Free Web NovelChapter 530: I Just Don’t Like Him
"May I ask what do your parents do?" Wendy bent lower to look at Mark, asking gently.
"My mom is a lawyer and my dad an architect," he replied.
"A lawyer and an architect. Oh, they must be very busy people then," Wendy responded.
She had found herself thinking that Mark’s parents had done an excellent job in raising a well-mannered kid like Mark; despite their busy schedules in their respective professions.
Wendy had initially assumed that Jake and Leah would outshine other kids in their age group.
Jake, in particular, because he was so smart.
However, now that she had met Mark, she realized that she had been biased.
In fact, all the kids these days were smart.
"Yes, they’re always very busy, and often go away for business," Mark said, sounding a little forlorn when he mentioned their business trips.
It would appear that there was yet another child yearning for his parent’s constant attention.
"So, who’s picking you up today then?" Wendy asked, looking around and not seeing anyone who appeared to be coming to collect him.
"Oh, my mom’s coming to pick me up today. But I guess she could be running late because of work," Mark explained.
"Don’t worry, Mrs. Lucas. I know where to go if I need to find my own way home."
Wendy had no doubt that being a smart kid, he would surely be able to get himself home.
Nevertheless, he was too young to be allowed to go home on his own. Worried, Wendy suggested, "Can I give you a ride home?"
"Oh, no, that won’t be necessary. I will wait here for my mom," Mark immediately declined Wendy’s offer.
Seeing his firm refusal of her offer, Wendy decided not to press him.
Fortunately, Mark’s mother soon made an appearance. Seeing her son talking to a bunch of people, she hurried over to him, "Mark."
Noticing his mother, Mark said politely, "Mom, this is Jake’s and Leah’s mommy."
Turning to Wendy, Mark made the introduction, "Mrs. Lucas, this is my mom."
"How do you do?" Wendy greeted Mark’s mom with a slight nod.
"Hello. Oh, you’re... " Mark’s mother recognized Wendy. "Are you Wendy Stewart?"
"Do you know me?" Wendy asked with a smile.
"I would think that there are not many in Lake City who do not know you," Mark’s mom replied, adding, "You’re even more beautiful in person than your photos online."
"Thank you," Wendy acknowledged politely. "We’ll be off then."
"Sure, goodbye," Mark and his mother waved goodbye to them in unison.
When Wendy and her kids had walked far away, Mark’s mother spoke up, "So, this girl, Leah, that you talk about all the time, is Wendy Stewart’s daughter?"
"So, what if she’s her daughter?" Mark frowned, continuing, "She’s a nice lady, beautiful and gentle."
"Sure, she’s nice. However, if your heart’s set on Leah, I’m afraid that the outcome will not be good," his mom sighed.
"Why not?" Mark asked questioningly, eyes wide opened, not quite understanding what his mother was implying.
"Wendy Stewart is a world-renowned fashion designer who goes by another name, Corinne Swift. And Leah’s dad is Michael Lucas, the wealthiest man in Lake City.
"As for your parents. I am an ordinary lawyer, while your dad is just an architect. As an ordinary family, we can be considered to be doing quite well. However, compared to them, well, there’s no comparison. So, I would suggest that you let this one go," his mom explained.
That had been the first time that Mark was told something like this.
He frowned, deep in thought.
"Look at me. Why should I be saying these things to you? You’re way too young," his mom chuckled.
Taking his hand in hers, she continued, "Since I’ve been able to leave work early today, let me cook you something yummy. What would you like to eat?"
"Whatever," Mark murmured. He was in no mood to think about what he wanted to eat.
...
Wendy and Zess left for home with the two kids.
On the way home, Wendy and Zess had discussed their encounter with Mark.
Wendy asked Zess, "What’s your impression of Mark?"
"Oh, I think he’s a nice boy. Very polite and mature for his age, quite unlike a six-year-old kid," Zess replied honestly.
When she heard Zess complimenting Mark, Leah giggled happily, "See? Aunty Zess thinks Mark is great too! I just knew that you guys would like him!"
"So, do you like Mark?" Wendy swung Leah’s hand and smiled at her.
Without any hesitation, Leah nodded, "Yes, I do. Mark always brings me food, and it’s always the type of food that I like."
"Like him?" Jake scoffed grumpily. "How old do you think you are? What do you know about liking someone?" fгeewebnovёl.com
"Jake, I hate it when you’re like this," Leah protested petulantly.
Looking unhappy, she continued, "Are you stopping me from making friends just because you don’t have any? I think Mark’s a good friend. Even our teacher said that he’s smart.
"Many of the girls in our class would like to play with him. But he only likes to play with me, and I with him."
"I play with you all the time. Aren’t I good enough?" Jake asked, obviously upset by her remark.
"But I can’t just play with you all the time," Leah rebutted. "My brother is important to me. But so are my friends. How can I go through life just with my brother alone?"
"Is that what Mark taught you?" Jake asked.
"Yeah, and I think he is right. You will get married when you grow up and so will I.
We will have our individual lives and eventually have our own families as well," Leah said.
"Look at you! You have been totally brainwashed by Mark. You’re only six years old, and all you think about are things like these," Jake ranted.
Getting increasingly angry, he added, "I forbid you to play with Mark from now on!"
"But why? I don’t like you when you’re like this, Jake!" Leah pouted, sounding like she was about to cry any second now.
"Crying won’t help!" Jake continued his act of the stern big brother even though his heart ached whenever Leah cried.
"Mummy, Jake is so mean!" Leah complained, sobbing as she snuggled into Wendy’s arms.
Listening to the argument between her kids, Wendy looked at Zess and could not help but smile in amazement.
Kids these days were just maturing too quickly.
She recalled that she had still been making mud pies in the yard when she was six.
But now, they seem to know what liking a person meant.
Of course, as far as Leah was concerned, her understanding of liking someone was still innocent.
What she meant by liking was just that - simply liking a friend.
She had decided that Mark was a good friend simply because he had been nice to her, bringing her the food she liked.
And that was it.
Jake, on the other hand, was obviously concerned about something different.
"Jake, why don’t you like Mark?" Wendy asked.
"I just don’t like him. I don’t have a reason," Jake replied as he hung his head low, looking down at his shoes.
"Well, there must be a reason why you don’t like him," Wendy replied.
She continued, "I think Mark is quite a nice boy, smart, and very adorable. And I believe that his academic results are pretty good too.
"It’s beneficial for Leah to be friends with him."
"Obviously, Mark has an ulterior motive. Only Leah is naïve enough to think that he’s nice just because he brings her food," Jake said.
"Besides, who says that a sister of mine would need help with her studies from someone else? That’s a joke."
...
"Mummy, Jake is so mean. Just because he has no friends in school, he doesn’t want me to have any either," Leah complained to Wendy.
"It’s not that I don’t have friends. Just don’t see the need. Why should I befriend these brats?" Jake rebutted. freewebnσvel.cøm
His IQ was way above that of the kids in his age group. From his perspective, these kids were just too childish.
Truth be told, among all the kids in his cohort, he would rate Mark as second to him in intelligence.
If Mark had not harbored designs on Leah, he would have given him a chance to be his friend.
But obviously, that was not going to happen now.
"Are you saying that Mark has an ulterior motive for befriending Leah?" Wendy asked him.
She was at a loss for words when Jake nodded.
"But why do you assume that anyone who takes a liking to Leah will have an ulterior motive?" she repeated her question.
"Well, isn’t it obvious that he has an agenda for trying to get close to Leah? That means that he has an ulterior motive," Jake replied.
He continued, "Besides, who knows if he had approached her knowing who her parents were. Maybe he’s planning to use her and feed off the family connections for an easier life."
Except for Jake, no other six-year-old kid would have said something like that.
Wendy had certainly not expected Jake to have thought things through so meticulously.
She felt that Jake’s reasoning was a tad warped.
For now, it would just be good for Leah to have a friend.
As for everything else, they were kids, and this talk of them liking each other was just kids’ talk.
They were far too young to know what it really meant.
And so, after some thought, Wendy said, "Jake, I know that you are very smart. But we all have our own lives to lead.
"From your perspective, you find your classmates at kindergarten far too immature and cannot bring yourself to befriend them. I get that.
"However, Leah needs to have friends. But that does not mean that she will abandon you, her brother. A person could have friends and a brother at the same time.
"As for your worry about Mark having an agenda, I don’t agree with you on that, at least, not for now, anyway. Mark is still very young. He probably just likes Leah, as simple as that, and wants to be her friend.
"I would suggest that you not dwell on anything else beyond this innocent connection between kids. You are still in kindergarten and may be separated into different classes in elementary school.
"I know that you’re looking out for Leah. The best thing you could do for her now is not to stop her from making friends but to be her gatekeeper, staying by her side to assess if her friends are worthy of her.
"Furthermore, it’s not just Leah who needs friends. You should also try to make some friends with people whom you feel you could get along with."
At that, Jake said nothing.
Wendy took Leah’s hand and whispered to her, "Go take Jake’s hand."
Leah was at first reluctant to do so. After all, Jake had tried to stop her from having friends.
Then she noticed that Jake had looked decidedly unhappy, and she did not want him to be sad.
After a pause, she walked over to Jake and, in a familiar gesture, slipped her hand into his.
"See that, Jake? You are still Leah’s favorite person," Wendy smiled.
Swinging his hand gently, Leah said sweetly, "Please don’t be mad at me, Jake. I just want to have a friend. But you are still my favorite person, really."
Jake’s heart melted when he heard Leah speaking so sweetly to him.
Sighing, he said, "Come on. Let’s go home."
"Yay, let’s go home," Leah giggled merrily.
