CHAPTER 21: GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Jess wandered around aimlessly in the mall alone. Her excuse about having a prior engagement was very obviously not true. Hey, she was only doing them both a favour, she chuckled, oblivious to the weird stares she was getting from passerby’s. Just as sudden a red little number in a shop window display caught her attention. She emerged from the shop 45 minutes later, carrying 2 large paper bags and a very much lighter wallet. She had to remember to get money back from Flo. This was all her fault, Jessica mused.

“Ooouf…Ouch! Oops!”

The bags she had been holding fell out of her hands, spilling their contents all over the floor.

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” said an apologetic voice. “…Jess?”

Jess, who had been rubbing the side of her face due to the knock, removed her hand slowly to see who it was. She smiled at the sight in front of her, “Louis! What are you doing here?”

Louis grinned at Jessica’s silliness. “Hmm…well, this IS a mall. So I would assume I’m here to do some shopping…” he chuckled. “But then I think there isn’t anything left for me to buy now,” he added as he nodded towards Jessica’s shopping.

“This?! Oh, this is all Flo’s!” Jess exclaimed without thinking.

Louis looked at her quizzically. “Flora’s here with you?”

“Err…not exactly,” Jess replied rather sheepishly.

Louis frowned, obviously not fully comprehending what Jess was going on about.

“Nevermind. It’s a loooong story,” Jess explained.

“Then, why don’t we sit down and get a drink? If that’s okay with you, that is. Then you can tell me all about it,” Louis grinned.

“Sure!” she answered maybe a tad too enthusiastically.

“Here, let me help you with those,” Louis offered as he took the bags from her and led her to a nearby café.

Louis choked on his coffee after having heard what Jess had just told him.

“You don’t mean to tell me that you think Flora likes Karen, do you?” he asked unbelievably. “I thought she and Bowie were getting along rather well…”

Jess shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think Bowie is completely out of the picture. I do detect some interest there. Then again, I also detect that Flo’s rather interested in Karen too. No offence to Bowie intended but I mean, Karen’s pretty attractive – not the ‘dumb blonde’ sort…there’s beauty and brains there…what’s there not to like?” she giggled.

Louis frowned at her. “The way you’re talking about her makes me wonder if you like her too…”

Jessica grinned. “Hmm…well…it’s a pity she’s not interested in me…” she said in a serious tone as she waited to see what Louis’ reaction would be.

Louis was about to blurt out a shocked reply when he suddenly realised that Jess was only pulling his leg. He decided to play along. “Maybe you should fight Flora for her,” he chuckled.

Jess scowled at him. “You’re no fun,” she pouted.

Louis laughed. “It’s obvious you don’t know me long enough or well enough yet,” he told her with a grin.

“Oh, really?” Jess remarked cynically.

“Yes, really,” Louis repeated with a smile.

“Well then, maybe we should spend more time together,” Jess grinned.

“Now, that sounds like a really good idea…” he chortled in agreement.

They both just sat there and grinned at each other idiotically. Then suddenly Louis frowned. “What are we going to do about Bowie? He’s going to be devastated when he hears what you just told me about Flora.”

Jess gave a soft whistle. “Don’t tell him then,” she said, a matter-of-factly.

“But we have to tell him,” Louis argued. “He needs to know he has competition.”

“Look, I just think we should let them sort things out themselves. It’s obvious Flo hasn’t decided what she wants or whom she likes yet. Let it run its course,” Jess rationalised.

Louis stared at her incredulously. “You sound as though you don’t want Bowie and Flora to get together.”

Jess shrugged. “Whether or not it’s Bowie or Karen, it doesn’t matter. As long as my friend is happy.”

Louis looked at Jess, hoping to find a hint that would suggest she was only joking but he found none.

“What?” Jess eyed him suspiciously.

Louis kept smiling as he shook his head. “You really amaze me, Jessica Lee. It’s a good thing we’re planning to spend more time together. There are lots of things about you that I just can’t wait to find out…” he grinned.