Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman

"Hey, why can't I show up here? Why so surprised?" It was Maranda. "And now you're here at the mall, shopping, without even telling me!" she exclaimed accusingly.

Before more words started to spill out of Maranda, Jean replied, "I know you're always with Ron, and the two of you are inseparable and totally in love and all that. I don't want to take up your time with Ron." Jean gave a dramatic pout and looked at Maranda. "I've thought about asking you out sometimes," she continued. "But I keep thinking that Ron might get mad at me... or that you'll think I'm asking too much from you." After finishing her words, Jean burst into laughter.

Hearing that, Maranda let her eyes drop to the floor. "Is that what you're worried about?" Maranda tried to say in between her giggles. "No, Ron's almost always busy with his work. You should have just called me in the first place!" Maranda said as she flung her arms around Jean. Just then, Maranda saw the man standing close by Jean. "Oh, who's he?" she asked.

"Oh right," Jean replied. "Uhm, this is my friend from elementary school. Maranda, this is Ronald. Ronald, meet Maranda." Jean's face flushed with embarrassment; she had forgotten that Ronald was still there.

"Hello."

"Hi."

After their quick introductions, silence awkwardly dragged on. The three of them looked at each other expectantly.

"So..." Maranda finally said. "You were here shopping with an old friend?"

"Oh, no. It's nothing like that," Jean quickly denied. "We just bumped into each other, that's all. Actually, it's been about fifteen years since we've last seen each other."

"Wow, fifteen years?" Maranda's eyes widened, her eyebrows arching. "And you haven't seen each other until now?" Her voice was filled with surprise.

"Yeah, not once..." Jean replied.

"How would you even recognize each other at a place like this, with so many people? And to think. Fifteen years! Surely both of you barely look like your childhood selves. It's a good thing you two somehow remember each other," Maranda continued. "I mean even if that sounds impossible. You two must have been really good friends,"

Maranda looked at Jean and Ronald with awe and speculation.

Jean paused. Now she also thought that it really was a bit unbelievable that her path would only now cross with Ronald's, and that they'd still be able to recognize each other.

'Well, she has a point there,' Jean thought to herself. She looked over at the corner of her eye, and saw Ronald was starting to get a bit uncomfortable.

"Never mind that. Are you here to go shopping or to find something to gossip about?"

Jean asked, her patience starting to waver.

Maranda glanced at Ronald. In an attempt to make the mood lighter, she put her tongue out at Jean. "Well, since we're all here and it's a very hot day," Maranda changed the topic quickly, "why don't we all go out for drinks?" Jean looked at Ronald and raised an eyebrow, as if to ask whether or not he's game.

Roland looked at his watch nervously. "You know what," he said, "I'd better go. I forgot that I have other plans." In truth, Ronald felt uncomfortable around Maranda. He didn't quite like how she probed with her questions. "Hey, Jean," he turned to Jean as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket. "Can I get your WeChat? You know, for next time we're free so we can catch up some more."

"Yeah, of course. You're going back to Canada soon, right? Yeah, we should hang out some more before you leave." Jean took Ronald's phone and added herself on his WeChat. In no time, she handed it back to him. They said their goodbyes, and soon Ronald went on his way.

When he had walked a good distance away from the two girls, Maranda turned to Jean. "Are you sure about that Roland fellow? I mean, he may just be some creep claiming to know you," Maranda said and glanced back at Ronald who was now far away. "I've already told you earlier. We've known each other before. An old friend. Can you stop prying?"

Jean snapped at Maranda. She walked over to an ice cream stand nearby, Maranda shadowing her steps.

"Don't you think it's weird? Do you know why he wanted to leave so soon? I mean you two had just met again after so many years. Wouldn't he have wanted to spend more time with you?" Maranda speculated as she sat down beside Jean. "Well, if you haven't figured it out yet, he left because of you," Jean sighed, looking at Maranda implicitly. She called attention to a waiter passing by and ordered a glass of orange juice. Maranda ordered strawberry. The waiter jotted down their orders. "What? What did I do?" Maranda asked defensively when the waiter had left. "You want to know what I think? I think that Mr. Classmate-From-Fifteen-Years-Ago likes you," she continued, a smug smile formed on her lips.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jean shouted. A couple of mall-goers passing by looked at her judgingly. She was nearly at the end of her nerves.

"I'm being serious here," Maranda said. She leaned in closer to Jean. "I mean just think about it," Maranda's voice went lower and more serious. "Okay, fine maybe it is possible that Roland felt uncomfortable that I was prying too much," she paused, looking at Jean for some reassurance. Jean just stayed silent. "But..." Maranda continued, "it could also mean that he didn't want to be seen with you because he wanted some alone time. Then I came along and ruined his chance with you!" she teasingly poked at Jean's side. "But isn't he just too timid and sheepish!" her voice getting higher again from the teasing. "There are few men like him nowadays."

"Maranda, can you please just shut up?" Jean couldn't help crying out. She already had her eyes closed, trying tone down the headache she was starting to get. "Believe it or not, if you don't stop talking like that, I'll tell Ron and ask him to teach you a lesson." Maranda fell silent, all the excitement from her face suddenly gone. "You're bluffing..." Maranda said. Jean stayed silent. Maranda leaned back in her seat. After a while, she spoke again in a more solemn voice. "Would you really just rat me out just to protect some classmate from the past?" She looked at Jean expectantly. Jean's eyes were still closed. Maranda shook her head. "I can't believe you'd do that."

"Well, I can and I would as a matter of fact," Jean had opened her eyes, looking at Maranda coldly. Can we just stop talking about Ronald now?"

Jean's mouth was pressed into a fine line.

"And stop making things weird next time, if there's even going to be one." Maranda started to get annoyed as well. "Why are you mad at me?" she looked at Jean with the same intensity. "Is it so wrong to make assumptions like that?" "You talk too much sometimes. Do you know that?" Jean replied coldly.

Maranda was taken aback. Jean instantly regretted what she said when she saw the expression on her friend's face. "You know what, forget it. Just forget I said anything," Jean said. Maranda put her hands up as if in surrender.

A waiter came by and placed the orange juice on the table, little droplets of precipitation clinging onto the glass. Maranda mouthed a thank you to the waiter, and grabbed the glass, taking big gulps in between breaths.

She glanced at Jean. Jean was still glaring at her. "What?" Maranda said. "Am I doing anything wrong again?"

"I ordered that," said Jean, looking at the nearly empty glass in Maranda's hand.

"That was mine."

That was true. In her hand, there was a cup of orange juice, not the strawberry juice she had ordered minutes ago.

"Shall I order another cup of orange juice for you?" Maranda swallowed and then said awkwardly.

"You pay for it though," Jean said blandly. Maranda rolled her eyes. The waiter arrived shortly. She ordered another glass of orange juice. After that, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"There. I ordered you another one," Maranda said angrily. "You know what," she continued, "you've been mean to me ever since we've met. I don't even understand why I have to pay for a glass of orange juice when your husband is the richest man in the country!" "Well yeah, Zed's rich. But that doesn't mean I have to throw money in the air just because I can. Besides, don't forget that you're the one who's at fault here. You absentmindedly took my drink. I think it's just common courtesy that you're the one who pays for it." Jean shifted in her seat and squared her shoulders. She was giving off an air that got on Maranda's nerves even more.

"This is not about the money," Maranda said through clenched teeth. "You're only ever mean to me. I thought I was your best friend. Then just moments ago you chose an almost stranger over me? I'm tired of getting treated this way. You throw insults at me, left and right," she exasperated. "It's like you don't even really care about how I feel." Maranda's voice quivered at the end.

It was only then that Jean acknowledged that Maranda was really upset. Had she really been unfair to her all this time?

After some time thinking it over, she let out a sigh.

"Maranda," Jean finally said, "it's not that I'm not taking your feelings into consideration. Personally speaking, most of the time I think I'm fair with you." Jean paused, trying to make her words as sincere as she possibly could. "But sometimes, you say the most ridiculous things! As if there's no stopping that mouth of yours."

Maranda looked confused now. The hurt, however, in her expression was still apparent. "Okay then," Jean said, taking a deep breath in. "Take for example what happened just a few minutes ago. I haven't seen Ronald in so many years. Yeah, sure. He and I had a great relationship in the past. But we were kids back then. People can change a lot in a single day. What more in fifteen years?

I can't say for sure that things between us are the same as before, but I guess I just realized that you kept implying to say that Ronald has special feelings for me, you know? And besides, you just met each other. I can't believe you said all those things when you two just met each other! Have you ever thought, even for a moment, that you were embarrassing me? That you, making my friend feel uncomfortable like that, hurt my feelings as well?" Jean's voice broke. A lot of emotions swept through her. Anger, sadness, and pain. "Jean," Maranda said softly. Jean blinked, surprised at the sudden sincerity from Maranda. "I'm not trying to say anything bad about him.

I do think that friend of yours still may be in love with you after all those years. I was meaning to remind you to be more careful."00000000