"Personal assistant? That's Emmett's job. Dixon, you should be careful. Carlos is hot-tempered and hard to deal with," warned Debbie. She didn't mind speaking ill of her husband at all.
Dixon gave her a friendly smile and said, "I will do my best. I believe Mr. Huo won't lose his temper for no reason. Don't worry about me, Tomboy."
Kasie patted Debbie's shoulder and joked, "How dare you speak ill of your husband! If he finds out, he'll teach you a good lesson."
Debbie cast a sideways glance at her and laughed out loud. "He wouldn't dare. I can knock him down with just one punch." She was a little tipsy, and hence the bragging.
The rest of them chuckled. Kristina exposed her boast. "Stop bragging, Tomboy. We still remember you complaining about Mr. Huo's mastery of martial arts."
Before Debbie and Carlos got together, she had always complained to her friends saying that she would've thrown him into the ocean a hundred times over if she were stronger than him.
With an embarrassed smile, Debbie said, "Kristina, you really don't love me anymore. All you care for is Dixon. You've betrayed me!" With a pout, she lay in Kasie's arms, staring at Kristina with reproachful eyes.
Kristina picked up a piece of beef omasum and put it onto Debbie's plate. "Honey, stop talking nonsense. I love you. Eat this. It's so crunchy!"
The instant-boiled beef omasum was Kristina's favorite food. Debbie loved it as well. She flashed a broad smile and ate it in a gulp.
She felt much happier after laughing and talking with her friends.
However, the topic was somehow brought back to her studying abroad again.
Jared grabbed Debbie's hand and told her in a serious tone, "Tomboy, we've been friends for so many years. I really, really can't accept that you're going away. How about this? I'll tell my dad that I want to study in England as well. We can be together again."
Debbie's heart sank at his words; she wasn't willing to leave her friends behind either. Stifling her sobs, she picked up a piece of beef for him and said, "Just eat your food and stop joking. If you go to England with me, Carlos will beat you to a pulp."
Jared's face darkened. "Then what will I do? Are you so cruel that you'd dump me here? We used to fight against others, play truant, and drink together. Without you, everything will be so boring. Dixon is leaving too. Kasie has a boyfriend. Kristina and I will be left behind."
It had never occurred to Jared that they would part ways with each other so soon. Yes, he had long known that they would eventually graduate, work and have a family, and that they would have less time to spend with each other. But he had thought that they would all stay in Y City together. But now, two of them were going abroad already.
Debbie's eyes reddened. She forced a smile and said in a feigned cheerful voice, "Come on, Jared. Don't act like a little girl. You sound like I'm never coming back. My husband is here. I will be returning to Y City quite often to keep an eye on him."
Although Carlos had promised her that he would keep her company in England, she knew that it would be difficult for him to leave Y City in such a short time because of his hectic work schedule.
Seeing Jared's long face, Sasha suggested in a low voice, "Why not find a girlfriend to keep you company?"
Jared snapped back impatiently, "A girlfriend is no comparison to my friends. I will always value Tomboy, Dixon, Kasie and Kristina over any girl."
Little did he know that what he had just said would be a slap in his face in the future.
Jared's harsh voice made Sasha feel embarrassed. She lowered her head in dejection. The reason why she was here, dining with Debbie and her friends, was that she had called Debbie and told her that she wanted to join them too.
Debbie was pissed off by Jared's tone towards her cousin. "Jared, Sasha was just trying to console you. Don't yell at her!"
Jared, who was also in a horrid mood, was instantly provoked. He cast a burning glance at Sasha and snapped again, "Don't follow me around ever again. You're a real pest!"
No one had ever called Sasha "a pest" before; she was hurt beyond belief. Her eyes brimming with tears, she moved towards Debbie to stay away from Jared.
Debbie banged her chopsticks on the table and shouted, "Jared Han! Have you completely lost it? I know you are not happy right now, but that's no excuse for treating Sasha this way. I'll have you know that she has many admirers. You think she's pestering you? Hah! You've got to be kidding."
Seeing that the two were about to have a fight, the rest of them stepped in. Kasie picked up some food for Jared and coaxed them, "Jared, Tomboy, the food is ready. Let's eat."
Kristina picked up a slice of pork for Debbie. "Tomboy, hurry up and eat. The meat is over-cooked already."
Dixon poured Jared a glass of beer. "Let's drink, man. I'll call a cab for you later."
"I have no appetite now!" Jared yelled angrily. He wasn't going to be coaxed easily.
Debbie was enraged by his attitude. Glaring at him with fury, she reprimanded, "Are you insane? They are trying to appease you, yet you are so ungrateful."
Jared stood up from his seat abruptly and cursed, "I'm ungrateful? Debbie Nian, this is all your fault! It's all because you got married to Carlos Huo. If it weren't for that, you and Dixon wouldn't have to go abroad."
Debbie couldn't believe it. 'Why is he involving Carlos now? This is ridiculous!'
She was boiling over with rage. Although she sometimes spoke ill of Carlos, she wasn't going to allow anyone else to do it, even if it was her best friend. "What was wrong with me marrying Carlos? I love him, and he loves me. He has me studying abroad for my own good. You have no right to judge him!"
"Hah! You love him, and he loves you. I'm so touched by your dreamy love story. You can't be more excited to go abroad, can you?" His voice was dripping with so much sarcasm that Debbie couldn't bear it any longer.
Debbie and Jared were about to exchange real blows. Their friends immediately pulled them away from each other. Luckily, the private booth was soundproofed. The other guests had no idea what was happening inside the booth.
Debbie shook Kasie's hands away, and grabbed Jared by his collar. "You want me to leave as soon as possible, right? You were only lying when you said you didn't want me to leave."
Jared didn't deny what she had said. Instead, he yelled, "Oh, yes! Leave soon. You better go to your dear husband. I don't want to see your face right now. Let go of me! You want to fight? I'm no match for you, but I won't let you off so easily either."
Unable to hold back her anger anymore, Debbie raised her fist and threw it at Jared's shoulder.
Jared was about to fight back, but Dixon dragged him backwards so that he wouldn't make contact with Debbie.
Sasha thought that they were fighting over her, and burst into tears. "Deb, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have come with you." 'They are best friends, yet they are fighting because of me...'
"Sasha, don't cry. This has nothing to do with you. He is an ass. I need to teach him a lesson today!" Debbie said. She shook Kasie and Sasha off again and pounced on Jared.
"Dixon, let go of me!" Jared yelled. Dixon released Jared immediately.