Five

ANDREA’S POV

Adrian is about to walk away but I hold his shoulder, stopping him. “I'm sorry”. He turns around and looks at me. 

   “I'm sorry for the way I reacted at the cafe the other day, honestly it was really uncalled for and it shouldn't have happened and I'm going to say it again I'm really really sorry”. I say and avert my gaze elsewhere. I didn't want to look at his face. 

   “Nah, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I overreacted and poured the coffee on you, sure I was really angry but then again that was uncalled for”.  

Whoa, that was fast. I actually thought that he wouldn't apologize for his actions at all. Okay so now that the apologises are all done, what's next. I thought. “Uhm, the girl that was with you, I need to...”

   “Oh, you mean my sister, Mariquita. She's supposed to be here somewhere, ” He cuts me off as he looks around “and if you are talking about apologising to her you don't need to. Okay?”

   “Okay”. I respond, but I am not going to listen to him. “So you go to school here?”. I ask wanting to start up a conversation. 

   “Yeah, I do. I'm in the second year, same with my cousin. What about you?”. He starts to walk away from the grill and I take the hint and follow him. “I'm a freshman”. 

I stretch my arm over my head and then I ask. “Cousin?”. 

   “Yeah, Matteo”. 

I am still puzzled. “Who's Matteo?”. He looks at me confused. 

   “The guy that walked away with your friend”. 

Oh. So that's his name. I give a light laugh. “I didn't know his name”.

He smiles and asks. “So what are you studying?”. 

   “Chemical Engineering”. I answer as we walk down to where the fire is. I think I saw Annalia and Matteo walk towards here. “What about you?”. 

   “Business”. 

   “That's pretty nice”. I say smiling.

   “Yours is too, chemical engineering. It's a really fun course of study. I have got some friends who also study that. How do you like Bayweach College so far?”. 

   “Well is been okay, it's like a whole new world to me. I like it here”. I say sighing out loud. He laughs. 

   “Of course you would. Bayweach is really a nice place. Gone on a tour yet?”. 

   “A tour, not yet, ever since we've arrived it's been school work all through so...” I trail off. 

   “Bummer, how would you girls like a tour of the whole town it's a big place you know. I mean if it's University is as big as 'this' then imagine how the town would be”.

He has a point there though and it's not an exaggeration. I heard that it is one of the largest towns in the state. “So let me be your tour guide”. He says smiling. 

   “Sure when we have some free time I'll let you know. So is Bayweach far from Sacramento?”. I ask. It's actually where my former nanny stays. I am hoping to go see her sometime. 

   “Uhm, honestly I don't think so, let's say maybe a six-hour drive or so”. He responds. 

   “Okay. Where did you grow up?”. I ask I do not want this conversation to end so soon. He's about to answer and then my phone rings. I take it out from my pocket to see who's calling. It's my mom. 

I'm tempted to end the call but Adrian gives me a nod indicating that he doesn't mind me taking the call and I had no option but to take it. I pick the call and move a few steps away from him.

  “Hello Mom. How are you?”. I ask softly and eagerly await her response. 

   “Ah, yes Andrea. I called to let you know that your dad will be organizing a big party in a few weeks to kick off the opening of his new hotel and I wanted to inform you ahead of time so that you'd be prepared and possibly clear your schedules”. She says and I hear her barking orders to one of the servants.

I give a sad sigh. I should have never gotten my hopes up. Ever since I came to California two weeks ago this is the first time that she's called and it's not to ask about my well-being. “Hello, hello Andrea are you still there?”. 

I snap out of my thoughts and give a soft sigh. “Yeah mom, what's the date?”. 

   “27th of March”. 

Great and this is just the first of February. I give a humourless laugh. 

   “Okay. I'm bringing Annalia with me”. I tell her. 

Annalia's parents and mine have been quite close after the visit to South Africa which was about six years ago and that was how we met and just clicked. So did our parents. I smile at the memory.

   “Ohh, that'd be lovely. It's been quite long since I last saw her, say two years ago or something. I'm also thinking of inviting her parents too”. 

   “Yeah, you do that”. Though I doubt that she'll be pleased, but I don't tell my mother this. 

There's a short uncomfortable silence on the line and deep down I was waiting for that question and those three special words but none came. 

   “Okay, Andrea I've got to go now we'll chat later”. That is the last thing I hear before she hangs up. We both know full well that 'later' won't be anytime soon. Tears stream down my face and I don't stop them. I clutch my phone tight to my chest. I feel a tap on my shoulder and quickly wipe away my tears as I turn facing Adrian. 

   “What brought about the tears?”. He asks looking at me closely. I give a nervous laugh. 

   “Tears? Oh that it had to do with nostalgia”. It is part of the truth.    

   “Okay. I spotted your friend and Matteo over there. Let's go catch up with them”. 

   “Sure, just go ahead and I'll be right behind you”. I give a small smile. I just need a few seconds to pull myself together. The last thing I want to do is to get Annalia worried. He shrugs and walks ahead of me while I follow. 

   “So what did I miss?”. He asks as we get closer. I look ahead and meet Annalia's eyes and then a smile erupts. I wiggle my eyebrows as I look at both her and Matteo. She got the message and then rolls her eyes. As my eyes move to the slim girl behind Matteo my smile falls.

   “Well here goes nothing”. I say to myself as I meet them. I don't even wait for anyone to talk before I start my apology. Honestly, I wouldn't feel comfortable around her until I do that.  

   “I'm sorry”. I say to the girl that I offended a few days back. I hear Adrian grunt but that doesn't stop me. 

   “The other day, the way I responded to you in the cafe wasn't intentional. Please accept my sincere apologies”. I finish as I clasp my palms together in front of her. 

I am really glad that she didn't interrupt my apology at all, although it's quite short. She gives a soft sigh. “I'm sorry to say this but this apology isn't even necessary”. I look at her weirdly. 

What? 

   “What I mean is that I wasn't offended by your attitude at the cafe sure I was quite surprised but I didn't take offence. I could tell that you were grumpy and my silly brother was too stupid to see that”. I'm tempted to laugh but I don't, I look at Adrian as he glares at his sister. 

   “So on his behalf, I'm sorry...”

   “He has already apologized so you don't need to”. I cut her off. She looks at Adrian. 

   “See I did teach you well Addie, I should start charging you”. She says as she stretches her hand to him wiggling her fingers. “It's Adrian, not Addie”. He looks away. She huffs and then faces me. 

   “The name's Mariquita but please call me Mari”. 

   “Andrea”. I stretch my hand out and open my palm for a shake but she skips it and goes for a hug instead. I smile and wrap my arms around her. Her fragrance is quite comforting. I look over to her shoulder and to Annalia but her face isn't bright at all and I'm pretty sure it's not about the hug. 

   As Mari pulls me out of the embrace we hear a loud voice and it's coming from the middle of the bonfire which we aren't far from. I want to grab Annalia and ask what's wrong but I'm not able to. 

   “Alright everyone gather round we're about to play a game”. The voice says. 

   “Come on”. Mari drags I and Annalia to a log the boys follow behind.

   “So the name of the game that we will be playing is Name the Tune”. I look to the middle of the big circle the logs formed and see some musical instruments there. 

   “Now the rules of the game are quite simple, we'll each be in a group of six or five whichever way the numbers go. There are ten instruments here when any of the group gets a turn the other group picks a representative while another picks the instrument that'll be used. The group in which the representative comes from would have to name the tune correctly before the other group gets it”.

   “Now you've got five minutes to form a group with whoever you want to and after you're done I'll finish the rest of the rules”.

Mari drags Annalia and I making us a group we just needed three more people to join or perhaps two. 

   “Why don't we tell Matteo and Adrian to make us complete”. Annalia says. But Mari shakes her head. 

   “Nah, see they've already formed a group with some of the basketball players and cheerleaders”. She points to a group of people. We look in the direction she points at just in time to see a girl jump on Matteo and put her legs around him and her hands around his neck. He holds by the waist to steady her. 

I turn my focus on Annalia, her face is just blank. Not giving anything out as she stares at them. 

   “Alright, why don't we recruit at least two more persons okay. I and Andrea will do just that while you find a suitable spot for us okay”. Annalia says and Mari gives a nod. 

So we set out to recruit two more people. It doesn't take us more than a minute and we get back to where Mari is sitting. 

I introduce them to her. “Mari this is Victor, ” I say as I touch the guy beside me and point at the one who's close to Annalia. “and that is Mario. They're twins”. 

“You mixed our names up”. Mario says or is it, Victor. They look so alike. 

   “That's Mario standing by your side and I am Victor”. The one close to Annalia says.  

   “Oh, I am sorry for the mix up”. I apologise with a smile as I sit down on the log close to Mariquita.

   “Okay, so now we're complete”. Mariquita says with beaming smiles. They exchange greetings and as they sit on the log we hear the same voice from earlier. 

Our host. Micheal, I heard that he is the basketball team's captain.

   “Alright if you're all done getting in groups please sit together and let me count the number of groups there are”.

Some people sit down on logs while others sit on the grass. I spot Adrian and Matteo. They are in a group. Both of them sit on the grass while the rest of their group sits on the log behind them. The girl from earlier comes and sits on his legs.

 Micheal counts the number of groups there are. There are five groups in number, some groups are made up of either five or six persons. 

Not everyone is in a group though some people are hanging around just to watch. 

    “So now that we are all seated I'll proceed with the rest of the rules. After the groups pick a representative and the instrument, the person picked would have to take that instrument and sit here, ” He points to a small tree stump that has been placed in the middle close to the instruments. "and then I'll whisper the tune you'll have to play. If your group fails to name the tune you'll get a zero and if another group gets it they'll get one bonus points but if your group eventually succeeds you'll get a whole two points which will be recorded in the board right here”. He points at it. 

   "Is that clear?”. He asks and there are nods and a couple of 'yes'. 

   "Okay now let's begin!”. Squeals of excitement are heard. How did he even get a board? I wanted to ask but kept mute. 

   “Alright Group A pick a representative from any group”. We are in group D. I silently pray that whoever is selecting anyone wouldn't look at our group. A very handsome guy with cute glasses gets up and points. 

   “I pick the girl with the brown curly hair”. I hear him say.

My eyes widen, he's pointing at our group and he is definitely referring to Annalia. I look at Annalia she rolls her eyes and dramatically shivers.

   “Alright beautiful, come sit over here”. Micheal says smiling at her. 

Annalia returns it and then whispers before standing. “You guys better get it or I'd put worms in your food”. I laugh as I watch her walk over to the stump and sit.

  “She's bluffing isn't she?". Mariquita asks and shudders lightly.   

  “We will find out after the game”. I say with a smirk. “Group C, pick an instrument”. 

 I look at the group and watch as Matteo announces. “A guitar”. 

Annalia smiles.

This is so going to be a piece of cake. Annalia is a goddess when it comes to playing the guitar. She picks up the guitar and our host whispers the title of the song in her ear. 

Annalia smiles at our group again and winks. She starts playing and I can swear that I know the song but I can't place my fingers around it. I watch the other groups no one's raising their hands.

There. I remember now. It's our favourite song. 

  “Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colours fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake”. I sing out loud without even knowing.

I look at Annalia and see as her face beams with happiness. She looks at me and then joins me. The song brings back a lot of memories. I remember when she bawled her eyes out after watching THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. 

   “For the world, we're gonna make”. She ends with a final note. I hear applause from Mariquita and then the rest of the people there. “A million dreams by Hugh Jackman”. I say after it stops. 

   “Well I wasn't expecting this but I can say it's really interesting. How about we add a little tweak to the rules. Wheather you can sing or not, we are all here to have some fun”. Micheal laughs and we all can guess what he means.

   “Alright, that's two points for group C”. 

   “That was amazing”. Mariquita says to Annalia and I giving us side hugs. 

   “The next group is C”. 

   “I pick Matteo”. Mariquita shouts before anyone else can utter a word. Laughter is heard all around. Matteo snickers and walks over to the stump. 

   “Okay, ” Micheal says trying to contain his laugh. 

   “E, pick the instrument”. 

   “The drum”. Someone responds. 

   “Where are the drum sticks?” He inquires as he picks up the drum. 

   “Yeah, about that you'll have to use your hands". Michael answers and Matteo shrugs and mutters something inaudible.    

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