Chapter 3: Met Again
Candy excitedly walked to the bus stop when she saw a car with the familiar family logo L stopped at the curb. Sure enough, Neal finally came.
He gave her a honk, just like he always did. Candy wanted to ignore him. His engagement party was unforgivable but without Neal Bobby might be dead so did Mrs. Tremor because of heartbroken. Then, she might be put in jail for life for child negligence. She shuddered. Ms. Pony and Sr. Lanne taught her to say thank you. Out of courtesy, she should, at least, do that.
Holding her temper, Candy halted waiting for that short boy to appear from he car. She had grown over an inch since his wicked engagement party. Probably she's even taller now than him. Something to laugh about in his face!
The door opened.
"Hi." She lifted up her face to face Neal. " Thank-..."
Her voice trailed off at the sight of the dazzling man who appeared from the door. All the memory she had of Neal was obliterated. He was tall now, a good one head taller than her, and lean and had a perfect stature that gave her heart a hard bump. His azure suit clung to his broad wide shoulders. His white shirt gleamed against the deep tan of his hand and face. Even if she saw him that day at the lake, she surely wouldn't recognize him.
"I am amazingly good looking, aren't I, Candy?" He said before she recovered from the shock.
The voice... That deep base voice, the voice that whispered in her ear. Looking at his handsome face, she thought of his kiss and began to blush.
"W-we haven't met for a long time!" Caught for looking, she blurted out whatever that passed her mind to hide her blush and dumbstruck.
"Two days. Miss me already?" He grinned.
"Of course... of course not, that is," she babbled incoherently.
Just when she thought she never saw anyone more handsome, a slight twitch touched his lips and made made him impossibly more dazzling.
RRRRrrr! The roaring sound of bus engine took her attention away from Neal. It's her bus pulling up. She yelled and waved to attract the driver's attention but the bus kept going. First day of work and she's late? A soft curse escaped her and Candy bit her lips.
"Lucky there is me. Hop on, I take you there. To Lakeshore?" Neal asked.
Three young women came to the bus stop. They stared at Neal, dumbstruck like she was just now, then giggled. She felt irritated imagining how dumb she must have looked just now.
"I quit Lakeshore. Happy Clinic," Candy snorted.
Neal opened the car door for her and Candy voluntarily entered. After all these years, finally he's going to have it his way and all because her eyes couldn't stop looking at his face.
"Thank you for saving Bobby the other day," said Candy coldly.
"You're welcome." He started his car. "Er... Where is Happy Clinic? Do you know how to get there?"
"Of course!" snapped Candy confidently. She settled herself on the front seat and secured her seat belt. "That way," she said with an exaggerated yawn.
They pulled away from the curb and Candy continued. "Left."
Neal turned left.
"Right."
Neal was turning right. "Hm... It's a one way street."
"Last year, I am pretty sure we turned here. See that's the bookstore," murmured Candy, confused. "How was it yesterday? Go one more block and then turn left, perhaps?"
Neal did as she asked.
"Yes! Now turn right...," Candy continued. "Left... Keep going. Right... Oops... Left. Wait a minute... Let's try left...? Perhaps that way... Straight ahead."
For the next ten minutes they didn't talk about other things other than paying attention on the road.
"Oops go back, Neal! Turn around!" cried Candy. Neal made a U turn and they found the promising road sign. "Happy Clinic 6 Km".
"Whoaw! Finally!" Candy briefly forgot that she's with Neal and spontaneously laughed freely.
Neal grinned, overcome by her smile. He observed her large emerald-green eyes and his heart rate picked up. She's beautiful. Only she could make him feel this way. He had accepted that she's not meant for him until he saw her again.
Candy saw Neal looked at her and abruptly stopped smiling.
"Watch the road," she pouted. "I didn't smile at you."
"I didn't say you did." He looked at her ring finger.
"I have a boyfriend," snapped Candy.
"Really?" he said with a hint of sarcasm. "And what about the actor?"
"He's with someone else," answered Candy, trying to sound calm.
"I am sorry," Neal responded with mocking gravity. "Is he a Hollywood superstar yet? "
Candy's blood boiled. "Terry," Candy said coldly, "is a stage theatrical actor. Albert said he has a lot of stage works on the work."
"William said it to you? Why didn't the actor tell you himself?"
"We lost contact."
A glint of amusement shone in his brown eyes. Candy regretted to bring up Albert into the subject. He would talk about Albert next.
"And what about William?" asked Neal as she expected.
"He's busy taking care of elephants in Africa. Once, he saved a baby elephant who's abandoned by it's parents. Since then he has been actively working to save neglected young elephants. He makes the extra mile to ensure they can be released back to the wilderness successfully." Candy sat taller, full of pride
"Praiseworthy," Neal said in a mocking voice. "That means he's done with you too?"
"Albert, is an honorable man," Candy growled. "There was never anything between us."
"I bet," he said, with a small shrug.
Candy was so happy when they arrived. Impatiently, she slammed the door open and rushed out from the car.
"Oh, you're welcome," Neal pointed out. "But, of course, orphans are not taught manner in Pony's home!"
Candy was furious. She loved Pony's Home dearly and respected Ms. Pony and Sr. Lane with all her heart. It's extremely infuriating that Neal mocked them. Instantly she turned around and dashed back to blast Neal.
Neal was working his key to unlock the trunk. He took out a bouquet of three dozens roses and handed it to her.
"For you," he said.
"I don't want it."
"Take it. I asked you to."
Candy snapped the roses out of his hand to smash them on the road when she saw a big red sign "Please Don't Litter!" In frustration she pulled Neal's car key that's hanged in the trunk key hole and held it above a nearby little bridge.
"Apologize to me," Candy said tightly.
" Hey! Give me back my key."
"Apologize or I throw your key over the bridge."
"Don't be ridiculous. I have an early meeting this morning."
"Oh, Neal poor thing," Candy said softly. "Do it! Or you risk losing your key and miss your meeting."
She raised the key higher.
"What am I to apologize for?"
"You have insulted me and Pony's home since the first day we met. It doesn't matter how many times you rescue Bobby you are still a dork. Apologize."
"I merely stated the fact."
Candy was losing her temper. "Also apologize for making the engagement party against my will and for deliberately spoiling my reputation."
"I didn't have the engagement party for spoiling your reputation. It is you who deliberately rejected my offer in front of everyone for spoiling my reputation!"
"Then, why did you make that engagement party? Because you were head over the heels in love?" Candy laughed sarcastically. "Since when you became a clown! I was lucky I had Albert!"
Neal became furious at the special attention she put when pronouncing Albert.
"You have a serious difficulty in sorting what's real or unreal, don't you? No wonder you don't realize that all your Prince Charmings are ignorant douchebags!"
"And you have a serious difficult in express yourself with pleasant attitude. How dare you to kiss me! Albert won't do such a thing. Learn from him how to show care to others."
"Hell that toad won't kiss you. He cares more about elephants than you," Neal drawled sarcastically.
"Don't you dare to call Albert in such an insolate manner!" Candy cried angrily. Her color drained. "He is my true friend unlike you, not my friend, nothing-"
A nearby tower clock began to chime the hour. Realizing it's already eight o'clock, both Neal and Candy went silent immediately. Dr. Martin said she should come before eight. While Neal checked his watch in horror, his father asked him to come at eight!
-To Be Continued-
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