I Bet I Would

Chapter 43: Do Something

PAULENE

I flip the pages of my copy of Plato's The Republic nervously.

I then heard a knock on the door.

"Door's open," He called out.

A middle aged, blonde woman with a pink bow on her head, wearing a matching pink cascading ruffle dress entered the room carrying a tray of colorful cupcakes. 

"Hello sweethearts! How's the studying?" She asked with a sweet smile after laying the tray on Franz's study table. 

I look at Franz who was sitting on the same bed with me-- his bed, by the way.

Books, notebooks, pens, and his iPad lay between us. 

"If there's anything you need, I'm downstairs. Alright, Paulene? Make yourself at home. Oh! That reminds me-- I forgot to get you drinks. Juice? Lemonade? Any special request?" Mrs. Richmond asked me as she sat on the edge of the bed while facing me.

I didn't imagine her to be such a sweet woman.

When we played Two Truths and One Lie during campfire, Franz said that his mother has so many religions. I actually thought she'd be weird. 

"Lemonade. Thank you so much, Mrs. Richmond."

"Darling, it's Lucy. Call me Lucy," She said as she got up. 

She then daintily went to the door, opened it, and quietly closed it as she went outside to probably make us drinks.

"You want to have lemonade too?" I asked Franz, trying to finally start a real conversation. 

He snickered. "She's my mother. She knows what I want."

I doubt if my mother knows me that well.

So now, how did I get here in Franz's room and on his bed, anyway?

He called my mobile earlier and asked me when and where do I suggest we study.

I told him that I'm free tonight and that I'm not going to Smashbin.

He said that we do not have much time and we only have the weekend. He suggested that we study at my house, but, I told him that it's a bad idea.

I don't want my mother to know that I'm failing, and worse, that I'm asking a guy to help me.

I also inherited my being assuming from both of my parents. It's really annoying.

Even if Franz is nothing more than a friend and a study buddy, I'm sure they won't believe it.

To them, every guy I'm with is automatically my boyfriend.

Sometimes, I wonder if my mother is really a lawyer. She should teach herself how to give a benefit of a doubt.

"Okay, so, basically, Plato's The Republic wants to answer a series of questions. Why do men behave justly? Is it because they fear societal punishment? Are they trembling before notions of divine retribution? Do the stronger elements of society scare the weak into submission in the name of law? Or do men behave justly because it is good for them to do so? Is justice, regardless of its rewards and punishments, a good thing in and of itself? How do we define justice?" 

I just blinked while listening intently as Franz went on to explain.

I observed how his lips moved. Everything else around me just dulled in the background.

Does he wear lipstick? How can he have really red lips? It's making me kind of jealous.

"Paulene?" Franz asked as he waved his hands in front of me.