"Wait, Elixir." Elixir stopped walking, then looked at Helios.
"What is it, senior?" Helios released Elixir's arm, "Nothing, just forget about it." Helios left Elixir standing outside of the building.
[What was that about?] After a few minutes, Elixir also went back to his dorm.
"That was so stupid! Now, Aron's sister is mad at me, Aron is disappointed, and I also took Helios with me in this mess!" Olivia whispered to herself as she buy some ice cream.
"Yeah, see you." Olivia looked in the direction the voice is coming from, [It's the girl Elixir was with before!] Olivia got flashbacks of the girl winking at her. She blushed, just remembering the girl's face.
[No, I'm not a lesbian! I don't like girls!] Olivia ran to the next shelf hoping that the girl didn't see her, [I just need to buy some more snacks, then I'll go pay.] Olivia took the marshmallows and went to the cash register, trying her best to avoid the girl.
A girl suddenly ran in front of Cristine, the girl is oddly familiar to her. Then it clicked in her mind, it was the girl at Elixir's club.
She looked for her, but she was already gone. "Where did she go?" she said to herself.
"Hey, Drake. Are you still asleep?" JB whispered to Drake's ears. Drake almost jumped out of his bed when he saw JB beside him.
"Well I was, but someone suddenly woke me up!" Drake whispered back at JB.
"Why are you on my bed?" Drake asked JB.
"My back hurts from sleeping on the ground." JB held his back and acted like he was in pain.
"Fine, sleep here, I'll sleep on the floor."
"Then your back will hurt too." JB pouted.
"I'm not as fragile as you."
"We could just share the bed."
"It's a one-person bed."
"So?"
"We both can't fit in there."
"We can, we were both laying down here just minutes ago."
"It won't feel comfortable."
"If you ask me, I think you look comfortable sleeping beside me earlier."
"Wha-" JB pulled Drake,
"See, we both fit perfectly!"
"Let go!-" JB covered Drake's mouth,
"Shhh, don't yell! You'll wake up aunty and uncle." Drake pulled JB's hand off his mouth, "Fine, move a little. And wear something." Drake looked at JB, who is naked. JB didn't listen to Drake, he just pulled the blanket to cover both their bodies, then he hugged Drake. "Good night Drake. Have wet dreams."
"What the hell, JB!"
"We are trying to sleep here!" Drake's mother shouted from the other room.
"I told you not to yell," JB said. Drake turned his back to JB, he closed his eyes and tried his best to sleep. On the other hand, JB wrapped his arm around Drake and rested his face on Drake's back.
Olivia looked at the plastic bag that she is holding, "Shit, I forgot to buy chocolate syrup!" she yelled to herself, Olivia ran back to the store.
When arriving, she looked through the glass to see if the girl is still there. [Yes, she's gone.]
Olivia rush to go to the door, Olivia was about to push the door when it opened. In front of her is Cristine, they both just looked at each other for some time.
"Hey, you two! Can you both move away, you're in the middle of the fucking way!"
They both awkwardly moved out of the way,
"Hey, you are the girl in Elixir's club, right?" Olivia scratched the back of her neck.
"Yeah... I'm Olivia by the way."
"I know, Elixir told me."
"Ohh... I'll go then."
"Wait, have you had your dinner yet?"
"Yeah..."
"Oh, I was hoping to get some with you, can I ask for your number instead?" They both stood awkwardly on the side of the store.
"Yeah, umm. Here." Olivia handed Cristine her phone. They both exchanged numbers.
"So, I'll go now... Nice meeting you." Olivia left in a hurry.
Cristine looked at Olivia as her figure slowly disappear in the distance. "What kind of interaction was that?" She said to herself. She smirked as she looked at her phone to check Olivia's number. [Score].
Olivia subconsciously waited for Cristine's message. "Why am I even waiting for her message! I'm not even a lesbian!" Olivia kept yelling at herself in her room.
"Why are you yelling? Everyone can hear your voice outside," Diane, her roommate said.
"Well, it's just... Nothing."
"You sure?"
"Don't worry too much about me, I don't always make trouble you know."
"Well the problem is you just did, Aron told me what happened."
"Yeah I know, I messed up."
"Again."
"Yeah, I should have just listened to you, and stopped believing things easily."
"Great, now I hope you learned your lessons."
"Stop acting like my mom."
"You mean, being mature?"
Olivia sat on her bed feeling defeated. "Whatever."
"What should I say to Aron tomorrow?" Olivia continuously push and pulled Diane.
"Why are you asking me this? Think for yourself."
"I don't know what to do. It's the first time I made Aron angry! How can I face him tomorrow?"
"There's no class tomorrow."
"What? Really? Great!"
"Did you forget that tomorrow is weekend?"
"Yup." Olivia went straight to her bed,
"I'll sleep now, and just run away from my problems." Diane rolled her eyes at Olivia, she took her towel, then went to the bathroom.
Helios sat down in front of his desk. He keep tapping his foot on the floor as he bit his finger.
[Yeah, this sounds good.] He keeps writing lyrics for his new song. He keeps on looking at the door to see if Andrew already arrived.
Helios sighed, "Looks like he's not going to sleep here... again," he said. He stood up to lock the door, he looked at the clock. [I'll sleep now, I need to wake up early tomorrow.]
Elixir looked at the paper and pen in front of him. He wanted to try to write a song just like Helios, "I don't know how to start." He thought out loud, he gave the paper and the pen a final look, finally, he gave up.
He put aside the paper, then took his phone. He called Xen, his friend that works in a studio.
"Hey, Xen."
"Sup little bro! Why did 'ya call?"
"Hey, I'm just thinking. How do you write a good song?"
"Yah try 'na write a song? Wait." Xen left his phone and went somewhere.
"I'm back, 'ya can try common themes, like umm... Love or sorrow. 'ya know.
"Ohh and try rhyming schemes, 'ya know, the pattern sounds that repeats at the end of a stanza.
"Write it like AAAA or ABAB, all 'As' rhyme and all 'Bs' rhyme. Get it?"
"Yeah, kinda."
"Kk, nice. But TBH bro, writing a song don't have any rules. Just go with the flow~" Xen taught Elixir the basics of writing a song.
Before they both said goodbye to each other, Xen asked Elixir if he wants to come to the studio tomorrow so that he can help him.
"Yes, sorry sir. It won't happen again. I promise."
"This is the first time you missed your deadline, Kael. You signed a contract with us that clearly said that you need to upload three times a week." Kael tried to write as fast as he can while his editor scolded him.
"We also need that to be edited, Kael. I want to see those two chapters after two days."
The editor ended the call with Kael, but not long after that his sister also barged inside his room yelling.
"Why are your teachers telling me that you have not been passing your home works and been sleeping in class?
"You know we can't afford to lose your scholarship, we don't have parents to help us anymore, Kael, and I'm already working my ass off at my job!"
"I know that! I'm also trying my best!"
"Don't lie to me! You also know that you're not doing your best right now!
"It's probably because of that stupid game you are playing! Give me your phone, and I don't want to see you playing games or texting someone with that laptop, Kael. I'm warning you!" Kali took Kael's phone,
"No! Kali, give it back to me."
"No, I'm only giving this back to you after you fix your schedule back to normal." Kali shut the door down, Kael cried on his chair after he talked to his sister.
Maybe because of his disappointment at himself, or maybe the reminder about their parents being dead. Even so, he still continued to write and do his homework.
Olivia woke up with a good morning message from Cristine.
"Are you free? Wanna go out?" Olivia panicked when she saw the message,
"Yeah sure? Where do you want to meet?"
[That's cool, right? Wait, what if it will give her wrong signals, and then she will think that I like her?] Olivia tried to unsend her message but it was already too late for that, Cristine already read her message.
"Cool, let's just meet at entrance 1 of MS mall at 12."
[What have I done?!] Olivia hurried and washed as fast as she can.
Olivia looked at her wardrobe, she tried almost all of her clothes to see what looks best on her. "Come on Diane, just choose! Red dress or the blue one?"
"Just wear the blue one." Olivia change back to the blue dress,
"No, I look over-dressed in this." Olivia changed back again to the red dress.
"I'll just wear this." After changing Olivia left to go and meet Cristine. A big bright smile is plastered on her face as she goes out of their room.
Helios woke up early to go to his part-time job.
He looked at the bed on the other side of the room. "Looks like he really didn't come home last night," he said.
He went inside the bathroom to wash.
After he change to his uniform, he looked up to check the time. "Shit, I'm almost late!" He took his things and run out of the room.
he arrived at his work almost out of breath. "Yes, just in time."
Olivia brushed her dress straight. She looked at her reflection to see if there are any wrinkles left on her dress. She also fixed her hair. After that, she went to the entrance one of the mall.
Cristine was already there, "Did I make you wait for long?" Cristine looked away from her phone when she heard Olivia's voice.
"No, I also just arrived. Let's go in?" They both entered the mall,
"So what do you want to do?" Cristine asked Olivia,
"I actually don't have anything in mind." Cristine saw a store,
"Why don't we just go shopping there?" Cristine pointed at the cloth store. [Is she saying that my dress is ugly?] Olivia thought to herself.
"Yeah..."
"Let's go then." Cristine smiled and opened the door for Olivia.
Drake looked for JB when he didn't feel his arms anymore, JB was not in the room. Drake walked out of the room, he saw JB in the kitchen only wearing an apron.
JB was cooking breakfast. "You're awake! Come on help me, go arrange the table." Drake rubbed his eyes to adjust his vision. He went and arrange the tables for both of them.
Soon after, JB served the food. "Thank you for the food," said Drake. Drake looked at JB as they both started to eat. "Aren't you cold?"
"A little-." JB sneezed just after answering Drake.
"You should have worn something if you're cold, now you are really going to catch a cold.
" Drake stood up to get JB something to wear. "Here wear this."
Drake threw the clothes to JB.
JB took off the apron, he was completely naked, Drake covered his face then turned around. "You idiot! You should give me a warning when you are going to strip! Now, I'm going to be traumatized forever!" JB laughed,
"Come on Drake you already saw me naked a thousand times."
"That was when we were younger, now a lot has changed!"
"You weren't acting like this last night." JB continued to tease Drake.
"I wasn't able to see you clearly last night!" JB laughed, as he enjoyed himself teasing Drake.
"Just freaking wear the clothes!"
"Sup 'lil bro!" Elixir and Xen did their handshake.
"So, how do we start bro?" asked Elixir.
"How much have you done?" Elixir showed Xen his progress.
"Wow dude, you're really a shit at this."
"I know, but we all start somewhere."
"Yea, sure. You should add a story, 'ya know. Tell a story about something."
"About love?"
"It's really just up to you."
"Yeah, I think I know what to write." Xen sat down on the table, he lit up the cigarette in this mouth.
"What is it?"
"About, someone."
" 'Ya like someone don't 'ya." Xen placed his hand on Elixir's shoulder.
"Thi shit deserves a celebration." He blew out the smoke of the cigarette.
"Nah, it's not like that, I don't like him."
"Liar! 'ya won't write a song for that person if 'ya don't like him."
"You literally made a song for a teacher you hate."
"'Ya hate him then?"
"No, it's the opposite actually-"
"'Ya love him?"
"No, we're just friends."
"Poor guy, you're stupid."
"Senior, you're here." Maria took her bag. Maria's shift ended and Helios's shift started.
A man walked inside the store, as soon as he entered, the smell of alcohol can be smelled even when he's far.
He walked to the alcohol section trying his best not to fall, Helios didn't seem to be in the mood to help the man. He just watched the man from his counter.
The man slowly came towards him, "I want this." The man put the alcohol on the counter, Helios scanned it.
"That would be 150 yen, sir." The man looked for money in his pockets, "Would you like that on a bag sir?"
"Yea, yeah just add whatever is with it." The man snatched the bottle from Helios's hand, "Sir, you forgot to pay."
"Well, I'm afraid that I don't have any money." He mockingly said. Helios rolled his eyes, In a glimpse, he snatched the bottle from the man.
"Well, I'm afraid that you won't also have any alcohol." The man pulled Helios from the collar
"Listen here, you son of a bitch. When I say I'm taking that, I'm taking that!"
"Shut up, old man. I can't afford this to be taken out on my salary." The man raised his fist, ready to hit Helios.
"Urrgg fuck!" said the man, somebody hit the man from the back. "Are you ok, senior?" Helios fixed his shirt,
"Yeah, I'm fine." Alexandra put some gummies in front of the counter,
"Have you called the police yet, senior?" Helios just ignored Alexandra,
"I'll just call them then," Alexandra called the police.
"I'll go now then senior, bye!" Helios just sat down waiting for customers. The police arrived, "Sir are you the one who called the police?"
Helios pointed to the man lying unconscious in front of the counter. "The guy was harassing me earlier, one of the customers hit him then he got knocked out."
One of the police carried the man to the car. "Sir, we would want to see the CCTV video."
"Just follow me." They followed Helios inside the staff room, where he showed them everything that happened.
"Thank you for your cooperation sir." Helios just nod at them, the policeman left after that.
Jaden looked at his phone, [Still, no messages from her.]
Jaden also looked at the game, Kali is still not online.
[I wonder what happened, she's usually online this time of the day.]
Jaden set a message to the server, "Did someone hear any news from Kali?"
"Nah, we haven't even had a chance to play with her since yesterday." After a few hours of waiting, Jaden felt tired and just went to the nearby shop to buy some food.
"What do you think, Cristine?" Olivia turned to show Cristine the dress.
"Do you like it?" Cristine asked Olivia.
"Yeah, I kinda do."
"Ok then, let's pay for it."
[What no! I hate it! I just said that 'cause you picked it for me!] Olivia thought.
"But it's so expensive, I don't have enough money to buy it."
"Don't worry, I'll pay it."
"No, you don't have to."
"Don't worry." [It's not working!] Olivia bit her nail.
[What should I do? I don't want her to buy this dress.]
Cristine walked to the cashier, [That dress is so ugly, I just picked it up because it's expensive! I didn't expect her to actually like it.]
"Um, Hi miss, I would like to buy the dress that she's wearing." Cristine pointed at Olivia. The woman gave a disgusted face but quickly smiled again, Olivia keep smiling at Cristine.
[She must really like that dress huh.]
Helios is just waiting for the next person to arrive before he leaves. His phone rang, it was Kiefer, his brother.
"Hey, Helios, can you give mom and dad their monthly allowance? I have a gig today, can you go?"
"Can't you just go tomorrow?"
"I'm supposed to give that to them last week, so I can't extend it."
"Fine." Helios ended the call, Helios went straight to a bank to get the money that he will give his parents.
"You're going to wear that already?" Cristine asked Olivia as they get out of the store. "Yeah."
"Great, cause you look really good wearing that." Cristine faked a smile. "So, what do you want to do now?" Olivia asked.
"Let's go eat, if that's ok with you."
"Yeah" Olivia and Cristine went to a fast-food restaurant.
Helios paid the driver, he went out of the cab. [I hate this place.] Helios looked at the rat being chased by a cat in front of him.
Helios entered the house. [It reek of alcohol and smoke here.] He fanned his hand in front of his nose.
"Kiefer is that you?" A woman's voice broke the silence.
"Oh, it's you." The smile on the woman's face dropped.
"Who is it, Adelyn?" Helios's mom went back to the kitchen.
"It's your other son," she answered the man. "What are you doing here?"
"I just came to give you your money." Helios turned back to leave after he gave the money to his father. "Did you eat yet?" His father asked.
"Don't act like you care about me."
"What the fuck do you mean? We fucking raised you, and you have the nerve to say we don't care?!"
"You? You raised me?" Helios scoffed.
"You did fucking nothing, Kiefer raised me! He worked just to feed me! Just to fucking feed you too!" Helios left the house,
"Come back here you son of a bitch!" Helios tried calling Andrew but his phone doesn't have any connection.
As he was walking, he saw a familiar alley.
It was the place where he would hide when he was a kid when his father gets angry. He went near it, he sat down in the alley.
Helios started to cry as soon as he sat down. "Crying again huh, Helios." Helios looked in the direction the voice was coming from with terror on his face.