Once they had finished off their meal, the catering team gathered all the bowls once more and sent them off to wash hurriedly, wanting nothing more than to go back into the road as fast as possible if hey didn’t want to be travelling for hours.
“That was nice.” Ace pointed out as he sighed out and glanced down at Hope, only to notice her dolmen expression. “why are you so suddenly quiet?” He asked as he reached out to her chin and lifted her face up to his.
“Oh uh… nothing.” She smiled as she glanced up at him for a brief moment before stepping back from him, so that he would let go of her chin.
He frowned a little and pressed his lips together as he looked around while she glanced to the ground with a nervous feeling crawling around her stomach.
She wanted to talk to Harley somehow, whether as her best friend or just as a normal person just because she felt as though Harley was bound to disappear sooner or later with Anna around.
She felt as though Anna was going to mask his eyes and ears to whatever she tries to tell Harley. Anna was far more beautiful and much more feminine than Hope was, making it very obvious she would win Harley over within seconds without much effort.
That was what she thought of Anna.
Her eyes glanced from the ground and towards Harley and Anna who were still under the tree but this time standing and talking to each other. Anna, growing much more comfortable with Harley and now wrapped her arm around his large arm and held onto it protectively as she smiled up at him with eyes of admiration.
They almost seemed as though they were already a couple. Just as though Harley had finally found he mate he had been looking for. He didn’t seem bothered by Anna holding onto him like that since he had already studied her. But Hope… Hope was feeling a little bothered by it.
She just didn’t understand why Anna was so attached to Harley in such a long time.
“you know, as far as I know Anna, she’s probably got a hook in for Harley.” Ace said as he reached out and patted the top of Hope’s head as he figured out what she was finding bothersome. It was obviously Anna. “And she always tells a man straight up if she likes them. She probably told Harley that she likes him. If he didn’t say no, then she will not leave him until she manages to get him to like her back, that is, if Harley didn’t already agree to her.” Ace said as he glanced over to his childhood friend clinging onto Harley’s arm as though it was her last breath of air. “at this point it’s best to just leave them alone and try not to talk to Harley much. Anna looks very childish and may act like she’s very angelic but she doesn’t like sharing her men. That much I know.” Ace nodded his head as he licked his dry lips and glanced at Anna.
“But Harley… Harley wouldn’t just say yes to a stranger he just met.” Hope shook her head in denial as she glanced up at Ace who frowned down at her. “I know Harley well enough to know he’s clearly told her he can’t like someone he’s just met. So she’s simply clinging onto him in hope that he would end up liking her.” Hope nodded to her own words as she folded her arms to her chest and frowned deeply as she glanced towards Anna. “Harley is just too nice to simply shove her away from him like you would easily do. He’s just going to let her hang around him even if she annoys him. I know that much, he’s done it with me a couple of times without simply telling me to go away when I annoy him.” She chuckled slightly as Ace nodded slowly and stared at her for a moment.
“bit the good news is, since those two will be glue to each other, me and you can actually get things done.” He whispered as he stepped closer with a naughty smile preying his lips as he leaned into her ear. “you won’t need to worry about him anymore. She’ll manage to sway him and get all his attention, he’ll end up becoming the same best friend you had, this time with no strings attached. He won’t love you and you won’t feel uncomfortable because of it. Now… doesn’t that sound thrilling?” he asked in a whisper as he lifted her chin up again, getting her to smile a bit.
“Plus I’ve always wanted to see Harley’s mate my entire life. I didn’t picture it being me.” She chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, getting him to smirk as he leaned in and planted some soft kisses at he base of her neck, sending shivers down her spine as she glanced elsewhere.
“It was never you.” Ace chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her to his body as he continued his trail of kisses. “because you already belonged to me and Anna belongs to Harley. That’s how it’s always been… right?” he asked breathlessly as her eyes darted towards Harley and Anna who were now walking towards the vans.
Harley was never Hope’s….
And Hope was never Harley’s.
That was the way things were supposed to be from the start to the very end. Two young children with the love for competition and the passion to always be at the top were never supposed to fall in love. The two young children were supposed to become as close as a brother and sister could get, with no strings attached to their feelings. The two children were supposed to just be friends.
But then… one of the two children decided to grow feelings for the other which only made the other confused.
The two children were supposed to remain best friends….
But why does watching Harley laugh at Anna’s words send a nasty fear into Hope as she knew Harley was bound to become a mere memory?
Hope slowly frowned at the thought that finding Harley a mate simply meant for her to prepare never seeing him as much as she used to.
But he’s been attached to her her entire life time.