Jian looked back and saw him standing where they left him, eyes following them.
Calm down, Jian. She thought, her heart beating fast now. What has come into you?
She met his eyes for a moment, and time stopped. She never felt that way before, and from a stranger as well.
Josh fished his keys from his pocket and didn't notice the small piece of paper flew out and dropped to the ground. Jian picked it up, it was the calling card! She hurriedly stowed it away from her brother before he had a chance to notice it.
She took a glance at him again, and saw him still looking at their direction. Then Vester gently nudged him back to their car.
——
Paulo took one more glance at the couple, and saw Jian looking back at him, before going in their car. He focused on the plates, and memorize the figures before it disappeared in a corner.
Vester slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. Pau leaned back and closed his eyes.
"What was that?" Vester asked, but Paulo continued to close his eyes.
"I just know I found the one, dude." He replied. "She has an angelic voice, I'm sure you heard her."
Paulo suddenly sat up straight, an idea forming in his mind. "Let's follow them."
Vester stared at him, "Pau, you know we couldn't do that. It will be so, so wrong."
Paulo sat back again, depleted. He looked out the window and said not a word for the duration of the ride.
———
It took Jian a lot not to slam the door shut, the whole ride consisted of both of them coming at each other's throat more than necessary. Josh could be that sensible brother but it annoyed her how much he is right.
She went straight to her room and plopped on her bed, breathing deeply. Josh came in after her.
She sighed. "Look, I get it."
"Jian, we're all the family there is. I know you're upset about recent things, but making it worse by instigating a fight?"
"They were mean! Why are you taking their side?"
"I'm not taking anybody's side, don't be dumb."
Jian looked at him disbelieving. "You don't even know everything, and here you are talking."
"I would if you tell me."
"Just leave me alone!" She turned away and buried her face on the pillow.
She felt Josh beside her, but she didn't care.
"Jian..." he said in a softer tone, "I know it's hard to adjust when you lose someone..." his voice breaks, but he cleared his throat. "Believe me, it may have been different for both of us to cope with those loses, but it doesn't mean we should deal with it alone. You know I'm always here for you."
Jian said nothing, but she felt sorry for what she did back. They do cope with loses differently.
She felt a gently pat on her back before Josh got up with a sigh.
"I'll just make dinner before I go back to work, don't skip your meals."
After a while, she heard the door closed.
Later, she heard Josh's car pull out from the driveway and he's off to work. She got up and looked out the window, his car growing smaller by the distance. She fished out the calling out from her pocket and stared at the numbers, remember his eyes boring into her. Even just this small recollection sent her heart in a race.
What the hell? She thought. Going downstairs, she grabbed the telephone and listened to the dial tone pressed in her ear, undecided for her next move.
What the hell is wrong with me? She thought again, feeling the confusion well up inside her.
With another exasperated sigh, she put the receiver down.
YOU ARE READING
The Songwriter and The Singer
RandomSongwriter Paulo met his match with stubborn singer Jian when they were made to collaborate in order to save their friend from his failing business. Unfortunate events keeps unfolding whenever they get together, until they were stuck on an island...
