012

As we're heading to our destination, the car is awfully quiet. No one is speaking. I looked at the girls behind. Joanna is using her phone while Amy is looking at the window. I sighed and sat down properly.

"So, I heard you're all going to the mall" Eros broke the defeaning silence.

"Yep" I said with so much enthusiasm. I just want everyone in the car to loosen up a bit.

"Y'all looked like you're going in a runway" he said with a slight chuckle.

"Why? Is there something wrong with our outfit?" I took his silence as a yes. "Go back to the house. I wanna change"

"Why? I didn't said anything's wrong. What I said was actually a compliment"

"Not for me, obviously. You're telling that 'we're' overdressed for a mall" I put so much effort just to look good yet I'm overdressed?

"No. We're not going back. You look good as always and so are they"

I just looked at the window to hide my smile.

"Is this some kind of a girl's date?" Eros asked when it became silent again.

"It was supposed to be in Gigi's home theater but she welcomed me too prepared for what we're only going to do. So.. yeah" Joanna answered. She probably got bored using her phone.

"Am I going to leave you all be and wait for you at the carpark?" he asked, looked at me for a second then focused on the road.

"Nope. Mother said you should come with us"

"If that's the order then"

We all walked in the mall. I looked at the people we get pass by. Did I overdressed? But who cares? Eros said I look beautiful anyway. I shook my head doubting myself if I really rely on what he think of me.

"Let's go to a salon and get a manicure" Joanna suggested.

I looked at Amy who has been silent.

"What do you wanna do after the salon, Amy?" I asked.

"Eat? But if you don't want to do that, it's fine. I'll just follow you both around"

"Duh? It's our day. We'll decide where we wanna go not just follow where one of us want, okay?" Joanna assured her. She smiled a little. Still shy.

As what the three of us agreed, we went to salon. Eros being the only man with us looked awkward around the pink walls and lilac sofas. His eyes wandered around looking confused then it met mine. I quickly looked away and pretended it never happened. We were instructed to the single sofas. I chose the place where I could check on Eros.

"What service do you want, sir?" I heard and when I looked at the receptionist, she asked him with flirty smile plastered on her face.

"I'll just wait for them here" he answered and sat down on one of the sofas in front of it. I picked the color before looking around. The glass door isn't a hindrance for the girls to ogle onto Eros.

I could literally see how they stop from their tracks and just looked at him. When I checked whether or not he's looking back at those girls, I saw him looking at me. AT ME. not at those girls. Looks like he's oblivious to the attention he's attracting.

'What?' I mouthed

'You' I read his mouth as it's mouthing words one by one.

'are' 'stunning' I took off my stare and looked at the girl doing my nails. Joanna and Amy looked relax while reading some magazine.

The salon was packed and I think I know who's fault is that. I smiled when the nails is done. It dried up easily and looked pretty. I chose the pink with brown-ish color. I went up to Eros and showed then to him.

"It looks good" he said with sincere smile.

"What's that?" I asked because he had this little rectangular paper on his hands.

"Oh! A girl came in and gave me this. She said I should call her even though I told her I have no phone. She thought I'm playing hard to get, that's why I have this with me" he even shrugged.

I rolled my eyes, paid for our bills and left him there. Joanna and Amy followed immediately with Eros. They decided to let Eros decide to where are we going to eat.

Eros chose a pizza restaurant. The two girls sat beside each other and talked. While Eros is still standing.

I looked at him and said "Aren't you going to sit down?"

"Am I allowed to do so? To sit beside you?" I looked at the girls and saw that their busy. I looked again on Eros and nodded.

The menu was handed over and the waiter's took down notes our orders. The waiter walked out when we're finished ordering. He said that it'll be ready for at least 15 minutes.

"You still have the calling card?" I asked Eros.

"Yeah. You want to have it?"

"Why? Are you going to give it to me if I said yes?"

"Of course. I don't need it anyways" he then got it from his pocket in pants. It's quite crumpled like he doesn't even care about it. "Here"

"I was just kidding" then tried to give it back. I put it in his palm even though it's hard to put it in.

"You kept asking about it. Might as well have it. In case it haunt you at your slumber tonight"

"You made it sound like I like you or something"

"Your words not mine" he chuckled then gave me the murdered calling card.

I tore it in front of him and he looked happy with what I did. He's happy? Why's that?

The order came and we ate. The thoughts and lame jokes were shared as we eat. The four of us is laughing and creating a somehow loud noise from the restaurant itself. We walked around the mall and went to to window shop to pass the time. 5 o'clock in the afternoon came and we're already on our way home. The laughs and stories are still non-stop. The kind of noise I want to hear in our house.

We reached home and changed our clothes. We were still allowed to go the home theater with Eros.