Touch: Saving Ai | ✓

5

'Hooooooooow? I was so nice when I asked too!'

We were back in my kitchen. Gwen was at the table with her head in her hands and Ryo and I were making stir-fry. Gwen had offered to help of course, but Ryo and I had decided that it would be safer for our stomachs if she didn't. And so, Gwen had nothing to do but lament.

Ryo snorted as he chopped the vegetables. 'With the way you asked her, I would have been surprised if she didn't.'

'What do you mean?'

There was no tactful way to explain.

As planned, we – and by "we", I mean Gwen – had invited Ai to come to my place the next day. She was so intent on making it happen, I swear, you could feel her determination radiating in the air.

Ryo's sentiment was one I could agree with. If someone asked me something with that kind of intensity, I'd be slowly backing away.

He sighed and shook his head. 'Forget it. You wouldn't understand even if we spelled it out for you.' He frowned. 'Why are you here anyway? Slumber party was called off so there's no reason for you to hang around.'

Gwen smiled, bemused. 'Obviously, I'm here to come up with Plan B.'

'Plan B?'

'Yup, Plan B.'

'Sounds fishy. What's tomorrow's excuse?'

'I wasn't aware that I needed one.'

'Well, you do.'

I glanced at him. 'She does?'

'She does.'

Gwen raised her brows. 'Ryo, do you live here?'

'No.'

'Are you Evelyn's boyfriend?'

'No.'

'Her husband?'

Ryo's ears turned red. 'Of course not!' he sputtered.

'Then it's none of your business whether I come here or not.'

He didn't have an answer to that. Face as flushed as my skin in the sun, he went back to preparing dinner. I would have come to his defence, but I was too busy trying not to laugh. The grin quickly disappeared as Gwen looked at me and crossed her arms.

'So,' she said, 'what should we do now?'

'About what?' I asked.

'About Ai, of course. We have to find a way to change her mind.'

'We do?' asked Ryo.

'We do,' said Gwen. 'I heard what you said about that Andrew guy, you know. Made me curious enough to look into him myself.'

Ryo and I exchanged looks - his annoyed, mine confused. How had Gwen ended up taking point in this case?

I turned the confusion back onto Gwen. 'What do you mean you looked into him?'

She spread her hands in a half-hearted shrug. 'Oh you know, I just did a little Q and A to get a better picture. He's a real nasty piece of work. Not to mention...' Her green eyes locked with mine. 'I think you're right. She'll be better off if she stays away from him.'

A prickling sensation crept up my spine. I blinked and looked away.

Gwen smiled. 'Anyway, we just have to find a way to make her want to hang out with us. Shouldn't be too hard. We're all nice people.'

I checked the temperature of my fry pan. 'That's easier said than done.'

Ryo sighed. 'Why not just tell her if you think it's that bad? That's what I'd do.'