CHAPTER 14 (CARRIE)

It was finally summer. Examinations were great actually. I passed the tests with flying colors.

As always, Danny topped the class.

Now, I was at a coffee shop waiting for Jessica. It's been a long time since we went out.

I was wearing a jacket since it was raining a while ago. It's been a few minutes. Jessica wasn't here yet though.

I sneezed. I immediately grabbed the tissue on the table and placed it on my nose. Gosh. Why did I forget to bring a handkerchief?

Suddenly, someone handed me a blue handkerchief.

I looked up and saw that it was Harold.

"Um… You need a handkerchief?" he asked shyly.

I smiled. Wow. He really has a change in his attitude. Who'd have thought that the guy who was so rude to me before would actually offer his handkerchief to me someday?

Well, people change.

"Aw… You don't mind Harold?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Nah. You need it more than I do."

I nodded and took the handkerchief. "Thanks Harold."

I wiped my nose with it. I was better now.

"Ah. By the way, what are you doing here?" I asked him.

'I saw you coming into the shop and I simply had to follow you', Harold thought. He had to make up an excuse fast. That reason was not a valid one.

"Oh. I was about to buy some cake. I was going to get…. Er…" he looked around and saw the displayed blueberry cheesecake behind the glass case.

"Get what?" I asked.

"Um…. Blueberry cheesecake! Yup. That's it", he supplied.

"Ooh! I love that you know!"

He chuckled. He looked around the place. "Are you with someone?"

I nodded. "Yup. It's Jessica. But she's not here yet."

"Oh. Wait here okay. I just need some cake".

I nodded.

He arrived after a few minutes. "Um… I need to go. Here, have some cake."

He placed the container which had a slice of blueberry cheesecake in it on the table.

I gaped at him. Woah. I know that he was being nice to me but this was too much!

"Harold… This is too much… Thanks!" I smiled at him.

He turned a bit red. "Oh… um… It's nothing. Think of it as an apology for my rude behaviour. Bye."

He quickly moved away.

Unfortunately, he hit the glass door on his way out because he was moving too fast.

"Harold!" I exclaimed as I stood up.

"I'm… I'm okay. See you!" he said swiftly and hurried outside.

I sighed and sat down. He was acting pretty weird today.

I waited for a while. Finally, Jessica showed up.

She looked tired and out of breath. She immediately sat down on the chair next to me.

"Hi! I'm sorry I'm late! I had to fix stuff. Gosh. Did you wait long?" she asked, talking very fast. I could barely understand what she was saying.

I chuckled. "Jessica, take a deep breath."

She nodded and did what I said. She finally started to calm down. "Okay. Sorry. I just felt so harassed a while ago." She started to grin.

"It's okay", I smiled back.

"By the way, Danny told me to give you this when we met a while ago."

She pulled out a brand new handkerchief from her bag and gave it to me.

Aw… I always did forget my handkerchief whenever I went out.

I placed Harold's handkerchief in my bag.

I held Danny's little gift. I owed him one. He was so sweet.

Jessica smiled. "He's really sweet you know. He cares a lot about you."

I smiled. "I know. And I love him."

Jessica and I ordered two lattes and some cookies. Our orders arrived after waiting for a bit. Jessica and I chatted while waiting. We had a lot of fun, discussing a lot of topics ranging from bags to the last Star Wars movie.

Jessica suddenly saw the blueberry cheesecake on the table.

"Hey. Where'd you get that", she asked, pointing to it.

"Ah. Someone gave it to me", I replied. Honestly, Harold didn't have to give me this.

"Lucky you."

Suddenly, a girl with curly blond hair went it. She looked… rich. She was wearing a Dolce and Gabbana dress, Prada shoes and a Louis Vuitton bag.

Whoa. Who was this?

Jessica gasped and stood up, grinning widely. "Carrie! Oh my gosh! Carrie!"

The girl grinned back at Jessica. She approached Jessica and hugged her.

Whoa. They know each other?

"Jessica! It's been so so long!" she exclaimed as she let go of Jessica.

Jessica nodded. "I know! I thought you were still at New Zealand?"

"Oh. well, I had my secretary handle the fashion business for a while. I'm on vacation here."

"Aw… That's good. Carrie, this is Anthea. She's Danny's girlfriend and a close friend of mine. She just moved here last year."

I smiled at Carrie. Despite looking so posh, she seemed like a friendly person.

It was weird, but I felt the same way with Tom.

"Ooh! Danny's girlfriend! A pleasure to meet you. Tom says you're sweet. You're pretty you know", Carrie grinned at me.

I chuckled. "Nah."

"I'm Carrie. I'm Tom's older sister."

Ah! No wonder she had the same vibe as Tom. She was Tom's sister!

Wow. What a coincidence.

She sat down with us after ordering a chocolate frappe.

We talked. Carrie was so fun. She shared her experiences in New Zealand. She was starting her own fashion line and things have been great. Everyone in New Zealand knows her line. That was impressive for a fresh graduate.

"Ah. I have bigger news too", she smiled and showed us her right hand. On her hand was a diamond ring.

Jessica and I gasped.

"You're getting married??" we both said as the same time.

She nodded. "Yup. The wedding's going to be here because my husband-to-be lives here. He's great. He's the owner of 'Taylor Bookstore'".

Whoa! That was the biggest bookstore in the world. Great. Before, she was already one of the richest. If she marries that dude, that makes her richest-er.

"Listen, I want you guys to be my bridesmaids okay?" she asked.

Jessica and I nodded. 'Sure!"

After talking a bit more, we went home. Carrie was nice. I liked her. I was excited for the wedding.

I never knew that the wedding would be a crazy one though.