Royally Kissed | ✓

37; the untouchable

Jouwee rolled her eyes. "There's this thing called vacation."

"Yeah, I know, but...like, even the thought of filing for a leave makes me feel apprehensive."

"What? Paige, you're just going to ask for an excuse for a couple of days, or a week's worth of time-off. It's Christmas, hello..."

"Sorry, miss, but your friend's an introvert," she said, mouth twitching when Jouwee tossed her a flat stare. "Besides, you can't just ask for a leave when you're new at your workplace, you know?"

"You're a Cadwyn," said Jouwee matter-of-factly, as if she couldn't believe about the words she'd just spoken. "Your family owns the business. Of course, they'd allow you to."

But Paige thought otherwise. Scrunching her nose in disagreement, she peeled her pizza from her plate and resumed chomping on it. "Well, this isn't a matter of exclusive rights. I want to earn something because I deserve it, not because I have the prerogative to."

"I figured. I finally booked a ticket to Thailand. Can't wait to see the elephants and the countryside. I'd be participating in this volunteering project; a couple of foreigners would join me there." Jouwee huffed. "But just in case you'd change your mind, where would you go?"

"I probably won't go far," Paige replied, and suddenly thought of a closer place but still would make her feel like she was out of the country. And private, most especially. "Oh, I haven't seen Lakewood, yet. Owen's dad bought a huge piece of land there years ago, he told me. That would be a good place to start."

Jouwee's eyes brightened, much to Paige's confusion. "Really? Dude, you have to go! The place is absolutely stunning. I'm sure Senator Callaghan had a couple of rustic or log cabins there, with inground pools and Jacuzzis. Oh, and it would be an amazing time to skate through the frozen lake," her eyes were all glimmering and distant as if her head was up in the clouds, "and then you'd stay there for a couple of days and nights with Owen–"

"Jouwee!"

"What?" the idealist drawled innocently; and as she ate again, her mouth twisted into what seemed like a sly smirk, "It's romantic; just a silly imagination. And why're you blushing?"

"I am not." Paige cradled her forehead with her hand rather weakly. "That's a silly imagination, indeed. Hey, are you finally going to see some monks?"

"Changing the topic, I see."

"Whatever. That's not gonna happen, anyway."

Jouwee almost snorted her eaten pizza out of her nose. "So you were entertaining the idea?" She doubled over in laughter–when Paige squirmed in discomfort–hardly uncaring about the curious stares.

"Oh, shut up," Paige sulked, only to undo her crossed arms when two young girls approached them, both wearing bashful expressions, "Yes?"

"Hi!" The Korean girl greeted. "I'm Hye Jin, and this is my friend," she gestured to a brunette, "Rosie. We're freshmen at Hackett. Can we take a picture with you?"

In the background, Jouwee snorted as if to stop a laugh. Paige deadpanned at her before smiling at the two. "Sure." And when she extended Hye Jin's phone herself to Jouwee, the latter sobered up and gave her an unamused look. "Do the honor, please."

Without a word, although faintly aggravated, Jouwee obliged and tapped the shutter for a couple of shots. Right after, she slowly lowered the phone as she stared at the screen, and her eyebrows marginally wrinkled. Then she tilted her head up to look at the girls, silently giving the mobile back to Hye Jin, shooting them a small smile.

The girls said their gratitude and went back to their table. And Paige immediately turned to Jouwee with a slightly confused mask down her face.

"Are you alright?"