CHAPTER 11: She's busy

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

They are also a very sweet couple. Very mature. They have been together for more than three years now so it's only natural that their relationship is very stable. I can see that they truly love each other.

It's also fun hanging out with the two of them. They kinda act like the second Chuck and Marsha. They pamper me a lot. They accompany me to places. They buy me food. I feel spoiled. Heh heh heh. Not that Marsha and Chuck doesn't pamper me, but it's fun getting all those attention from someone else beside my two best friends. It's new and exciting and hella' fun. Heh heh heh.

Today too, I'm supposed to have lunch with Allen and Joy but I'm still busy painting decorations for the Summer Festival in the D hall building where they store decorations before it's going to be used. I take out my phone and text Allen to let him know I won't be having lunch with them today.

"Lee," Jimmy, one of the committee members for the festival approaches me and sits next to me on the floor. Me and him go way back since high school. He's a cool guy. Very strong, but hot tempered.

"'Sup," I greet him.

"Are you going back to Chentra this year?" he asks, helping me holding up the cardboard cut-out for me as I paint them.

"Nah... Don't think so," I answer him. "You?"

"Not this summer. Probably on New Year," He tells me. "I got a call from Liam a few days ago," He informs me.

"Really?" I turn to him excitedly. Liam is 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 tells me.

"What? Wasn't he in the military school or something?" I ask Jimmy and he smacks 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 laughs and so do 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 ask excitedly.

"Well, most of them have been contacted by Liam. We'll just see who'll show up," Jimmy shrugs.

"Hey," Someone taps my shoulder and I turn around to see Allen standing behind me.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" I ask in surprise.

"Delivering your food," He says dangling a plastic bag in front of me.

"What about Joy?" I ask and let him sit beside me.

"She's in tutor class," Allen tells me as he opens the bag and takes out my lunch. "Aren't you gonna wash your hands?" he asks, raising his eyebrows at my paint-stained hands.

"Not finished yet. Feed me," Grinning, I command him shamelessly. Chuckling and shaking his head, he opens the package for me, complying.

"Since when are you two so close?" Jimmy asks, frowning and staring with curiosity, watching Allen feeding me some lemon chicken.

"Since Marsha and Chuck keep shoving him to me while they run away, avoiding all responsibilities," I scoff 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 adds, pointing out the facts.

"I know, right?" I am indeed in full agreement with this because that's also how I feel about Chuck regarding Allen and Joy. Especially Allen.

"What are you talking about?" Allen asks, confused.

"Chuck's an ass, basically," Jimmy says and I smack his head. He winces 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 asks, 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 says and I go 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 says, looking at me. I swallow and shrug when I continue 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 explain to Allen who listens 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 smiles smugly as he ends his story.

"He's very protective, isn't he?" Allen says slowly, thinking.

"More like over-protective," I snort, pouting.

"My point exactly," Jimmy says, "I guess he's matured?" he asks me, nodding at Allen.

"I hope so," I snort again. "If he keeps scaring people away, when will I get a real girlfriend?" I whine to Jimmy who snorts and chuckles.

"Chuck and Marsha's not enough for you? You want to get a girlfriend too?" he teases, I pout and glare at him. "Now you even have this guy right here," He points to Allen who just smiles and chuckles.

"Shut up!" I smack his head again. "I want a girlfriend!!"

"Then just come to Liam's party. I bet he's inviting lotsa chicks," Jimmy grins.

"I'm definitely coming!" my eyes widen at the sudden realization, or remembrance, that all of my gang members are skirt chasers their whole lives and that means there will be plenty of chicks there. I'm excited! I'm practically jumping up and down before Allen grabs my shoulders and tells me to sit still.

"Right, right, eat first," He says, shoving a spoonful of rice into my mouth making me almost choke.

"I'll text you the address later. Gotta run!!" Jimmy says, shooting up from the floor and running like hell when Kimberly comes into the hall, screaming his name. Jimmy must have skipped a meeting or something. I laugh seeing Jimmy run and stumble onto people and things.

"Stay still," Allen grabs 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 turn to Allen, grinning in satisfaction. Allen smiles, shakes his head and reaches out his hand to my face and brushes my lower lip with his thumb. He then proceeds to lick said thumb.

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

"Thanks," I say to him and go back to painting the cardboard cut-out while he goes back to feeding me. "Oh, by the way," I turn to Allen again when I remember something after I saw Kimberly leaving the hall, fuming, "are you free tomorrow?" I ask him.

"Pretty much. Why?" he asks back, shoving another mouthful of rice into my mouth. I chew and swallow 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 grin, embarrassed.

"Well..." Allen says 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 offers.

"Can we still get a room though? Tomorrow's weekend after all," I frown.

"I'll take care of it," He says, smiling reassuringly.

Well, if he insists.

"Let's ask Joy to come too!" I say suddenly feeling very excited.

"She's busy," Allen says immediately, lowering his head. My excitement goes out the window with that.

"Huh? You haven't even asked her yet," I tell him, not understanding.

"She's been very busy lately," Allen says, still looking down at the empty plate in his hands. "Internship, tutor class, cheerleading and God knows what else," He lets out a bitter laugh that I haven't heard he makes before. I frown at that. I don't like the sound of that laugh from him.

"Have you spoken to her today?" I ask slowly, carefully. I'm afraid to meddle in people's business but I can't help it when it comes to Allen. Don't ask why.

"I have," Allen nods, "She's preparing a presentation for her internship."

I want to pat his hand but stop halfway when I see my hands that are still covered in paint of many colors. So, instead, I call out to him, sternly.

"Hey!" I call out to Allen rather harshly I even shock myself. Allen immediately looks up at me, surprised and questioningly. He raises his eyebrows at me. "Umm..."

Crap! Now I don't know what to say. Dammit!

I scratch my head in frustration but then I remember the paint. "Ah!" I shout as I'm regretting my actions, staring at my hand that I use to scratch my head in disbelief. Allen laughs before quickly taking a bottle of water and a towel from his bag. He pours some of the water onto his hand, wiping it on my head, and then wiping the hand on the towel. He continues the act a few times until he's sure that my hair's pretty much clean.

His hand is so big. But gentle... I thought unconsciously.

"Thanks," I say to him apologetically, embarrassed, when he's finally done. "Sorry," I apologize and he pats my head with his big hand, smiling.