ANIMALISTIC APPEAL

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"Adi?" Steffi shook Adrianna's shoulder.

Adrianna looked at Steffi blankly then blinked her eyes repeatedly.

"What happened to you?"

"Remembered something unpleasant."

"What?"

"A scumbag."

Steffie's eyebrows drew together.

"What scumbag?"

Adrianna stuffed Steffie's mouth with a fruit pod to silence her. Steffie slapped Adrianna's shoulder in annoyance.

"Adi, let's go to the river and take a dip."

"Okay. Let's pick some green mangoes. Mama made shrimp paste."

"Are you climbing?"

"What?! I'm still recovering from an illness, you know? You climb and pick mangoes. You throw it down and I will do the catching."

"No way! Let's go to my house. We have a grabber stick." Steffie paused then gave Adrianna a glare!

"Let's pick green mangoes tomorrow! We are having mixed fruits today remember? I will get bananas and ripe mangoes at home."

"Okay. I will buy condensed milk and all purpose cream."

Arm to arm, they both went out together. The convenient store is just a few steps away. Steffie's house however is two blocks away.

"Adi, your grip hurts." Steffie gave Adrianna a grimace.

Adrianna was taken aback. She looked at Steffie's arm. Indeed it was red.

She did not use any strength at all!

"Steffie, I'm sorry. My head was in the clouds." Adrianna clutched her hands together in prayer and apologized right away.

Steffie closely studied Adrianna's face.

"Do I have a booger on my face?"

Steffie laughed softly as she again linked her arm with Adrianna's.

"Were you really sick? Your mama said it has been two days since you recovered."

"Yep."

"But...you don't look sick at all. In fact your skin is like...hmmm.. Its like sparkling and more tender and smoother than before."

Steffie gave Adrianna a glance over from head to foot.

"You are even getting more beautiful. Your like Christmas lights. Your glowing."

"Hahaha." Adrianna burst out laughing.

"Steffie, you have to work on your vocabulary. You still don't learn. The last time you described someone, you said she has snake eyes. That poor girl hasn't even moved on yet!"

"Adi! I said she has beautiful snake eyes!"

Adrianna looked at Steffie in horrified fascination.

"Steffie, no matter if its gorgeous snake eyes, snake eyes are snake eyes. It will never be pretty at all."

"But her eyes are really like snake's eyes!"

"Well, you can say nothing then. Just keep silent."

Steffie snorted.

"Would you be going to school on Monday?"

"Next Monday."

"Why?"

"Because I want to and I can." Adrianna stuck her nose in the air and declared haughtily.

Steffie's face crumpled like an old man!

"Whatever!"

When they were near the store, Steffie suddenly pinched her arm and pointed her lips to a particular direction.

Following Steffie's pointing lips, Adrianna saw the pervert Mark!

He was wearing a black shirt, a black cap and a knee length corduroy shorts. His back is leaning against the Acacia tree and he was smoking and laughing with his friends and cousins.

Adrianna's face turned dark. She glanced at Steffie who is near swooning.

"What's good about Mark?"

"Its better to say, there is nothing bad about him. If I have to list down all the good things, it can go on forever."

Adrianna grimaced.

Steffie is this die hard?! Adrianna sized up Mark again.

He has tanned skin and is quite skinny. He has this bad boy, reckless kind of look that good girls should ran away from.

Is this the appeal? The bad boy come-and-tame-me-kind-of look?

Adrianna tilted her head and pulled Steffie away.

"Honestly, why do you like him?"

"What's not to like?"

Adrianna : !!!!!

"Who knows if he has someone already at the city? He is rarely here."

"So? He isn't married, yet."

"Does he like you too?"

Steffie's face turned red.

Adrianna can feel her heart stop beating.

"Steffie?"

"He didn't say."

"Why blush then?!"

Steffie bit her lips and bowed down her head.

"We met earlier. He remembered my name. That's all. Its just... Somehow, it made me feel like...you know. That I'm special to him. He remembered me after all."

"Huh?" That's it?

"Did he say anything else?"

Steffie stopped and hugged Adrianna's waist. She rubbed her face on Adrianna's chest and murmured something.

"Huh?"

"I was so shy and nervous, I hurriedly ran away from him and I hit my toe on something. I almost smashed my face to ugliness when he wrapped one arm around my waist to stop my momentum."

"I see. The knight saving the clumsy damsel. And then?"

"Adi, let's go to my house first and get the fruits." Steffie pulled her arm as they were near the store and walked to the opposite side.

"Okay. You continue your fairytale."

"I just feel like he is a good person. And he was very gentle with me."

"You already know he's a good person just because of one encounter?" Adrianna was dumbfounded.

"He saved me."

"You like him because he saved you?!"

"He is handsome too. And he plays basketball well. I heard he is a varsity player in the city."

"Aah..okay. The pull is there. He has quite an impressive...repertoire. Quite a rabid animal." Adrianna murmured.

"Huh?"

"I said he has a strong animalistic appeal."

"I know, right?" Steffie giggled.

Adrianna grimaced.

She has to think of a way on how to cut off this rabid animal from running wild.