Part III

Red, orange and yellows in different shades tousled gracefully on the soft breeze and the gust brought by traffic. The cloud's slow movement cleared path for the brilliant hour, when the sun's dash of splendor colored everything in gold, permitting some sun rays to reach the leaves in the city. 

Lijuan and Wu were waiting for Jessica, both curious at who her date choice would end up being. 

"Jessica!" Lijuan called out once she spotted her friend in a grey knitwear dress and black boots. Beside her was a familiar person, but she just couldn't wrap her finger around where she'd seen him.

Wu's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief, "No way. Xin and Jessica? On a date together?!"

A few hours ago***

The moment Xin heard the entrance to the bar click, he lowered his back to put down the crate on the checkered floor with caution. 

"Good day." 

The man turned back to see who walked in on him despite the closed sign clearly hung up on the handle. Before him was Jessica, and he stood there in all levels of surprise. Her eyes moved about until it finally met his.

Xin didn't say a word until he took the cigarette out of his mouth then puffed before he spoke "Forgive me for not responding to your greeting, but I'm in a state of shock. What brings an elegant Lady to a bar well known for delinquents?"

"I didn't have a choice. I want you to join me on a date."

"I'm sorry?" Xin hoped he wasn't hearing well.

"I need you to accompany me on a date." 

Xin gaped in bewilderment "What? Why me?" 

"You're the only one I know that'll agree with it."

Xin tilted his head "And what makes you so sure that I'd do something like that?"

"Because it's a double date with your friend and mine. Lijuan wants me to join her date with someone of my choice, and I choose you by default."

"Don't you have a woman you're close to?" To Xin, she was asking for the impossible. He didn't enjoy associating himself with things lovers do, and a date was too much like it.

"Lijuan was the only woman I focused on. The rest at work never approached me." 

"Neighbors?"

"It's unlike me to ask for something from a man of a low class. Normal days I'd let my pride and ego interfere, but I can't, that's why I'm here requesting for your help. Lijuan is looking forward to a date where we can all sort out our differences, and since he is your friend, I assumed you'd be more comfortable."

Xin sighed "I don't do things like these. I find dates and all that shit repulsive, but I have to listen to the small part of me that's willing to go through the torture of a double date, just so there'd be a better understanding between you three."

"Then is that a yes?"

"Unfortunately." 

"Okay then. I'll leave my card. Call me once you're ready. Saturday at four pm, that's when we move. Lijuan is going with Wu, so I guess the two of us should go together as well."

"My car?" 

"If it has an air conditioner, then yes."

"Okay, you'll pay for the fuel." 

"Fine." 

"Yeah, no need for that. I'm kidding."

"Goodbye then." 

"Bye."

***

"You're ready right?" Xin asked as Jessica rampaged her bag for the lip gloss she couldn't find. She was panicking. Xin could tell.

"What's wrong?" 

"My lip gloss. My lips are chapped…"

"I see nothing wrong with your lips. You're just worried about the unnecessary. So calm down."

Jessica stayed put after his words, but her hands shook and her mind pondered how people would view her appearance.

"Can we go back? I need it…" 

"Need what?" Xin asked, still keeping his eyes on the road.

"My gloss. It's important that I put it on." 

"We've gone too far, sorry." 

"We won't be late if we just turn back now." 

"There's nothing wrong with the way you look. You don't need the gloss. It's just a gloss. You still look good… I mean you are attractive with or without it."

"If I am attractive... why doesn't anyone like me?"

Xin smirked "Your attitude."

"I want to change, but not everyone is willing to give me a chance. I want to change for the better, but people have only stamped my unpleasant side. I guess I've been rude, selfish, mean and really bad in general, but I understand now that I shouldn't always treat people based on class."

"Knowing you for a while. You're the type that has an inferiority complex. The loudest people I've met are the weakest. You've been pretending to be strong, probably because you want to imitate your friend, but you've barely discovered more to yourself. No matter how confident you try to act, your insecurities still take over eventually."

She didn't like her new image of the man beside her. He was too understanding, and it was hurting her to see a man as a good person after so many years of her stereotype and misandry.

"Knowing you for a while, you care more about others than you care for yourself." 

"I won't deny that" He said, then a smile appeared on his face "No one's life is a throwaway."

"Do you actually think that? Because from the way you smoke, I think you feel like yours is disposable." 

"That's because it is."

Before she could say anything else, he ceased the silenced and used the opportunity to announce they were close to the place they decided to meet. 

"Let's go."

Jessica looked at her phone and saw a new text from lijuan as she got out of the car. "We're at a restaurant's patio. The name's Calli's pizza place."

"The restaurant should be close by." She recalled the name. She passed by the food place whenever she stopped at the business district. Navigating her way to lijuan wouldn't be difficult. 

"Jessica!" Lijuan called out once she spotted her friend in a grey knitwear dress and black boots. Beside her was a familiar person, but she just couldn't wrap her finger around where she'd seen him.

Wu's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief, "No way. Xin and Jessica? On a date together?!"

Lijuan and Wu were too shocked to say anything. 

"Yo" Xin waved a hand after noticing the look they gave him. 

"H-hi" Lijuan shifted her gaze to Jessica after responding to the man's greeting. "Can I talk to you for a bit?" Lijuan didn't wait for her friend to respond. She giggled as she pulled her aside. Wu did like wise. 

"Believe me...I'm also surprised?"

"You?!… Date?!...her?!… love?!...you?!...when?!...how?!"

"Calm down. It's not what you think."

"Not what I think? Why did she choose you? A man? Someone she hates?! Since when did this relationship start?! Why didn't you tell me?" 

Xin pinched the bridge of his nose then groaned, "can I say something in my defense?" 

Wu nodded repeatedly, "Go ahead"

"I'm just accompanying you all. She doesn't have anyone else to fit in this slot, so I had to, and please note we're definitely not in a relationship. I had to do this because I knew you and why I'm here is for your benefit. One more thing… We kinda have to act like we're not close to each other just in case."

"Why?" 

I told lijuan I didn't have any acquaintance with you, however it's been some time now. Perhaps she probably won't recall, and in the event that she does, I have a solution. So resist the urge to panic." 

"Okay... okay…"

Over at the ladies' side…

"Jessica… who is he? I feel like I know him from somewhere… When did you meet him. He looks nothing close to the type you'd like to date. He's also a guy…"

"I know... We're not in a relationship though. Please don't get confused. He's just accompanying me, nothing else to it."

"Is he your friend?"

"No. Just someone I know."

The fact that Jessica was with a man was strange. Lijuan never expected it to be someone like Xin. That probably meant Jessica was changing her perspective of things after so long, and maybe it was because of the man she had invited that day. Despite his notorious looks, if Jessica was comfortable around him, then he might be a good person.

"Ok then. Are you guys done talking?" Xin and Wu closed in on the ladies, and lijuan gave a positive answer "Yes. Let's go to the restaurant in the plaza over there" She pointed at the building with bright lights and they all started moving towards it. 

Wu had to keep up with Lijuan who was fast and lagging behind was Xin who was barely paying attention to what was going on. All he wanted was to pull out the cigarette stick in his pocket and go to a quiet place where he could smoke. He had already been tired of the date way before it actually started.

They stopped at the door after looking around the busy tables and concluding that the restaurant was full and the noise level was way too high.

"What now?" Xin asked. 

"Let's go to the amusement park!"

"AMUSEMENT PARK?!" They said at once and lijuan chuckled "Yeah. There's one around here." 

Xin glimpsed his watch then clicked his tongue silently "It was past five, and they'd barely done anything." 

He followed them, cautiously keeping a five-feet distance from the three in front of him until they stopped in front of the giant red gate leading to the twenty square acres of an entrancing and formalized theme park. 

Once they had the disposable tickets, the pass to the fenced world beyond, they moved in along with the crowd. The park was new, and it has gained popularity in such brief notice. It had benches, ornamental trees, flowers year round and water fountains in clear lakes that were stocked with Koi carp. There were vendors with hotdogs and burgers, vendors with curry and rice, vendors with tacos and sour cream, imagining the taste of the food was tempting Wu, but since no one else was moved, he had to curb his desire to eat for the meantime.

They passed by the stationed colorful swings that swayed in the wind and the little kids with smiles from ear to ear.

Jessica didn't like where lijuan was heading. Her stomach filled with even more butterflies of nervousness as they approached the ride, and the screams of the passengers made her want to turn back. 

The queue was enormous, but it had three different sides. No matter how long it would be, it didn't stop lijuan from getting lined up on the snake-like queue. She riled the others to be patient and spoke randomly about how awesome it'll be until it finally got to their turn.

Lijuan was so excited, unlike her friend Jessica. She got to the front of the queue and had second thoughts when she heard the creepy laughter and tense music. She got pushed on to the front seat on the far left side, just where she was most likely to fall. The girl was strapped into her seat tight, but she was still worrying. She looked over at Xin who was awfully calm, then turned back to see lijuan cheering on the seat behind. 

"In case I die, forgive me for my sins, O' spiritual being up there" She clasped her hand together and gulped after her short and probably her last prayer.

Click click click. The cart dragged itself up with effort as Jessica's hands tightened on the bar and her breath quickened in fear and lijuan sat back in anticipation. 

Jessica laughed nervously, "It's awfully high, isn't it?" 

"Don't worry Jess, it'll be fun."

Jessica tried not to think about the bad things that might happen when they reach the top. Click click click. Suddenly, her regrets doubled as she wished she didn't let lijuan convince her it was a good idea, but it was too late to turn back. 

Jessica looked around to distract herself, and for a moment she could see the entire kingdom of laughter, food and swooping machinery. Then... there was nowhere to go but down.

People started screaming as the cart rocketed, twirled at full speed with the wind whipping their faces. Jessica had her head down, with her eyes closed and she repeated to herself, "I don't want to die, I don't want to die."

After it was all over, she got out with a stumble and started walking, making sure she didn't bump into any walls, but she ended up bumping into Xin. Suddenly, she quickly covered her mouth. 

"Are you okay?" Xin asked but his attention was caught by the sudden voice from behind him.

"THAT WAS SO AWESOME" lijuan screamed, making the people around her jump. 

Jessica swallowed then she nodded "I'm… Fine. Don't mention anything to lijuan. I don't want to ruin this for her."

"Okay." Xin assured.

"Hmm... seems like there's a special event going on. Let's go check it out." 

They launched into the river of people, everyone moving like water molecules in the same direction. There were only joyful faces as they headed towards the grand stage for the greatest AI music on earth - music to fill us chock full of adrenaline pumping happiness. 

Jessica slowed down as her stomach lurched and the nausea crept from her abdomen to her head. She swayed for just a moment before Xin grabbed her in time, then with little effort, he carried her in his arms and against her will. 

She wanted to fight back, but just like before, being in his arms felt too good to be true. It was like the feeling of sinning and not giving a damn.

Xin moved away from the crowd to a place Jessica could rest. What he found was a bench, and he lowered her down to the seat. The next thing that happened was she slowly moved to the corner, placed a hand on the arm of the white bench, then moved her head close to the dumpster beside it.

She began to vomit, and Xin walked away after watching her heave.