Chapter 619 Special Feelings

"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

When her sister ran away from the wedding, Autumn was forced to marry Charles.

His name had been linked to innumerable ladies.

He had different girlfriends for every day of a year.

Autumn had never thought that she would fall in love with him.

randa'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."