Tangled Emotions

Chapter 6

Tina's POV

Stirring my milkshake with a straw, I found myself drifting down memory lane, thinking back to those golden days when my family went all out for my birthday. It was always just the four of us. Dad, Mom, Shawn, and me. But the way we planned, you'd think we were hosting a royal gala.

Back then, I took it for granted, never imagining that last year's celebration would be my final one with them before leaving home.

The routine was sacred. Mom would bake her famous chocolate cake. The kind that could make a grown man cry and Dad would work on the lovo, Fiji's traditional earth oven feast, which he insisted my birthday was special enough for every single year. It was an all-day labor of love, and somehow, we all ended up covered in flour, soot, or both.

And then there was Shawn, my self-proclaimed party decor expert, who would strut around, barking orders like a mini event planner. "You know, I could start my own business doing this," he'd say every year, despite his decorations mostly consisting of crooked streamers and balloons that popped within minutes.

But this year was different.

This year, I was miles away, stirring a melting milkshake in a dimly lit café, my heart aching for home.

I exhaled, shaking off the melancholy.

Trisha and Veronica, my two best friends, had vowed to make sure my birthday wouldn't be a lonely one. And yet, they were nowhere to be found. We were supposed to go shopping, but it had been thirty whole minutes, and there was still no sign of them.

At this rate, I was going to file a missing persons report.

To distract myself, I scrolled through my phone, pretending I wasn't anxiously scanning the café entrance. But then, a familiar scent hit me. Woodsy, fresh, annoyingly pleasant.

I knew that cologne.

Before I could process, I looked up, and there he was.

Joe.

Tall, effortlessly charming, and currently flashing that stupid, heart fluttering smile at me.

Oh, great.

"Hey," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Hey," I replied, pretending casualness, even though my pulse had no business speeding up like that.

"You alone?"

"Nah, waiting for my friends," I said, swirling my straw in my milkshake like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Oh, okay." His voice dropped a little, almost like he was...disappointed? Or maybe I was just imagining things.

Before I could analyze it, the moment shattered.

A tall, stunning girl with a perfect hourglass figure and a ridiculously well-fitted grey knit dress appeared out of nowhere, casually slipping her arm through Joe's like she belonged there.

My stomach did a full Olympic level flip.

Who the hell was she?

His girlfriend?

Was Joe flirting with me for fun? Was I some kind of side entertainment? A joke?

I immediately averted my gaze, pretending I wasn't the least bit affected, but Joe because apparently, it was like he had a sixth sense for my emotional breakdowns. Quickly unhooked his arm from hers.

"This is my childhood friend, Tamara," he introduced. "Tamara, this is Tina from my university."

Oh.

Just a friend.

Relax, Tina. You're being ridiculous.

I exhaled, my grip on my milkshake loosening.

"Hi," she said, offering a hand, her voice as smooth as her flawless complexion.

"Hi, nice to meet you," I replied, forcing a smile and hating that she was so freaking nice on top of being stupidly gorgeous.

"The pleasure is all mine," she said sweetly.

Ugh. Why was she perfect?

She was the kind of girl who looked like she had a Pinterest board-worthy life. Long, silky black hair, an effortless elegance, and that magnetic presence that made guys trip over themselves.

And just when I thought the awkwardness had peaked, Tamara slid her arm back through Joe's in a move so subtle yet so obviously territorial, I nearly choked on my milkshake.

Message received: He's mine. Back off.

I was actively plotting my escape. When thank the heavens above. I spotted Veronica and Trisha rushing toward me.

My saving grace.

I had never been so happy to see those two in my life.

"Sorry, we're late!" Veronica called out, completely oblivious to the emotional crime scene she had just walked into.

"Let's go," I muttered, practically yanking them by their wrists before anyone could stop me.

I glanced back once. Just once and caught Joe watching me leave, his head tilted slightly, like he was trying to figure me out.

My heart skipped.

Then I saw Tamara, still glued to his side, and annoyance flared up again.

"You both owe me lunch for making me stand there like an idiot while Joe's friend Tamara marked her territory," I grumbled, pinching their sides.

"Ow!" Veronica yelped, laughing. "Wait, who's Tamara?"

"Joe's childhood friend. At least, that's what he said," I huffed, "but it sure didn't feel like that."

Trisha, ever the detective, narrowed her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm fine!" I shot back, way too fast to be convincing.

They exchanged glances. Great. Now I was under investigation.

We hit a few stores, and while Trisha and Veronica found dresses they loved, I couldn't focus. My mind kept replaying the scene. Tamara's arm through Joe's, his expression when he saw me leave, the stupid scent of his cologne lingering in my brain like an unwanted perfume store.

Why was I like this?

By the time we sat down for lunch, my appetite had mysteriously disappeared.

"You good?" Veronica asked, raising a brow. "Because weren't you the one demanding free lunch?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I think I lost my appetite."

Damn you, Joe. What have you done to me?

Trisha leaned in. "Soo...what's the plan for Joe's party? Did you find a dress?"

I hesitated. "Actually, I'm having second thoughts. Maybe I won't go."

Both girls froze.

"You're joking, right?" Trisha asked, shocked.

"We've been shopping all day for this party!" Veronica groaned. "You can't back out now!"

I shrugged. "I don't know. We don't even know his friends. It'll be weird."

Veronica squinted at me. "This isn't about the party. It's about Tamara."

Damn it. Caught.

"What did Joe do?" she pressed.

"Nothing!" I said quickly. "I just...she was all over him, and I just..."

Veronica smirked. "If Joe had a girlfriend, do you think he'd be inviting you to his party?"

Trisha nudged me. "If you don't go, you'll regret it. Maybe he likes you, and you're overthinking it."

I groaned. Maybe they were right.

"Fine," I muttered.

"That's my girl!" Trisha cheered, high fiving me.

And just like that, the tension lifted.

As we continued shopping, I realized how lucky I was to have them. Because even when I couldn't figure out my own emotions, they were there. Lifting me up when I didn't even know how to lift myself.

Joe's POV

As Tamara pulled me along on her shopping spree, I couldn't shake off the look in Tina's eyes when she saw me with Tamara earlier. The silent questions, the confusion, maybe even disappointment? I mean, what if she really thinks Tamara is my girlfriend? I groaned internally. I need to clear this up.

While we roamed the mall looking for gifts, Tamara was totally absorbed in her shopping. She dragged me into a men's store, chatting about earrings and Calvin's farewell. "Yeah, Calvin's leaving for his internship" I muttered, barely listening. In reality, my mind was stuck on Tina and that moment earlier, Tamara on my arm, and Tina seeing us together. It felt wrong.

"You good?" Tamara's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Yeah, just... trying to think of the perfect gift for Calvin," I mumbled, lying through my teeth.

We finally found a watch for Calvin. I barely glanced at it, my mind already thinking about the next thing, finding Tina. As I wrapped up the shopping trip, all I could think about was her. I had to explain, somehow, before she made any wrong assumptions about me and Tamara.

"Jia's here" Tamara announced after a call. "Let's go."

"I have to head to the café" I replied quickly. "Mom's waiting."

"Oh, alright. You better not forget the deliveries tonight!" Tamara warned as she waved goodbye, leaving me with a feeling of urgency to find Tina.

As soon as I was back at the café, the usual rush of customers brought me back to reality, but I couldn't fully shake off the worry. I entered the office, tossed Calvin's gift on the desk, and sighed. I went to buy something for Tina, yet somehow ended up with a gift for Calvin instead. This whole thing is a mess.

I thought about calling Justin for Calvin's farewell party and immediately arranged it. But the moment I was done, my mind jumped right back to square one, Tina. Still no gift. Would she even come to my party now, after seeing me with Tamara? Would she even want anything from me? We've just started to get to know each other, but it feels so... intense, like every glance from her matters.

"Why is this so damn complicated?" I muttered under my breath.

How do you know what the other person feels?

With Erine, things were simple. Easy, even. But Tina? She's different. She's a puzzle, a beautiful, complicated puzzle, and her eyes tell stories that her words don't. It's hard to get through to her. If it were up to me, I'd wrap her in a hug and tell her, "You're going to be okay. Maybe not today, but someday." But I'm not sure she'd even let me get that close.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at Calvin's wrapped gift, wondering when, or if, I'd find something for her.

Tamara's POV

Why was she looking at me like that? Was she interested in Joe? Does she have a thing for him? I mean, they were just talking casually, nothing seemed off, but something about the way she smiled at him. Was it just friendly, or did it mean something more? And then again, if she were really into Joe, wouldn't Jia know? Jia always seems to have an eye on everything he does. Should I ask her? Would it be too obvious if I brought it up? But if anyone knows who Joe is dating or not dating it would be Jia.

Joe hasn't been with anyone since he broke up with Erine. That breakup felt like a weight lifting off my chest. For the longest time, I thought maybe he'd come around, realize that I was the one for him. But when he started dating Erine... God, I was crushed. The way he talked about her, how happy she made him. It was like I was invisible.

But then they broke up. I knew he wasn't ready for another relationship yet, and so I decided I'd wait. Wait for him to be ready. When he does. I'll be there. I've liked him since forever, and I'm sure one day he'll realize that what he was looking for was right in front of him all along. He has to.

"Looks like you don't like the food, my dear. If you want, I can order something else," Mrs. Carlton interrupted my thoughts.

Startled, I blinked and looked up, suddenly aware that I was surrounded by people. I had been too lost in my head to remember that I was supposed to be enjoying lunch with Jia and Mrs. Carlton. We'd finished birthday shopping, and Mrs. Carlton, being her efficient self, had booked the restaurant in advance. Something she always did to avoid wasting time. For her, every minute not planned was a minute wasted. She was like clockwork. Organized, sharp, and utterly precise.

I realized I had been poking at my pasta for who knows how long. Most of it looked like a mangled mess from the number of times I had stabbed it with my fork. "I'm actually not feeling hungry. You know how mom is. She made me finish all my breakfast before I left home. I'm stuffed," I lied, offering a weak smile.

In truth, I hadn't eaten anything this morning. I'd woken up late after staying up all night writing Joe's birthday speech. Another thing I was obsessing over. It had to be perfect. I wanted every word to reflect how important he was to me. So I skipped breakfast and rushed to meet up with Party planners and then meet Jia and Mrs. Carlton at the mall. I knew Mrs. Carlton hated waiting.

"Okay then, I'll get this packed for you," Mrs. Carlton offered, her voice soft despite her usual stern demeanor. "I know you'll feel hungry later."

Classic Mrs. Carlton-tough on the outside, but underneath it all, she's incredibly kind. I've always admired how she raised Joe and Jia. Strong, independent, but loving. And me? Well, she's practically raised me too, considering how much time I've spent at their house. Sometimes it feels like I'm already part of the family.

I glanced at my phone. Should I text Joe and ask where he was? Was he with that girl right now? A surge of possessiveness made my fingers move faster than my thoughts and pressed send. I need to know. A second later, his reply came in: At the café.

I felt a rush of relief, like a weight had been lifted. Good. He's not with her. He's not seeing anyone. He's mine.

Suddenly, my appetite returned. "I think I'll eat the pasta. It won't taste good if it gets cold," I said, smiling brightly, trying to shake off the tension that had been gnawing at me.

Mrs. Carlton and Jia exchanged a quick glance but smiled back, then went back to their meals. They probably think I'm just being weird again.

As I twirled a forkful of pasta, I couldn't help but daydream about the future. I can already picture it. Me, Joe, and them. Like it's always been. Only this time, Joe would finally realize that he and I belong together. It's inevitable, right?

But a flicker of doubt crept back in. Why was that girl looking at him like that? What if... what if I'm wrong?

___________________________________

"Between what is said and what is felt, lies the space where true understanding begins. A place where hearts speak louder than words."