章節 19: The Creek (2)

Surrounded by a couple boys, Okashi stood out like a queen amongst them. She was being flanked by some girls who worshipped her like a queen, as they talked about how beautiful she looked in her red romper. Adrianna and Niiya walked up to the group looking meek, as both of them felt awkward. Slowly, they walked towards a small desolated camp, and sat down. Niiya's swelling had subsided considerably and he had removed the ice pack. They were sitting in silence when a cute girl with brown ringlets approached Niiya. Adrianna recognized her as the girl from earlier who had been begging Niiya to write their play for them.

She looked at Niiya with warm inviting eyes as if asking him to be with her. Adrianna could see that she was clearly smitten by him. She looked at Niiya who was finding it uncomfortable to be under her fan-girlish gaze. Adrianna waited for them to strike a conversation, but when none started, she encouraged, "Would you like to sit with us?"

The girl looked at her, slightly embarrassed now, and said, "No… thank you." Then she turned to Niiya and continued, "Would you care for a dance with me?" She pointed with her thumb back to a group of boys and girls who were dancing to loud pop music on the dance floor a few meters away.

"I am not much of a dancer," answered Niiya, not wanting to leave Adrianna alone even for a minute. He suspected that as soon as he left, someone else may try to court her.

The girl's face fell as she looked at Adrianna with resumed jealousy. "Just one dance – that is all I ask," she coaxed him.

"Yes Niiya, you should go. It's just one dance," Adrianna added, helping to cajole him.

The girl didn't seem to want to back down, so he asked, "What is your name?"

"I am Pryce."

"Pryce, I can't leave my friend here alone…" he answered. This was his last hope that she would leave him peacefully.

Pryce looked crestfallen. She turned to return to her group of friends when she heard Adrianna saying, "Niiya, I am going to go grab something to eat. I will see you around." Pryce happily looked back and saw that Adrianna had left Niiya without so much as glancing back at him. Her hopes rekindled and she found her courage to stand there to ask him again, "Shall we?"

Niiya sighed as he shook his head at Adrianna's cute gesture and Pryce's idiotic intervention. He got up to join her for a dance.

Adrianna walked towards the stall where they were selling tuna fish sandwiches. She noticed that the place was quite popular as there was quite a crowd that had gathered over there. By the time she got to the front of the line, the shopkeeper's inventory had drastically dwindled; she was lucky to get one.

She picked up some mustard sauce from the sauce station. Adrianna was on her way back when her gaze fell on the dance floor. Niiya was dancing with Pryce who was trying to take some extremely suggestive steps. Niiya seemed uncomfortable and kept moved backwards, but Pryce would always catch up to him. Eventually, Niiya bumped into a tall man behind him and Adrianna laughed. She was in for a surprise because she recognized him once the man turned around. He was dancing with Keisha.

He looked at Niiya with a domineering aura. Niiya said a courteous sorry and stepped away a little before Pryce pulled him even further away.

Keisha was dancing along with him. She was practically hugging him with her hands on his back, digging into his muscles. They swayed together as the music blared loudly. It was as if only they were the only two on the dance floor.

Adrianna stared at them without blinking her eyes. His expression was intense. His tall and extremely ripped body were prominent amongst all others, and he looked devilishly handsome. While Keisha was clinging onto him, he stole a gaze at Adrianna and caught her staring at him. Caught off-guard, Adrianna stumbled a bit and turned away to flee from the scene. She felt like a thief stealing a gaze at him. She ran back to the place where she was originally sitting. She didn't realize until she felt her wet tears on her cheeks that she was severely affected.

Her tuna sandwich was suddenly unappetizing. She wanted to throw it, but then her anger would be too obvious. Controlling her annoying attraction towards him, she wiped away her tears and bit into her sandwich. If she had known that they would be at the creek, she would have never stepped into the creek. She would never come here again. She cursed Okashi for bringing her here.

She was so furious that she started trembling.