Intimidated

Lucretia was still ranting about Linsey's persistent nagging on her behavior towards Philip earlier as they glided into the house.

"I'm already stressed up Linsey, I don't want him to add more to it. Can you just let me be for now?"

Mrs. Angelica on hearing them from the terrace outside the kitchen, sauntered into the living room.

"What's all this fuse about ?" I have been waiting for you girls for a while now and you returned with this long face, Lucretia? What's going on?"

Lucretia turning her gaze to her mother with a grumpy look.

"Nothing mum..." she mumbled, walking passed her to the kitchen.

Mrs. Angelica swiftly glanced at her as she glided into the kitchen and back to her friends, quiet surprised.

"What's wrong with her?"

Lucretia on hearing her mother's question from the kitchen shouted indignantly.

"Linsey and Anita...? Are you girls bringing the things or not?"

"Well.., coming...!" answered Anita.

"I'm sorry Auntie, you know how Lucretia can be at times. We better get going before she explodes." mumbled Linsey sheepishly.

"Okay Linsey." answered Mrs. Angelica, strolling towards the stairs but paused all of a sudden.

"Oh Linsey, I almost forgot." she cried, Linsey and Anita swiftly turning to her.

"Your mum called, she was giving me a ear full of you girls not calling home."

"Okay Auntie, we will give them a call later. I guess they're calling to remind us of school resuming soon. It's been weeks already now." replied Anita.

"I guess so." mumbled Linsey in agreement. Just then, Lucretia's voice came filling in the hall.

Mrs. Angelica drew in a deep breath, slightly shaking her head.

"Okay, Okay, you girls should attend to her now before she brings down this roof."

"Okay..." they mumbled in unison, gilding towards the kitchen.

Linsey, amidst a sigh,

"Oh my God Luc, stop being cheesy already."

"Then hurry here." they heard her muttered from the kitchen.

*************

It's 6pm, Jayden sat in the café waiting anxiously for Philip, throwing quick glances at his watch as his meeting time with Lucretia was almost drawing near.

Jayden glancing around,

"What's keeping him?"

At that moment, Philip pushed the door opened, gliding in as his eyes went searching through the café. Just then, Jayden spotted him.

"Over here." he gestured.

Philip gave a slight wave and sauntered over to where Jayden sat at the far right corner of the café. He smiled briefly as he pulled the chair, taking his seat.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting."

Jayden gazed silently at him with a questionable eye brow, totally not understanding what was with the emergency meet up.

Philip noticed the look on his face and smiled.

"I know you might be surprised with this out of the blue meet up but I really needed to talk to you."

Jayden stayed silent for a while, scanning Philip's face for any clue of what could be on his mind but found none.

"Alright, shoot at it. I don't have much time." he uttered, breaking the silence.

Philip took in a deep breath and sighed.

"Well, I want to talk about Luc." he muttered to Jayden's surprise.

With a raised eye brow, Jayden queried, slightly tilting his head.

"About Luc...huh? What about her? I thought you never wanted to talk about her?"

"Well, I do now."

Slightly nodding, he mumbled,

"Hmm...?"

Hastily adding with a folded arm as he sat upright, gazing at him with a straight face. " Okay, go ahead. I'm all ears."

"Alright, I know I've been a jerk towards her for a while now."

Jayden on hearing this, chuckled, slightly shaking his head.

"I thought you were never going to talk about that." he mumbled.

"I was confused of my true feelings for her and didn't know how to behave towards her."

"Hmm..., yeah right."

"But now I know."

Jayden's face got tensed up on hearing this, waiting for Philip's next statement.

"I have come to realized that I love her so much and feels empty without her. I...."

Jayden indignantly smashed his hand on the table as he rose up from his seat, cutting in.

"What is this heading to?"

Philip looked up at him with a smirk on his face.

"I believe you know where it's heading to, Jayden. From the look of things, I can see things are not really working out well between Lucretia and you because I know she feels the same way I feel about her."

With a sudden smirk replacing the anger on Jayden's face, he spake

"And what about you, Philip? Are you done with Daisy yet? I believe not."

Philip gnashed his teeth on hearing this, throwing a furious glare at Jayden.

"I believe we're done here." uttered Jayden picking up his phone from the table.

Walking passed Philip, he mumbled. "Sorry Philip but I don't think you deserve Lucretia's heart."

Philip clenched his jaw as he stared indignantly in space.

"Wait.." he mumbled, swiftly turning his gaze to Jayden.

"It's not over yet, this fight has just began."

Jayden glance at him with a smile and left.

*************

Linsey was on her phone with her mother, taking quick glances at Anita and Lucretia who was laying upright on her bed with her legs crossed on each other, not moving no matter how much Anita convinces her.

"Come on Lucretia, you should be getting ready now. I bet Jayden will be here any moment from now." she heard Anita say.

"Let me call you back mum..., something just came up."

"Okay dear, take care and my regards to your friends." said her mother on the other side of the phone.

"Sure." she muttered, hanging up still gazing at Anita and Lucretia. She hived a sigh and walked up to them.

"Stop acting like a baby Lucretia. Get up already."

Just then, Lucretia's phone rang, drawing their attention to it. Lucretia looked on and titled her head aside. It kept ringing for a while then stopped. Linsey and Anita swiftly glanced at each other then back to Lucretia. They were still gazing at her when the phone rang again.

Linsey gazed at the phone for a while then back to Lucretia.

"Aren't you going to pick that up?" she questioned but Lucretia just stayed silent.

Linsey walked over to the phone and picked it up, handing it over to her.

"It's Jayden, talk to him."

Lucretia glanced at her for a while and took it from her.

"Hello..." she mumbled

"I'm here Luc, waiting for you outside." answered Jayden on the other side of the phone.

Anita gazed at Lucretia for a while and walked over to the window, slightly drawing the curtains aside.

"Hmm...Luc, I think you better get dressed now. Jayden is moving towards the house."

Lucretia swiftly drawing the phone away from her ears, "Huh..?" she mumbled, surprised as she glanced at Anita then back to her phone.

"Don't come in Jayden, I will be out soon." she added, hanging up as she jolted up from the bed, straight to the wardrobe.

"Help me out here girls..."

Anita and Linsey took in a deep breath, slightly shaking their heads as they glided over to her. They helped her choose an outfit and got dressed. Soon, she was done. She picked up her small bag and glided towards the door.

"Have fun." uttered Linsey with a smile.

"Whatever." she replied, pulling the door opened as she strolled out, slowly closing the door behind her.

She met her mother in the living room watching a documentary as got to the end of the stairs.

"I'm going out mum..." she shouted.

Mrs. Angelica swiftly turned behind to her direction.

"Uh-huh, where to? You know your dad is working late today." she questioned, surprised.

"I know mum..., it's just for a stroll, I will be back soon." she mumbled but before Mrs. Angelica could say more, she had already left.

"Guess she is in a better mood now." she uttered, turning back to the television.