress up. Heheheh.

"The Carnival on Halloween it is," I clap excitedly and both of them smile at me. I smile back without restraints even though they probably think me childish.

"And then the rave," Malik adds with a wider grin.

"Rave? Party?" Keaton asks half curious, half excited.

"Yep," Malik nods, "we usually have them every few months and the next one is right on Halloween night. So, after the Carnival, we'll go check it out and see how different we people party and you people party," he teases Keaton mostly, who just laughs.

"A party is a party, no?" Keaton asks half, curious, half confused and probably even more intrigued.

"Well, in this part of the city, we party quite differently," Malik starts, "The Rave, also called 'The People's Party' is held every few months depending on how the organizers, which none of us know anything about. Everyone can attend the party only after we do a few sets of, let's just quests, that they assigned all over the city, especially in this part of it. We'll secure points and when we have reached a certain number, we'll get the invite. Another way to get invites is to donate to their select charities, which in your case will work in your favor because you'll be gone most of this month and probably can't gather enough points for the invites," Malik says to Keaton who nods.

"They sound really fun and also, very, very creative," Keaton says thoughtfully.

"Man, don't even try capitalizing on it," Malik warns him, although a little in jest also.

"Sorry, habit," Keaton says apologetically.

"I get it," Malik waves his hand. "They have great concepts and the number of participants has never decreased over the years and they've been doing it for some time now. But most of us people are very protective. They, the organizer, have never really profited from any of these events and instead they gave exposure to business, small, new and minority centric businesses and we'd like to keep it that way," Malik tells us.

"I understand." Keaton says, nodding and trying to reassure Malik.

"You're free to adopt the concept, though," Malik shrugs, "I don't think they'd mind as long as you keep the heart of it," he tells Keaton as he walks to the coat stand and throws us our coats before heading out.

"Thank you for saying that," Keaton tells Malik gratefully catching mine and his coat. He turns to me and like a gentleman, helps me put on my coat. "I'd really like to meet them, though…" he says thoughtfully.

"I'll try and find a way," Malik says as he gets into the car. Keaton and I follow suit and the discussion over the rave continues on the road until we reach the airport about an hour later.

"Thanks for the ride," Keaton says to Malik after we get out of the car. "Also thank you so much for today and I'm sorry for ruining your date with Levi," he says but not completely apologetically and Malik, perhaps knowing that, laughs and punches Keaton's arm lightly.

"Wasn't a date, man," Malik says, "even if it is, the more the merrier, no?" He directs the question at me and I just roll my eyes on how ridiculous that is.

"You're making me sound like I have a kink or something," I protest with a groan, an eye roll, as well as a pout, to which they laugh at, of course.

"I may have a kink because of you, though," Malik says teasingly and I can feel my face burns.

"Fuck you," I hiss at him and he laughs so loudly and holding his stomach and leaning against his car and I really want to punch him.

"Sorry, sorry," Malik wipes his tears and turns to Keaton. "Go ahead, man. Have a nice trip and good luck," he says, pulling Keaton into a tight hug.

"Thank you," Keaton hugs him before turning to me who turns to Malik questioningly.

"Go on. I'll wait here," Malik tells me and I smile at him. He's very tactful, this old guy.