Chapter 86 Confessions (1/2)
Sarah watched the Smith Twins walking ahead of her. Kyle had a paper bag from the earlier shop while Kay was excitedly waving her hands while talking to Kyle. She took in a deep breath and tried to calm down her rapidly beating heart.
She had been so engrossed talking to Beatrice that she had not realised that Kay and Kyle had walked out. Luckily, they had not heard what they had been talking about. Otherwise, she would just die.
Beatrice noticed Sarah's discomfort and awkwardly patted her had to reassure her. Sarah smiled gratefully. It was strange. They had just met and Sarah found herself spilling the beans to Beatrice. Perhaps it was because she had hidden it for so long that it just burst out? Even now, she couldn't believe what happened.
It was right after they ran out of the store. Both of them sat down at the bench that was conveniently located right outside.They looked at each other and then burst into laughter.
”What was that all about?” Beatrice said, as she looked into the store and observed Kyle studying the bra intently, ”To think a guy can actually do that ... ”
”I know, right?” Sarah said, ”Kyle certainly is an enigma. Even though he's staring at the bra like that, it doesn't seem like it's perverted, you know? He's all so serious.”
”Yes, I can see that,” Beatrice agreed, ”Still, it made me uncomfortable to be standing there next to a guy who is holding on to a bra.”
”Yeah,” Sarah said softly and her eyes never left Kyle. She observed how he was looking at all the styles, touching one or two and choosing a few.
Beatrice looked at Sarah and then at the way she was looking at Kyle.
”Do you like him?” Beatrice asked.
Sarah turned to her in horror, ”What makes you think that?!”
”The way you're looking at him right now, when he's not looking,” she said, ”There is this ... softness in your face. There was even a ghost of a smile on your face when you were looking at him earlier.”
”It's your imagination,” Sarah insisted, denying and shaking her head, ”I just admire him, that's all. Nothing more than that.”
”Umm,” Beatrice responded, not wanting to pry but was merely curious.
”He's my best friend's brother, so ...” Sarah began, trying to explain when she saw (what she thought) was the disbelieving look on Beatrice's face.
Beatrice just looked at her, and asked, ”So?”
”So, I just ... I mean, I hang around them a lot, so it's only natural that I admire him, right?”
”Umm,” Beatrice responded again, ”I guess?”.
Truly, she didn't know. Was it normal? Was it not? How would she, who hardly met people and hung out with them, know what is normal or not?
”Kyle is so handsome and kind,” Sarah went on, ”He treats his sister like gold and his friends like brothers. I've never met anyone as wonderful as him. So, of course I'd be affected whenever we meet up, right?”
”Affected? What do you mean?”
Sarah was flabbergasted. Right. Just what DID she mean?
”I don't know. I guess ... I get flustered?” Sarah said, trying to explain, ”I mean, I can talk to him and all that but if he's too close, I find myself feeling all nervous. I can't get used to that face!”
Beatrice nodded, thinking it made sense. She was the same with Sam, wasn't it? She had absolutely no trouble talking to other people but whenever Sam was too close, or when she could see his face so clearly, she found herself feeling weird. Guess nervous was the right word?
”Yeah, I suppose? It's the same with me with Samuel,” Beatrice admitted, partly to confess and partly to let Sarah know she's not the only one who can feel that way.
”Samuel?” Sarah asked, puzzled, ”Is he your cousin or something?”
”No, my classmate. Samuel Johnson,” Beatrice explained.
”OH! You mean Sam,” Sarah said, nodding. So that was the type of face that Beatrice liked, huh? ”So you find him hot?”
Beatrice's face flushed red, ”I cannot deny that his features are quite attractive, but that is all there is to it.”
”You mean to say he's just a pretty face?” Sarah said with a gasp.
”NO!” Beatrice shouted, aghast but realised that her words could have been misconstrued that way, ”Samuel is very smart and responsible. So much more than a guy his age. I just meant that there is nothing other than a casual appreciation of his features. My mum is already teasing me about him and imagining God-knows-what, so I guess I wanted to make sure that you don't misunderstand me.”
”Ah, I see,” said Sarah. She hadn't stopped looking at Kyle, though she did look at Beatrice once in a while, while they were talking. Beatrice notice Sarah was looking quite displeased. Angry, even. She looked to where Sarah was looking.
She saw a rather attractive woman with watermelons for a chest, talking to Kyle. Even from that distance, Beatrice could tell from the lady's body language that something wasn't right.
”Shameless,” Sarah was saying under her breath.
”What? What is?” asked the clueless Beatrice.
”Isn't it obvious?” said Sarah, pointing at the lady beside Kyle, ”Can you see where she's looking? She's been examining Kyle from top to bottom ... and ... and even looked THERE!”
”There? There where?”