Gold Heart, Warm Soul

10| Coincidental meeting? I think not.

It's been weeks after the dinner. Studies is going smoothly and the year is going to end. Christmas is coming up soon and couples are going out for dates. My first surgery is coming up to remove the abnormal blood vessels to prevent blood clots that can cause aneurysm. I'll have to be hospitalised soon. There were many "coincidental" meetings with Xia Lin lately. I saw her at the coffeeshop near my university, at the bookstore and the library more often that I would like. All these places are places that I frequent and I had already suspected she's getting uneasy as her plan to be quickly engage to Titus has not progressed. She might've wanted to use me as pawn in her schemes, but I've been careful by not giving any opportunities for her to get close to me. After all, you would not know what a sly fox would do. Better be safe than sorry.

It was just yesterday, while I was waiting for Kace to fetch me back home from university and I was at a secluded cafe writing my assignment, Xia Lin found me at the corner of a booth with my headphones in. She tapped me on my shoulders and smiled brightly. I had the urge to ignore her, but seeing as she stood in front of me, there was no way for me to avoid her.

As I pulled down my headphones, she said, "Hi! I saw you from afar and wanted to say hi. I never knew there was a cafe here." If she knew how annoyed I was, she didn't show it. I smiled at her hiding my displeasure.
"Hey. Sorry if I didn't respond if you called me. I had my headphones in." With thick skin, she sat down opposite me even though I did not invite her. "No worries. It's good that I got to catch up to you. I just wanted to have a friend to talk to. I didn't disturb you, didn't I?" She asked me innocently although she could see me working on my assignments and reviewing my lecture notes. "Hmm. No, you didn't." I said with my fake smile still on. If this was an animation, you could see the angry lines on my head even though I was smiling pleasantly. I laid back on the sofa, to ease my tension giving off a calm and indifferent aura. "So, what's up?" I casually asked. "Oh, it's just been awhile I saw you. I would really like to be your friend," Xia Lin said shyly as if acting bashful.

"Oh!" I said acting surprised. "Christmas is coming up soon and I want to invite you the end of year party that Titus and I are celebrating," she said with a sparkle in her eye as if boasting she has a boyfriend. She continued saying, "Its a festive celebration, and I know how single people are the most alone on days like this." Basically, she wanted to show off and boast how she's friends with me. With my influence, she can meet more well-known people and I'm guessing Titus might be too busy with work to let Xia Lin meet more influential people. "Ah..." I let my sentence unfinished giving her the impression I'm giving it a thought. With her last sentence, she could anger all the single people in the world. "I'm sorry, I don't think I can make it," I said sounding truly apologetic. "Oh why? Are you busy. You can come at a later time?" She said. I could see a hint of uneasiness as her plan might not go as she planned. "Sorry, I don't think I can come. I have to celebrate Christmas with my family. Besides, I might not be in the city," I spoke in a truthful manner, giving my excuse. I wasn't lying. The Lee family do love Christmas. We would probably be quite busy putting up the Christmas tree and exchanging present. Also we have a festive dinner and I have my surgery after Christmas. So I could not consume any alcohol. I remember in my past life, Xia Lin was very pushy when giving me drinks and encouraging me to drink alcohol. I got into a lot of trouble when I wasn't a big drinker. She ruined my reputation badly whenever she invited me to a party of hers in the past. That was one of her schemes, to make me vulnerable and giving fake news to the media saying I was an unruly girl not worth the Lee family name.

Opposite me, Xia Lin acted really down. She was probably thinking of ways to invite me and putting her plan into action. Luckily, while Xia Lin was persuading me to attend her party like a brat, Kace walked into the cafe. "Hey, sis. I called you, but you didn't answer. I thought you might be here." I ended up having to cut Xia Lin off gently and answered a little too happy, "Right sorry, I forgot to bring my phone with me." Getting the signal, although looking confused, Kace greeted Xia Lin and said to me, "Come on, let's get going." I packed up my things and got out of the booth. As I was doing so, Xia Lin grabbed my hand like a vulture sinking its claws and said, "you're going now?"
"Yeah sorry, we can talk next time," I said trying to pry off her hands. "Oh, Oh, Alright. Here's my contact number. Call me whenever you're free." Xia Lin says as she hands me her name card. I nodded at her and walked off with my brother.

At the booth, Xia Lin grounded her teeth feeling frustrated as she couldn't get close to Ambar and did not get her number. All the days trying to meet with Ambar had failed. Xia Lin thought to herself, Ambar was a key piece in trying to get engaged to Titus. If only she was close to Ambar so she could take advantage of her. If she could prove to everyone that she was a better woman compared to a Lee family's daughter and get a high reputation, she could easily marry Titus. However, her plan failed. Ambar is very cautious of her and does not trust Xia Lin easily. Xia Lin could not even invite her to her party. How could she even tell her friends that she's close to the Lee's family daughter when she can't even invite Ambar to her party. Every one of her friends had already suspect that she was lying when she said she was best friends with Ambar. She did not have a photo with Ambar or phone number.

In Kace's Mercedes Benz, Ambar threw out Xia Lin's name card. I don't want anything that reminded of that wench. As Kace did not notice anything unusual, he asked, "I thought you had your phone with you? You called me an hour ago." "Yeah I had it in my bag. Sorry, it was probably on silent," I replied. "Oh, you had it? Why didn't you give your number to Xia Lin?" Kace asked knowing her sister does not like to socialise a lot and her sister could only click with Felicia.

"Oh, I don't like giving out my numbers to anyone. Besides isn't she Titus' girlfriend?" "Yeah she is, isn't she." Titus looked at me sideways, as if he had something to say. "Spit it out. You looked like a gossiping auntie that's bursting with the latest news," I teased Kace. "Shut it. Oh it's just.... I don't think it's going to work out any time soon. Titus and Xia Lin, I mean," Kace said carefully. "Why do you think so? I think they're a good couple," I said trying not to cough up blood. "Define good. Well, they have some problems and with my judgement, I think Titus is just keeping her out of convenience," Kace said solemnly. "Hmmm. Really. No wonder she's been desperate. She's been finding me these day. Always "coincidentally" meeting at my usual hangout around my campus," I told Kace seriously. "Yeah, I heard from Titus that lately Xia Lin's busy outside. Why did she find you though? She does seem suspicious."
"Hmm, who knows. But she did invite me to her Christmas party. I rejected her invitation, of course."
"Good. There's going to be a lot of booze and your surgery's the next day," Kace said as he ruffled my hair. After that day, we celebrated Christmas merrily and exchanged presents, I got Kace a new laptop with higher security, my mum some new shoes from Givenchy and my dad, a book set from his favourite author. On the other hand, I got a new dress from my mother, a new pillow made of silk and duck feathers from Kace as he knows that sleeping is my favourite past time and a crystal bracelet from my dad. All in all we had a great time and delicious food. The next day after Christmas, I was hospitalised.