Saturday morning, Virginia woke up early but found Freddie was up even earlier “You’re up early.” She said shortly while she covered a yawn with her hand.
“You did say we had a barbeque to go to, I didn’t want to be rude and not bring anything. You think chicken wings will be good?” he was marinating them with oyster sauce and garlic.
She wrinkled her nose “Show off.” He laughed at her comment as she returned to the bathroom to get ready.
After she was done, Freddie had also finished his work. He carried the trays to the car while she locked up the house. They were meeting at the local beach, which was 15 minutes away from her house. “Are you nervous?” Freddie asked unexpectedly.
“Nervous?” she looked confused but kept her eyes on the road.
“Yeah, you know all those guys there at the same time. They might start fighting for you.”
She rolled her eyes “Freddie, that wasn’t very funny.” She scolded.
He let out a fake laugh “Sure it was, see, I’m laughing!” he stopped laughing when she didn’t join in “But seriously, have you decided on a guy yet?”
She smiled “You talk like I have 20 guys after me and I have to make a decision right now. I’m not interested in either one at the moment. But it looks like I won’t have to worry about Remy.”
He wrinkled his forehead “What do you mean?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
He didn’t pry further, but when they got to the beach, he knew exactly what she meant. Remy and Deana were huddled close as they chatted secretly. Jeff was already there and working the grill. Jo was playing beach volleyball with a bunch of strangers that he didn’t recognize.
“Hey, you guys made it!” Jeff exclaimed happily. His eyes fixated on Virginia who replied with a grin.
“You mean, you’re happy that SHE made it.” Freddie teased.
Virginia shoved an elbow into his ribs “He’s just teasing.” She said apologetically.
Freddie rubbed his ribs in pain “I guess I know who I’ll be staying away from this whole day.” He backed away when she threw him an evil stare. “I think I’ll be safe with Jo.” He said slowly as he turned in time to bump right into Jo. “I guess I’m not safe anywhere.”
She rubbed her arm where he hit her “You better believe it! I’m hungry, cook me some food woman!” she demanded as she pointed him to the grill.
He let out a loud laugh and couldn’t seem to stop as he exaggerate the laughing pain in his stomach. “That was a good one!” he pretended to wipe his tears away. “One more of that and you should be a stand up comedian.” He tapped her roughly on the shoulder.
“Touch me again, and you’ll really be a woman.” Her eyes moved down to his manliness.
Freddie stuck his head in the air and snickered “That’s suppose to be a threat?” he began to walk away.
Joanne picked up a handful of dirt ready to throw it at him “Jo! Be nice.” Jeff yelled from the grill.
Joanne turned around to him as she scowled “He started it!!” she whined.
“Don’t give me that puppy face. I’m not your brother.” He said with a smile.
She eventually dropped the handful of sand to the ground. “Where are the drinks?” she asked loudly.
“The two love birds are sitting on the cooler.” Jeff nodded to Remy and Deana.
Jo smiled as she approached them “Excuse me love birds, I need a drink.” She teased.
Deana’s face turned red as she popped up from her seat while Remy shook his head at his sister “Don’t scare her away. She might just be your future sister in law.” He gave Deana a wink and a smile that can melt all the ice. His dimple showing on his right cheek.
Jo made gagging sounds “Gross, come Dai Lou, I’m going to lose my appetite!”
“Good! More food for me.” Remy teased.
“You guys are no fun, where’s that fake man?” she looked around and found Freddie flirting with the bunch of guys that she was playing volleyball with.
Virginia was quiet as she helped Jeff set up some chicken wings. “You seem quiet.”
She shrugged her shoulders “Nothing to say.”
“Hmm…maybe we should change that. If not, I’ll need a new cooking assistant.”
She smiled “Good luck finding one.” She nodded at the scene before her. “Is this all the people coming?”
He shook his head “No, Michael, Linda and I think I heard Deana saying that Jim might drop by.”
“I see.”
“What’s wrong? You don’t like those people?” he sensed something different about her answer.
She shook her head “No, not that. I was just wondering how Jim would react when he sees Deana and Remy together.”
“You’re always thinking for people aren’t you? Look let me tell you something. Everything is going to work out for themselves, you’ll see. Maybe he won’t be as crazy as you think he is? He might be a bit creepy but I have faith.” He nodded firmly.
“Maybe…” she let out a sigh, still unable to believe his words.
“Look here Miss Chan, you will enjoy the barbeque today and you will NOT think for others. Leave that for the office on Monday.” He scolded in his daddy tone voice.
She laughed as she nodded “I hear you! Okay, I’ll do as you say. Just because you’re cooking and I’m starving!”
“Really?” his eyebrows raised as he took a paper plate and handed her some ribs and a chicken wing. “There you go. Wouldn’t want to starve my assistant.”
“Have you eaten?” she asked nonchalantly as she took the plate graciously.
“What did I say about thinking for others? If I’m hungry, I’ll eat. Just worry about yourself.”
She smiled at his response “Boy you sure are tough. Are you always like this at the office?”
“Nah, sometimes I could be really bossy.” He joked. She laughed as she took a bite from the steaming wing. “Let me get some food for those two.” She pointed to the two ‘kids’ arguing a few yards away. She took a plateful of ribs and chicken as she approached them. As she got closer, she noticed that they were calling each other names again.
“Those guys wanted to talk to ME. Why did you have to butt in like that? Boy, you’ve got no manners!” Freddie yelled.
Jo snickered as she replied with the same tone of voice “Well, I was trying to do them a favor by telling them that you were a fake guy. What was wrong with that?”
“I wasn’t even hitting on them!” he cried in disbelief.
“Yeah right, you’ll hit on anything with big calves and muscles.”
“I’m not hitting on you am I?” he retorted.
She frowned as she prepared to push him, while Virginia got closer. She was balancing the hot paper plate, hoping that it wouldn’t fall. She walked right into the fight as she felt an arm push her on the right side. The plate toppled over as a few pieces of scalding meat landed on her arm. “Ginny!” Freddie said as he stopped her fall. His arms secured around her waste as he looked up angrily at Jo “You didn’t have to push her!”
“I was aiming for you!” she cried back as her faced softened “Ginny, you okay?” she asked with full concern.
Virginia nodded and was about to answer when Freddie said “Does she look okay?”
“Freddie!” Virginia spoke up “I’m fine! Would you two stop, please?? If I knew you were going to act like this, I would have just came by myself.” She scolded. She looked down at her burned arm and brushed off the remaining sauce on the meat.
His eyes opened wide “I was helping you! Fine be that way!” he yelled as he stomped off to where the barbeque area was.
Jo muffled a laugh “Thanks, I think he needed that.”
Virginia didn’t laugh “You’re not any better than Freddie. Come on, you two are adults, act like them. Why do you to like to provoke each other like that?”
Jo shrugged her shoulders “I just like to argue with him.” She said casually. “Anyways, I’m really sorry for that.” She pointed at the plate of meat wasted on the sand.
“Well, you should be. Come on, let’s get more food. I know you’re hungry after that cat fight.” She laughed as Jo linked her arm around Virginia’s and they returned to the bbq site.
Jeff saw the whole scene happened and knew that Jo was returning for the food. He had a plate ready for her as he rushed over to them. “Here, I think you wanted some of this.”
She took the dish happily as she beamed at him “Thanks Jeff. You’re the best!!” she wandered off to the bench and ate by herself, while Freddie hung around the grill.
“Are you okay?” Jeff asked.
She brought up her arm for him to see “Its okay, just an outside burn. I’ll be fine.”
“Lets go clean this up.” He led her over to the cooler.
Freddie watched as Jeff took some paper towels and poured some water bottled into the paper and tapped her arm with it. “That’s not how you clean a burn.” He said casually as he worked the grill, one hand holding onto a chicken wing.
“What are you? A doctor now?” Virginia asked, never looking up at him.
“No, but my brother is.” He replied.
“I believe its surgeon.” This time everyone turned around to the unrecognizable voice coming from behind. “Yee Gor, I thought you would be more precise.” He smiled as he greeted them. Linda was right behind her brother with a container of fruit.
“Freddie doesn’t care as long as he can boast in front of strangers.” Linda spoke up.
Freddie dropped the grill fork and ran to help his sister with the fruit. “I’m not that bad.” He defended himself. “Hey Ginny, you never met my sister and Michael.”
“I’ve saw them at the hospital.” She recalled the day his father pasted away.
“I mean, formally.” He said as he reached out to her uninjured arm and pulled her closer “This is Linda, my oldest sister.” The girls smiled as they shook hands. “This is my younger brother, Michael.”
Ginny smiled politely “Nice to meet you.”
He returned the smile with a twinkle in his eye “Likewise.” They secretly exchanged glances before returning to set up the table. Deana and Remy got up to greet the new people, while Joanne was plastered to her seat. “Who’s that?” Michael whispered to Freddie. He pointed to Joanne.
“Oh her? That’s the she boy that Ga Jei snipped at the restaurant.” Freddie said loudly for Joanne to hear.
She spun around and saw Linda walking towards the table to drop off the container. “You!” she said loudly.
Linda dropped the container on the table and brought her hands up “Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any harm when I made that comment. Anyways, if I knew you were Remy’s sister I would have been less cruel with the words.” She joked.
Joanne laughed “That was a pretty good comeback.” She admired the girl for her quick tongue. “Maybe you can teach me a few pointers.”
“Sure, it works miracles on Freddie.” She whispered. The girls cracked up together as they glanced at Freddie, who looked upset that the girls were getting along.
Chapter 17
Virginia Chan – Vivian Leung
Freddie Lam – Nick Cheung
Joanne aka Jo Hung – Joyce Tang
Jeremy aka Remy Hung – Julian Cheung
Jeff Lai – Louis Koo
Linda Lam – Flora Chan
Michael Lam – Steven Ma
Deana Chu – Ruby Lin
After eating lunch, everyone kind of split their own ways. Jeff and Linda were chatting together while Virginia took a little walk down the beach. Joanne and Freddie were bickering as soon as Virginia left. Deana and Remy were inseparable. Michael ran after Virginia when he saw her walking off by herself. “Hey you.” He jogged up to her.
She smiled in return “Hey. Didn’t want to join the crowd?”
He shook his head “Nah, I was never a people person to begin with.”
She raised her eyebrows curiously “Really? Being a surgeon, I would assume you liked being around people?”
“Not to the point where I can’t even have a moment of silence. Anyways, I wanted to thank you about keeping my secret.”
“A promise is a promise.” She said shortly.
He nodded “Its still noble of you. Considering how close you were to my brother.”
“There are some things that Freddie shouldn’t know.” She said softly.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, wondering why she seemed so moody.
“Nothing.” She smiled as she turned around to see how far she was “Oh gosh, we better go back before those two kill each other.”
“You mean my brother and Joanne?”
Virginia nodded “Yeah, its like they were born to fight or something.”
“I know what you mean.” They laughed together as they walked back to the rest of the group.
Even with Virginia’s presence didn’t stop the two from bickering. She could hear them from a few yards away. “Oh yeah? I’ll bet you that my team will beat your wimpy team!” Freddie argued.
“It’s a bet!” Joanne brought out her hand and Freddie shook it firmly. “Alright! Hey guys, how about a game of volleyball. One game beats all?” she announced it loudly.
“Don’t you two ever stop?!” Remy asked in dismay. He was still injured and didn’t want to play yet.
“Its okay handicap, you don’t have to play.” Jeff teased. “How about you one arm?” he nodded to Deana.
She smiled “No can do. Gotta lay off of the arm for another week.” She replied.
“Fine, the six of us then.” Freddie announced. “I chose first!” he said quickly.
“Why you??” Joanne asked.
“Because I said it first!” he retorted.
“Well, I’m a girl! Ladies first.” She replied with her chin in the air, daring him to argue back.
“Are you sure you’re a lady? You barely look like a girl.”
Her face turned red as she was about to reply. “Oh come on kids, stop it!” Remy spoke up after the bickering continue “How about I chose a number from 1-10 and you guys pick a number. Whoever’s number is closer will get to chose first.”
Remy’s idea seemed to work because they stopped arguing “I chose 3.” Joanne said quickly.
“I was going to chose that!” Freddie looked upset while Joanne smiled victoriously even though the number hasn’t been chosen yet. “Fine! I chose 8.”
They all looked at Remy “It was 7.” Joanne dropped her jaw in surprise. She was hoping that her brother would help her. “Sorry, mui mui. I can’t lie.” He shrugged.
“Even your blood won’t help you now!” Freddie beamed “I pick Jeff!” he said quickly.
Joanne looked defeated as she glared at him, she was going to pick him first. “Fine! I pick Linda!”
“Ginny!” he sang out happily as he pulled Virginia to his side.
“Michael. Hah! You’re gonna get it now. Choosing friends over siblings? Hmph! Prepare to eat sand!!” she roared as she jumped up and down happily. Linda and Michael glanced at each other wondering what they got themselves into.
“We’ll see about that. I’ve got captain of the football team and an ex-varsity volleyball player!” he pointed to his teammates.
“Ooooh, I’m so scared.” Joanne pretended to shiver in fear “Just so you know, football is completely different from volleyball, because in this sport we use our hands.” She said sarcastically.
“Ha ha…” Freddie replied before taking his place one side of the court while Virginia and Jeff stood in the back. Joanne was up at the serving line.
She figured since Virginia was aware of how to play, she aimed specifically at Jeff. She served the ball perfectly over the net and it aimed for Jeff, who stumbled backwards and ended up falling on his feet.
Joanne burst out laughing as she pointed at the disgraced Jeff who was trying to not look embarrassed but wasn’t very successful. “Mui! Play nice.” Remy scolded.
She instantly stopped laughing “Just having a little fun. Sorry Jeff!!” she yelled across the court. Internally, she knew he was where she wanted him. Aiming for Jeff again she threw up the ball preparing to serve it just as hard.
Virginia noticed that she was aiming for Jeff as she sidestepped closer to Jeff, “Move!” she said to him as he backed away at the ball flying his way. Virginia passed it up perfectly to Freddie who was in glee by now as he set the ball up to her. She took a little leap and hit the ball over the net as it fell between Linda and Michael.
They looked at each other exasperated “I thought you were going to get it.” Linda said.
“I thought you were.” Michael replied as he shook his head.
“Yeah!!!” Freddie cried as he hugged his friend like they just won the game. “Take that she man!!” he pointed his butt at her and slapped it. “Ooh, that hurt didn’t it?”
Joanne rolled her eyes “You didn’t win yet.” She said sarcastically.
The game continued on for another hour, Joanne and Freddie seemed to be the only ones with energy left. The other four looked tired and ready to stop. “Come on, Ginny! Don’t be lazy, get that ball!” Freddie scolded when the ball landed in front of her as she gave no effort to pass it up.
“I’m tired.” She moaned.
Jeff was practically sitting on the sand as he nodded in agreement. Linda and Michael shook their heads because they too were tired. “Oh no you don’t. My team doesn’t give up!!” Joanne yelled as she clapped her hands loudly.
“You know, I’ve had enough.” Virginia said when Freddie tried to revitalize her energy by pushing her. “You two are nuts.” Said before leaving the court.
“I second that.” Jeff replied as he happily followed Virginia off the court.
“Third.” Linda said.
“Fourth.” Michael was the last of the four to leave the court.
“What? I can’t believe you guys! What wimps!” Joanne said loudly.
“I know, what losers! I guess there’s only two winners today huh?” he nodded at Joanne.
She nodded in agreement “Yeah!”
The other four mumbled something incoherent before taking a seat on the bench as Jeff got drinks from the cooler for them. “Why don’t you two bash it out?” Remy asked, from his seat next to Deana at the pole that held up the net. Deana had fallen asleep on his shoulder. “You two bored her to sleep.” He nodded to the innocent looking girl on his shoulder.
“Its not fun without a team.” Freddie replied.
“That’s true.” Joanne agreed.
“Why can’t you two be like this more often?” Remy said. “You’re actually agreeing with each other.”
Joanne looked at Freddie “We always do.”
He nodded “Yeah.” He agreed.
Virginia snickered from the bench “Sure, tell that to the judge.” The other three at the table laughed at her reply.
“You guys are no fun!” Freddie retorted.
“Yeah well, you two aren’t exactly the funnest people in the world!” Jeff spoke up as he fanned his face with his hand. The sun was beating down at them.
“Freddie, don’t mind them. They have no sense of humor.” Joanne said as she tugged at his short sleeve. “Come on, I’ll treat you to some ice cream.”
His face lit up “Yeah, I saw the ice cream man earlier, he went that way!” he ran into the direction behind him while Joanne skipped after him.
“If we don’t die from the heat, we’ll die from trying to understand those two freaks.” Michael commented.
“I’ll chose heat any day.” Linda snickered.
Virginia laughed “I know what you mean.”
“Hey love birds, wanna join the melting crowd?” Jeff called out to his friend.
Remy turned his head around and smiled but he put a finger to his lips indicating for them to quiet down. Deana was still sleeping. “Hmm, I wonder when they started?” Linda thought out loud.
“When she took that stab for him.” Virginia answered.
“Oh yeah, that’s right.” Linda looked thoughtful as she took a sip from her water bottle.
“Something bad in return for something good.” Michael said without thinking.
“How profound of you, Michael.” Linda said sarcastically.
“I agree with him though.” Virginia was quick to defend him.
Jeff noticed they exchanged grateful glances “I guess it’s a doctor thing.” He said thoughtfully. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m beat. I’m going to start cleaning.”
“I’ll help.” Virginia offered.
“Yeah, me too.” Linda said.
“Same here.” Michael joined in with the cleaning up.
By the time Freddie and Joanne returned with ice creams in their hands, the barbeque place was cleaned up and packed. They were ready to go. “That’s it?” Joanne looked disappointed.
“Girl, I don’t know where you get your energy from but I’m dead tired!” Linda said as she got up and reached for her purse. “Who needs a ride home besides Michael?”
“We’ll go with you.” Remy spoke up. Deana was finally woke up.
“How about you sleeping beauty?” Linda teased.
Deana looked away shyly “Yes. I took a cab here.”
“I’m gonna stay for a little while longer.” Joanne said.
“Freddie, you gonna stay here and play with your new friend or you wanna go home with me?” Virginia asked.
He laughed “I think I’ll hang out here for a while.”
She shrugged her shoulders “Suit yourself.”
Everyone began to scatter off, Jeff stayed back and waited for Virginia “How about dinner tonight?”
She smiled “Sure. Sounds good.”
“Wait, actually, I don’t think I’ll stay here. The sun isn’t good for my skin anyways. Can I join you two for dinner?” Freddie asked, knowing that Virginia wouldn’t say no to him.
“Me too, then!!” Joanne said quickly.
Jeff and Virginia looked at each other and smiled. “Fine with me.” Jeff replied. They headed for home to change and freshen up to meet at the restaurant.
Chapter 18
Virginia Chan – Vivian Leung
Freddie Lam – Nick Cheung
Joanne aka Jo Hung – Joyce Tang
Jeff Lai – Louis Koo
The four met up at a restaurant between their homes. It was simply decorated with little daisies. Apparently the owner liked the flower because Virginia noticed the tablecloth, dishes, cups and walls were painted with daisies. “This is very interesting.” She spoke out loud.
“Isn’t it?” Freddie asked, he looked just as awed as she did.
“Only girls would like this place.” Joanne wrinkled her nose in disagreement.
“I guess that’s why you don’t like it.” Freddie retorted.
“Hey, hey guys, can we have one peaceful dinner without you guys bickering?” Jeff asked.
The two exchanged faces but kept quiet for the waitress to order. When the food came, they were at it again. “What are you looking at my chicken for?” Joanne pushed her plate away from Freddie’s making it clink against Virginia’s plate.
“Oh come on!” she sighed and looked at her friend with exaggerated annoyance “You want some chicken? Here!” she plopped a piece of her own onto his plate.
That seemed to work as he smiled and stuck his tongue out at Joanne “Ginny’s nicer.”
“She just did it to shut you up!” Joanne replied.
“Okay, that’s it. Ginny, you want to join me at another table?” Jeff threatened. Virginia smiled as she turned back to Freddie and Joanne who looked offended.
“If you wanted to be alone with her, all you had to do was ask.” Freddie said sarcastically.
“Yeah, you don’t have to insult us like that.” Joanne added.
“Huh, I realized something.” Virginia said thoughtfully. When she captured all their attention, she continued “You two seem to stand up for each other when both of you are being put down? Why is that? I mean, you guys are constantly at each other’s throat and then suddenly you two team up to bash on other people?”
Freddie and Joanne exchanged glances not knowing how to answer her question “Okay, Miss I-am-a-shrink-so-listen-to-me Chan. Just because you got a degree on how to study people doesn’t mean that your clarifications are correct.”
“Clarifications…ohh…that’s a good one.” Joanne smiled as she admired his choice of words.
Freddie nodded politely at her “Thank you. At least someone appreciates MY opinion.”
Virginia and Jeff looked at each other unable to believe what they were talking about “Just shoot me now.” She said sarcastically.
“You gotta shoot me first.” Jeff added quickly.
“Aww…look at that. They want to die together….Romeo and Juliet.” Freddie let out a sigh and his eyes wandered to the ceiling again.
This time Joanne knew he was being dramatic “Romantic again?” she asked shortly.
He nodded, his face beaming “Yup, you got it. Wow, you sure are quick!”
She nodded in agreement “I know.” She stopped smiling when she noticed that Jeff and Virginia were ignoring them. They were whispering and giggling together. “Hey Jeff, you gonna eat all your veggies?” she asked. He ignored her and continued to chat in low voices with Virginia. She had a mischievous look on her face as she pushed her fork into one of his broccoli. He didn’t have to look over to know what she was doing, using his own fork, he pulled back his stolen vegetable. “Hey! You’re not gonna eat that.” She pouted.
He whispered one last thing to Virginia before turning back to Joanne “Didn’t your mother teach you any table manners?”
“Don’t pull that big brother tone on me, you may be Remy’s best friend but you’re not my brother.” She replied icily.
“Oooh, is that a threat?” he teased “How about we give my best friend a call right now?” he pulled out his cell phone and prepared to dial Remy’s number.
Joanne’s eyes widened in fear as she reached for his cell while he let her yank it out of his hands. A winning smile on his face “Wipe that smirk off your face! I’m not afraid of you, I just don’t want a lecture right now.” She said slowly.
Jeff grinned as he put out his hand for his cell phone back. She reluctantly gave it back to him “I told you, works every time.” He whispered to Virginia.
She muffled a giggle “I never doubted you.”
“Oh please, I’m still eating!!” Freddie spoke up.
“No one’s stopping you.” Virginia replied. “Well, have fun guys. I’ll see ya later Freddie.” She began to stand up as she motioned for Jeff to come with her. “Thanks for the dinner.”
“Where are you two going?” Freddie asked.
“To be alone of course.” She gave him a wink and smiled as she watched their dumbfounded expressions. “We’re giving you a chance to be alone too.” She pulled her jacked from the chair and Jeff helped her wrap it around her shoulders. “Bye.”
“See ya around.” Jeff added before leaving the restaurant, never once looking back as they walked out giggling like little kids.
“Can you believe those two?” Joanne asked in shock.
“I know! Let’s follow them.” Freddie suggested.
“No!” he gave her a strange face at her sudden outburst “I mean, they’re no fun anyways. Let’s go to the karaoke bar.”
“Sure. I love to sing!!” his mood suddenly changed.
************
When Jeff and Virginia was out of the restaurant, he turned to her “Sorry about that. You know they’re just finding someone to tease.”
She nodded “I know. I’m use to it. Although I must say, you were the longest tease from Freddie.”
He smiled at the response “Should I be honored then?”
Virginia shrugged her shoulders “Honored, I wouldn’t say, but maybe insulted.”
He laughed “Never.”
She shook her head “Anyways, where did you want to go?”
“Have you ever seen the beach at night?”
“Can’t say I have. But I find it kind of creepy.” She shivered, showing her disagreement to the idea.
“Really? I find it hypnotizing and so peaceful. During the day, its so busy with people, you don’t have time to appreciate that part of nature.” He explained with a serious face that it made her smile.
“I like how you put that. Okay, I’m in. Let’s go.” She pulled at his arm and together they drove to the beach. Once the car door opened, she could hear the waves crashing. “Wow, its even louder at night.” She commented.
“That’s because you are blocking the noise of the cars, people and birds. This way, you can only hear nature.” He looked around for his spot, a rocky area where he sits and relax. His face brightened when he found it “Come on.” Reaching for her hand as he pulled her along the cold sand. “This is my secret place.” He whispered.
“Its very…bumpy.” She said slowly as she watched him climb the rocks with ease. He turned around and put out a helping hand for her. She eagerly took it as he pulled her to the highest rock, sitting right next to him.
“The stars are beautiful tonight.” He looked up at the sky with pure admiration for nature “See, without the city lights, the sky looks even more brighter. Just how nature intended it to.”
She smiled as she looked at his face through the dimmed light of the streets and the moon. “I didn’t know you had such a great appreciation for nature.”
“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.” He said mysteriously.
She laughed “That you’re really a psycho and you brought me here to kill me and bury me alive in the sand?”
His eyes widened as his jaw dropped “How did you know? You must be an angel from above if you can read minds.”
She wrinkled her nose “That was corny.”
“I know.” He said apologetically. “I’m not good with talking to girls.”
“You’re great with me….and how about Joanne?”
He dropped his head and shook it slightly “I meant with the girl that I like.”
Virginia’s smile disappeared as she looked out into the ocean “Sometimes its not how you act around a person, its how you don’t act around a person.”
He looked up with a confused expression “What do you mean?”
“Well, I think that when you act like yourself, it just means that you are more comfortable with a person. When you don’t act a certain way, it just means that you are holding a portion of yourself back. You’re keeping a part of you behind because you’re not comfortable or you just don’t want them to know you.”
He nodded slowly, understanding what she meant “Maybe.”
She smiled “That’s just my opinion you know.” He nodded understandingly “Answer me this. How do you think your future girlfriend will be like? I mean personality wise.”
He looked thoughtful before answering her “I guess, to be able to talk to her about everything. To spoil her. For her to love me with the same passion. A best friend.”
Virginia nodded “That’s most ideal for a lot of people. But only a handful will actually meet that person of their dreams.”
“How about you?” he asked.
“I thought we went through this already?” she replied.
“Things change. Idea’s change. Feelings change.”
Her eyes wandered away “That’s very true. But somehow it hasn’t. I still believe that I won’t be able to find a guy that will embrace the idea of his girlfriend being so passionate about her work.”
“It’s probably a turn on for some guys.” He hinted.
She lowered her head away from the light, so he wouldn’t see her blush “Maybe….” She glanced at her watch “Oh goodness, we’ve been out here for an hour. I’ve got to go home or ‘mother’ will scold me.”
“You mean Freddie?” he asked as he crawled down the rocks, his hand tightly secured around her waist as he helped her down.
“Yeah, he’s worse than a mother. I grew up without one and now I still have one.” She let him hold onto her waist as she jumped onto the sand. “But you know, he’s my best friend. He was there when no one else was.”
“That’s understandable.” Jeff replied. They walked down the beach to where their car was parked. He took her home that night feeling different about their situation. He was a step closer in getting to know her. He always felt that she was holding back her true feelings with him. Jeff wasn’t sure if their situation got any better but he knew the talk had helped both of them.
SIU BING LIBRARY