Joel just texted me that he was going to pick me up around six pm later because he was going to take me out for dinner. This is why people who doesn't know us well enough, assumed that we were a couple because we hangout a lot and our bond was so strong that even a couple got jealous of our friendship.
The truth was we were just two kids who grew up together and treated each other like brothers and sisters. We never really had a heated argument, we just get along very well that was why our friendship lasts.
I was getting ready around five thirty pm because Joel was never a fan of me being late. We made a promise that if I didn't wait outside of the apartment building before six pm then I had to pay for our dinner and I hate spending money.
I applied a simple, light makeup on my face and I was wearing a red tank top with jeans to match with my Nike sports shoes. After I finished getting ready, I waited outside for Juan to come. Honestly I was really hungry, I waited before the clock strike six pm.
A few minutes later, I spotted a white range rover entering and parked right in front of me. The mirror was a bit dark so I couldn't see clearly who was inside the car. Besides, I know what Joel usually drove and that was his black BMW car, I wasn't sure which model though. I'm not an excellent person when it comes with cars.
The minute the window of the ranger rover opened, my eyes widened and I had this feeling of wanting to run away from that situation because I saw Erick sitting at the passenger's seat and Joel was sitting on the driver's seat. I mouthed Joel, "Are you kidding me?". He did the hop in gesture at me and I shook my head disbelief, he didn't tell me that his friends were joining us too.
I thought it was just me and him.
I sighed and then Christopher got out from the car so that he could open the door for me. He gave me a small smile and I blushed a little. I tucked the strand of my hair behind my ear and went inside the car to sit in between on Zabdiel and Christopher.
These two boys are so tall that they made me look like a dwarf.
Then I've noticed someone was missing, I didn't see Ricardo so I asked. "Where is Richard?"
"Oh Richard has a date with his daughter." Joel said and we made eye contact at the rear view mirror.
I almost choked on my own saliva when Joel said that. Richard has a daughter? That's impossible because he was so young to have a daughter? Did he even know how to raise one? He was still in college. My jaw dropped and the boys laughed at my reaction. Perhaps I looked like a complete clown.
I rolled my eyes at them, "Why are you guys laughing at me?" I asked. "I mean Joel was just joking right? Richard can't possibly have a daughter. He's our age, that's just utterly ridiculous." I continued.
Christopher shook his head at me, "Nope, why would we lie and why would Joel joke about that? Richard has a daughter and she's adorable. It's a long story and we try to avoid talking about his past life because it's triggering for him." He explained.
I felt bad for spitting out my opinions, I should've kept my mouth shut. I felt like I was being judgmental.
I nodded.
When we finally arrived at the place, I got out from the car and instantly cling my arm on Joel's like a happy little sister. He took us to our favorite childhood place for cheap dinner, it was a beach but they have stalls that sell delicious and cheap drinks and food then we can chill at the beach while eating our dinner. The place opens twenty four hours and we had a lot of memories here since we were in elementary school.
"You didn't tell me you're going to take me here for dinner." I smiled at him.
Joel rolled his eyes at me then stuck his tongue out playfully, "I ain't taking you out on a dinner to an expensive restaurant because you're not my girlfriend." He giggled and I pinched his right ear. "Idiot, I hate you."
He winced in slight pain, "Sure love you too." He laughed.
When my Nike shoes touched the sand, the sand were all over my shoes and it went inside too. I blamed Joel for not telling me where we were going to eat our dinner, I could've wore flip-flops instead. I was so uncomfortable walking in my Nike shoes because of the sand.
"Joel stop! I need a favor." I said.
He sighed, "What now.? Did you decide what to eat already? We didn't even reach the stalls yet sweetheart." He said.
I blew hot air to my side bangs, "Give me a piggyback because these sands are in my shoes, it's uncomfortable for me to walk buddy. Help out your sister here." I said.
He sighed heavily at me, "Just take off your shoes, you'll be fine. Don't act like such a princess." He simply said and that made me left hanging. Unbelievable, he was a jerk for not helping me out. He wasn't like this before, usually he did everything that I wanted him to do but he changed ever since he made friends from college.
He wasn't finish talking when I thought he was, "Oh or Chris can give you a piggyback. Can you help out a friend here?" He asked Christopher and I eyed him not to do that but he didn't care. I gulped, I was so nervous and I knew why Joel did this to me because he was trying to be my wingman which I never asked him to.
Christopher nodded and smiled at me, he was agreeing with what Joel asked him to do. He signaled me to get on his back and he was bending down so it was easier for me to get on his back.
I gulped nervously, "I don't wanna ride on you." I said and it was loud enough for me and the boys to hear. My words sounded so wrong that they laughed at me. Christopher giggled then he turned around to pet my head.
"I mean I don't need you to give me a piggyback because I'm kind of heavy." I stuttered.
He crossed his arms, "Come on, I'm a Nike fan too and I don't want that shoes looking messy. I'm wearing slippers and you're not and for your information I don't care that you're heavy because I'm not trying to be cringy but I am a guy. Your weight means nothing to me beside you are thin." He said.
I bit my lower lip, I got on his back and wrapped my little arms around his neck while he was giving me a piggyback. We were looking for something to eat and I was reading the menus after that I told Joel what to buy for me. I got myself fish and chips and a glass of orange juice.
After all the guys got their food, we headed to an empty spot at the beach and sat down. I sat next to Christopher, "Thanks for carrying me." I said.
He smiled, "No problemo, don't want to spoil a little princess's mood for dinner." He said.
That made me blushed like a mad woman, did he just call me princess?
We were enjoying our dinner and Joel was making a few jokes and stuff to entertain us. We played guessing game and I think it was fun hanging out Juan and his friends because they were all comedians.
"Okay so now I want a boy and a girl to come out here and do a reenactment of Titanic scene." Joel said.
My eyes widened and I stopped smiling, "What?" I asked.
Joel sneakily smirked at me, "I choose Christopher for the guy and for the girl.. well let's see.. there's no other girl around our circle so Valerie it is." He said.
Joel was giving me multiple heart attacks.
Christopher nodded and we both stood up, the game was stupid and I thought it was a guessing game but why were doing an reenactment of a freaking scene from Titanic the movie? Joel was doing it on purpose.
Christopher pulled me closer in front of them then he whispered, "Let's give our fans a bit of fun."
I gulped because his deep voice went straight down my spine sending me electric shock. I didn't know what he meant by fun but I was just standing in front of the boys not knowing what to do. I was clueless and nervous at the same time.
Suddenly, I felt two pairs of strong arms wrapped around my waist line and a cold breath on my neck. The boys were shouting and cheering for us like a bunch of crazy monkeys. My eyes widened when I look at my and made eye contact with Christopher. He was so handsome and dreamy, his smile was everything. I was enjoying my view because he was so attractive to me.
I smiled and so did he then the guys sang the titanic song in a teasing way. Me and Christopher couldn't help but to laugh out loud because of their out of tune voices. They sounded hilarious especially Erick, he was singing at the top of his lungs but still sounded bad.
"You guys suck." I said.
Joel scoffed, "Just say you enjoyed it and you're welcome." He laughed. He and Christopher did the fist bump thing before we sat back down on the sand and I raised a brow, I was questioning did they plan this out to tease me? Anyways, I didn't care about that.
"See my boy Christopher enjoyed doing the titanic scene with you. we don't suck after all. Do we?" He said and emphasized the word WE like a CNN highlight news of the day. Juan was always so over the top.
We hung out almost till three am then Joel sent me home.
Before I got out from the car, Christopher stepped out first then we bid goodbye to each other. He smiled, "Hey uhmm, it was nice having dinner with you and like hanging out with you." He said.
I nodded, "You too and thanks for everything."
We were staring at each other and we didn't even realized it was more than thirty seconds until we heard Joel's annoying voice calling our names, that startled us.
"Ermm? Are you two love birds done yet because me, Erick and Zabdiel will go get coffee and then come back here to pick Christopher up after you two done with the whole staring looking into each other's eyes thing." He said.
I awkwardly faked a cough, "Goodnight you guys and take care."
"You too Val!" The boys said.