Love Is Second Best — Chapter 14: MEETING THE OTHER HALF

Hope's POV

As usual, she asked me to go with her to the library. It is supposedly time to go home and yet she's still going there. I glanced at my wristwatch to see the time. It is 4:45PM right now.

"Are you going ahead? Okay, sure." She smiled and was about to go inside when I stopped her. She looked at me and our eyes met right away.

"Why?," She added in a curious manner.

"I should ask you that." Her forehead started to wrinkle.

"What am I saying? Oh, never mind me." I forced a chuckle. She is still looking puzzled as she stepped inside the library while glancing at me from her back.

I quietly followed her and it made her smile. We did our usual routine of roaming between the library aisles to get some books. I decided to go to the aisles of fiction books which made Carmella look at me as if she can't believe it herself.

"Are you not studying?"

"Why, is it a mortal sin to read fiction books now?"

"I just find it weird looking at you reading that." She said as she sighed. I noticed she looked at the book she's reading again. She looked really serious and driven in learning more about it.

I can see that she wanted to borrow the books inside this library but I know they only limit students in borrowing books. I guess that encouraged her to visit this place everyday.

If I am to compare myself to hers, I could say I am indeed very lucky because I have a lot of books. Books of different kinds. While she still needs to borrow a lot for herself.

"Are you bored here already? I'm so sorry, ." I can see that she's worried about how I might react. I chuckled as I faced her.

"No. It's just that the fiction book is really cute."

"Oh, I see." She nodded.

"But I do not recommend you to read it if you're still studying there. Just don't mind me." I grinned as I also focused my eyes to Shrevakhuk’s literary works.

I quickly glanced at her and I can see that she's trying hard to memorize by uttering something that she only hears. She does it by many repetitions. She uttered words, looked back to the book and memorized aloud again.

"A-Are your knees okay now?" I asked as I looked down. She stopped from what she's doing and became quiet all of a sudden. I noticed she's trying to avoid her knees from my sight.

"Yeah. They are healing now."

"That's good to know." I smiled but she avoided her gaze at me. Her facial reaction became gloomy all of a sudden.

"Don't worry. It will only hurt a little but it will be alright soon." I assured her. However, it didn’t change her facial reaction even a little bit. Her eyes looked gloomy and sad. It’s as if she wanted to tell me something but she’s afraid to say so.

She looked at me straight into my eyes as if studying my reaction. I smiled to take her doubts away, I hope. This time, I want to believe Thelma and Marielle. Looking at Carmella, I can see the desperation in her eyes right now.

"Are you going home, dear?" She shut the book right away as she looked at me. I smiled as I tapped her shoulders.

"Yep. I will be going ahead of you dear. I am so sorry. I forgot dad has to buy something and I need to come with him." I said as I stood up. I guess I have to also give her the time that she needed for herself.

"Oh, I see. It is fine with me. Anyway, I will also go home twenty minutes from now." She smiled as she glanced at her watch and then shifted her gaze at me. She’s looking at me as if she’s still studying my expression,

"Please take care dear." I can see the relief in her eyes. I looked down and I suddenly felt pity towards her. I have to do something for her, that is, to at least not become a burden in reaching her goals before I even transferred to our school. I felt sorry now that I know the reason why. Thelma and Marielle were just quick to judge but they never had the chance to understand what's going on, that's why.

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Carmella’s POV

I went home wondering a lot of things. This day seemed to start oddly. I noticed Hope's action to be really weird right now, especially earlier today, inside the computer class and when we're about to go home. She seemed to be up to something that she's not telling me about. Whenever I look at her face, she will often avoid my gaze.

Did something happen without me knowing it? Did she discover something I am not aware of? I am sitting on my bed and scanning my notebook full of written notes when I hear my caller ringtone all of a sudden.

"Yow, yow, yow..." I automatically giggled when I heard her rapping voice. Seriously, my friend is really something. She has this incredible sense of humor that she could use anytime.

"Kara..." I said between chuckles. She also laughed on the other line.

"I'm sorry to bother you but I really wanna call you because I can't wait for tomorrow."

"What is it? Is it that important?"

"Well, I think it's not really important. Ask me what's it like?" This witch sounded very excited.

"What's it like?"

"Yummy and interesting."

"Oh my! Did your mom cook macaroons again?"

"Gosh, what a silly girl you are, Carmella. It's not a literal kind of yummy. Besides I am not talking about food, you know."

"How would I not know how crazy you are?"

She burst out laughing that I can't help but to smile again.

"Like what I am telling you, it is not about food, okay? It's a person!"

"How could you call a person yummy? You're really a perverted girl."

She giggled and groaned at the same time because of my reaction. From her voice, she sounded very excited and she just can’t hide it from me anymore.

"I just want you to meet my cousin."

"Who? Did I miss knowing someone from your family? Duh, I even knew your first pet cat."

"Yeah, you don't know him yet, my dear."

I wrinkled my forehead all of a sudden. Him? Does she mean her boy cousin?

"Oh,"

"He's really nice and sweet. Of course I love you as my best friend, that's why I am rooting for you as my favorite cousin's soon-to-be-girlfriend."

"My goodness! Are you even thinking of what you're trying to say?"

"Carmella, don't be nuts. Of course you also need a guy friend. I am not telling you to have a boyfriend now, but soon."

“Are you crazy?” I literally screamed in excitement that I covered my mouth right away. She laughed because of my sudden outburst of emotions.

"And you really care about my love life, huh?"

"That's how I love you, Carmella." Kara said on the other line that made her smile a lot.

"If you love me, we should be classmates when we're already in the senior high."

"Yeah, I can work that out. That's just easy. Let's meet my cousin tomorrow after our 4:00 P.M. class.

"Okay, that's a deal." I ended a call while smiling a lot. Knowing Kara, she usually pranks or jokes around with other people except me."

Gosh, she’s always mindful of my lovelife, I don’t even mind it myself.

I smiled as I lay on my bed. The anticipation of knowing someone suddenly excites me.

The next morning, I am really inspired and energized to go to school. I am even happy to face a lot of group activities. This time, I am careful of what to do with my group members. I became stricter when it comes to how we're going to present it later on.

"Are you going with us?" Hope smiled as she was standing beside the car. Her father slowly opened the window but I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, Hope and sir. I will be going out with my friends."

"Oh, I see. Please take care always!" Hope entered the car and waved goodbye to me through their car window.“

I breathe deeply and exhale slowly. I went to the mini-forest and smiled. I can see Kara's hands as she waved at me from afar. I adjusted my glasses. I can see a guy sitting beside her. He's wearing a different school uniform.

As I went near them, I realized that this school uniform is familiar to me. I've seen this before but I don't know exactly when.

"Hello Carmella! This is my cousin Adrian, and Adrian she's my best friend, Carmella." Kara introduced us to each other right after I appeared in front of them with a serious facial expression. He smiled right away as he offered his hands. As shy as I am, I looked down as I accepted his hand for a handshake and it is really cold.

"It's nice to meet you." He said and when I looked up, I met his gaze right away. Gosh, he's so handsome. He's almost 188 cm tall, his tantalizing brown eyes. It felt like it's a pair of magnets before you can make thar one. He caught my attention the most as I looked at him. We both chuckled as we sat down.

"Wow, you're both acting as if you knew each other for a very long time."

"Of course, Kara. The first time I saw her, it makes me feel that I am being welcomed here in your school even if I am an outsider."

"Anyone that's being friends with my best friend Kara is also my friend. I hope you'll enjoy her company while you're still inside."

"Thank you. As a matter of fact, outsiders can freely roam around if the school's over. I was just really bored. I got to talk to Kara to accompany me in going to new places."

"Wow. Interesting." I can't help but to smile because Adrian is really cute and charming for me.