My Brother's Girlfriend

CHAPTER28: I like Lauren

Mia

"What is this place?" Lauren asked once we reached our destination. The scent of meat getting fried is enough to make my stomach grumble. "You've never been to a Food Street?" She looked around the free highway that was set with plastic tables and chairs. "Isn't this dangerous?"

"Nah. Vehicles aren't allowed to get through this freeway. Don't worry." I assured her. "Come on, let's get us a table." I took her hand with mine and swiveled through the tables and chairs. The waiters and the cooks. "Wow. It's crazy here." We finally settled down to a spot where we can see the sun setting. Perfect. "I know. And the food too. All variety. It's like food court, but outdoors. AND better options."

"I can see that." She's smiling as she scans the food stands and open restaurants. "I can't believe I've never been here." She says. "I can't believe James never took you here." Her smile faded at the mention of my brother. "Too soon?" I asked and narrowed. She held my hand and gaze. "I want you to know that whatever it was between me and your brother, we have worked it out. And it's all in the past." And that's all I need to know.

"So I should probably send Cindy a fruit basket, then." Lauren said in between smiles. I gulped my iced tea. "Why is that?" I asked her. "Well, to thank her for making you gay." I laughed out loud on that one. "Yes. I can still remember her hair flipping in the 3rd grade." I looked dreamy. The nachos finally arrived. "Okay that looks sinful." Lauren remarked. I looked down at the platter of nachos covered in cheese, ground beef, sour cream, diced tomatoes, spring onions and other more out of this world confetti in my mouth. Lauren lifted one up and very delicately put it inside her mouth. She closed her eyes which wouldn't be complete without a groan. "This is so good." Oh. So good. "Why is this so good?" I smiled when she snagged another. Then another. And a third one. "Oh I'm sorry. It's just.. I'm in heaven over here." Me too, Lauren. Me too. "No problem. Enjoy yourself." And enjoy, she did. She finally picked a napkin and dabbed the corner of her mouth that had a dip of sour cream which has been driving me a little crazy.

"Why'd you stopped playing chess then? I bet you would've been a master at it." I asked Lauren. "As I grew older it made me sad because it reminded me of my mother. She's the one who taught me how to play."

"What's your mother's name? If you don't mind me asking. " She smiles. "Dianna" I mirrored her. "That's a pretty name." She agreed and bobbed her head. "She's also the one who named me. Dad wanted a son. It's funny how that turned out."

"I like Lauren." We looked at each other. She bought her drink to her lips and drank. It stained with a faint of pink. She blushed. "Thanks."

Lauren

"I have never been this full. I think the Food Street killed me." We walked just as the sky was beginning to dark. "But I'd definitely want to go back there."

"Sure. We can go back there whenever we want." At that, Mia held my hands and I felt the prick of goosebumps. We continued walking. "Oh. No way." Mia commented when we walked past a bookstore. I looked at the window of the store. "What's no way?" She pulled me in and next thing I know we were inside the store. It's warm, it's bright, full of books that have a sweet and musky scent that wafts into our noses. It lingered. It reminded me of chocolate. "Georgia Beer's new novel is out. When did this happen?" She picked the book up close to the display. I've never seen this side of Mia before. She read the back of it with much concentration, I almost didn't want to break it. "I didn't know you read romance." I witnessed how her cheeks turned to bright red in an instant. She hesitantly looked up to me. Speechless. She looks adorable, I had to laugh. "Hey. I'm just teasing. It's actually cute that you read that kind of stuff.." I walked away and made my way to the other shelf. Mia, hot on my heels. "I.. I also read mystery books."

"Oh yeah? Are you a big Nancy Drew fan?" I asked and faced her. "Oh yeah. Big time. I was ND growing up. Pretending to solve crimes. I still have a wide collection."

"Honestly? I've never read a single one of her books." She stopped grabbing a book mid air and looked deadly at me. "What?" I said. "Why are you looking at me like that. "What kind of an author hasn't read Nancy Drew?" She regarded. I scoffed. "I am not an author."

"Not yet."

"Yeah well, maybe I won't become one." My voice became quiet. As the subject is something I've never discussed to anyone. Surprised that I even had a nerve of saying it out loud. "What are you talking about?" I held eye contact with Mia, and I felt myself softening. "I'm not sure if this is the right path for me. I mean.. don't get me wrong, I enjoy writing. I love typing the story in my head away. I just.. I don't think I'm good enough." There came silence between us. The door opens and closes at the shop and the cold air from outside swifts through us. "You writings has became one of my favorite things to read lately."

"You don't have to say that." I took a step back. "You're right. I don't. But I hope you'll believe when I say, that one of my favorite things you wrote was that short story in your first year in college." She brought her eyes back to the shelf. "What are you talking about?"

"I used to work at the library. And I found this little book once it was my duty to clean the shelves." She walked to the Children's Literature section where a little girl is curled up in her knees with her red big glasses. In her hand, she held a Nancy Drew book. "What little book?" I continued to ask her. "I think it was one of TS Eliot. Anyway, in between those pages is a piece of paper. I opened it and found myself totally indulging the words written in there. The date was 2016. And the title was 'Stealing.."

"Glances." I finished her words. She smiles. "So that was you. 'L.H.'"I nodded. Then shook my head. "How'd you even know it was me? There could be a lot of L.H."

"No, I did my research on the computer in that library. We have access to the list of names of all the students enrolled. There was only a few of you with that initial. About 10 in your department. But.. it felt like your words. You were the only person that came into my mind after reading that. I left it in there and thinking if I should get it or not before I committed my work at the café. It should still be in there."

"I didn't even know that still existed. I almost forgot about it."

"I have an idea. Comeon."