Affinity Romance

004 : A Timid Neighbourhood

It's been a mutual agreement to have a sleepover at Fae's place every Friday of the third week of the month.

I grab my hair clip and secure the strands of my hair up. Tonight we're planning to binge over our childhood movies. I grab the popcorn from the kitchen while she sets the living room. As for her parents, they're currently overseas.

"Let's go with Lady and the Tramp."

"Its been a while since we've last seen that." I inquire, placing the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.

My instinct kicks in and I grab a handful of popcorn, stuffing it inside my mouth.

“I’m friends with a pig.” Fae gives me a sassy look and tsks like a mother disappointed by their child.

Her sassy remark, however, doesn’t faze me. In fact, it’s normal to diss someone your close to every ones in a while.

I roll my eyes and toss a popcorn at her as if to say ‘oh shut up.”

She widens her eyes when she sees the popcorn drop like I’ve done the most disturbing act ever.

“Throw another one at me I dare you and I swear to god you’ll never see daylight tomorrow. “ She warns at me and I swallow.

“Oh relax mama cita.” I laugh at her and she grabs a cushion and hits me with it.

“I just cleaned the whole living room and I’m not planning to do that anytime soon.” She points out.

“You’re no fun.” I sulk at her, sinking into the sofa.

Fae navigates the remote across the tv screen and scans through the lists of cartoons.

“You remember we still have to babysit a kid next week right?” I bring the topic up.

“Just when I thought I had forgotten about it. I’m not going.”

“What do you mean you’re not going? I can’t take care of a kid by myself. I’m a kid myself!” I widen my eyes. “If you’re not going then Im not going too. Hell nah!”

“You’re so loud. Can you lower your voice.” She tells me and I roll my eyes for god knows how many times.

“If you think I’ll be the one to tell Mrs Kim thy we can’t babysit her bundle of joy then you have it all wrong.”

“Fine fine I’ll tell her.” She scratches her head, having enough of my drama. I smile at her like a satisfied child. As she should. She bailed, she informs. I didn’t even want to be a part of the babysitting service. It was all on Fae. So it’s only fair that she takes care of everything.

She takes the empty space on the couch beside me and simultaneously scrolls down the lists. It makes me bounce from the impact and I react to her missing the movie we were planning to watch. I smacked her arm and a sharp slap resonates across the living room.

“What the hell that hurt!” She yells at me with shock and disbelief in her eyes. I’m not sorry. I point at the screen.

“You missed it you dumbass. It’s right over there.”

“I know!” She yells at me in an almost frustrated manner squeezing a laugh out of me.

I keep slapping her arm and when she can’t take it anymore, she hits me for the second time across the face with a cushion.

Again I laugh because I find the situation really funny. I guess you could say that I find amusement in pain.

She plays the movie and leans back. I chew on some more popcorn and shove a bunch inside her mouth. She glares at me but doesn’t say anything as the soundtrack of the music fill the air.

"This is the life. It's been forever seen we've properly talked."

"We talk all the time in school though."

"That's different. I cant exactly Express myself properly when theres a bunch if stranger eyes you know."

"Speaking of stranger." I divert my eyes to lock with hers. "You seem to get along with that new student. Cai was it?"

"About that. You just reminded me of something. Remember that album you showed me from your middle school?"

"What about it."

"I think he's there."

I look at her with one eye brow raised up. "I doubt that. And I think I'd know if he was an old classmate."

"Maybe you're right. I just thought he looked familiar. And it's not like he used to be an old classmate of mine either. I guess I was wrong. Oh! It's about to start. Have i ever told you how i used to have a fat crush on that gray hound?"

"Almost everytime we watch it." I casually respond as I trap one strand if hair between my finger. I turn to Fae. "I believe this is yours?"

She inspects it. "I dont think so."

"It's wavy."

"Not mine."

"And short."

She sends me a cheeky grin. Chortling at her cute behavior, I flicked the hair from my finger and divert my gaze to the movie.

We basically spent the whole night going over multiple movies. Laughing, experiencing epiphany, and at some parts, even crying.

When the clock struck five in the morning, we eventually fell within the arms of slumber.

For Cai, his morning starts with a jog at around fix. An hour before the sun comes up. He usually runs skips around the timid neighborhood he lived in.

The sound of roosters comes in faint echoes. Even the moon can still be seen hidden behind the clouds. As the darkness gradually fades to release morning's light, he stops in his tracks and glances to his side.

It's been a month since he moved in.

And who would have thought he would cross paths with the last person he'd want to see,