Gerald turned to look. It was Mila.
“Here to practice driving?” He called
out with a smile.
“Yup, yup! I’m taking the second test tomorrow.
Oh, yeah! Will you
be taking the third
test then?”
Owing to what had happened last time, she had run
off without finishing the second test. Naturally, she had to retake it.
Gerald nodded in response.
“Great! Let’s go together
and hope that we
both pass!”
“Sounds good! Let’s
go~ To driving practice!” Seeing
Mila was cheering
him up already.
In the past, he would have been stuttering and stammering around her. If you wanted to see the world, it was
good to have friends in high places. It
really broadened one’s
outlook.
They practiced the whole afternoon, and the next day, they each went to take their respective tests. Things went smoothly for Gerald both in
the theory and practical sections.
In just a couple
of days, his driving
license had been acquired.
As he had made an agreement
with Mila, they met up at the gates and went for lunch together.
Since his was a double test, he naturally came
out later than her. When he did, sure enough, there was Mila, waiting for him.
Just that, there was a
young couple with her as well, and all
of them were chatting about something.
Gerald slowly made his way over. All three
were engrossed in their conversation, and no one noticed him approach.
“Mila,
besides our family gatherings, we almost never see you at all! What are you
doing out here all by yourself?” The
girl wore a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. There was something faintly
mocking in her tone.
“That’s
right, Irene. We never talk at all! But I must say, you always amaze me… Is
this your latest boyfriend?” The way Mila spoke to her was completely off as well.
It was as though they were bitter enemies,
always ready to attack on sight! A lifelong
feud!
This last line invoked
a slight grimace from the handsome young man beside Irene.
“Mila,
no matter how you slice it, I’m a few months your senior. You should show more
respect when you speak
to me. Have you never
learned any manners?” Irene seemed
angered.
Certainly,
they were both Smiths. Irene’s father was Mila’s uncle. Along with Kyle, they
were all cousins. The thing
was, while it was nice to be among people the same age as you, there were pitfalls as well.
Since childhood, the equal standing between
both girls had always been a problem.
As such, they
competed over everything,
just as they’d done since
they were little
girls.
Whether it was about
studies or popularity, Mila had always been ahead of Irene.
During
family gatherings, one thing the elders always liked to say was, “Irene, you
could learn a thing or two from Mila!”
Irene had grown
up in Mila’s shadow, and it had made them bitter
rivals, always trying
to get one up
over the other.
They
were grown up now, but they still hadn’t gotten over their long-standing
grudges. You could hear it in the way
they spoke to each other!
“Mhmm… I know, Mila. You’ve always been a little withdrawn and
you’ve got high standards… and for all
that, after all these years, not a single boyfriend in evidence. What can you
pretend to know about love and heartbreak?”
Irene crossed
her arms and went on with a
sneer, “Here you are,
alone as usual. Kenneth can’t
stand
being
left alone for even a moment and always needs to have someone with him!” Kenneth
Lee smiled shyly, his arm around Irene’s slim waist.
If he helped defeat her hated enemy, perhaps
Irene would be in a good enough mood to spread her legs for him!
Indeed, this line of conversation was starting to upset
Mila.
She had been single
all this while,
unimpressed by all hopeful
comers.
She hadn’t expected that she would bump into her cousin Irene while taking her driving test here, boyfriend in tow, putting on all kinds of airs…