CHAPTER 007

While hiding herself in the shade as she loitered in Paradise, Jessica was wasting her not-so-precious time and waited for Tiffany to get off her shift. They didn’t have any set meeting this time around, but they might as well do something, she figured.

Growing impatient, she looked at her watch and couldn’t believe that she still had more than two hours before her new friend would get off. One of the hosts there walked to Jessica, asking if everything was fine or if she needed anything. The blonde then ordered apple juice with the right amount of ice. Just moments later, she heard a familiar voice saying, “No one knows the right amount of ice for you is actually eight ice cubes.”

Smiling, Jessica looked up. “Only you would count that, Hwang.”

“Well,” Tiffany smiled back as she walked closer to the blonde. “Who wouldn’t when they were asked to re-do it several times. And by several, I mean more than twenty.” The blonde rolled her eyes at her new friend. Twenty? That obviously was an exaggeration.

When the lifeguard was already beside the blonde, she sat the drink on the side table.

“Why can’t you get off early? I’m bored,” Jessica said. She played with straw of her drink, not even bothering to take a sip.

Tiffany looked at the latter and sighed. “Some people actually need to work to live, your highness.”

Gazing at the lifeguard’s face, the blonde noticed her swollen eyes, covered with heavy make up. She couldn’t help but frown at the girl. “You cried again,” she said. Tiffany opened , yet decided to close it again. But then, Jessica didn’t ask her a question so she didn’t know how to answer. Should she simply say yes, she did?  

“To be honest, I expected that you’d still be hung up on your ex.” The blonde sighed. “Just how you were last night after he texted you, I was very hopeful that it wouldn’t affect you. But I guess it really did.”

“Well, when you’re alone, you get to think a lot,” she said as she looked down, placing her gaze to the floor. “I don’t have a family here, and it seems like my friends are my ‘friends’ simply because I was with Taecyeon.” She slightly looked up, biting her lips.

The blonde couldn’t say anything; she didn’t know what to do. What else could she say after that? That she was there? Even if she did, would it go through Tiffany? Jessica understood that most of the times, words really didn’t matter.

Closing her eyes as she sighed,  she then grabbed her book as though she was reading. “What usually makes you happy?” she asked and waited for a couple of seconds to hear a response; however, Tiffany gave her nothing. She then lifted her head up, looking Tiffany in the eyes and asked her the same question again. “Anything? Something that your parents did that made you happy? Or your friends? I’m asking for anything here, Tiffany. Anything that made you happy.” She emphasized on her words in hopes of getting a better response, an actual response from her friend.

“Shopping makes me happy?”

“Then why don’t you go shopping?” Jessica then went back to looking at her book, pretending that she was reading. “It’s not like you’re required to go with someone.”

“Nah, I’m okay. I just shopped last week and I don’t want to blow my money just because I’m upset.”

The blonde yet again sighed. “Then what usually makes you happy? Like, if someone did it to you or gave it to you, you can’t help but smile.”

Tiffany looked up and thought harder. “Well, when my exes gave me pink or red roses, I felt glad they did.”

“Pssh.” Jessica mocked. “Red or pink roses? You honestly think I’d do something like that for you?”

Tiffany laughed. “No. That’s ridiculous. If you want me happy, why don’t we go out later. I hate being alone. That’s gonna make me happy.”

The blonde nodded and shooed her friend away, saying she needed not slack from her job since she was getting paid by the hour. Minutes later, Jessica felt really bored so she decided to leave Paradise then headed towards her room. Since they were going out later for dinner anyway, might as well start getting ready.

Upon reaching her room, she felt the coldness of the airconditioning on her back and she shivered. She went to her bedroom to look for a thick blanket but found none. As she scanned the room to look for a robe, she rubbed her arm as if doing so would produce enough heat to warm her up. Taking one of the folded robes from the bathroom, she sighed with relief as the coldness slowly disappeared and was replaced with a comfortable feeling.

With less than two hours still at her disposal, she decided to burn the time by watching some TV shows. A few minutes went by when she finally admitted to herself that wasting that much time waiting for someone was a bit sad. The feeling of being alone and wanting to be with someone was growing. It was then that it hit Jessica that that was the same feeling Tiffany must’ve felt last night.

The girl was generally a bubbly girl, but one could never be happy all the time. The blonde remembered that she, too, was in the lifeguard’s shoes - when Taeyeon and Yuri decided to be a couple, Jessica, too, felt alone and sad. She didn’t like that feeling. The blonde was lucky enough to have had friends surround her, but even then she felt betrayed. What more for Tiffany?

Jessica then shed her robe to change into some decent attire and hurried out of her suite.


****


“Welcome to---- hi Miss Sooyeon!”

Jessica smiled at the old lady and greeted her back. This very shop had always been their family’s destination whenever they needed to send out thank you bouquets for their clients and investors - that was the very reason why Missis Han knew her. “Are you here instead of your father's secretary?”

Shaking her head, she then said, “I’m here to buy a bouquet for a friend, I guess. She needs one, she said.”

“What kind of flowers does she like?” the lady asked. “We have a huge variety.”

Jessica smiled at her. “And that’s the very reason why I’m here.” She then started to look around, searching for something that she hoped that would make Tiffany smile. “Well, she said she liked red or pink roses, but if I give her that, I think she’ll end up being sad.”

“I don’t think anyone would be sad after receiving flowers.”

But why would Jessica give Tiffany something that would remind her of her exes? Shouldn’t she try to avoid something like that? So, what should she do now? Well, most of the time, she was the type of person to always give someone not what they wanted but what she thought they would want. There was always this weird thinking behind her actions - if she gave Tiffany her favorite flowers, then she would be labeled equally with the other people who gave the latter the same things.

“My favorite color is yellow, so do you have the oregold roses?” With Jessica’s question, Missis Han nodded and lead her to the roses. Jessica rush ordered a bouquet and so the old lady then nodded, saying that since the blonde was a special customer, she would do them right now - a special one that they had never sold before. The blonde watched as Missis Han arranged the flowers. Just before it was going to be finished, Jessica then said, “Actually, I want eleven yellow roses, then one pink one. The biggest pink you have and put it in the middle.”

“So you did comply to your friend’s preference,” the old lady said with a smile.

Jessica unknowingly smiled. She did, didn’t she? But her bouquet of flowers would never remind Tiffany of anyone else but Jessica, that’s the very reason why she was okay if there was a pink rose there. “Yeah. I think she deserves it.”

“Silly.” Missis Han said as she walked over to the other side to grab the best looking pink rose.

Looking at her watch, Jessica only had thirty minutes before she needed to be back since Tiffany was going to get off. She inserted an earphone from her bag on her right ear and started listening to music. Feeling her phone vibrate, she fished for it in her pocket and saw a message from Taeyeon.

Packing now! ^^~~ I can’t wait to see you tomorrow!

Jessica then typed her reply.

Tomorrow? Are we going out tomorrow?

Normally, Jessica would be happy. But shouldn’t she stop hurting herself over and over, making herself believe that there was still hope in whatever they had? Not only was she hurting herself, but there was Yuri in the picture, too.

Putting her phone back in her pocket, she then looked up and saw that Missis Han was already done with the flower arrangement. She then walked up to the counter and paid for the bouquet through her card and collected them. “Thank you. I’ll make sure to come back,” she said before leaving.

She felt her phone vibrate, but she was driving and didn’t bother with it.


***

When Jessica was driving to the valet, she noticed that Tiffany was already waiting for her there, so she just pulled up in front of her. “How much for the night?” she said with a serious face.

“A grand, can you afford that?” the lifeguard asked, raising her brow at the blonde.

“Wow.” Jessica shook her head. “That’s too much for a night. I can’t afford that.”

“Oh?” Crossing her arms on her chest, she then said as she pointed a finger at the car. “And yet, you drive an Audi? Such an expensive car for such a cheap lady.”

“This is actually my boss’s car, and I’m on my break right now.” Jessica then placed the clutch to Drive, ready to leave. “A dinner out and a company is all I can afford, so if that’s a compromise, get in now,” she finished without even looking at the girl, only looking straight through her windshield. She heard the door open and a clicking sound, indicating that the seat belt was buckled. Smiling, she drove off the lot.

“Just so you know, you owe me a grand.” Tiffany laughed as she said this.

“What? My company isn’t enough for you? That’s all I can afford, you know.”

“Friendship? You make it seem like I’m that cheap.”

“Well,” Jessica said as she reached for the back of her seat as they halted at a stoplight. She took the sweater and threw it on the other side of the back seat, revealing the bouquet of flowers that she had made for Tiffany. She then placed it on her friend’s lap just in time before the light turned green. “How about dinner, friendship, and flowers?”

From the corner of the blonde’s eyes she could see a sweet smile on Tiffany’s face. She liked the feeling of causing this. For some reason, she also felt happy. It must be just for a second for that smile to last, but it was still better than nothing.

“Thank you,” the lifeguard said. “I still think you owe me a grand.”

The blonde simply laughed and started to head to her favorite restaurant. Once they were at the restaurant, they then were seated at the very end of the narrow lobby.

“You like their food here, too?”

Jessica looked at Tiffany, puzzled. “Judging from your tone, it seems like you didn’t expect this from me. Is it that surprising?”

“Well, I thought rich people dined only in the finest restaurants.”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “Ignorant.” She then placed her elbow on the table, resting her chin on her palm. “I’m not one of those pretentious b!tches who think they should always eat at some fancy place.”

“Don’t be pissy about it. We just became friends. It’s not like I should already know what you do in life and your preferences.”

“I’m not pissed. I’m simply saying you shouldn’t automatically group me with people just because of status.”

Tiffany nodded to avoid whatever was to grow. “I love the cheesecake here, you should try it.”

“I usually order the strawberry cheesecake with extra whipped cream on top.”

“That’s actually my favorite.”

They started talking about what happened at Tiffany’s work now that Jessica wasn’t causing any troubles to any employee, at least not yet. She was still undecided about Taecyeon if she should or not. But so far, she had been mellow there, bearable to everyone.

Food was served and they continued to converse with each other as they ate their respective dishes.

“So, tell me more about yourself,” Tiffany said.

“I’m Jessica.”

“Yeah, Jessica Cranky-Pants.” Tiffany rolled her eyes at her friend and continued, “More. Like something I don’t already know.”

“How would I know what you don’t already know?”

“Come on! This friendship isn’t a one night thing, right?”

Jessica laughed. “I asked you what is the cost for the night, not a lifetime. Quit assuming, Hwang.”

“It’s ‘Tiffany’ for you,” she answered with a smile on her face. “So anyway, come on!”

“What do you want to know? It’s kinda awkward for me to start talking about myself, you know.”

“Well,” Tiffany started. “Love life? Since you already know mine so well.”

“I have none. I’m currently single, spending my time with a new friend who happens to be a ho0ker I picked up when her customer didn’t pay her.”

The lifeguard giggled. “I think she’s an service, and not a ho0ker.”

“Nope.” She shook her head as she took a sip of her drink. “My new friend is a wh0re.”

“Are you sure about that? I really think she’s an service. And she must be with you because she feels bad that you’re always alone.” Tiffany said with a teasing tone.

“I’m positive she’s a ho0ker.” The blonde remained adamant, eyeing the other girl as if what she said was a fact. “She even wanted to charge me, it’s so overpriced if you asked me. For something like her to charge a grand? Please! No wonder her business is slow.”

“What? I’m sure I’d pay a grand for this ho0ker.”

Jessica then laughed heartily. “So you ended up calling yourself a ho0ker, stupid.” Tiffany didn’t say anything as she hadn’t thought of a witty comeback after that. She simply stayed silent and started to dig on her food, not forgetting to give Jessica a glare from time to time.

“So, this ‘ service’ friend, how is she like? What do you think of her?”

“Correction, she’s a ho0ker.” Jessica then cocked her head to the side, thinking to herself for a moment before answering. “She’s actually okay. She’s bearable. I mean, my only complaint so far is that she’s a crybaby.”

“Oh? She is? Then she must be a handful.”

“Well, she kinda is. Always whining and all, bu---”

“What? But what?!” Tiffany exclaimed playfully.

“But it’s not like I mind, retard. You should let me finish because it’s my story, not yours.”

“Okay, okay.” Tiffany giggled. “Chill!”

“But my friend needs to smile more often. I think it suits her best.” Jessica said before calling for the waiter that was tending to the table next to them. She then ordered a slice of cheesecake and informed Tiffany that they should just share since she wouldn’t be able to finish a slice at all, which the latter gladly took.

***

Jessica got off the car and walked towards the front lobby of the hotel as Tiffany tailed along. “That was a fun night,” the latter said. “We should do it again tomorrow.”

Tomorrow? Jessica was then reminded of the fact that her friends would be back by then. So could she still be around Tiffany? Or having Taeyeon around change things between them? The blonde then smiled at Tiffany, “Yeah. We should. I actually need to look for a dress tomorrow for the Miss Universe pageant, so I’d need to pick an outfit. Wanna shop with me?”

“I already have an outfit for it, but I can go.”

“Good! So it’s a date then! See you tomorrow,” Jessica said as she walked towards the elevator. When waiting for the lift, she took her phone out and read messages from Taeyeon, informing Jessica of how excited she was that she would be coming back home to Jessica.

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