Chapter 9

" So you've never had a boyfriend your whole life?!" Zander asked with a surprised look. " I told you, you're my first friend, so how do you expect me to have a 'boyfriend'?" She smiled. " And you? How many have you had?" She returned the question. " What? Boyfriends?" he asked with wide eyes. She laughed at that. " No... Girlfriends you dimwit!" She threw the pen in her hand at his head. " Oh! Um... I think two?" He gave a tentative answer while scratching his forehead where the pen struck him, not that hard though. " You think?! What kind of boyfriend were you? I'm so sure that they must have been the ones who dumped you." She laughed wickedly. " Actually, I was dumped by one... Then I dumped the other one." They silently jolted with laughter in their usual meeting spot.

" I'm going shopping with my girls. Wanna tag along? I'll ask Trevor to come if you want to." She said as she finished her last homework. " Sure! I'd love to." " Oh! Slow down, tiger. You promise not to lead any of my girls?" She asked with a knowing smirk. He acted like he didn't know what she was talking about. " Why would I? I'm just going to stay by your side the whole time, or even with Trev." " Good for you. So, how is Brianna?" She asked with a serious look.

" She acts all awkward because I told her that I already have a girlfriend. But it's getting better. We'll be back to normal. I'm sure of it." He smiled as his cheeks turned a shade of red. She was glad that he didn't give the poor girl hopes.

"Ok. So get to my house by 10, ok? " She said to which he nodded meekly. " Ok. I mean, I don't mind if Trevor doesn't tag along you know." He teased as they made their way to his car. " You're soo dead if he hears this." She said with a grin. " But you wouldn't dare tell him. " He gave her the puppy dog eyes. " I...wi...won't" She finally gave in. " That's my Letta!" He fist-bumped the air.

*Next day*

" Why do you girls take so much time to get ready?" Zander whined as he was propped on the couch with Trevor who was playing away on his phone. Zander slightly slapped him on the head. " What?!" He whisper-yelled at him. "Go get your sisters!" He whispered back. " You go!" Trevor replied. Zander rolled his eyes and decided to go to Scarlett's room and get her out of there.

He climbed the stairs and stood in front of the door. Just as he was about to knock really hard on the door, she opened it, too late, the knock fell on the head. " Aaah! What the actual hell, Zander?! Ouch! That hurts!" She rubbed her head with her fingers. " I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to strike your pretty head like that! Oh my god!" " Get off me!" She was pissed as hell.

" I'm sorry. I'll get you ice-cream?" " No thank you." " Brownies? A whole dozen?" " No thank you." " Letta! I'm sorry!" He hugged her from behind. They were walking in the pavement of the outlet mall with all the friends and siblings silently laughing at the way Zander followed Scarlett like a lost puppy.

" Talk to me, Letta!" " Let go, Zander! You're making me angrier!" He didn't let go of her from his tight embrace. Tania and Marie were giggling since both of them were the ones who shipped the two so much. "They're so cute together! I'm going to click a picture!" Tania exclaimed and Marie nodded eagerly in agreement.

The other two girls, Violet and Danielle were literally admiring what was going on. " Let go, Z! Don't irritate me!" She shouted. An old couple walked their way and looked at both of them with nostalgia. " Oh, Remember when we did all of this?" The woman asked her husband. " I do! You were so much thinner back then! I can't put my arms around you now!" He countered earning a cute laugh from the woman. " You both make such a beautiful couple. May God bless you to be together." She said and walked away as she held on to her husband's hand.

" We're not together! We're best friends!" But it was too late. The woman walked fast for her age. Scarlett glared at Zander. He shrugged and shoved his hand inside his pocket as he continued walking alone. " Where is Trevor?" Scarlett asked the girls. " He just went behind a redhead, Letta!" Danielle teased her. " Get back here Zander! You creepy little- Urgh!" She stomped her foot and ran after him and attacked him as she jumped and placed herself on his back. Piggy-back ride it was!

He almost toppled over, but stabled up and held her hands. " I'm sorry, Letta. I didn't mean to." He said and she hugged him tighter. " No problem, Z! I was just messing with you! How was my acting? " She asked to which he lost his footing slightly. " You made me offer you treats for nothing?!" He asked incredulously. " Duh! You thought I was really angry?" She chuckled as she could imagine his red face, a little imaginary smoke coming out of his nose and ears.

They continued the walk with her on Zander's back. Not like he complained. He was happy that she was happy.

They saw a wishing well and stopped by. "Any of you ever been to a wishing well before? " Violet asked. Everyone answered except for Scarlett. " Letta? Never been here before? " He asked gently. " I..." " We have!" Trevor appeared from somewhere. " Don't you remember, Scar?" He asked. She paused ever so slightly before giving him an overenthusiastic nod.

Zander found this odd. This was one of the many times that he had noticed her strange behaviour. He was feeling that something wasn't quite right about her. But she was normal if people didn't notice closely.

" I kind of forgot suddenly. Tell me what happened, Marie." She sought her sister's assistance. Another thing she did as of lately. Didn't anyone notice that she was hiding something? He had to find out what that was.