It's been weeks since the incident at Graciela's house, the crime has finally come to an end, it turns out that Georgina was right all along, the suspect wasn't actually the one who murdered him, he just happened to be there few minutes before the crime occurred and as such, the real murderer took advantage of it and decided to frame him.
The culprit turned out to be the younger brother of the victim, they had an argument over their inheritance and one thing led to another.
The rumors about how Georgina was able to solve a case that prooved difficult even to an elite detective spread far and wide and eventually she became very famous, the detective Graciela's father told her that he could put in a good word with his boss for her if she graduates and ever felt like being a detective, according to him she was a treasure in that line of work.
The case gradually faded from public attention, but the impact it left on Georgina did not. As the years passed, she became something of a legend within the university community. Her friendship with Graciela only grew stronger, surviving exams, internships, and every challenge life threw at them.
Georgina sat at the wooden chair on the roadside waiting for Graciela when a boy approaches her.
"Hello" said the boy. Georgina looks at him, and without saying a word turns away.
"Ouch that was cold" said the boy, he sits beside her "my name is Stiles, Stiles Smith to be precise" he stretch out his hand but Georgina didn't take it, she didn't even glance at it. He smiles at her.
"How long are you going to give me the silent treatment" he asked.
"As long as it takes you to leave me alone" said Georgina.
"Well you already failed in doing that, you just spoke to me"
"And this would be the last one" said Georgina.
"You sure do have a lot of come back for me, interesting"
"Tell me, what's your name?" He asked.
She didn't answer.
"Yeah I almost forgot, you said you weren't going to utter another word" he shifts closer to her, she moves farther away.
"Let's play a game" he said, she looks at him.
"If I'm able to make you utter a word to me then you are going to tell me your name and telephone number, on the other hand if after 10 minutes of trying I'm still unable to make you reply me just once then I'll leave you alone" Georgina stares at him silently.
"There's nothing wrong with that, all i just have to do is continue being silent" she thought.
She nods in approval and he smiles.
"Okay here I go, you look really beautiful do you know that" she stared at him blankly.
"Really, was he fishing for a reply by complementing me" she thought.
"I just complimented you, the least you could do is say thank you" Georgina stares at him.
He kept trying and trying but he just couldn't get her to say a word, finally he gave up.
"Okay, I give up, you win"
"Really? It's barely 7 minutes yet" said Georgina, he looks at her and smiled.
"No, no no, don't even go there you already given up, you said it yourself" said Georgina.
"But you also said it too, it was barely 7 minutes so I still had at least 3 minutes left"
"But you already forfeited, that's the whole reason I even spoke to you"
"Sorry for keeping you waiting" said Graciela as she walks up to them. She looks at Stiles.
"Hello, you must be her friend, I'm Stiles" he stretch out his hand for a handshake.
"Graciela " she takes it.
"Let's go" said Georgina as she stands up to leave.
"Just like that?" Asked Graciela.
"Is there anything else I was supposed to do?"
"Yeah, for starters you can at least say goodbye to your friend"
"I never said he was my friend"
"But you were talking to him just a minute ago"
"It's okay, it's understandable, we just met and since we're both bored we decided to play a game in which she lost but still refused to keep to the agreement" said Stiles.
"What!!! I didn't lose, you clearly forfeited" said Georgina.
"I'm not following" said Graciela. Georgina sighs.
"He met me sitting here and tried talking to me but I didn't want to talk to him so he decided to play a game, he will keep talking to me using all manner possible and if before ten minutes I reply him then according to him I will tell him my name and exchange contact with him"
Graciela nods. "And?"
"And then I kept trying and won but she just won't fulfill her side of the agreement" said Stiles.
"You didn't win, you said you forfeit"
"It was a trick to get you to reply me " he said.
"No it wasn't, I'd see right through it if it was, you honestly forfeited"
"Supposedly you are right, it still doesn't change the fact that the 10 minutes isn't over"
"Georgina is right, if it was a trick she'd see right through it, I've known her for so long to know that she won't fall for such cheap trick" Georgina nods.
"But on the other hand, stiles is also right, the ten minutes wasn't spent up yet so he still had a shot, so how about you exchange contacts and withhold your names" stiles smiles at Graciela.
"But I thought you were on my side " said Georgina.
"Of course, that's why I said you can withhold the name and just exchange contacts "
"Who are you kidding, you already mentioned my name several times, at this point, what's there in hiding it anymore"
"Oh is that so, sorry I didn't realize that, in any case, are you going to give him your contact or would you prefer it if i do it on your behalf" Georgina stares at Graciela.
"I hate you?" She told her as they exchanged contacts.
"I'll ring you when I get home, I hope you won't be rude to me as you were earlier"
"Don't worry, I'll see to it that she answers you with enthusiasm" said Graciela.
"Let's go Georgina, bye Stiles" she waves at stiles as they walked away.
"Chill out already, that boy tried all his possible best to get your attention, the least you could do is give him a bit of it" said Graciela.
"I feel like I've just been scammed off my contact" said Georgina.
"Very soon, you'll get scammed off your single life as well" Georgina looks at her.
"Haha, not funny"
"Enough of that already, ain't you going to ask me where I went to?"
"Why should I? I already know the answer to that, you would probably just say you went to see Mark" Graciela smiles.
"That's my Georgina for you, nothing gets pass her"
"So how is he? I mean Mark?"
"Oh he's fine, we are going on a date tomorrow" Graciela smiles as a realization hit her.
"Oh no, please don't, when you begin to smile like that it's never a good idea" said Georgina.
"Come on now, don't be a Joy killer, I was thinking of making it a double date, me and Mark with you and Stiles"
"What!!!! That's the worst idea ever, thank goodness I don't have his contact"
"Oh don't worry, I'll be crashing at your place tonight, so when he calls, I'll be there to invite him"
"You would do no such thing" said Georgina.
"We'll see about that " said Graciela.
"Please Graciela, please don't do it please"
"Chill up, it will be fine, a cute girl like you need to have fun some times"
"Yeah but not with a guy I just met"
"Like I said, everything will be fine, moreover we have Mark with us, he won't even think of trying anything funny"
Just as said Graciela had crashed over at Georgina's house that night, so by the time Stiles called, she was there to invite him to a double date.
The next day Stiles, Georgina, Graciela and Mark is seen going on a double date, Georgina sat next to Graciela in the back seat with her head bowed down a bit.
"I can't believe you are really making me do this" she mumbled to Graciela.
"Chill already, jeez are you this shy of men" asked Graciela.
"I'm not shy, I'm just not into this sort of things, I don't even know him"
"What better way is there in knowing someone than going out on a date together"
"You know, not everyone thinks thesame way you do"
"What are you girls talking about back there?" Asked Mark.
"Oh nothing to worry yourself about "
"Is that so? Anyway we are here now" said Mark
"The beach?" Asked Georgina.
"Yeah, didn't Graciela tell you where we're headed to?"
"No she didn't" they all turns to Graciela, Graciela raises both hands up.
"Okay okay, I know, I didn't tell her because i thought she'd already know, I mean she's super intelligent afterall"
"Being intelligent doesn't make one a psychic, how can I tell where were we are going, I can't read minds"
"In any case let's just go have some fun" said Stiles.
The moment they stepped onto the beach, Graciela took off her sandals and ran toward the shoreline.
"Last one to the water is buying lunch!" she shouted.
"Hey, that's not fair!" Mark yelled as he hurried after her.
Georgina watched them disappear ahead before letting out a sigh.
"They have way too much energy." Said Stiles.
"That's probably true." Said Georgina.
The two of them followed at a slower pace. The ocean breeze brushed against their faces as waves rolled gently onto the shore. Families and tourists were scattered around the beach, while children ran through the sand laughing.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn't exactly awkward, but Georgina could feel herself becoming increasingly aware of Stiles walking beside her.
"So..." Stiles finally said. "You're Georgina."
She raised an eyebrow.
"That's usually what people call me." He laughed.
"Right. Terrible opening line."
A brief moment of silence.
"Then let me try again. Graciela sure does care about you a lot."
Georgina glanced at him.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well I noticed the way you get along so easily"
"Wait, have you been spying on me?" Asked Georgina. Stiles raises both hands up.
"I won't exactly call it spying, more like noticing"
"And what else have you noticed?"
"That you don't have many friends, I'd wager that all your friends are probably just friends you made through Graciela"
"Yeah, you definitely were spying on me" Stiles laughes
"Well if you say so, but I've been keeping a close eye on you for quite some time now."
She groaned.
"Great another weirdo, and here I thought one was bad enough"
The two shared a laugh.
As they continued walking, the conversation gradually became easier. They spoke about university, books and hobbies. To Georgina's surprise, Stiles wasn't nearly as difficult to talk to as she'd expected.
At some point, Graciela suddenly appeared between them carrying two ice creams.
"Look who's finally getting along?"
"We were just talking," Georgina said.
"Excellent. Continue."
Before either of them could respond, Graciela shoved one ice cream into Georgina's hand and another into Stiles's before running back toward Mark.
"Your friend is terrifying." Said Stiles.
"Trust me," Georgina said. "You have no idea."
Hours passed as the four of them explored the beach, played games, and shared lunch together. By late afternoon they found themselves sitting beneath a large beach umbrella.
That was when Graciela's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Mark."
"I know that look," Mark said cautiously. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing." said Graciela.
"That's exactly what someone planning something would say."
Graciela ignored him and leaned closer. "There's a souvenir market a few blocks away."
"Okay?"
"I need help picking something."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do."
"No, you don't."
"Mark."
Mark stared at her for several seconds before finally sighing in defeat.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told that." She said. Mark sighs and stood, he turns to Stiles.
"We'll be back in a minute" said Mark
"Now be a good girl and wait for me here okay?" Said Graciela.
"Quit the act, I know you are just trying to give Stiles an opportunity to have me all to himself" said Georgina. Graciela smiles.
"Whatever you say then" she grabs Mark's hand and dragged him along.
Georgina turns to Stiles.
"Okay let's hear it, what moves are you going to pull out this time" Stiles smiles.
"You know, it's pretty hard trying to impress you if you already know what am about to do before I do it"
"Not my fault, I just happened to understand the ways of humans"
"You speak as if you aren't human"
"I wish I wasn't" said Georgina "too bad am stuck in this system of things like the rest of you"
They both laughed.
Stiles looks at her.
"You know, that might actually be your problem."
Georgina raised an eyebrow.
"My problem?"
"You treat everything like a puzzle."
"Most things are puzzles."
"People aren't."
"They have desires, motivations, fears, insecurities, habits and predictable behavioral patterns. If that's not a puzzle, I don't know what is."
Stiles stared at her for a few seconds. "You know, normal people usually just say hello."
"That explains why I'm not normal" said Georgina. Stiles laughed.
"And there it is."
"There what is?"
"The reason I like talking to you." Georgina looked at him.
"You enjoy talking to someone that isn't normal?"
"Maybe."
"That's concerning." Said Georgina. Stiles shook his head.
"You're impossible."
"So I've been told."
A brief silence followed. The sound of the waves filled the air between them. Finally, Stiles spoke.
"Since you've probably already figured it out, I'll just say it."
"That would save time."
"I like you, Georgina."
Unlike most people, Georgina didn't react immediately. Instead, she simply looked at him.
"Why?"
The question caught him off guard.
"Why?"
"Yes. Why?" Stiles thought for a moment.
"Because you're intelligent." Georgina nodded.
"Okay."
"You're honest." She stares at him.
"You barely know me"
"Now that's not true, I told you I've been keeping a close eye on you for quite a while now. And you're completely different from everyone else I know."
"How so?" Asked Georgina
"Most people listen to what someone says. You listen to why they said it."
Georgina turned her attention toward the ocean. For a few moments she remained silent.
Then she spoke.
"I don't really know what to say, I've never really been a fan of romance" Stiles blinked.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Exactly what I just said"
"That's kind of weird considering how beautiful you are."
"What do you mean"
"For a girl as intelligent as you are, I believe you got my point"
A small smile appeared on her face. Stiles smiled too.
"Nice to see I was able to make you smile, even if it's just a little"
"Don't push your luck" said Georgina.
"I'm not asking you to figure everything out today. Take your time"
She looked at him. He shrugged.
"I'd settle for another date if you don't mind, perhaps then you would have made up your mind"
Georgina just stared at him not knowing exactly what to say or how to feel.
After a moment, she gave a small nod.
"Okay, I'll give it a thought"
"That seems reasonable." Said Stiles. " I still can't believe you are going to give me a chance"
"Okay, that's it, I take it back"
"Nah, you can't take it back " said Stiles.
They were both silent.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did"
"Please don't use that on me please " Georgina smiles.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Promise to be honest with me?"
"Have I ever been dishonest with you?" Stiles smiles.
"You got me"
"So what do you want to ask me?" Asked Georgina.
A brief silence
"Do you think I have a shot"
"Possibly."
"That's more than enough"
A brief silence.
"Thanks Georgina "
"For what?"
"For giving me a chance"
"You're unbelievable." Said Georgina. Stiles smiles.
"So I've been told." He said.