Chapter 9 Be My Girlfriend

"Who are you?" That was Amos' question to Lester. Yvette sat the two of them at the dining table but it seemed like she wouldn't last long with them. If Zein hadn't stopped him, the man would have been beaten up by now.

Lester grinned mischievously and leaned slightly on the table. "Who are you too?" There was a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.

Amos' jaw tightened. He did not like the presence of the man in front of him. "How rude."

Like Zein, Lester also has many earrings. With Zein, he has no problem with that. He has a lot of problems with the man in front of him.

'He looks like an addict! Are Zeinab's types like this?'

"You are rude," Lester said while pointing at him. "You started the fight and not me."

Amos gripped his fists tight. Even interacting with the man in front of him was impossible for him. Perhaps he simply threw the food at the man.

Zein and Yvette emerged from the kitchen shortly after. He grabbed the plate Zein was holding as soon as she approached him. After setting it down on the table, he grabbed her wrist. As Yvette screamed loudly, the woman's face had a shocked expression. Lester was observing Zein holding hands when he turned to face him. He made a broad smile to irritate the man even more.

"Why?" Zein asked him weakly.

"We must talk." Amos expected her to struggle but she didn't. He pulled the woman until they reached the garage. He turned to Zein and he just met her eyes. He could read in her eyes that she wanted to ask him a lot. Zein was about to remove her hand from his grip but he tightened it even more.

Her mouth fell open and at that moment she struggled. "Let go of me!"

"Who is that addicted man?"

Zein ruffled the hair and was inhaled. "That's Lester, okay? He's my friend and he's not an addict!"

Amos became even more irate as Zein backed Lester. He was unsure of the purpose of that feeling, but he was certain of one thing in particular. He didn't want them to become intimate. When he saw the man with Zein, who had the appearance of an addict, it was as if a caution sign had suddenly sprouted on his forehead.

"But he looks like a bad guy to me!" he insisted. "I thought he raped you inside your bathroom."

Her brow furrowed and violently snatched her hand from him. "Are you crazy?"

That made her laugh. Just like she always did, the woman put the tip of her tongue on the corner of her cheek again. "Mang Tasyo, I just dyed my hair. You see, don't you?" she asked while pointing to her once ash gray hair that was now red. She had rinsed her hair so he could see the color even more.

Amos rubbed his nose and nodded softly. He has lowered his defense because he knew he was wrong but he hadq no intention of condescending to Lester because he let him blame him. "I had that wrong. I already know, Zein."

A few moments later, he let out a deep breath. "You know what, Mang Tasyo? I don't want any connection with you. I'm confused. Why are you keep bugging me? I don't want to see you."

Amos didn't know but his heart seemed to be crushed by what he heard. The woman did not want to see him. She did not want to talk to him and it's like his whole system could not accept that. "Please, don't... say that."

He nearly lost his cool when he saw Lester emerge from Zein's restroom. When he learned that Zelda was in love with someone else, the hurt he felt because of her returned to him. He was aware that he hadn't forgotten Zelda entirely, so why did he feel the same way about Zein? He wanted the woman to focus solely on him, but why?

'I don't really know anymore.'

"I pay you well because I know it was my fault why I bumped my car into you. Why didn't you accept? You always tease me. Aren't you tired?" There is a sign of surrender on her face. "I don't understand you. You're just my sister's ex-boyfriend. We shouldn't have a connection but... what is it?"

Amos shook his head. "I also don't know Zein. All I know... is that I want to talk to you. I don't think about Zelda when I'm with you. I don't get bitter when you notice me." He didn't know where he got the courage to say that. He wanted to know what was on Zein's mind but he couldn't read the girl.

After a while, Zein went to her car and took something from the dashboard. She took his hand and placed his necklace in his palm. "That's yours, right? My sister... gave that to you."

Amos nodded. He had always worn that necklace since Zelda had given it to him. It was one of the important things in his life. The necklace was simple but he felt that a lot of emotion was put into it.

"Thank you."

"Zelda is married. I want her to be happy and she'll not be happy if you do not let yourself forget." Zein approached him.

Amos couldn't hold his breath. He smelled the scent of her that he loved so much when he saw her for the first time. He put his hand on her hand where the necklace was. He felt the trembling and coldness of her hand. He also noticed that her fingers had calluses.

Is she nervous or what?

"Please, forget her. Stop bugging her. Stop... annoying me. Just look for your peace of mind in something else. Move on, Amos."

Zein softly mentioned his name, and he felt as though he were being surprised. He felt strangely ignored because she didn't address him as Mang Tasyo or Boy. She gave him a shoulder pat. He pushed the woman away from him as she was about to turn away from him. He drew her in close and stroked her cheek. He wasn't sure why he felt attracted to place his finger on the woman's lips as her mouth gaped open.

"Say my name, Zein." Zein closed her eyes and pushed his chest but he only tightened his grip on her waist. "Baby, say it again."

Zein took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "Amos..."

A smile drew on Amos' lips. He tucked her long hair behind her ear and stared at the woman's face. "Beautiful."

"Amos, let go of me." She wanted him to let her go but Zein didn't struggle like before.

"Help me to move on, Zein." He brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered. "Be my girlfriend." There was a smile on his lips when he met her gaze again.

Zein was stunned and couldn't believe what Amos said but a few moments later, she suddenly frowned and pushed him with all her might. "What do you want? Will I be a rebound girl? You will make me cover the pain that Zelda caused. I am not like a band aid that can cover your wounded heart, Amos. No! Not me!"

Amos immediately held Zein in her hand. "It's not like that, Zein. I know I still love... your sister but I have this feeling that I need you to be my girlfriend. Don't you understand that?"

"Yes, I don't understand!" It was a sarcastic response.

"I'm attracted... to you," he admitted.

Zein took a breath. "What did you say? You're attracted to me in a short period of time? I don't believe you."

Amos couldn't explain to Zein what he wanted because even he himself couldn't name it. It seems that there was always a disturbance in his mind. It seems like a day wasn't complete without Zein revving up his entire system.

"I don't know if that's attraction or... what so please, do me a favor. Be with me while discovering what I really feel for you." He held Zein's hands.

"What?"

"Okay, I will court you..." Amos just scratched his eyebrows.

Amos lost all self-control at this point. Zein is not his girlfriend for any reason that he is aware of. Even if he wasn't prepared, he didn't enter another relationship. She was coerced by him. The woman was Zelda's sister, which was even worse.

Amos has lost control ever since he first spotted Lester, a friend of Zein's. In his entire life, he had never felt the need for Zein to focus solely on him. He was never enraged or jealous, not even when he and Zelda were together.

Race probably stole Zelda away from him for that reason. He believed that their relationship was quite strong, but because he overanalyzed things, their two years of dating suddenly disappeared. He did not readily become envious. He didn't lose his temper easily, and he and his ex-girlfriend hadn't had many fights previously, so he was perplexed as to why he was now feeling something for Zein that he hadn't before for Zelda.

Zein ruffled her hair. "It's up to you," she whispered irritatedly and entered the house.

Amos immediately followed. Amos' decision was complete. He did not care if Zein thinks of herself as a rebound girl. All he wants was for her to be his girlfriend even if that woman was mean to him.