Lake County

9. Rebound

“I don't know who I am right now. But I know who I'm not. And I like that.” – Amber Smith.

•••

“So, the both of you left your houses at ten pm just to go talk to each other at the park?”

Moyin was being her usual critical self, as she gazed at Rena from across the table with a confused look. April herself, found the notion amusing. How sneaky, she thought. And how un-Rena. She was pretty sure if she did a similar thing, the girls wouldn’t hesitate before they threw up a rope round her neck to strangle her, but since it was Rena – they were bidding their time, and investigating to determine if it was truly what they thought it was.

“No, you’re making it seem like we planned it. We didn’t actually.” April watched from the corner of her left eye, as Rena shook her head and attempted to explain. It was hard to concentrate on their conversation, when before her was a saucer filled with chicken wings and chips. “Look here, madam!”

“Ouch!” She shrieked, withdrawing her hand from Rena’s wicked grip. “Can’t someone just eat in peace again? Both of you met in the night. Haha, it’s very funny and romantic. Just get married to yourself already and get it over with.”

Moyin laughed, while Rena pouted. “We didn’t plan to meet.”

“Oh, you just happened to run into him at the park at ten pm? Cos you know, a lot of people are usually in a deserted park at that time especially.” Moyin retorted, reclining in her own seat while sipping from a glass of yoghurt. “Just cut to the chase, and tell the truth please.”

Rena sighed. “Okay, fine. I left my house with the intention to see him. I didn’t know what I was doing really, to be honest. I just left and wandered towards his own house. I just knew I had to see him. I was planning I’d give him a phone call when I get there, but fortunately for me—he was by the park and I went to meet him there.”

“And what if he wasn’t by the park, and he was at home and was sleeping so hard that if you called him, he wouldn’t hear?” April interjected, finding the entire thing amusing. Didn’t she find the entire thing clingy and desperate? Who left her house at 9:30P.M. to go meet any dude, irrespective of whatever feelings that might be in place? She usually did such thing herself, it was not new to her. As a flirt, it was normal to make boys believe they were important and that she had feelings for them, but Rena wasn’t on such path. It just seemed she was diving headfirst into a rocky surface and was going to get hurt in the long run.

But who was she to give relationship advice, anyway?

“Okay, first of all. Not everyone sleeps like you. Normal people when they sleep, they hear sounds and noises around them.” Rena shot back, turning on April. “Let’s just pray rapture doesn’t come when you’re sleeping, cos we all know you won’t hear. And two – it started like I was going to say two things, but I had only one point really.”

Moyin folded her arms. “I guess you’d have grabbed some stone nearby and start throwing at his glass, right? How cheesy would that be? And appropriate also. Given the fact that he’s been the girl in your relationship, and you’ve been the one chasing him about – it makes sense for you to assume the stone throwing role.”

Rena’s eyes narrowed at her friend from across the table, as the fork in her hand sliced the turkey on her own saucer – quite, viciously. “If you don’t want to die by stone-throw, I suggest you shut up. I mean you guys are the best, really. First you give me this crap of go after him, and don’t give a fuck about the let him be the dude role, and now you’re criticizing my actions? I know you’d make a good addition to the folks at Cinema Sins. It would make sense, given the current state of job unemployment in the country.”