Chapter 12
The next morning saw Kai getting up at the crack of dawn. He crept out of bed making as little noise as possible but Diana woke up as soon as the floorboard creaked.
"Kai? You scared me," she sat up. "Why are up so early?"
Kai froze. He didn't want to tell Diana about the cleaning duty because that would mean telling her about Giselle. That might hamper their chances of winning the bet. "I uh I wanted to take a picture of the sunrise," Kai offered cheerily.
Diana gave him a look, "Since when have you been interested in Photography and sunrise?"
Kai coughed, "Since I met you."
"Awww, Kai!" Diana patted his shoulder. "Hey, how about I come too?"
"No! I mean no, no. You look so tired and don't you have to go to the University today for the interview. Better catch a couple of hours sleep and be fresh for it." Kai hurried out.
"Okay, okay," Diana called after him. She yawned and went back to sleep.
Kai made his way to the site glaring at every plant on the way. Giselle was standing there with a bucket, a mop and some brushes.
Kai gave her a murderous look.
She handed the tools to him before remarking, "You're late."
Kai's face was a changing picture of his various scowls but he didn't say anything. Ian would be the perfect revenge for his ordeal.
"Adeus, Scowl-face!" And with that last jibe at Kai's ego, Giselle walked away.
Kai kept quiet. Soon, he told himself, Giselle would have her hands full of Ian and that's when he would have his laugh.
Kai poked inside the pipe with a long brush. Something soft was inside. He pulled the brush back and his eyes widened as he saw tens of centipedes, millipedes and other creepy-crawlies. Kai never screamed and a few disgusting wrigglies were not going to break his cool. No, he would do this calm. He banged the brush on the bucket depositing the first batch. A second and third followed. Kai straightened his aching back and stretched. Work done! Not very tough after all.
Just to check one last time, Kai poked the brush inside. Still something soft. Kai pushed his hair back and rolled up his sleeve. Kneeling down beside the pipe he put his hand inside the pipe. Down, down, down he pushed his hand. Finally he felt something thick and cold. With curiosity he pulled it out. It was very heavy.
When the thing finally appeared outside the pipe Kai yelped in a very un-Kai-like fashion and let go of it. It was a huge anaconda. It landed a few millimetres away from Kai. Almost lazily it raised his head towards Kai. It must have seen something interesting because it advanced towards him with a fangirl energy and speed. Kai gave another yelp and raised the mop high over his head. A scream from his left stopped what would have been a marvellous baseball shot.
"Aaaah, my baby, my Aana. Meester, thank you!"
Kai stood still for a second. His usually fast brain unable to provide an explanation for what his eyes were witnessing. A boy, around fifteen, had burst from the bushes and darted towards the snake. He had wrapped the heavy and dangerous snake around his arms and kissed its head.
"Boy, stay away from the snake! It might bite you," Kai advanced slowly towards the boy, ready to wrestle the snake out of his hands. He would not allow the kid to get hurt even if it meant endangering himself.
The boy did the weirdest thing. He laughed, "Ah, no, no, Meester. He not bite. He…what say…he pet. He my baby, my Aana."
Kai stopped. Who on Earth keeps an Anaconda for a pet? "Aana?" he echoed, in surprise.
The boy nodded as if to assure Kai, "Aana…small for Aanaconda."
Kai shook his head. This situation was getting crazier and crazier.
The boy held out the snake towards Kai. "You can touch him, Meester. For free."
Kai stepped back, "Uh no, thanks."
The boy looked so sad at being refused that Kai had to extend his hand and quickly tough the Anaconda's safe end-the tail. "Wow," he obliged the boy. The boy smiled and waved bye.
Kai called after him, "Wait, what's your name?" It had just occurred to him that the boy was one of those tourist attraction exhibitionists that sat in the market and made snakes do tricks. He looked the picture at least. Tattered clothes and barefooted, he reminded Kai of the boys at the Abbey.
"Its Carlos!"
"Wait, I have got something for you." Kai patted his pocket looking for his wallet.
Carlos ran ahead until he was only a shadow in the trees. He called out gleefully, "Looking for this, Meester?"
Kai looked up to see the little devil raise his hand and wave Kai's wallet.
"Youuu…" Kai raced after the brat.
Five minutes later Kai returned to the site empty-handed and out of breath. Carlos was gone and so was Kai's wallet with his ID. Kai sighed. He would have to go to the Police.
Giselle stopped outside the restaurant to check her appearance in the glass door. Her brown hair was let down in waves and an orange summer dress reached her ankles stopping over her gold slippers. Her hands, which were accessorised golden bangles, pushed open the door. Her eyes looked around for a probable date. She had spent only two minutes of her day (while she was in the taxi) thinking about the man. In her brisk, business-like manner she did not believe in wasting time. For her this date was just something that had to be done in return for exemption from the dreaded cleaning duty.
Giselle's eyes found Kai and his friends sitting on a large table. She recognised Kai's wife, Diana, who was reading from a thick book and the red-head sourpuss, Tala, who was busy on his laptop and had his ears plugged with earphones. Jennifer and his husband Bryan were having a heated discussion. Spencer was throwing bits of tissue paper towards a table fan from where the bits flew at different guests. Giselle was happy to note that the major-pain-in-the-ass a.k.a Ian the Master Perv and Flirt was not there.
Kai saw her and the smile that graced his features should have warned Giselle but Giselle didn't waste time in studying and interpreting features. Everybody at the table straightened up as Kai informed them of Giselle's arrival. Jennifer and Bryan ended their discussion. Spencer stopped throwing bits of tissue paper. Diana closed her book and smiled at Giselle. Bryan pointed towards a table. Tala, of course, went on seeing whatever he was seeing.
Giselle walked towards the table for two. Someone was sitting with his back towards her. It was only when she saw violet streaked hair did the first feelings of dread enter her heart. Her suspicions were confirmed when she turned the man around by the shoulder.
Ian's smiling face provided spark to her anger.
"You?" Giselle exclaimed loudly. All conversations stopped as people turned around to see the source of the noise.
"Me," Ian smirked.
"But-but…"
Ian clicked his tongue, "Giselle, darling, sit down before the manager kicks your beautiful ass out."
"You-"
"Ma'am, I have to ask you to calm down," the cool voice of the restaurant's manager interrupted Giselle's yet-to-begin tirade of Ian's obnoxiousness.
"And who are you, may I ask?" Giselle asked, seething.
The Manager looked pained and after a minute's thought he turned to Ian, "Sir, I am really sorry but could you ask your girlfriend to calm down and take a seat? Thank you." He glided away as fast as he could.
"My girlfriend would you please calm down and take a seat," Ian motioned to the chair in front of me.
Giselle looked at Kai's table but all the occupants had suddenly (and suspiciously) become very interested in Tala's laptop. She sat down with a huff, "Don't you try any groping, you sick pervert. I swear I'll scream so loud that you'll never hear yourself flirt."
"Ooh, I am scared. Have some champagne," Ian picked up his glass and sipped elegantly.
Giselle looked at her glass, "No, I am sure its drugged."
Ian shrugged.
After five minutes Giselle's temper had been restored and she was ready with sharp retorts, "So, little boy needed Kai to get a date?"
Ian gulped. He was never good with verbal sparring. He preferred flirting, "Giselle, Giselle, Giselle-"
"My name sounds horribly mismatched on your tongue."
"Try saying mine. You might like its taste."
"Eww. You are disgusting. And mad, definitely mad."
"Love makes great men mad."
"Only you are not great and I have my doubts whether you are a man or not."
"Do I need to give you some proof? I will be happy to. You just need to ask, babe," Ian winked at Giselle, reaching out to touch Giselle's elbow. Still smirking, his fingers trailed towards Giselle's hands. As soon as he touched Giselle's palm, Giselle caught hold of his hand and neatly twisted Ian's hand in a 270 degree curve.
Ian's scream was bloodcurdling. Giselle stood up and smacked his face with her purse before stalking out, head held high. Behind her the whole restaurant erupted in laughter.
Ian, still clutching his fast-swelling hand, face contorted with pain, the colour matching his hair, tears threatening to stream down his face, straightened to mumble unconvincingly, "She loves me."
Yes, Ian shows new records in flirting. Have to say Ian's date was toughest to write since I ain't a flirt like Ian XD But I did make this extra-long. Stayed up late last night finishing it, watching cricket and had an exam today :"(
And now…Drumroll please….THE MATCHMAKING SPIN-OFF EVENT HAS ARRIVED!
Calling all Matchmakers! Wanted Luna to suffer more? Wanted more Kai/Diana moments? Wanted more Ty/Hil confusions and drama? Wanted Mariam/Judy catfight? Or did you have your very own ships (your own version of relationships between characters in Matchmaking)? Here's your chance to get what you wanted, in your own words. Write a spin-off to Matchmaking 1 and show how your mind sees Matchmaking :)
GO TO MY PROFILE TO SEE THE RULES. People who don't use Fanfiction accounts can also participate (see Profile). Please, please participate it will be fun. C'mon, my awesome readers! P.S. Was having problems putting up the rules. Hope its fine now!
Excuse the CAPs…I got excited. Thanks to Susan Styles (Glad you were enjoying Unearthly. Did you finish it? And okay, okay :D Sherlock I will try but Spn first :P Yay! Thanks and RR!), Pure White Mochi X2, Rangerapprentice, Gingercookiessnaps, Superkami, SMRA (Its totally fine (even though I thought for a sec you disliked the last chapter so much it made your run away…lol) as long as you read and enjoy I am happy :) Glad you liked the Sherlock reference, the mission part, etc. Made me super-happy. I hope this one actually was "off-the-charts-Awesome" as you predicted. Aha, I get it! Maybe check out the event? Thanks and RR!). You guys are awesome and make writing so much more worthwhile!
Sorry for typos and errors!
Wait, don't forget to tell me your thoughts about this chapter! REVIEW and let me know :D
I should shut up now…
See ya!