This slightly longer chapter is dedicated to my little friend with a Chicken obsession! <3
iCubeYourFace <----- Cute name isn't it! xP
Memories Of Friendship is actually a song my band plays. :)
#7 Memories Of Friendships
After leaving the toilet, I looked okay again. I was about to get home myself when Richard's car stopped. He pulled down the windows and leaned to talk.
“Hop in,” Richard offered.
“No.” I replied shortly, still grumpy.
“Please, Liz.” Richard begged, giving me puppy dog eyes at the same time.
He knows I can’t say no to that.
“Fine,” I agreed to his request. Shutting my eyes, I blocked out those thoughts. I need to be happy again. Hopping into the car, he winked in satisfactory and asked the obvious. “Still angry?”
“Yeah. I’m going to blow. Steer clear.” I retorted, still a little angry once I see him. I was glad Richard allowed me to do that, he just brightens up my mood. Forgiven already, really. Just want him to feel guilty a little. Just for the fact that he made me feel happy again, he was forgiven. I didn't know how he did, maybe it was the charisma he had. Besides, I’m the type of girl who is unable to stay angry at anyone for more than 10 minutes, especially when it comes to Joey and Richard. However, I was still seriously pissed off and infuriated by the acts of Richard. Does he care if I had a boyfriend? He is just probably jealous I didn’t give him the attention. How selfish! I didn’t ask for extra attention when he was with Annabelle. In fact, before they started dating, I didn’t mention a word about him talking about Annabelle once every three sentence. It was annoying since I didn’t like Annabelle but I didn’t ask him to shut up or what. So who is he to block off all the guys for me. Stupid conceited egocentric jerk!
“Hey. I’m sorry alright? He’s a player, he would hurt you.” Richard finally started to say.
“A little flirting won’t hurt! Stop being oh-so judgmental!” I exclaimed in disbelief. After it came out, I think I regretted. It did hurt, but not flirting with Gabe. He was the dangerous one.
I saw a glimmer of hurt in his eyes, he looked so forlorn. That reminded me of that time when he told me Annabelle had broken up with him. How is this whole incident so upsetting?
“I’m sorry, Beth.” That was what he calls me when he’s dead serious.
“It’s okay, just.. don’t let it happen again?” I soften my tone. It didn’t feel good to have him so upset when I just wanted him to feel some guilt. Maybe he was just being protective like a brother.
He nodded, and there was a silence.
“We’re here.” Richard broke the silence as we swerved into the driveway.
I stepped out of the car, asking, "You coming over later?" Richard nodded.
"Okay." I replied, and then I walked into the house.
After putting my bag on the couch, I changed out of my shirt, and then took out fertilizers, ready to start maintaining my garden since I hadn't had the time to do it, the plants are drying up.
Just as I grunted and heaved the heavy sack of fertilizers to the lawn, Richard appeared at the door, and beamed at me, "Let me help you,” he offered.
"Says the guy who has a disgusting garden." I mocked.
"Awww." he faked hurt, as he opened the door himself.
I chuckled at his antic.
Suddenly, everything was good again; we teased and mocked each other, just like what we do in the past. Ah, how I miss the old days, I miss the times when we went to McDonalds and wasted all the food by throwing at each other. I missed the times before he crushed on Annabelle in middle school when we were so comfortable with each other we often slept together. When I meant slept, I meant innocently, sleeping on the same bed, nothing else.
He walked forward to help me drag the heavy sack closer to the plants, and then took a shovel to distribute the fertilizers evenly among all the plants.I joined him as well, but I was picking out the weeds in the plants.
After we're done, we walked into the living room and sat on the couch together.
"Liz, look, I'm sorry, I was just worried."
Richard apologized, again.
"I’m cool." I stated. To say I sounded a little deflated was an understatement. I didn't sound angry at all. I told you so; I can't hold a grudge against someone for too long. It's just weird. Being mad at someone is a torture to oneself, anyway.
Richard shot me an intense gaze, remorse sparkling in his eyes. Well, he's sincerely apologetic.
I forgave him.
"So, you haven't told me why you were there today," I questioned, suddenly remembering I shouldn't have forgave him so early after all.
"Ah, I just wanted to give you a surprise." he replied, with an unusual glint in his eyes.
"You really need to dress up, as I said earlier on. You look beautiful. You see how they looked at you today?" Richard asked, rhetorically.
"This spurious reasoning results in absolute nonsense, Rick." I mocked at his logic. Wait.. Did he just compliment me? How had I missed it? I'm slow, okay I know. As realization struck me, I looked away, blushing. Geez, why am I blushing at his comment? Oh yeah, it wasn't every day the golden boy of our school compliments you.
Ping! The sudden notification interrupted my thoughts. Okay, I should really stop talking to myself like this.
I picked my phone and opened up the message. It was from mom.
"Busy tonight, won't be coming home."
My mom is a workaholic. Her office was downtown, and she's definitely a successful business woman. She raised me up alone because Dad left us during a car accident 10 years ago, when I was only 7. I barely remember anything about him.. Katherine and Brian, Richard's mother, was almost the same as my mother. Also workaholics. There was once the trio didn't come back home for 5 days. And they only came back because they ran out of clothes to change back there at the apartment near downtown they have bought just for the convenience. Eventually, when I turn 21, I would get the house there. How thoughtful was mom. I can't help but to smile at the thought. She was really thoughtful.
"Richard, mom won't be coming home tonight. Knowing her, she won't be home tomorrow night as well." I mock-gasped like I was a little girl, worrying about mom not being home.
"I'll stay." he replied, smiling.
We continued to sit on the couch and Richard suggested we watch basketball on TV, after all, he's a basketball team captain.
"Haha, you know I never liked basketball." I told him a matter-of-factly. I'll make fries and nuggets for dinner; you're in-charge of the burger!" I continued, squealing, being all dramatic.
He rolled my eyes at me and pouted, how cute. Wait.. Did I just say he was cute? Oh no, I mustn't tell him that, that will just inflate him ego, I thought to myself, haha!
After watching for 10 minutes, he switched it off and walked towards to kitchen counter. By that time, I was already done with half of the fries and had left them in a tray. He picked up one of them and ate it. Then he picked up another one and turned to face me.
Realizing what he's going to do next, I warned, "No, you don't-"
"AHHHHH" I yelled at the top of my lungs. And he did it. He tossed it at my face! It burns!
In retaliation, I picked up some nuggets which was nearer to me and shoved it into his face!
Before he could launch another attack, I instantly picked up 2 more nuggets and chucked it at his shirt to get the upper hand.
"Haha!" I stifled a laugh, before taking turning to get more 'missiles'. As I did so, he chucked at least 5 fries into my hair! God! There goes my straightened hair.
We continued to throw more fries and nuggets until there was no food left. Then, we did another round of cooking. Yeah, we're wasteful, I know. But we only do it once in a while. Forgive me, okay? Apparently, Richard had won the food fight because there were more fries, not that I cared, anyway. I knew it from the start that he was going to win, so I smeared the nuggets with ketchup before I threw them at Richard. Soon, his shirt was in a dark shade of red.
"I won!" he cheered victoriously.
"You won!" I imitated the tone of triumphant in his sentence. "But you got stabbed by a knife?" I added, mock-gasping. The dark shade of red made it seem as though Richard just got stabbed on the torso.
"Oh yeah," he pouted. He walked past me and headed towards the stairs.
"Off to bathe." Richard said without even making an effort to turn back.