Stuck in you

Eric felt a bit sullen. He had no clue as to what Jack meant. In addition to that, the man besides him had been staring in a specific direction ever since he came in.

Eric couldn’t help himself but have a quick look in the direction where the man had his eyes fixated. Much to his surprise, he found Lea, who appeared quite uncomfortable with the constant gaze of the man on her.

"Excuse me?" With a tap on the table, Eric continued, "Why do you keep staring at her?"

Rachel was unaware of what was happening. She sat down next to Eric and didn’t see Henry standing right behind Lea, who was standing right beside the window, talking on the phone with her back against the group.

‘What’s going on? Why is Henry here?’ Rachel wondered.

After Lea hung up the phone, Henry stood up and walked toward her.

Henry’s actions left the onlookers speechless as he grabbed Lea's wrist.

"What’s wrong with you?" Eric protested. He was about to spring into action when Rachel grabbed his arm and said, "It would be better if you eat your cake rather than interfering in their business."

"Who is that guy?" Eric asked. Rachel and Jack watched in silence as Henry heaved Lea out of the living room.

Eric was worried and confused. He threw a glance at Rachel and asked, "Rachel, why are you still sitting here? What’s the matter with that guy?"

Jack said, "Rachel shouldn't indulge herself in someone else's affairs."

‘What could have possibly happened between them?’ Eric wondered. He finally caught up the happenings as he asked, "Is he Lea’s boyfriend?"

‘Boyfriend?’ Rachel wondered to herself. She pondered as to how fast their relationship developed. In the past, Lea had asked her about Henry’s relationship status.

Apparently, things had turned sour pretty quickly between them.

The group sat in silence for a while. Suddenly Lea stormed in.

Before Eric could ask Lea about the man, Lea said, "Rachel, I'm leaving." She threw Eric a quick glance. "I’ll visit you the other day."

Henry was right behind Lea. His face darkened when he heard how soft Lea's voice was. He gave Eric a dirty look.

Eric could cut the tension in the room with a knife. He anticipated that the couple would start quarrelling again.

Before anything could happen, Rachel stood up. "Let me walk you out."

"Alright," Lea agreed. She picked up her bag and casually drifted towards the door, ignoring the man standing next to her.

Henry tried to grab her hand but was greeted by a cold expression on her face.

"Lea," he pleaded.

But Lea ignored Henry as if he was invisible. She walked past him as he watched her making her way towards the door.

Rachel followed Lea as she walked out. When she passed Henry, she gave him a sympathetic look.

expression on his face as

was filled with vexation

she tugged on to the piece of rope that tied her bag. Rachel cautiously walked towards her and asked,

just get in a sour mood when I

that she was talking about Henry and chuckled, "How did he

mind," Lea blurted out. "I

you guys dating now?"

facial expressions changed. She passed a weak smile and

‘Broke up?’

that it was just recently that Lea had asked about Henry’s relationship status. How

surprised her. "Lea, love is not a game," she

my fault," she snarled. "He lied to

he? What

long face and said, "Well, if you’re free tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we can go for a drink and talk things

the living room. Eric

cake on the table remained untouched and melted slowly. Rachel turned around and asked, "Where are the rest of

towards the stairs. "They went

Rachel nodded.

"Why didn't you eat the cake?

"I love it,"

to stand up and get it. But Rachel picked it

a liking for sweet food but was way too embarrassed to admit it. Eric took a small bite from the delicious mousse cake.

replied, "I don’t know

a

hummed vaguely as she went to clean the kitchen. Jack seldom visited this place these days, and she wasn't aware that he would

soon as Jack stepped foot

to bring him some

that Jack wasn’t a kind man. Whenever Eric felt that

a result, Jack could only pretend to turn a deaf ear

but he knew that things

and have his revenge as soon as he

the line from the fear that Jack would make life miserable in the

was deep in his thoughts when Jack and Henry came

was gone. When Rachel told Eric that Henry was Lea’s boyfriend,

Jack nor Henry. The former had a liking for his cousin, while the latter was

turned out to be so difficult for him. Before he could

have dinner together outside. Tell Rachel

anyone to hear him. Jack raised his eyebrows and

of letting Jack know that he was speaking ill of him

sense of familiarity crept up to

Jack had caught several people what had offended

when he thought of Eric and the way Lea had

was sensitive to others'