Zen hummed softly as he checked his phone but was startled out of his wonderland when he heard a bang. He looked up to see Aelise. "What a welcome." He chuckled as he placed his phone on the table and looked at her. "Not long at all actually. It's fine." He smiled. "I'm guessing that you didn't send the text." He spoke casually with a smile on his face. Seeing her always brought up these memories of his which were all so happy. 'Don't be a spoil sport. Just play along. Keep those happy moments in your mind for a while.' He told himself before looking back at the girl.
"Looks like you practically own this place seeing how comfortable you were with these people." He smiled. He kept his mask on though just in case something happened. He couldn't drink his beloved coffee. He was being put on a diet by parents who think he's too fat but in reality, he's really slim. Not unhealthy. Just the right weight for someone as tall as him and he had muscles too. He needed to train after all. Who knows what could happen? He was definitely a good fighter. He knew how to use weapons which was always a good thing.
He knew Nate was still going crazy with the texts and his father was probably calling him a billion times but he didn't care. He just switched his phone off as he relaxed back into the seat and crossed his right leg over the other. His leg and shoulder were still injured but he wasn't feeling any pain so he was thankful for that. He relaxed his posture and smiled at her. God, it had been so long since they had met like this. He didn't realize it but he was craving for this so much.
Aelise rolled her eyes at his statement. "And I'm guessing you skipped work or whatsoever just to come here. You should've declined if you were busy or you'll get in trouble because of me." She pouted like a child as she stared at him, leaning her head on her hand. The next thing she noticed was his mask. She did understand why he was wearing one but she just can't stand seeing him like this. Without hesitation, she reached over to his mask and removed it then gently slid it inside her pockets so as to not let him take it. "There. You look better without it." She smiled in satisfaction. "You don't need to worry about people drooling over you here or some sort. I can easily kick them out." She winked at him.
Zen looked at her and chuckled. "Well, I didn't have anything. Dad didn't tell anything to me before so I'll just tell him something. It's no big deal." He smiled at her.
"So, suddenly remembered to text me?" He chuckled, keeping the mood light as he teased the girl. "And yeah, like before. Don't take anything I say way too seriously. Especially if I laugh." He smiled. He hadn't changed one bit. In fact, whenever he was with her, he always went back to his playful ways but since the time she left, he didn't know who he was anymore. He was not himself. He was someone who his parents molded into. Someone he hated so much, with a passion and so did Nate.
Nate tried his best to get out Zen's personality. His own personality. No one has been able to make him feel the way he did for Aelise. He wasn't as happy anymore. He wasn't living. He was just existing at this point. Nate's mother helped him so much. She used to sneak some food into his room too so he didn't starve. He was always thankful for her. Just for the sake of her he would try and bring back at least a part of himself. He wasn't doing her a favor. He was just paying her back for her kindness. She always said that she missed him even though he was right there. Now he knew what she meant.
She missed the old Zen. The one who was so mischievous and lively around the house. Now it's just cold and bitter and she was starting to get suffocated so he granted her some relief when he went back to his old ways only with her. Zen knew that the time wasn't too far away when he'd be calling her mom.
If anything, she wanted to compliment him like she did before. She has a 'boyfriend'. A boyfriend who was cheating on her multiple times, yeah. At this point, she felt pathetic. She truly loved Zen. He cheated once, but not 'entirely'. He said he was drugged. Just one single mistake and she left him. And then with Ace, she did get infatuated with him but it just happened rarely. He had made the same mistakes over and over again and she wondered why she hadn't left him yet. He even abused her. Even after that, she still cared for him as a human being. She just felt so stupid. Always making wrong and fucked up decisions. She just wanted to go back to the past and fix everything. All the mistakes, she wanted to erase them all.
It was the worst. She wanted to apologize to him over and over again. For she was the reason why he's living a miserable life now. Sometimes, she also wished he never met her.
Realizing she spaced out, Aelise cleared her throat and looked away. "A-anyways, I already ordered something for us. Free food, obviously. It's the usual." She spoke as she fiddled with her necklace, the design being a sun. She sighed and looked at him. "Remember what you told me when I'm drunk?" She asked casually. "I took your happiness. I'm giving it back to you. I'll cling onto you time to time, okay? I want you to be happy even if it means I'll be a cheater. I'll do everything I can for you just to see you happy, like before." She declared, a challenging expression on her face. However, she kept her voice low. After all, she didn't want the people hearing them. Otherwise, the media would definitely have a party.
Their order soon arrived. Her whole mood changed completely as she saw the precious, mouth watering carbonara carried by Jwyneed. "Oh God, it's been a while since I tasted you, my love." She said, terribly love struck by just a plate of carbonara. Meanwhile, Jwyneed stared at Aelise like she had just grown horns on her forehead. She shrugged it off and gave Zen his. "Oh, you look like you're about to cry." Jwyneed commented in worry. The duo-color hair girl just laughed it off and said. "Hah, no. It's just dirt pestering my precious eyes again." She said with a wide grin.
But even that, she still couldn't help but blame herself mentally. For everything.
"Thank you." Zen spoke politely to the person who brought him his order and looked at Aelise again. He didn't want her to do that. Whatever she said. He felt even more pathetic and bad now. "You don't have to do that. I'll only feel like your doing me a favor which I wouldn't want. Besides, you have a boyfriend. Even if he's cheating on you, it wouldn't be right to do the same to him, right?" He spoke with a sweet smile.
"We can meet, of course. I wouldn't mind at all. It will be a way to relax." He spoke as he took a sip of his coffee. He had no right to talk about cheating. He was a cheater after all which made him scoff at himself. "Rich coming from you." He whispered to himself and sighed. "I'll manage myself so you don't have to worry, okay? You're back here, I'm guessing for vacation. You can just enjoy your time and then go back." He smiled.
'Don't give me hope and then leave please.' He thought to himself.
"I wouldn't say you took my happiness. You had it in the first place and when you weren't there, well, things are the way they are now." He spoke. His situation was actually laughable. He took his phone and switched it on. 'You're dead.' He got a text from Nate. 'Cover for me. I'll be a little longer.' He texted back. "I'm actually free for a couple more hours so you don't have to worry about wasting my time. Also, shouldn't you be wearing some sunglasses or something to protect your precious eyes?" He asked playfully. If Nate was there then he was sure that he'd be so happy to see Zen smile so genuinely again. After 5 long years.
But Nate was too busy trying to calm Zen's father down. "That bastard! Who does he think he is?! How could he just leave such an important meeting and go out and what the fuck were you doing?!" The man yelled as he grabbed Nate's collar. "Being useless like your fucking mother again?" The man humiliated Nate in front of everyone and threw him to the ground.
That's what Nate hated. His mother was so loyal to pieces of shits like them. Only Zen was sensible. They even went as far as hitting Natalie but Zen helped them and Nate was very thankful. Since then, Zen had been keeping a close eyes on them all, making sure his stupid excuse of a family didn't hurt them. He tried his best. "Fucking find him!" The man exclaimed as he kicked Nate's leg. Nate bowed and left the company. "Time. Ah, I can stay out here for a few minutes." He spoke to himself as he went to a nearby park instead and sat down at a bench. He knew Zen was with Aelise and smiled. "Don't fall deeper." He smiled to himself and sighed.