Stuck in you

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Lea poked Rachel gently to get her attention. "Why didn't you reply to him?"

Rachel snapped out of her stupor, turned to Lea and then frowned. "Why? Did he talk to me?" she asked and wondered what Lea meant.

"Yes. He spoke to you a few times, but you never responded to him. He probably felt embarrassed and went to the bathroom."

Rachel raised a hand to her forehead and massaged it slightly as she shook her head. There was silence as she tried to get her bearing back. She hesitated to give Lea a reply. She went there just to have a meal. She never expected that it would turn out like this.

The stranger opposite her stared at her with glittering eyes. Rachel had seen that kind of look many times before but she never knew what they actually meant.

Earlier during dinner, the man tried to start a conversation with Rachel, but whatever topic he brought up, she politely declined them all. And Lea could not understand what was wrong with her friend.

"Why don't you answer me?" Lea asked urgently. "So, do you like him or not?"

Rachel hesitated and thought about Lea's question. "What do you mean by liking him? Isn't he your friend?" she asked with a puzzled look.

"Yes, he is," Lea replied. "So, what do you think of him? He's single."

"Didn't you say that you like Henry?" Rachel asked her friend in confusion. She didn't get it.

Lea was confused. "What does it have to do with me and Henry?" she asked frowning. "I am asking for your opinion on him. Whether he's okay to you or not."

Rachel never understood what Lea meant until she saw the expression on face. As it turned out, Lea introduced her a blind date.

The realization of the situation brought mixed feelings to Rachel. She was unsure how to react. She sat there and stared blankly at the table. The man soon came back to the table with an uneasy smile. She looked down awkwardly and avoided looking into the man's eyes.

She felt awkward because she did not know how to react to the situation that she found herself in. She answered the questions that the man asked her as briefly as she could. Lea even helped facilitate some of the questions.

The thought of getting into a situation that she had no control of made Rachel wonder if she should be embarrassed or angry.

But Rachel's responses helped prevent making Alex Xiao feel even more uncomfortable. Lea initially told him that Rachel was a cold girl by nature so he expected half of the trouble he was in.

However, as time wore on, Alex Xiao quickly realized that Rachel wasn't really interested in talking. 'She is indeed a cold beautiful girl,' he thought as he sighed with a sunken heart.

After dinner, Alex Xiao did not waste time to give an excuse to leave. His car drove slowly away as Lea watched. "He's still so handsome," she exclaimed.

'Is he really handsome?' Rachel didn't think that he was that good-looking, but she was convinced that he was akin to a well-educated scholar.

"So, what do you think of him?" Lea asked as she turned to her friend.

"He's a little talkative," Rachel commented dismissively.

to start a conversation with you,' Lea thought to herself when she heard her friend's

to the car, Lea thought to build up Alex Xiao to Rachel. "Alex came back to conduct a play for a local theater. He is the director for a Russian theater. He

"A play?"

"Yes."

with Henry, then. No need to bring me along," Rachel

I have two weeks left on my holiday. It might be winter the next time

blush anymore when

am not lying," Lea

on a date with Henry?" Rachel asked with

time with Henry is different with spending time with you," Lea replied.

difference?"

moment of silence between the two friends. "I can still look for another man if I lose him, but I can't find another best

no way that she'd lose her. But a sudden thought stopped her from saying anything further.

lose her if she and Jack started

but she knew that it would all be in vain

she did made Lea feel frustrated. It was like she jumped head first into a pit. And it made Lea so afraid for her

you really believe I will not

lips into a pout and replied with so much concern in her voice, "Is there a reason why you seem to be avoiding to look for someone to love? I am worried that you might not want to find someone

she had to say next. "I thought that you

about it the day before. Lea sounded like she knew about it earlier

awkward and lowered her voice. "I saw him and a woman at the fountain square

by the fountain square, but Rachel could guess that Lea saw something that led her to believe that the

and raised one eyebrow as she tried to recall the event. "I saw them yesterday. But it's no biggie, we are just friends, anyway," she quickly

lucky that Lea didn't know that she had even planned to be with

I thought that you two were on the right

her throat. "Well, let's not talk about

think of Alex?" Lea asked

Rachel replied casually, shrugging

a little bit. "That's it then. Let's watch his

a loss. She didn't know how to respond to Lea's

friend worried too much about her love life. Rachel lowered her head and unconsciously

both of them were from Jack. She rubbed the screen

awakened emotions in her that she was

in her mind. "Did you fall in love with him?" she

deep down, she knew the

in her house, Rachel took a deep breath as she stared at her phone.