Kiaan noticed a slight change in his best friend's behavior.

There they were walking around the neighborhood, two carefree souls, not worried about anything but hitting and teasing each other every two minutes.

Richard suddenly got worked up as he passed Daff-Dele Road. Kiaan noticed him constantly looking around and asked, "What's up with you?"

To which he replied in the most bland tone ever, "Nothing."

Kiaan burst into laughter and then into a straight face a second later, "Are you planning on spilling it now or later?"

Richard looked at him and dreaded the fact that this guy knew everything about his emotions, even when he didn't want him to.

"This..well.. There's this.. A friend.. She's.." he struggled to find words.

Kiaan looked at him and started to mimic a robot, "I-AM-RICH-RICH-RICHARD," before he could start laughing.

Richard flashed a face of dismay and looked away.

"Okay okay," Kiaan laughed, "Sorry big baby. Tell me now, who is she?"

"A friend. My friend. Her name is Pop- Ellie, Ellie Poppy McAllen. She's beautiful, and she's got an exceptionally interesting personality. I think she's amazing," he said matter-of-factly, as if presenting news on television.

After nods from Kiaan, he was relieved to get it off his mind.

"So when did you start liking her?" he asked, in a straightforward tone.

"Like? What are you talking about?" Richard protested.

Kiaan entered a dramatic posture and held his head, "You don't like your own friend? Wow!!"

Richard hit his head on his head, "Of course I like her in that way."

"So why'd you think of the other way first?" Kiaan smirked.

"Oh shut up!" Richard pushed him aside.

Richard whispered to him, "This is her house actually."

He pointed to the house they were across the road from.

"Why are you whispering? It's not like anyone is going to hear you from here  idiot," Kiaan chuckled.

Kiaan looked at the house and was quite fascinated by the admiration they had for plants.

"By the way, that's a house I'd get good pictures from. Just look at that scenery. Small house, but beautiful," he was suddenly gone into his photographic mood.

Richard ignored Kiaan's thinking out loud and just looked as they stepped to walk away.

Just then, he noticed Ellie step out of her house and quickly nudged Kiaan.

"That's her!!" he scream-whispered.

Kiaan looked over and fixed his gaze on her.
He saw her beautiful black hair dance in the breeze, her eyes that wandered effortlessly, and her simple dressing style consisting of a hoodie and sweatpants.

"She's beautiful Russ," Kiaan acknowledged.

"I know, I knew you'll agree. You never fail to notice beauty,"and he was satisfied that his best friend seconded his opinion.

"You sure she doesn't have a sister or anything?" he joked and both of them laughed.

"I can arrange her dad for you. Would you like that Kiaan Sethi?" Richard asked and roared with laughter.

"Very funny."

Kiaan happened to notice something quickly and pointed it out to Richard.

"Russ, you know that guy?"

Richard turned to see and he saw Sizwe laughing with Ellie in their front yard.

He felt a bit of jealousy engulf his mind but he suppressed it and replied to Kiaan, "Yeah, that's her best friend Sizwe."

Kiaan immediately looked at Richard's face, he could sense some tension.

"Can you smell that Russ?" he asked while sniffing.

Richard sniffed the air too and shook his head in disagreement.

Kiaan put on a straight face, "It's jealousy. I smell some jealousy."

Richard looked at him as if to say, "I regret having such a dumb friend."

He laughed and ran his hands through his hair, "Nah, not jealous. Maybe just a little, but there's no reason to be you know. That's why no."

Kiaan just laughed, he didn't have anything to say to his "equally dumb friend", as he thought.

As they turned to finally walk away, a voice called out to them.

"HEY RICHARD!!!!"