Chapter 15: Friends Again
They gathered around the campfire and had their dinner, roast frankfurters, marshmallow and pizza.
"I can't believe you two would buy pizzas for tonight. I thought we had an agreement we would have dinner campfire style?" complained Shan Chai, looking intensively at Xi Men and Mei Zhuo.
"Hey. we are having that now! This is only for the side dish. We learned from our mistake. Last weekend we were starving ourselves to sleep eating only this two," defended Xi Men, pointing at the marshmallow and frankfurters.
"We may look thin but we're hearty eaters. We need more to keep on growing.," added Mei Zhuo, making gestures of getting taller.
"I don't think you are going to grow more vertically but it would positively be horizontally like this," teased Shan Chai, mocking a 'fat' Mei Zhuo.
They laughed at Shan Chai's act. They are really having a good time together, talking, eating and laughing.
"I hope not! If he's going to be that big, I have to sign him into a dieting program or follow his footsteps. If you can't fight them, join them. We would be an awkward couple if we were the opposite of one another, thin and fat," joined Jing with the joke.
"Oh, no you don't! I can't imagine you being that 'big'."
"And why not? Are you telling me that if I were fat, you wouldn't have liked me? You're really that shallow?" accused Jing, looking upset.
Xi Men poked Mei Zhuo's side from behind Lei's back. Mei Zhuo jumped a bit and glanced over at Xi Men. Xi Men grinned teasingly.
"It's nothing like that, dear. I love you no matter what size you are. The inner side of you is more important than the outer appearance. But, if you stayed like this, it would be a plus for me and for you too," wheedled Mei Zhuo, holding unto Jing's hand and giving her his puppy-eyed look.
The other's just smiled at the drama in front of them.
"Don't give me that look. You know I can't resist that look. Okay, okay. I'm not mad at you anymore," surrendered Jing, blocking Mei Zhuo's eyes with her free hand, smiling.
Mei Zhuo looked over at Xi Men with a big grin on his face.
"Smooth man, real smooth.," Xi Men praised, holding his thumb up.
"Hey, Ah Si, you really have to learn this from him," Xi Men continued, looking to his side at Ah Si and swayed his look at Shan Chai, who was sitting beside Ah Si.
Ah Si glared at Xi Men, "You think I don't know how to be smooth?"
Xi Men shook his head and put up his hand in surrender, smiling. Ah Si took a handful of marshmallow from the marshmallow plastic container and shoved it into Xi Men's mouth. Xi Men struggled to free himself from the sudden attack but to no avail, he had to swallow the marshmallows. All of them laughed at the childish brawl.
~~~*~~~*~~~
After the dinner and story telling segments, they scattered around to do their own activity. Mei Zhuo had a walk along the beach with Jing, Xi Men helped Shan Chai with the dishes, Lei and Ah Si sat at the beach, keeping their distance from one another.
'They are leaving us alone on purpose. Shan Chai must've told them that I'll apologize to Ah Si tonight. Maybe I should. I did promise to Shan Chai I would. Whether he forgives me or not, that is his problem.'
Taking two cans of beer, Lei walked towards Ah Si who was staring at the sky. He handed one to Ah Si. Ah Si looked at him and at the beer. Lei motioned for him to take the can. Accepting the beer, Ah Si changed his sight to the sea in front of him. Lei sat beside Ah Si, opening the can in his hand and took a sip. Ah Si also did the same. They sat at the sandy beach for quite some time not talking to one another.
"How's your dad?" asked Ah Si, breaking the silence.
"Better."
"Sorry about the hit."
Lei were shocked. He looked at Ah Si who was still staring at the ocean as if there was nothing had happened.
'Did I hear right? Ah Si said sorry? A real sorry? Not the phrase he always used? Has he really changed that much this past two weeks,' he asked himself, still looking at Ah Si in astonishment.
Ah Si turned his head to face Lei. He was stunned to see that Lei was looking at him.
"WHAT?" he demanded.
"Nothing. Just curious."
"Curious about what? What's with you?" Ah Si asked uncomfortably.
"You just said sorry," he answered briefly, straight to the point.
"Just keep to yourself," Ah Si said nonchalantly.
Lei smiled slightly, "Me too."
Ah Si gave a small nod, understood by what he had meant and smiled. Lei took his can of beer and knocked it with Ah Si's before he took another gulp.
"Great! No more fighting. I don't like to choose sides," enounced Xi Men from their backs.
Ah Si and Lei looked behind them and stare at him when they heard his voice. Grinning, he then forced himself through between Lei and Ah Si. Sitting in between, Xi Men put both his hands on Lei and Ah Si's shoulder. Ah Si took a sip from his can and smiled.
"Ah Si, I've been meaning to ask you about something. Why do you take your driver's car here?" asked Xi Men, grabbing Lei's can and drink it.
"I don't want anybody to know that I'm here. By the way, Shan Chai don't like going around in fancy cars," explained Ah Si, looking at Xi Men.
"Ah Si, this is OUR beach house! Everyone here knows this house is Dao Ming's, Hua Zhe's, Ling's and Zhang's. No matter how you try to disguised yourself, people will know!"
"I never thought of that before.," pondered Ah Si with Xi Men shaking his head disbelief with Ah Si's short thinking.
"How did I end up having a friend like you?" questioned Xi Men, teasingly, trying to make as if it was mainly for himself, but loud enough for Ah Si to hear it.
"Do you see this?" asked Ah Si sharply, putting up his fist.
"I'm joking, just joking..okay?"
"Just hit him Ah Si. He's a big mouth nowadays," said Mei Zhuo coming up to them with Jing by his side.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Shan Chai, who were also approaching them.
"Good timing Shan Chai. Ah Si was just about to hit Xi Men," answered Mei Zhuo, smiling.
"Ah Si! Enough violence for one day! Can't you stop being a bully? Why do you have to go around and hit people?" scolded Shan Chai, glaring at Ah Si.
"I did not!. Why you..!" defended Ah Si, pointing at Xi Men.
Xi Men and Mei Zhuo laughed hysterically at Ah Si and Shan Chai while Lei and Jing just smiled. Both Ah Si and Shan Chai were dumbfounded by their reaction. Looking at each other, full of questions, they looked back at Xi Men and Mei Zhuo.
"Why are you laughing? What is so funny?" asked Shan Chai.
"You two are so easy to get tricked at. I can't believe that trick worked again. They truly deserve each other. hahahahaha," laughed Mei Zhuo, followed by Xi Men. Having enough being teased at, Ah Si stood up and announced, "I'm going back in."
"Uuuhhh. somebody is mad. Oh well, let us all go in. It's late already," indicated Xi Men to the others.
The others walked by Lei heading towards the house.
"Lei, aren't you coming?" asked Jing.
"I want to stay here for a while," he answered briefly.
'He listened to Shan Chai and care about how she felt. Dao Ming Si I knew would never care about simple things like this, but now, he would drive a cheap car just because Shan Chai dislike the fancy ones? He really cares for her. Do I still want to woo Shan Chai? I am not sure anymore. I'm not sure of Shan Chai's feelings towards me either. What if she likes him as well? Where has my confidence gone? Between friendship and love, which will I choose?'
Those questions kept on popping up in his mind. He tried to act cool around the others but only he knows how he really felt at those times. The teasing remarks about Ah Si and Shan Chai from Mei Zhuo and Xi Men didn't help him in easing the matters that was dwelling within him. Worsen was more like it. He wants an exact answer. He doesn't like the unsure ness he's facing now.
"Lei, may I sit here with you?"
Lei spun around to find Shan Chai was looking at him. He nodded.
"So, you guys have made up. That's good. I am really glad," said Shan Chai after she sat down beside him.
"Ehmm."
"Lei! Look! A meteor! Come on, let's make a wish," exclaimed Shan Chai all of a sudden.
He looked up to the sky and saw the meteor Shan Chai was so excited about. The meteor was falling from left to right. He smiled. He looked over at Shan Chai and saw her making a wish with her eyes closed.
'Looking very determined, she looked so mesmeric. Wonder what she was wishing for.'
Finally she opened her eyes and smiled towards Lei.
"What did you wish for, Shan Chai?"
"It's a secret. If I tell you, it won't come true. So, did you make your wish?" asked Shan Chai.
"No, I didn't. It was too fast. I'll do it the next time I saw a meteor. Did you remember the direction the meteor was falling?"
"Yes. To the right. Why?" inquired Shan Chai, curious with Lei's question.
"Remember it. you'll get to know the reason when it's time. Come on, let's go in."
Lei rise and held out his hand to help Shan Chai up. Holding Lei's hand, Shan Chai stood up and walked towards the house together.
However, without their knowledge, a pair of eyes was watching them.
They gathered around the campfire and had their dinner, roast frankfurters, marshmallow and pizza.
"I can't believe you two would buy pizzas for tonight. I thought we had an agreement we would have dinner campfire style?" complained Shan Chai, looking intensively at Xi Men and Mei Zhuo.
"Hey. we are having that now! This is only for the side dish. We learned from our mistake. Last weekend we were starving ourselves to sleep eating only this two," defended Xi Men, pointing at the marshmallow and frankfurters.
"We may look thin but we're hearty eaters. We need more to keep on growing.," added Mei Zhuo, making gestures of getting taller.
"I don't think you are going to grow more vertically but it would positively be horizontally like this," teased Shan Chai, mocking a 'fat' Mei Zhuo.
They laughed at Shan Chai's act. They are really having a good time together, talking, eating and laughing.
"I hope not! If he's going to be that big, I have to sign him into a dieting program or follow his footsteps. If you can't fight them, join them. We would be an awkward couple if we were the opposite of one another, thin and fat," joined Jing with the joke.
"Oh, no you don't! I can't imagine you being that 'big'."
"And why not? Are you telling me that if I were fat, you wouldn't have liked me? You're really that shallow?" accused Jing, looking upset.
Xi Men poked Mei Zhuo's side from behind Lei's back. Mei Zhuo jumped a bit and glanced over at Xi Men. Xi Men grinned teasingly.
"It's nothing like that, dear. I love you no matter what size you are. The inner side of you is more important than the outer appearance. But, if you stayed like this, it would be a plus for me and for you too," wheedled Mei Zhuo, holding unto Jing's hand and giving her his puppy-eyed look.
The other's just smiled at the drama in front of them.
"Don't give me that look. You know I can't resist that look. Okay, okay. I'm not mad at you anymore," surrendered Jing, blocking Mei Zhuo's eyes with her free hand, smiling.
Mei Zhuo looked over at Xi Men with a big grin on his face.
"Smooth man, real smooth.," Xi Men praised, holding his thumb up.
"Hey, Ah Si, you really have to learn this from him," Xi Men continued, looking to his side at Ah Si and swayed his look at Shan Chai, who was sitting beside Ah Si.
Ah Si glared at Xi Men, "You think I don't know how to be smooth?"
Xi Men shook his head and put up his hand in surrender, smiling. Ah Si took a handful of marshmallow from the marshmallow plastic container and shoved it into Xi Men's mouth. Xi Men struggled to free himself from the sudden attack but to no avail, he had to swallow the marshmallows. All of them laughed at the childish brawl.
~~~*~~~*~~~
After the dinner and story telling segments, they scattered around to do their own activity. Mei Zhuo had a walk along the beach with Jing, Xi Men helped Shan Chai with the dishes, Lei and Ah Si sat at the beach, keeping their distance from one another.
'They are leaving us alone on purpose. Shan Chai must've told them that I'll apologize to Ah Si tonight. Maybe I should. I did promise to Shan Chai I would. Whether he forgives me or not, that is his problem.'
Taking two cans of beer, Lei walked towards Ah Si who was staring at the sky. He handed one to Ah Si. Ah Si looked at him and at the beer. Lei motioned for him to take the can. Accepting the beer, Ah Si changed his sight to the sea in front of him. Lei sat beside Ah Si, opening the can in his hand and took a sip. Ah Si also did the same. They sat at the sandy beach for quite some time not talking to one another.
"How's your dad?" asked Ah Si, breaking the silence.
"Better."
"Sorry about the hit."
Lei were shocked. He looked at Ah Si who was still staring at the ocean as if there was nothing had happened.
'Did I hear right? Ah Si said sorry? A real sorry? Not the phrase he always used? Has he really changed that much this past two weeks,' he asked himself, still looking at Ah Si in astonishment.
Ah Si turned his head to face Lei. He was stunned to see that Lei was looking at him.
"WHAT?" he demanded.
"Nothing. Just curious."
"Curious about what? What's with you?" Ah Si asked uncomfortably.
"You just said sorry," he answered briefly, straight to the point.
"Just keep to yourself," Ah Si said nonchalantly.
Lei smiled slightly, "Me too."
Ah Si gave a small nod, understood by what he had meant and smiled. Lei took his can of beer and knocked it with Ah Si's before he took another gulp.
"Great! No more fighting. I don't like to choose sides," enounced Xi Men from their backs.
Ah Si and Lei looked behind them and stare at him when they heard his voice. Grinning, he then forced himself through between Lei and Ah Si. Sitting in between, Xi Men put both his hands on Lei and Ah Si's shoulder. Ah Si took a sip from his can and smiled.
"Ah Si, I've been meaning to ask you about something. Why do you take your driver's car here?" asked Xi Men, grabbing Lei's can and drink it.
"I don't want anybody to know that I'm here. By the way, Shan Chai don't like going around in fancy cars," explained Ah Si, looking at Xi Men.
"Ah Si, this is OUR beach house! Everyone here knows this house is Dao Ming's, Hua Zhe's, Ling's and Zhang's. No matter how you try to disguised yourself, people will know!"
"I never thought of that before.," pondered Ah Si with Xi Men shaking his head disbelief with Ah Si's short thinking.
"How did I end up having a friend like you?" questioned Xi Men, teasingly, trying to make as if it was mainly for himself, but loud enough for Ah Si to hear it.
"Do you see this?" asked Ah Si sharply, putting up his fist.
"I'm joking, just joking..okay?"
"Just hit him Ah Si. He's a big mouth nowadays," said Mei Zhuo coming up to them with Jing by his side.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Shan Chai, who were also approaching them.
"Good timing Shan Chai. Ah Si was just about to hit Xi Men," answered Mei Zhuo, smiling.
"Ah Si! Enough violence for one day! Can't you stop being a bully? Why do you have to go around and hit people?" scolded Shan Chai, glaring at Ah Si.
"I did not!. Why you..!" defended Ah Si, pointing at Xi Men.
Xi Men and Mei Zhuo laughed hysterically at Ah Si and Shan Chai while Lei and Jing just smiled. Both Ah Si and Shan Chai were dumbfounded by their reaction. Looking at each other, full of questions, they looked back at Xi Men and Mei Zhuo.
"Why are you laughing? What is so funny?" asked Shan Chai.
"You two are so easy to get tricked at. I can't believe that trick worked again. They truly deserve each other. hahahahaha," laughed Mei Zhuo, followed by Xi Men. Having enough being teased at, Ah Si stood up and announced, "I'm going back in."
"Uuuhhh. somebody is mad. Oh well, let us all go in. It's late already," indicated Xi Men to the others.
The others walked by Lei heading towards the house.
"Lei, aren't you coming?" asked Jing.
"I want to stay here for a while," he answered briefly.
'He listened to Shan Chai and care about how she felt. Dao Ming Si I knew would never care about simple things like this, but now, he would drive a cheap car just because Shan Chai dislike the fancy ones? He really cares for her. Do I still want to woo Shan Chai? I am not sure anymore. I'm not sure of Shan Chai's feelings towards me either. What if she likes him as well? Where has my confidence gone? Between friendship and love, which will I choose?'
Those questions kept on popping up in his mind. He tried to act cool around the others but only he knows how he really felt at those times. The teasing remarks about Ah Si and Shan Chai from Mei Zhuo and Xi Men didn't help him in easing the matters that was dwelling within him. Worsen was more like it. He wants an exact answer. He doesn't like the unsure ness he's facing now.
"Lei, may I sit here with you?"
Lei spun around to find Shan Chai was looking at him. He nodded.
"So, you guys have made up. That's good. I am really glad," said Shan Chai after she sat down beside him.
"Ehmm."
"Lei! Look! A meteor! Come on, let's make a wish," exclaimed Shan Chai all of a sudden.
He looked up to the sky and saw the meteor Shan Chai was so excited about. The meteor was falling from left to right. He smiled. He looked over at Shan Chai and saw her making a wish with her eyes closed.
'Looking very determined, she looked so mesmeric. Wonder what she was wishing for.'
Finally she opened her eyes and smiled towards Lei.
"What did you wish for, Shan Chai?"
"It's a secret. If I tell you, it won't come true. So, did you make your wish?" asked Shan Chai.
"No, I didn't. It was too fast. I'll do it the next time I saw a meteor. Did you remember the direction the meteor was falling?"
"Yes. To the right. Why?" inquired Shan Chai, curious with Lei's question.
"Remember it. you'll get to know the reason when it's time. Come on, let's go in."
Lei rise and held out his hand to help Shan Chai up. Holding Lei's hand, Shan Chai stood up and walked towards the house together.
However, without their knowledge, a pair of eyes was watching them.