Chapter 4: SPILLED JUICE
*UTMT Mall, Philippines*
Joshua was playing with his phone.
'Mobile Legends' quite the hype these days, huh?' Smirking, enjoying his time playing like a high school boy. 'Easy-peasy.' He was sitting at a nearby bench inside the mall, facing the entrance door, waiting for his friends to come. He was there earlier than them so he could tease them about being late.
Since when he was in elementary, it was his habit to be punctual until he reached the age of 25, he has grown accustomed to that. For him, it is better to come early and wait than letting them wait for him. Because of this, he always gets the upper hand. Poor fellas, they got to taste his cunning teases! But since they have been his brothers who knows since when, they grew used to it. Well, you know, boys. Duh.
"Have you been waiting here?" Joshua looked up and saw a grinning Derek in front of him. He exits the Mobile Legends game, turned off the phone, tucking it in his side pocket. Having a glimpse of the game before Joshua turned it off, Derek saw an opening to tease this guy. 'Now's the chance." He told himself as if winning a game of spades. But before he could even start it, Joshua told him, "I know what you're thinking." Grinning at him menacingly, he continued. "Not even the chance will do." Standing up and tapping Derek's shoulders. With a sweet voice, together with fluttering eyes like that of a flirting girl, Joshua calmly teased him. "And yes, Didi. I have always been waiting for you." Derek's face turned sour. He was speechless 'What? Eew! This dude, so gay!' It was a good thing that there are only few people coming in during this time or else he'll be so damn embarrassed!
Joshua laughed hard. "As if, Didi."
"Stop calling me Didi." Derek eyed him murderously. "You know I hate it." When Joshua teases, they all became speechless. So terribly cunning. More cunning than them!
"Then the more I do love to use it, DIDI." See? I told you. He really do gets the upper hand. That's why, if ever you would befriend or date this guy, I'm warning you. DO NOT BE LATE! I repeat. DO. NOT. BE. LATE.
Derek, sighed helplessly. "Okay, you won. Now stop teasing me already." Joshua may look like a well-behaved pretty boy but he is way too opposite than what you imagined. Now Derek's wondering who will be his total opposite. He is eager to witness it all. HAHAHA! 'You better come quick little lady." He evilly grinned in his mind.
"Didn't I messaged you that I was already here waiting?" Joshua asked. He is taller than Derek.
"I forgot to look at my phone. I was busy back at the office and somehow while doing rounds," he paused, eyeing the guy beside him, he continued. "I saw a familiar guy crouching on this bench PLAYING…" exaggerating the capitalized word intentionally. "…some babies' games!" As if discovering something funny.
(AN: If you're wondering, just imagine a funny Jim Carrey's face. I'm also laughing here imagining his face! xD)
Joshua laughed. "Ba---b--- HA HA HA HA HA!" Then he continued, trying to hold his laugh. "For real? You don't know what that was and you're calling it a baby's game?" He's really having fun. Derek grinned. "Dude, I also was a boy back then so obviously I knew what it was." He has been playing it too, at home. Derek's also a bachelor but there are lots of things he hides to avoid being teased by this guy right in front of him, who's trying to hold his damn laugh.
"So, where are the others?" asked Derek, changing the topic. Joshua shrugged his shoulders. "'Dunno where they are. I've been here since the opening." The UTMT mall opens earlier than the other malls in the Philippines, so it means, he's been waiting since 9:00 AM. Derek is the manager of the UTMT Mall or the so-called Under The Mango Tree Mall. Too funny? The owner of the mall, although really rich, he is way too weird to name it this way. There's no mango trees around! Ah-uh. Believe me, I'm the author, so I know.
Today was Joshua's day-off from his work at the Carlos Fontana University. He is a professor there and is one of the youngest who teaches Business Administration and Accounting. He rarely gets a day off from his busy schedule especially during Summer break. So his best friends really do have to make some time off, too. Although they'll be teased, having him around is so much fun! They considered his day-off as their "Bros before hoes' get-together".
"It's almost lunch time. Where are they?" asked Derek, who is looking at his watch and glancing at the entrance. "Message them Joshua that we'll wait at the Emperor's Café. I forgot to bring my phone downstairs." He told his friend.
Joshua was about to message his friends on Messenger when he saw Alfred's message. "Will be there after lunch, dude. Duke and Tomas are on their way." He grinned playfully. They'll get a handful of teasing from him later! "Alfred said he'll come after lunch. The two idiots are on their way here." Joshua said. Derek knows who he refers to with "idiots". He just sighed helplessly. "So how about Jay?" Derek inquired. "He said he's stuck at traffic."
"Come, I'm hungry." Then off they go.
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"Let's watch a movie." Martha said after chewing the last piece of her burger. "Nadie Love has a new movie and it is now showing." Her eyes lit up just by thinking of her idol. "Well, whatcha think?" She smile widely at her friend, who's also busy with her food. "Pretty pleaseee?' she is acting like a frustrated fangirl, hoping...
"I am not interested…" she looked at her, reaching for another fries, dipping it on the gravy in front and continued, "…but if it's "libre" then why not?" She ate the fries.
(AN: Libre means "free".)
"The moment I invited you out, was the moment I am getting poor you know." It was her turn to pout, feigning hurt.
"Okay, I'm sorry." Kenny said, rolling her eyes at her. "I'll watch it with you."
Though she hates to watch movies that are Romantic in genre, she can't spoil their date. It's only once-in-blue moon since she shut her world out 2 years ago.
Martha took a sip from her drink and notice something on Kenny's face. "Kennya, hmm.." pointing a finger on her lips, pouting.
"Huh?" Clueless Kendra just stared at her. "What?"
"Ketchup."
"Tsk. Just some bloody stain on moi lovely lips." She made a face at her bestie and laughed.
"Vain!" Mamie laughed too.
Kendra reached for the tissue. Suddenly, *splash!*
'Oh no! My juice!'
Weekly Power Status
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