The deers are long gone. Instead, Molly is there, claiming the swing chair all to herself and letting the wind lull her to its content. Her eyes have been fixated on the running water and the serenity in her face shivers my hands a little. Two cups of coffee became too heavy.
I handed her a cup and sat on the day sofa next to her. Molly is already dressed in a comfy grey jogger and a light pink crop top, ready to leave. Right then, her phone on the wooden table in front of me rang, flashing mom. She perked, and quickly grabbed it before I could.
"No" I began but to no use. She had already answered the call.
"Hi Mom" and mouthed a 'what' to me. I just slapped my forehead. She frowned and put the call on speaker.
"Hey sweetie...how is your assignment coming along?" her mother chirped on the other end. Molly looked at me, waiting for me to give her an answer. I just shrugged at the phone, asking her to go on.
"Hmm...I'm almost done actually. It's just one more drawing. I'm thinking of completing it back home. I already called Dylan, he is on his way to pick me up" Molly said and there was a silence. If Rory, Molly's mom, had any active brain cells in her, she would have heard the woodpecker pecking a nearby tree, the birds bickering in their nest on our porch, the thundering river in front of us, and most importantly, THE BREAKING MOBILE SIGNAL this place has. Our dorm always has perfect phone signals. As a matter of fact, the whole town, all the way to the city has no signal issues. No way she could have missed it.
"Ok sweetie...see you soon," she said, which baffled me, and ended the call. Molly turned to me with a smile, wiggling her eyebrows "You were saying?". She then jumped off the swing and jogged to me, sitting on my lap.
Oh God, my cardiac health!!!
She fluffed her nonexistent collar. "Am I a genius or what?" I made a face. Yes, you are a genius and the outcome will be known soon.
We waited for another 30 minutes before heading to town. Rory was already waiting for her at the door down the driveway. "See you," Molly said and jumped out of the car, striding to the house. Mommy Molly, however, eyed the car, or precisely me. No smiles, no waves, just a blank stare.
Oh, she knows. Or at least have her doubts in place. I gave her a small nudge and went on driving away.
The next day, as per our WhatsApp group conversation, we ended up at the mall. Except for Molly, who was 20 minutes late and didn't ask anyone to pick her up. The boys have motorbikes, Sarah has an old Volkswagen and I have a Jeep. None. She came in a cab.
"Dude, why are you so late?" Roberto asked her.
"Sorry, Mom held me back with breakfast and chatting. Let's go" she said, grabbing my arms and pulling me with her. I followed and after a while, realized none came along, except for Roberto. Dandelion gave a questioning look which received a "What? It's just arms dude" answered Roberto. They looked at each other and shrugged before coming along.
Sarah and Molly went into practically 80% shops that are available in the mall. The remaining 20% is for men, so they didn't bother.
"We need to go to...hmm...there" Sarah pointed to a lingerie store, making us uncomfortable.
"There is a restaurant there. You guys go order something. We won't take long" said Molly and pulled Sarah along with her. The particular restaurant was directly opposite the lingerie store. Only some brick planters could hide our view but since I'm above average height, I could see the girls. Specifically Molly. She picked a black set. Totally not her type.
I looked away to the boys. When I peeped back, she had a dark purple, with G-strings in her hand. No. How can she walk in that? Then a mannequin with peach set behind Molly caught my eyes. Laced at the edges, the cut would look nice on her. The boys are discussing the upcoming intercollege soccer tournament. I discretely took out my phone and messaged Molly.
'Get the peach' it zapped away. Molly looked down and pulled out her phone from her jeans, read it, and panned up directly meeting my eyes.
'How much is it?' I sent another message. She slid the phone down, checking on Sarah before asking the sales girl something. Then she went to a corner and texted me back.
'$150' she replied. I switched my WhatsApp to my e-wallet, keying in $150. Then I stopped before I could hit send. Isn't it selfish to pay for only what I want? What about what she wants?
I looked up and she had already gone into the trial room with all that she had picked and the peach set. I deleted the last two digits and added another three zeros before hitting send. In a matter of seconds, she begins typing.
'WHAT THE FUCK????' I would imagine her face red and her eyes bulging out.
'Dylan, I don't need money!!! I have enough to pay for these' she added.
'So? Buy some more. Whatever you want but a word of advice, G-Strings are hell to walk in'
'NO!!!!' my phone dinged and the notification said I received $1000 in my e-wallet. I quickly sent it out to her again.
'DYLAN!!! STOP IT!!!'
'Either you take it or another 8 days are off the table?' no reply for a while and she hasn't walked out of the trial room. What, is she planning on sleeping in there?
'Be my good girl and do as I say' I sent back. She didn't reply, but she did stomp out of the trial room and handed what she had to the cashier. Sarah got taken back and rushed to her. She asked Molly something and Molly shook her head, juggling between her card and phone. The cashier gave a weird look. Molly turned to glare at me before thrusting her phone to the cashier.
That's my good girl...
Unfortunately, Sarah caught me peeping and glared with her hands wrapped across her chest. I dropped my eyesight to the table, sneaking back into the boy's conversation.
Molly was still fuming when she came back and sat in front of me.
"What's the matter, sweetie? Why the down face?" Dandelion asked and Molly uttered a "Nothing". I took the chocolate-covered fruit bowl next to my tray and slid it to her. She looked up from the table, face red and eyes bulging as I suspected.
"Eat," I said, plopping a plain kiwi from my bowl into my mouth. Sarah peeped into the bowl "You know she doesn't like kiwi!!!" Sarah exasperated.
"She will eat what I feed her and she will like it". A shadow of smile touched her lips but she swallowed it, before opening the fruit bowl and forking a kiwi. Sarah threw her hand in the air, mumbling something under her breath before catching Roberto staring at her.
"What are you looking at? Where is my fruit bowl?" they began bickering. None of it entered my ears. Focused on only Molly. The way a grape bulged her inner cheeks. Her pink lips...
Stop it, Dylan!!!
YOU ARE READING
Amber Woods with Molly & Dylan
General Fiction"You can't do this Dylan. Especially when you don't -" I grabbed her neck, pulled her to me, and crashed my lips to hers. She pushed my arms at first, then just held on tight. Because sweetheart, you have no idea who I am in bed. She will need some...
