The Best Friend

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AS USUAL, I was late for our get-together. It had already been long past noon, the time that we had agreed upon to meet at the local shopping mall.

The week had flown past like a breeze. In that time, I dedicated most of my days to art, desperately filling up my online portfolio with more pieces. While the progress was slow, my numbers had also started to grow. The social media platform that I had created months ago was starting to build up. Every day, more and more people looked forward to seeing the drawings that I could concoct.

On the off-time I had taken away from slaving by at my desk, I would be helping Xavier with simple questions. Sometimes, he would ask about other ways to impress Jules. Others, he might even report his progress for the day.

However, today was a special day in which I could finally take a break from both of my standard duties. Since Jules wasn't working, Xavier had also requested to take a leave of absence. That meant that I need not answer to his questions for at least a whole twenty-four hours.

When I arrived at the shopping mall, Jules was already there. She leaned against a pillar, her phone in hand and earbuds stuck into her ears. She seemed oblivious to the world around her and it was only when I had tapped her shoulder had she raised her head and turned back.

"Aiko!" She beamed brightly, quickly removing her earbuds.

"Sorry I'm late, Jules." Grinning sheepishly, I scratched at the back of my neck. "The traffic was horrible."

"The traffic is always horrible whenever you're meeting me." My best friend rolled her eyes, carefully keeping her phone into her bag before tightening her grip around its straps. "So, where to?"

"There's this new cafe that I've heard about and really wanted to try." Wiggling my eyebrows, I tried my best to persuade her, "Wanna give it a try?"

"It's your choice, Aiko." Immediately, Jules started to walk and I hastened to catch up. Leading the way, I steered her towards the cafe I was talking about, knowing that she would agree. Then, she confirmed my assumptions. "You know I'm not picky."

Thankfully, even though it was the lunch rush hour, there weren't too many people crowding about the cafe. The line was short and sweet, easily allowing us to be seated at a table without too long of a wait. As we looked at the menu, I could barely even stop myself from salivating all over the table. The images of the food were all beautifully depicted, seemingly delectable beyond reason. Although I knew for a fact that I wouldn't be able to finish all the food, I still caved in and ordered two main dishes, much to Jules's dismay.

"You're not seriously going to eat two separate main courses, are you?" She stared at me, lips curled into a doubtful look as she sipped at the hot mocha she ordered.

"Jules, I am a growing child." I picked up the fork that had been long prepared on the table, waving about. Then, I placed a hand on my chest, speaking in an exaggerated manner. "I need to eat in order to grow."

"I'm surprised you've not eaten a hole through your pocket yet," she quietly murmured into her drink, delicately sipping at the hot liquid before setting her cup down.

"Close to doing so," I cheerfully replied, blatantly displaying ignorance at her supposedly offensive comment.

One by one, our food started to arrive at the table. Glorious and mouth-watering dishes were served, accompanied by some simple sides like garlic bread and sweet potato fries. Eagerly, I picked up my fork, digging into the scrumptious food as if I were a starved animal.

"So," I said in-between mouthfuls of pasta, "How's your work? I heard that Xavier worked a full shift with you last week."

Jules groaned, sneering in disgust. "Did Harr tell you that?"

She scooped at her baked rice, her actions delicate and ladylike in contrast to my boorish ways.

"I have more news outlets than just Harr. If I wanted to know anything around this town, you know that nothing's gonna stop me." Already done with my first dish, I pushed the plate away, moving the second main course I ordered towards me. Piercing the grilled fish on my plate with my fork, I started to slice at it, cutting them down to bite sizes. "How is he at work?"

"Why are you so interested?" The bridge of Jules's nose crinkled, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "You may be Harr's best friend but you've never been particularly interested in Xavier's matters."

"He confessed to you, Jules," I reminded her. "I need to know what sort of man he is."

"He is hardly a man!"

Jules set down her utensils with a bam, gritting her teeth as she seethed with fury. Silently, I lifted my own fork to my lips, savoring the delightful fish. With just the right words spoken, Jules had reached her tipping point. Her buttons had been pushed and now she was an overfilled jug, contents spilling out. There was no way for Jules to talk about her deepest emotions freely. She always needed something else to prompt her, a trigger point. That was something else I had noticed a long time ago.

"He doesn't know his way around the childcare center and yet he makes no effort to ask! He just trots around the place with some dead clueless expression. I've had a kid ask me who he was and why was he so clueless during his first few days! Eventually, that kid even had to lead him towards the area he was looking for." The words came barreling out past Jules's lips, her face flushed red as she recalled the events of her past week.

"Like you said, he's a newcomer. Cut him some slack. And besides, judging by your cold personality, you might not be the best person to approach during working hours. Knowing you, you might've even been avoiding him and just quietly observing from a corner!" I pointed out.

"That's true but he still should've asked!" Jules huffed. Her metal spoon clinked loudly against the chinaware as she scooped a particularly large mouthful of rice. "I am someone that will be able to separate my working life and my private life. If he truly needed help with work, and if it was a reasonable request, I would've helped him."

"Would you really?" I deadpanned. "Like I said, you'll probably avoid him even more if he tried to seek you out."

Jules knew that what I said was true. Unable to find words to retort with, she stuffed her mouth full with food, munching at it diligently while looking away from our table. Her knuckles were slowly turning white with how tightly she gripped her fork and spoon. At that, I shook my head with a sigh.

"Well, how was he then, towards the end of the week?" I tried again.

Still silent, Jules prodded at her food, moving the vegetables and shrimp around the plate before stabbing the shrimp with her fork. Yet, she didn't pick it up and raise it to her lips. Instead, she set her utensils down once more, suddenly looking up with a sparkle in her eye.

"I guess he is able to get his job done after getting used to the place," she admitted. "You know, Aiko, the other day, our childcare center held a huge birthday event for one of our customers and they brought in so many little knick-knacks for us to set up booths with. Xavier Park was in charge of origami and one of the kids asked the most shocking question."

Although the story piqued my interest, I tried my best not to let it show. I didn't want Jules to realize how she was already acting like a schoolgirl in love, in fear of her putting her guard against Xavier Park up again.

"Go on," I urged, voice held as monotonous and bored as I physically could.

"The birthday girl actually went over to him and grabbed at his face, pulling him so close to her. Then, she suddenly let go and ran over to her mother, asking why was it that his eyes were blue when he was an Asian. I've never thought I would live to see the day Xavier Park made such a dumbfounded expression."

After finishing her story, Jules held up a hand against her mouth, eyes squeezed shut as she chortled from the tale. I could barely even suppress my own grin, thinking back to how Xavier had his hair dyed a dark brown and also used contact lenses that changed his eye color. For someone that didn't seem to care much about the world's opinions of him, Xavier Park stilled loved to doll up.

"Did the mother explain it to her?" I asked.

"Oh heavens, no. She couldn't even drag the birthday girl away fast enough. She just threw Xavier an apologetic look before carrying the child away. I think he might've even spotted me laughing at him if he weren't so out of it. Even after the mother-daughter duo was long gone, he still stared at the direction they went. It was rather cute."

Her last sentence made me jolt up, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. I didn't add on a comment after that, simply enjoying my food wordlessly as Jules continued onto another interesting tale about her adventures at work with Xavier.

Inwardly, however, I rejoiced at the success of my plan. Their relationship was slowly developing into something more than that awkward little phase Xavier had plunged them into after the confession. For someone like Jules, talking about someone or something insignificant in her life was nothing more than a waste of energy. If Jules had recalled such a brilliant tale and recited it with such joy, it meant that Xavier's image was starting to improve in her eyes. He was starting to matter.

I made a silent note to myself to tell Harr about this new development later on. Xavier, on the other hand, should be kept in the dark. That way, his actions would not be so unnatural in an attempt to repeat this miraculous change of the tides.

Slowly but surely, they were making progress.

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QOTC: Any ships so far?

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