Chapter 3

Johnson is already waiting for Odette and Alice when they arrive at the house where the three of them would live. He already said goodbye to his parents earlier that morning so he was the first one to move into the house.

Odette got out of her car first and got her suitcase from the trunk. “It is good to have a very rich friend! Now we don’t have to pay for rent!” she said loudly to Alice.

“Hey, who said that you are not going to shell out money?” since I am providing the house rent-free, the two of you should take care of the food every day and the utilities and other bills, hahaha!”

“No problem, we will provide you with everything else.” Alice told Johnson. She doesn’t have a credit card yet but she has a lot of money in her savings account that she can use, it is linked to a debit card. She doesn’t have plans of getting a credit card, she can always use her debit cards.

Among the three friends, none of them were short on money. Although Odette’s family is big, her parents also have a lot of money. Their business is all about real estate and they got a lot of projects from different parts of the city and nearby states.

Johnson’s family has old money, meaning the family being rich was inherited from their ancestors. His father had inherited several companies from his father and he is managing it together with his uncles and aunties.

Odette pretended to be shocked. “Why are you being so stingy John? It’s only natural that you will take care of us since we are like your little sisters!

“What? Would I call you little sister when you are a few months older than me? Come on I am like your little brother if you base it on age, shouldn’t you the one taking care of Alice and me?” he smirked after saying this.

“Hey you look like a big brother!” Odette teased.

“Oh right, because you are only five feet tall, you look like our little sister!” Johnson teased back and all of them laughed loudly.

“I think we don’t have time for buying groceries today, maybe we can do it tomorrow. Why don’t we just order food to be delivered here? I am in a mood to eat Italian food right now.” Alice told her two friends.

“Pizza and pasta!” Johnson said excitedly.

“I want some tacos and burritos!” Odette interjected.

“Alright let’s order it too, I’ll take care of it this time.” Alice started taking out her phone and ordered online for their food.

“Yaaaay! I can’t wait to eat! Don’t forget the sodas too!” Johnson clapped his hands.

“Tomorrow we will go shopping and do the groceries!” Odette is also excited.

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Alice will start taping for a movie the day after and this is very important for her as she will play one of the supporting actresses in this script. With her skills and abilities, what she loved the most is acting on stage, in movies, or in front of a camera, it is also natural for her to sing and dance as well since she loves art. They decided to go out after lunch using Johnson’s car.

After the car was parked and the three friends entered the shopping mall, Johnson walked between his two girl friends and put his arms on each of their shoulders. Several men looked at him enviously thinking that he is so lucky to have two beautiful girls beside him. Some of the people recognized Alice as usual and gave her admiring glances.

“Mom look, it is the girl that I saw in the magazine that you are reading. Can I go to her, please?” a boy about eight or nine years old pointed at her while talking to her mother.

“Shhh, don’t be so loud. You are embarrassing!” the woman said to her son in a low voice.

“But mom, she is so beautiful, I just want to have a picture with her.” The boy said sadly.

Alice heard this and decided the approach the two, “It’s okay madam, no need to be upset with this cute little guy.” Then she turned to the boy, “Hi handsome boy, maybe we can pose for a picture, what’s your name?”

The boy answered shyly, “My name is Adam.” Adam’s mother smiled embarrassingly at her. “I’m sorry to bother you, Miss…”

Alice waved her hand casually, “It’s okay. Come here Adam, you can hold my hand for the picture.” She took the boy’s hand and smiled for him. The woman quickly took several photos of Alice holding her son’s hand and both the mother and son thanked her happily.

“I didn’t know that you can be super nice to children.” Odette whispered to her.

“Hey, you know that I always want to have little sisters and brothers.” She whispered back.

“We can exchange places anytime, you will be singing a different tune once you have my little brothers and sisters in your life. They are a bunch of little brats.” She told Alice.

“Or maybe you are the brat in their life.” Johnson interrupted. She slapped Johnson’s arms.

“You foul-mouthed baboon, why do you always let me down? Are you even a friend?” she said annoyingly.

“Alright let’s continue shopping before we buy the groceries.” Alice said before her two friends start bickering like old couples again.

They entered a home and furniture shop inside the mall and Odette decided to buy a few things that she needs. For Alice, the design and furniture in her room are enough. She only needs to buy a few sticky notes and a pen holder for her study table.

“Aren’t you going to buy something?” Johnson asked Alice after a few moments later while on their way to the grocery section of the mall.

“I haven’t fancied anything. Maybe we can go to an antique shop around and see if I can find a nice item.” She answered.

“You know for a young girl your age, I felt like you are older than my great grandfather.” Odette said to her.

She laughed at her friend’s words. “Oh, you know I am always like this since we were young.” She continued to walk.

“Well, I am not complaining except if you beat the shit out of me when we have a sparring session.” Odette laughed while she remembered those times. They all had a common interest when it comes to mixed martial arts.

“With your height, you will not win against us though!” Johnson is laughing as he said this.

“Look who is talking! Have you ever won a match with Alice since we were young, not to think that you are over six feet tall.?” Odette retorted back.

“I am just letting her win because she is a girl and she is my friend!” he exclaimed.

“Oh right! Hahaha!” The three of them continued talking and teasing each other while getting the items for the groceries.

“Johnson? Johnson Taylor?” suddenly, a girl who looks like Asian-American called out.

The three of them turned their heads and saw a pretty girl running to Johnson. “Kimmy, is that really you?” he asked.

“Yes, this is me! How are you? I’ve been here in Los Angeles for a few weeks now. I enrolled in the university.” Her eyes are shining brightly and Alice and Odette realized that this girl is in love with their Johnson.

He introduced Kimmy Sato to his two friends saying that he is the daughter of his father’s associate in Japan whom he met when his father asked him to come with him to that country. Her mother is American but she already died when she was still young so looks really pretty with her mixed blood.

“Hello, I wanted to be friends with you as well.” Kimmy shook the hands of both girls. Alice and Odette smiled at her.

“Of course, Johnson’s friend is also our friend." Alice said.

After Johnson and Kimmy exchanged their numbers, the three friends continued to buy grocery items. Soon they are in the car when Alice turned to Johnson. “I found an antique store near the mall. Here, follow this direction.” She gave her phone to Johnson so he can navigate using the phone. When they reached the place, it looks like an antique market and not really a shop. There are stalls aside from the antique shop and some of the people are calling the people who were passing by.

“We have an antique Indian pot for sale more than a hundred years old!” an old man shouted.

“We have antique vases from China here!” said another one.

Alice noticed an old lady sitting beside a stall with her wares in a small table. There were just a few items and she is just quietly looking at the people passing by. The old lady’s eyes suddenly sparked when she looks at Alice. Alice noticed and felt that the old lady seems to be out of place and that she sounds specifically waiting for her.

“Young lady, you are finally here. I know you want this but you can get the other items as well.” The old lady whispered to her.

“Grandma, how much are these items?” she gestured at the items that looked really old.

There was an old large pair of earrings, a square-like bowl made of clay where she can put her sticky notes, and an old small jar that she can use as a pen holder. The old lady stuffed all the items in her in a per bag carefully and give it all to her. She fumbled inside her bag to get the money planning to ask the old lady to keep the change but she did not answer when Alice asked how much it is. When she looked again, the old lady was already gone.

“Excuse me, have you seen the old lady beside your stall?” Alice asked the old man in the stall.

“What old lady? There’s no old lady there.” He answered.

Alice instantly knew that the old lady is not a regular in this place. She called Johnson and Odette who are both listening with awe to another old man who is telling a story of an old pot made by an Indian several hundred years ago. “Are you going to buy something?” she asked both of her friends when she saw them.

“No, we’re just looking around.” They answered at the same time.

After they arrived home, Alice went to her room to arrange her study desk. She put the items on top of the table except for the pair of earrings that she put inside her purse, she stared at it for a long time and planned to clean it tomorrow. It was heavy and big and looked really old, she will try to read the history of the earrings later before she sleeps.