Catherine POV
"It feels like I'm having a déjà vu," I said as I went down in my carriage at the same stop when we had that outing last week, sitting on the same bench once again.
But unlike last time, I have a good feeling about this.
This outing was planned by Samuel to serve as an apology for the trouble he had caused.
It feels like we're opening a new chapter in our friendship.
As I was washed away from my thoughts, I regained my consciousness when Stella and Samuel finally arrived at our usual meeting spot.
"Samuel, Stella! I'm glad you came safely."
"Sorry for the wait. I hope you don't mind."
"Sorry that our little princess needed to wait a bit."
"Really? Is this the first thing you're going to say to me?"
Samuel once again with his snarky attitude towards me. Is he only like this to me? Whatever . . .
"Ahh . . . I forgot my handkerchief in the carriage. I'll get it quick," Stella realizes as she dashes back.
With me and Samuel alone together, I tried to initiate some small talk between us.
"Are you ready? Did you make the necessary preparations?"
While I did help him a lot with the planning by giving him suggestions, he never told me about the final plan. When I asked him if he wanted my feedback regarding the final plan, he said . . . "It is not just an apology to Stella, it is also an apology to you. If I told you everything about our outing, it would feel like I'm disingenuous and disrespectful to you. After all, I wanted you to have fun also."
"I'm fine," seemingly annoyed at my pestering.
That is what he said, but . . .
"I hope it will be great," trying to whisper to himself, but I was able to hear it.
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure that it will be fun no matter what," trying to reassure him.
"It's weird . . .seeing you being too nice. It feels like you would only do this in exchange for something — Oww!" he expressed as I elbowed him in the arm.
"That's what you get."
"Well, one thing for certain, you're the same as I expected still," he mutters as he rubbed his arm that I elbowed.
"Umm . . ." Stella muttered after staring at both of us bickering.
"Sorry, Stella. We got caught up a bit in our fight."
" Yeah . . . Sorry for bothering you with our antics."
"No, I don't mind. I'm just glad that both of you are getting along well as always," smiling towards both of us.
Getting along? When did we look like we liked each other's company?
Eh . . . Whatever, as long as Stella's having fun, it's fine.
As we continued walking down the street, I was able to glimpse Stella fretting, as if she's holding back on expressing herself.
"Stella, what's the matter?"
"Nothing. It's just that if you have a lot in your mind, it's fine if you take it slow."
A lot on my mind? Shouldn't you be telling that to Samuel instead?
"Don't worry about me . . . I'm fine," reassured Stella.
"If you say so . . ."
Why did she suddenly bring that up? Do I look like I'm too preoccupied with something else? Do I look like I'm that uninterested?
"Don't worry about that, the most important thing right now is to have fun," I muttered to myself, hoping no one hears it.
◇◇◇
With the first stop of our outing, we became a bit hungry because of our trip hence we stopped by a local bakery for some pastries. We had some apple pie since it is in season with the changing leaves.
"That was nice . . ." I remarked.
"Yeah, wished that we could eat it again. So where are we heading now, Samuel?"
"Well, it is still a few hours away before lunch, so we might as well stroll around stores that we've never been to before."
"Sure!"
As I looked at their interactions, it made me really glad that they were getting along so well and having fun. Unlike in the present, they didn't get along in the otome game. You feel a sense of tension between them in the game, as if they want to break the wall yet both of them wouldn't even want to touch it.
But right now, I'm happy for them. For all their misunderstandings to vanish like thin air.
But as I looked at both of them, a weight on my heart and a question in my mind surfaced.
Why do I feel like I'm being left out?