Chapter 4:

Lorin:

I lay on my bed reading all my magazines to take away my boredom when the doorbell rang. Sam raised his head and went back down to his napping on my bed. I stood up, wondering who it was. My mom went back to work and I was all alone in the house and it couldn’t be Alex since I was just talking to him on the phone. I opened the door to find a guy standing there with a bouquet of Snowdrops, my favorite flower.

“Yes?” I asked, eying the flowers with a smile.
“I’m looking for a Ms. Lorin MacDonnell,” he said. “Delivery.”

“That’s me!” I said.

The guy handed me his clipboard. “Please sign here.”
“May I know who delivered the flowers, sir?” I asked, signing my name onto the clipboard. He shrugged.
“The guy didn’t tell the name. Anonymous delivery, sorry ms.” He said, taking back the clipboard and handing me the flowers. I closed the door and looked at the flowers in my arms. I went to back to my room and sitting on the bed, I opened the card.
“To Lorin,” It said. “Get well soon.” I looked thoughtfully at it. The delivery guy said it was a guy who sent these to me. Was it possible that I had a secret admirer? It could be Alex but I haven’t told Alex what my favorite flowers were. I actually had a secret admirer! I put the flowers in a vase and placed them by the windowsill. That night, I looked at them one last time before drifting to sleep.

After two days, my mom finally let me go back to school. The pain was decreasing anyway and I could take the bandage out, so it was no biggie going to school. I had told Alex about the secret admirer while in the car.
“Secret admirer?” Alex asked, surprised.
“Yes.” I said. “I know those flowers aren’t from you! Are they?”
Alex shook his head. “No. I usually give roses for flowers and besides, who else could’ve known your favorite flower?” he asked.
“That’s the point.” I said. “Nobody.”
“Are you sure nobody?” he asked. I thought a about it for a little while. It couldn’t be Marcus, can it? He doesn’t even send flowers. He’d rather call and say, “Get well soon.”
I told this to Alex.
“Ah well, you can never get too sure.” He said. “Speaking of sure, we are going to the mall again today!”
“Huh? But we just went there last Saturday!” I said.
“I need new clothes.” He said. We arrived at the school and we saw a huge crowd around the bulletin boards, who were screaming their heads off.
“I wonder what’s going on…” I said aloud and that’s when someone bumped into me and I nearly fell yet again.

Marcus:

“Marcus!” I heard Annie call me from the office. I walked over towards her, seeing that she was excited about something.
“Guess what?” she said.
“Okay I’ll guess…” I said. “Aliens are taking over the world?”
“You” Annie said with amusement “Watch too many movies.”
“Come on just tell me already.” I said.
“There’s going to be a Winter Formal!” she told me. “And pop star, Ted Roans is going to be our special guest!!!”
I looked at her, raised one eyebrow and went, “So?”
“So? SO?!” Annie rolled her eyes. “Don’t you think it’s a good idea to actually steal Lorin from Alexander and ask her to the Winter Formal?”
I smiled at this, knowing that she actually had a point.
“Hey,” I said. “That’s not bad.”
“Well duh,” she said. “I thought so much about it already, I can almost imagine Alexander asking me to the Winter Formal!”

“Now that is what you call a ‘day dream,’” I pointed out. We walked over to the bulletin boards and squeezed through the loads of students who were reading the new information about the Winter Formal.
“Hey! Hey!” someone behind me said. “Ted Roans! He’s arriving!”
Everyone turned eagerly at the gate where a limousine came in. Then another car came just in and the doors opened at the same time. The guy, Ted Roans, came out of the limousine and waved to the crowd, which started screaming louder. Lorin and Alexander went out of the other car and were talking, oblivious that there was actually a pop star nearby. Seems like her nose is actually okay now.

I was in a good position and if I had a sniper gun, I could take out Alexander, only Annie would kill me if I did that. I sighed and continued watching them. This was going to get very interesting.

The were walking towards the school and since Ted was looking at our school, he didn’t see that he was going straight at Lorin, who was in animated discussion with Alexander.
Then they bumped. I wished the guy had bumped at Alexander instead of Lorin.

“Either Lorin is really lucky, where guys notice her, or she’s very unlucky where she always gets into accidents of some sort.” Annie said, looking at me.
“Why are you looking at me?” I asked. She sighed and rolled her eyes at me walking away towards the hall where she was helping some people get things ready in time for the so-called Winter Formal.

Lorin:

I would’ve fallen if Alexander hadn’t caught me.
“Excuse me,” I said, with annoyance. “Don’t you watch you are actually going?”
“Oh sorry.” The guy said, looking familiar. I couldn’t put my finger on where I’ve seen him before.
I held up my hands and sighed. “Look,” I said. “It’s alright but please next time, watch where you are going.”
I walked on ahead, wondering why people were looking at me with amusement crossed with amazement. Alex took my hand and dragged me into the school.
“Do you know who you just talked to?” he asked. I looked at him and shook my head, very surprised.
“That was Ted Roans! You know, pop star?” he said. I looked at him, more surprised.
“Are you serious?” I asked. Wow, a pop star bumped into me, which is just bizarre. It’s like a meteor crashing onto earth to have a pop star bumped into you.
“Yeah,” he said. He handed me a leaflet and I read it.
“Oh wow!” I said. “Another Winter Formal? That’s awesome! It’s coming in 3 weeks too. ”
“Yes and he’s our surprise guest.” Alex said.
“He did bumped into me you know.” I pointed out. “Me equals to Victim.”
“For Goodness’ sake, Lorin. It was just a bump.” Alex said. We walked towards the hall where people from the student committee were starting to decorate the hall. With snowflakes and stuff like that, which looked very cute.
“Who are you thinking of asking?” I asked Alex, who shrugged.
“I’ll be able to find someone. If I don’t, I may as well ask you to the Winter Formal.” He said.
“Oh don’t worry, you’ll find someone soon.” I told him, patting his shoulders reassuringly.

He looked at the people decorating the hall.
“Hey,” he asked suddenly, pointing to a girl. “Who’s that?”

“Oh that’s Annie, from class 4D? She helps the student committee with big events.” I told him. There was no answer and I looked to see if Alex was still with me, which he was physically but not mentally. He was looking at Annie and smiling.

I smiled, suddenly knowing that Alexander is definitely not gay.

“Go on.” I said, pushing him a little and waking him from his daydream. “Ask her.”
“A-ask her?” he said, nervously and for the first time, scared. Hah, he was in love. See? He can’t even ask a girl out. He cleared his throat and walked out of the hall. I followed him.
“Hey,” I said. “It was just a simple task!”
“B-but, what if she turns me down?” he asked.

“Can you hear what you are saying?” I told him. “You are scared that she will turn you down! You like her don’t you?”
It took a while but when he nodded, I cheered and hugged him, finally knowing that he was not gay. Mission impossible cleared!

Marcus:

“You are late.” Annie said, sitting down on the grass beside me at lunch.
“No I wasn’t. I arrived school on time.” I said. Annie glared at my sarcasm.
“I meant, you are late. Alexander already asked her out.” She said with a sigh, looking very bummed about it too.
“Are you sure?” I asked with disbelief, nearly choking on my lunch.
“Yes.” She said. “I saw them. She was hugging him too.”
“Aw, Damn it.” I said. “Now I don’t want to eat anymore.”

“She is still the same. When she’s happy, she’ll jump around and hug anyone, anywhere.” I said after a few minutes of silence. Annie looked at me.
“Huh? You speak as if you know her that well…do you?” she asked. I nodded, leaning back on the tree behind us.

“We were childhood friends.” I told her. “That’s why I knew her.”
“Oh, that’s cute but why does she hate you?” Annie asked, looking at Alexander, who was lying on Lorin’s lap. The bloody git.

“Long story.” I said. I suddenly felt my cell phone ring in my pocket and I took it out and answered it.

“Hello?” I said.
“Oh, Marcus dear, how are you?” Aunt Tina said on the other line.

“I’m great, aunt Tina.” I said, signaling to Annie that I was talking to Lorin’s mother. She raised her eyebrows and continued eating.
“I’m sorry for what Lorin had done the other day.” She said.
“Oh I’m sorry too.” I said.
“Yes, well, don’t worry. Marcus dear, I need you to come here right after school. Can you do that?” she asked.
“Sure, Aunt Tina but I don’t know if Lorin will like it if I’m there.” I told her, watching Lorin who was laughing with Alexander on something.
“I’ll deal with that. It is very important Marcus. Please make sure you will come.” She said.
“I will, Aunt Tina.” I said before saying goodbye and putting my cell back.

“In a few seconds, Lorin’s cell will ring and she’ll answer it.” I told Annie before she could say anything. I was right, basically. A few seconds later, Lorin’s cell phone did ring and she answered it. Annie and I watched with interest. Then we could see Lorin abruptly sitting up and shouting, “What?!” It was loud, real loud.
I smirked and Lorin turned to me. She glared and stood up, walking across the grassy grounds and back in the school building. Alexander followed her, confused and I chuckled.
“What was that about?” Annie asked.
“Well, I got invited by Lorin’s mom to their house for something important.” I told Annie. “She just couldn’t accept the fact that I was going to their house.”
“Ah…” Annie said. “Good luck with her. You’ll need it.”

“Yeah…” I said before closing my eyes and resting. It was going to be a very interesting day.

Lorin:

“Lorin!” I heard Alex call from behind me. I stopped.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. I gave a small, frustrated growl.
“We can’t go to the mall today.” I said.
“Why not?” Alex asked.

“My mom!” I said. “She invited that jerk, Marcus and she wanted to talk us about something important.”

“Oh.” Alex said. “Don’t worry, we still have tomorrow.”
“But I don’t want to see him, Alex!” I said. “That’s the problem! I don’t want anything to do with him!”
Alex opened his mouth to say something when we heard someone calling me. I turned to find a girl from my class waving at me to go to her. Alexander and I went to her and she smiled at me like I was a star or something.
“Lorin!” she said, breathlessly. “Someone’s looking for you.”
“Who?” I asked and the guy from earlier, Ted Roans, came out from nowhere.

“Hey. So Lorin’s your name.” He said, smiling at me. I looked at him, surprised.
“Oh, hello again.” I said. I heard protesting behind me and I saw Alexander dragging the girl away.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Ted asked.
“Oh him? Uh, well…we are dating but no.” I said.
“I see…in that case, I was wondering if you could go out with me?” he asked.

“Well, uh…sure.” I said, smiling up at him.
“That’s great!” he said. “See you after your school the day after tomorrow?”

I nodded and he winked at me before leaving. I stared, waving at him absently.
“What did he want?” Alex asked.
“He asked me out…” I said. He asked me out. Ted Roans, pop star just asked me out.

“That’s great then!” Alex said. “It’ll give me a reason to fix you up!”

I laughed. “You wait until it’s your turn, you’ll see.” I told him. But now, I had to worry about after school. What was so important that made my Mom invite my mortal enemy at our house?

I opened the door later that day, knowing that Marcus was already inside. And I was right but not only Marcus. Aunt Diane and Uncle Mark were there. They actually arrived here in Hong Kong. Wow, that important huh?
“Oh, Lorin!” Aunt Diane said when she saw me. “Look how you’ve grown!”
“Yep. She looks just like Norman.” Uncle Mark said. I smiled uneasily.
“Sweetie! Finally you are home. We were waiting for you.” My mom said. “We have something important to tell both of you.”
“Yes! I’m so excited, too!” Aunt Diane said as I took a seat, as far away from Mark as possible. “Aren’t you, honey?” Uncle Mark nodded.

My mom sat down beside me.
“Well…now the both of them are here, we can finally say it.” My mom said. Aunt Diane looked at Uncle Mark and Mom, who nodded.
“It was you father’s last wish, Lorin. Before he died. And now that you both are old enough, I can tell you what we are planning to do.” She said. Planning to do? This was bad- very bad!
“We are planning a marriage for both of you.” Aunt Diane said.