Yuan walked into the room, completely ignoring Marcus's existence. Marcus was treated as if he were nothing more than a vapor.
"I'll go into the room, Madam," Yuan said to Melissa. We were all puzzled as we all stared at him.
Madam? How did it happen?
We did nothing but stand there and watch Yuan stroll towards the rooms until he was no more in sight. Wait, where is his room?
"His room was located far away from the other rooms. You shouldn't be concerned." Melissa said as if she had just read what was on our minds.
"Wait. How did you come to know my cousin?" Marcus asked, his voice befuddled.
"We have to go, Kaoree," Vanna said before she and her two friends left the house. I didn't say anything, just nodded.
"They are the ones who look after the house, therefore we are all acquainted. His grandmother used to look after this house. It's a lengthy story," she said, and the conversation ended there.
I sat on the couch in the living room, doing nothing but relaxing. It was evident that it was an old mattress because the springs were fractured.
I chuckled at Marcus' reaction to nearly burying his butt on the sofa due to his immediate sitting.
He sat in front of the television and began to watch. His face wrinkled up in frustration when he can't connect the device to his mobile.
He kept himself occupied by surfing through the channels. He eventually put his head on his arms, while watching television in a sluggish manner.
I took the remote control that he had placed on the table. I simply clicked on the first drama that caught my eye. I really don't have a choice. This is preferable to simply sitting about doing nothing.
"Wow! I've only recently learned that there are many beautiful landscapes around here." He expressed surprise while gazing at his phone.
What is he looking at?
I walked over to him and took a peek at what he was looking at. He's looking for popular tourist spots that can be found in this area.
"Melissa, I had no idea there was a beach and canoeing so close by," he said, his lips parted in surprise at what he was seeing.
God, this guy behaves like a little kid!
Melissa sat with five mugs of coffee in her hands. Then she motioned for me to go get one.
"Yes, there are many beautiful places to visit here. Actually, it was only an hour's drive, and you could visit beaches or hills."
Marcus flashed a sly grin. What if…
"I know! We are, in fact, going to the beach, as I had already planned. I'll make sure that my parents are not aware."
"Why are we going at night?" I interjected, interrupting their conversation.
They both look at each other as if they are communicating with each other through their minds.
"No! We're going there for lunch and then we'll come back the next day!" she exclaimed.
They were still engrossed in their conversation when I sighed and walked away.
I noticed the three girls in the kitchen, arranging the items that they had purchased. Yuan and I were the ones who were tasked with preparing dinner. They erupted in excitement when I told them about our plans to go to the beach after lunch, just as I had predicted
"That's very nice! I'm sure there are plenty of attractive young men in the crowd." Sasha exclaimed.
Vanna put the utensils she was holding down on the table, "You're always gushing about attractive men! I prefer nice men!"
"That's complete nonsense! I prefer rich men!" Drianne burst out laughing.
If I was only in the mood, I'm sure I'd interrupt their conversations, but I'm not. Yuan and Marcus massaged their temples with a stressed-out expression on their faces while looking at the three girls.
Melissa flipped her hair to the side. Oh, I'm sure she'll join in on the conversation between these three ladies.
"Let's not be hypocrites here!" she exclaimed, raising her brows in protest. She even cleared her throat, indicating that she was ready to express herself.
"We are all aware that what we want is a nice guy who is also attractive. A wealthy man who is also attractive."
We all burst out laughing in response to what she said.
"How about a man with principles?" Everyone in the room stopped laughing to look at Marcus, not because of what he said, but because he said it in a deep baritone voice.
"Yes, without a doubt! A man of principle who is also attractive!" Melissa and Sasha exchanged high-fives.
"I wholeheartedly agree! The word attractive should not be absent from this list."
Our laughter grew even louder because of what Melissa said.
I took several deep breaths. Both Marcus and Yuan just stood up from their seats and scratched their heads in disbelief.
"Alright, Marcus. Let's go. These girls are going insane," Yuan complained.
We decided to take a half-hour break to rest before heading to the beach because we were all extremely stuffed. Marcus had a deep sleep, and I had a difficult time waking him up.
He said he was just going to take a nap. That is not a nap! That is sleep.
"It's been a long time since I've been to the beach," Vanna said as she slathered on some sunscreen to her arms.
"Likewise! However, I am aware that Sasha is always at the beach. Isn't Sachi a big fan of taking a dip in the pool?" Drianne was the one who asked.
My brows were creased with perplexity. The name Sachi sounded very familiar to me, but I couldn't put my finger on where or when I first heard it.
"Yes, that is correct. However, we were not really forming a bond. You know... uhm... I don't care for fake people." Sasha said before she slung the shoulder bag over her shoulders.
She was prepared to the hilt. Her tanned skin was perfectly complemented by her white cover-up and yellow spaghetti strap. Even with her flipflops on, she exudes confidence and femininity.
Nevertheless, I will not be defeated by anybody. Even if they let me dress in a garbage bag, I will still look lovely.
I wasn't aware that going to the beach was part of our itinerary, so I simply wore a white shirt and shorts. Marcus and Yuan, on the other hand, are both only wearing long sleeves and pants.
"You know what, boys? You should change. You are welcome to borrow some clothes from my cousin."
Both of the boys were hesitant to make a move.
"Go!" Melissa dragged them into the room.
"You, too!" she exclaimed, pointing to me. "I have a floral dress here."
I don't have a choice, so I change as well. She even provided a plethora of options because there was going to be a party later that evening.
"This is your opportunity to meet a nice guy!" I'm not sure if I just missed Jez, but they both sound the same to me.
"Or you don't want that?" she asked, raising her brows.
"If T. H. really wants to talk with you, he could have done something to make it happen. But, look, he doesn't seem to care about you at all!" she exclaimed as she walked out of the room to check on Yuan and Marcus.
I was completely taken aback, but I immediately faked a smile. Maybe he really doesn't care about me at all.
So, today, I make a promise to myself that I will be happy. I'm not going to allow him to remain in my mind like a stain on my clothes that can't be removed.
That's right, Kaoree! You can do it!