Chapter 12

The Comments

The reunion was today, after weeks of planning. Lena was now accompanying Trish, Tina and Min on making final checks in the venue. For the past few days, Lena has been thinking over what she had said to Kris. Why was she still insisting on helping him when he almost offered a way out?

“Lena!” Min shook her shoulders to snap Lena from her thoughts. She immediately looked towards the three of them and gave a questioned look.

“We asked if the venue looks alright to you.” Tina now asks and Lena took a quick look over the venue.

“Yeah, it looks alright” Lena answered and smiled to her friends showing how she really liked what they did with the place.

“What are you thinking about?” Trish asks, noticing how Lena wasn’t really into the conversation.

Lena shook her head and muttered “I’m not thinking about anything” and only walked with the three again avoiding more questions.

The three reached the guest book table, attendance table was what Lena likes to call it. Min checked the RSVP again and Trish asks “Is Kris coming?” and they all look over to see Lena’s reaction. Lena however had no reaction on her face and was busy checking the list Min was holding.

“Alex said he is coming, his RSVP says he is coming” Min answered, and the three almost shook their head due to the lack of reaction Lena was giving. The doors were about to open in 10 minutes so Lena asks regarding the food buffet. Trish then told her to check out how the food was, if they were served properly and the amount was right. Lena nodded and walked to the buffet table.

“She needs to stop hiding her feelings” Tina then said as soon as Lena walked away.

“You know how Lena is, she doesn’t like showing things” Trish answered, “We, as her friends should understand and help her” she continued.

“Lena doesn’t like help though, you know how it is” Min now answered and it was true, Lena always refused help. She would always try to do things by herself even if it would tire her.

“It doesn’t hurt to try” Tina then said and the three agreed. Slowly, one by one, their friends came into the hall and greets were exchanged. Lena could only smile and said “Hello” to her ‘friends’, she was definitely still feeling awkward with her previous classmates.

Lena felt more out of place when all three, Tina, Min and Trish were approached by their friends and everyone was excited to share what they have been doing for the past years. Lena started to feel uncomfortable as a few of her past friends came to ask how she was and all she could do was answer their questions awkwardly. She does not know how to act friendly with everyone who she was not close with.

“Hey,” a familiar voice appeared on her right. Lena turned to her right and see Kris standing there with Alex. She slightly bowed her head and smiled at both Kris and Alex.

“Hello” She replied and settles herself to face both Kris and Alex.

“Lena! Remember me? Alex?” He asked with a cheerful smile, clearly excited. Lena could only nod telling that she remembers. “It’s really been a while! You are a teacher now, am I right?” He asked genuinely although it does make Lena feel less comfortable as she knew she had to answer his questions and asks him another out of courtesy.

“Yeah” She answered and avoided eye contact but still a smile was intact. Kris realizing Lena’s attitude signaled towards Alex to take it easy and not ask any more question that may scare her off. Alex nodded, understanding.

“I’m going to go ahead and check the food, it smells so nice!” Alex said and made way to the buffet table. Kris immediately turned towards Lena.

“Hey, you doing okay?” He asked Lena and received a nod from Lena. “Have you eaten?” Kris asks again.

“Later, I’ll eat later” Lena finally answers with words instead of action and looked over to find her best friends eating on their tables. Lena wanted to eat with her best friends too but since they all had company, she hesitated more making her feel that she should just wait.

“How about you eat with me?” Kris asks, hoping that Lena would agree. Kris could see that Lena was thinking, and he wanted her to feel comfortable, “I haven’t eaten yet and it would be boring if I ate alone” Kris pointed towards Alex who was now sitting with her best friends.

Lena could only nod, agreeing with Kris and followed him slowly towards the buffet table. Kris grabs a plate and handed them over to Lena, she shyly took the plate. “Oh wow, it really does smell good, it looks good as well” Kris praised the setting. Lena couldn’t help but smile over the comment.

Kris and Lena had small conversations regarding the food before they arrived on an empty table. Kris sat next to Lena and he was feeling thankful when Lena showed no sign of not being in a comfortable zone.

“I’m liking the chicken” Kris said after a few bites of everything.

“I think I like the lamb better” Lena commented and looks towards Kris who was trying to find his portion of lamb. “It’s there” Lena pointed towards his lambs underneath the vegetables he took.

Kris smiled and tried the lamb and nodded immediately, “I agree, it does taste better than the chicken”

Lena could only smile; it felt good not to think about their ‘problem’, it hasn’t even come in their thoughts. “I’m going to grab some salad, do you want anything?” Lena asks Kris. Kris shook his head and tells Lena not to worry.

Lena walked towards the salad section and decided to take extra, just in case Yi Fan wanted some, it was a habit of hers, whenever she eats with her friends, she made sure to take a little extra, buy a little more.

“I didn’t know you were still keeping in contact with Kris” Suddenly a voice came about next to Lena, Lena glanced and saw a girl, she didn’t quite remember her name but remembered being in the same class with her. Lena only smiled and turned to walk back to her table, “Or are you guys going out? How long has it been?” That stopped Lena from her tracks.

Lena knew she should have walked away; ignore the questions but the girl stood next to her, waiting for Lena’s answer. Lena awkwardly answered, “We are not going out”

“Then?” Lena felt as if she was in an interrogation when it only seems like a very innocent, curious type of questions.

“Uh” was the only sound that came out from Lena. Kris immediately realizing the situation stood up and walked over towards Lena. Kris tried to grab the plate from Lena, trying to act as if he was there to help her with her plates. However, Lena was set on grabbing the plate, she was holding them tightly.

“If you are not going out then why are the two of you like this?” The girl asks again, now three of her friends joining them. Lena stepped back and Kris could see the panic face on Lena’s face.

“Hey, can’t we help each other out? It’s just food” Kris answered for Lena and tried to grab Lena wanting her to walk back to their table. Lena slowly rejected his hands on her arms and excused herself.

Lena immediately went to the wash room, trying to collect herself; she was getting upset with herself, she should not have reacted that way. They were just curious, that was all. Lena felt bad for rejecting Kris, she felt bad for being unnecessarily rude. She shook her head and told herself to wake up and try.

As soon as Lena walked out the wash room, she could see her best friends coming out the hall, worry on their faces. Lena shook her head and immediately says “It’s nothing, really.”

Lena walked back inside the venue with her friends, insisting that she was doing okay. Kris looked up immediately when he heard the door opened and was glad to see Lena walking back inside. He was expecting Lena to walk away after what had happened.

“She’s doing better” Alex commented quietly towards Kris. Kris turned to his friend and nodded shortly. “She would have run away in the past” Alex continued.

“I know” Kris almost whispered. He was worried, he was wondering about how Lena was feeling.

“If you are that worried, you should go over to her!” Someone suddenly said behind him, he turned around to see one of his friends from before. Kris could only shake his hand and smiled.

“We really do think you two look good together, don’t you agree Alex?” Another friend now joined in the conversation. Kris immediately shook his head, trying to stop the conversation from growing. He glanced over to Lena and saw how other girls were beginning to approach her.

Lena was definitely trying her best to avoid the conversation, and Kris knew what it was all about judging from how the other girls were looking, stealing glances at him. Lena was starting to draw back from where she stood, her expression getting stiff, becoming more uncomfortable. Kris couldn’t help but stare at her. He knew she needed help but he doesn’t know if approaching them would be the right thing to do now.

Thankfully, her friends, Min, Trish and Tina came over to her aide and Kris could see the sigh of relief Lena had released. Kris could also see how Lena walked out slowly from the conversation and started to head for the door.