16

Andrew drove his mum to the Airport. It was just about 20 minutes before her flight to Paris. His mum had eventually decided to go since her friends wouldn't stop pestering her and also her kids telling her how good it would be to get away.

  Andrew recalled how much she used to talk about wanting to travel when they were growing up. She wasn't able to do much of it and that's why she was kind of excited when Rita chose that as what she wanted to do. Following her passion and doing what her mum couldn't.

"We are here," Andrew said, getting out of the car  and helping his mum with her luggage's.

Rita and Krystal also got out of the car.

"I hope I will see you when I get back?" Andrew's mum asked, facing Rita.

"Mum, I told you I am not going anywhere. I am staying mum," Rita said and her mum smiled.

She hugged her mum tightly.

Andrew kissed his mum's cheek and bed her goodbye.

She moved to where Krystal had been watching silently.

"I hope when I get back, you and Andrew will have great news for me," she said, looking down at Krystal's stomach.

She smiled and Krystal did the same. She knew what she meant and was trying to say.

Krystal had never even thought of that and it had never even crossed her mind.

"Mum!! Not now," Andrew said and she turned to him and smile.

"Wouldn't that be a great news though," she said.

"Mum, you're going to be late for your flight," he said and then he hugged her before she left.

They all got back into the car and Andrew started to drive the car.

"Can you stop for me at the mall, I want to get something," Krystal said.

"I won't be able to stay. I need to get some work done at the office," Andrew said.

"It's alright. I will be fine."

"I will send the driver to pick you when you're done. Just let me know when."

"Alright."

"I can come with you, I need to get something's at the mall also," Rita said.

Krystal wished the floor could open and swallow her. The last thing she wanted was another interaction with Rita. She wasn't in the mood for any of it.

"That's good then. You two can get to know each other well," Andrew said.

"I can't wait," Rita said with a sly smile.

Krystal just couldn't wrap her head around one reason why Rita didn't like her. Everyone likes her, she thought. She always was that lucky and never had an issue with anyone.

Several minutes later, they got to the mall. Krystal and Rita got down from the car.

"Bye, call me if you need anything."

"Take my card," Andrew said to Krystal.

"I will be fine, I have mine," she said.

"Don't be stubborn now. Just take it. You took it before, why not now," he said.

Rita was waiting behind wondering what they were talking about.

"You and Rita can use it," he added.

Krystal took the card from him and walked up to where Rita was standing.

"So, what do you need to buy?" Rita asked Krystal.

"Just some clothes," Krystal said.

Shopping's like this, she always does it with her friend Trisha. She had called Trisha earlier today but she had a lot of work to do so she couldn't make it.

"Alright then, let's go."

They walked towards the different stores and Krystal picked the stuffs she wanted to get and Rita also picked some things.

Krystal felt maybe them shopping together wasn't a bad idea after all as Rita wasn't putting up her normal attitude and everything was going on fine.

"How does this look?" Rita asked Krystal, putting on one of the dresses she picked in the store.

"It's really nice on you," she said.

"I will take it then," she said excitedly and went back into the changing room.

They got all their bags packed and then it was time to go.

"We should call the driver now to come," Krystal said.

"I still need to get something's at the party planning section," Rita said and walked towards the store where all those things were being sold.

"What do you want to get?" Krystal asked as they walked into the store.

She wondered who was planning a party and what party it was for.

"It's Andrew's birthday this weekend. I am thinking of throwing a party," she said.

Krystal didn't want to act surprised because she literarily had no idea. She didn't want to give Rita something to say.

Rita turned to look at Krystal

"You didn't know?" She asked, curiously.

"I did. I was going to get him a present also from the mall," she said. That was the only thing that came to her head.

"Didn't know you wanted to throw a party," Krystal said. Not that she expected that Rita would have told her.

"Yea, I just want to do something nice for him. He has been amazing," she said.

"Can I join you in the planning?" Krystal asked.

"I have everything settled already." Rita said. Krystal followed behind her as she moved from aisle to aisle.

"Food?"

"Settled."

"Drinks?"

"Settled"

"Cake?" Krystal asked. "Please something, anything," she added.

Rita turned to look at her.

"I guess you can do that."

"He likes red velvet and vanilla. So make sure those are the Flavour," she said.

"Yes, I know that," Krystal immediately said even though she had no idea.

When they were done in the store. Krystal told Rita that she still needed to get a gift for Andrew. She didn't realize how hard it would be until they entered about 5 stores.

First it was the perfume store.

"I don't think my brother will like that scent. His scent his unique. But this instead," Rita said.

Then the cloth store.

"He prefers blue and black. Don't buy the grey," she said.

Krystal was exhausted and Rita was making everything so tiring for her. She managed to get a nice Chanel glasses, a sneakers and a perfume for him as gifts.

She decided she was going to add an handmade card to it for him. She bought the things needed to make it and even though Rita was against the idea.

"A birthday card isn't even so expensive, why are you being cheap," Rita had said.

"Sometimes really, it's not about the amount of money you spend to get something. It's the thought that counts."

"That's how poor people talk and from what I know, you're not."

"You really just don't understand, do you?"

"Anyhow, do whatever you want. I won't be surprised to see it in the trash the next day."

Rita made Krystal skeptical about what she wanted to do but still, she tried not to think too much about it and decided to do it regardless.

When Krystal and Rita got back home, Andrew wasn't back yet. Krystal went to the room and had a bath, changed into something more comfortable and lay in the bed.

She picked up her phone and decided to call Trisha. She wished she had been the one who followed her to the mall today but then, she wouldn't have known about Andrew's birthday that was in a few days.

"Hey girlfriend."

"How are you? How was shopping without me?"

"Terrible."

"What do you mean by terrible."

"My accomplice wasn't so nice."

"Who?"

"Andrew's sister,"

"Rita?"

"You know her?" Krystal asked.

"She also attended our school," she said.

"Was she mean in school cause she gives real mean girls vibe."

Trisha chuckled.

"She can be like that sometime but she is a sweetheart when she wants to be although I always stayed far away from her," Trisha said and Krystal laughed.

"I knew she was a mean girl!"

"She is always on to me. Telling me how she knows I am hiding a secret, how she knows I do not like her brother."

Trisha laughed.

"But you don't," Trisha said and they were both silent for a while.

"It's not like I did something bad. He agreed to the marriage and I am sure he doesn't like me too," Krystal said.

Trisha's mind went back to when they were just in high school.

"Hello four eyes," the big guy in their class said, obstructing the way and not allowing Trisha to pass.

She held her books close to her chest. She was starting to tremble as everyone knew the boy as the biggest bully in school.

"Please let me go," Trisha said.

"And what if I don't?" He said, slapping the books down from Trisha's hands.

Trisha immediately bent down to pick it and he kicked the book away.

Trisha adjusted her glasses and as she tried to pick the books scattered around. She heard a familiar voice.

"Why don't you pick on someone your size and leave her alone."

"Are you some type of hero or something?"

Trisha looked up to see who it was and realized it was Andrew.

"You should get out of here before I show you what I am made of too,"

They had a back and forth and the big guy eventually left. Andrew bent and helped Trisha with the rest of her books.

"Thank you," Trisha said with a smile. She had been looking for every opportunity to talk to Andrew but there has been none ever since.

"I know you," he said.

"We have Advanced math together,"she said.

"Ohh yeah, you're......"

"Trisha."

"I am ....."

"Andrew," she said with a smile and immediately felt embarrassed.

"Nice to meet you. See you around," he said and Trisha watched slowly as he walked away.

"You know many people would kill to be married to him right now. You shouldn't waste such," Trisha said.

Krystal laughed.

"What are you talking about," she said and laughed again.