Chapter 12
"I know I'm not pretty like other woman," she said calmly then looked at her. "I may not be the perfect girl, but, I am real. I never became toxic or fake. I know my feelings are real, never became fake," she continued in a calm voice.
"After class, come with me. I'll introduce you to someone," she offered.
"But," she pouted.
"But what?" Pershey looked at her while pouting her lips.
"I'm hungry," she complained to which Leighden laughed. "Let's eat first," she whispered.
She was shaken and softly said, "Starving stomach," then she weakly laughed.
Pershey stopped then stared at her. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What did you say?"
"Am I saying anything?"
"Let's just eat."
Pershey chose what they would eat. Leighden sat and waited at the table reserved for them and Pershey. Neil was only a few meters away.
Pershey carries 2 boxes of pizza. Leighden stood up to help her carry the other food.
"Just sit down, Pershey," Leighden ordered. She carried the food: 2 plates of spaghetti, 2 jumbo burgers, 2 juices and 2 bottles of water. When she put it down on the table, she sat down.
"Too many foods," Pershey commented.
"You ordered that, remember?"
She took a slice of pizza then put it on the plate, then, she said, "I don't know," then she ate.
As they ate, Pershey remembered something. She opened her mini bag to find her IPhone. She rubbed it on her body.
Leighden noticed her so she asked, "What's wrong? What are you doing?"
"Where's my IPhone?"
"Does it look like I have your phone?"
She quickly stood up and went to the counter. Next to the counter is the food area.
She approached and then asked, "Excuse me, did you see an Iphone?"
She could not answer immediately because she was talking to someone on the phone.
"Miss, did you see an IPhone? Silver color with calligraphy, Akishara, did you see?"
She hung up the phone then replied, "What kind of IPhone, Ma'am?"
"It has a calligraphy, Akishara, silver color with a design of coffee."
She picked up the phone again then looked at her again and said, "Wait, Ma'am. I need to answer this call."
She sighed in frustration, smiled and replied, "Okay, fine, but, where's your manager?"
She hung up the phone for a moment then looked at her. She frowned but immediately smiled and replied, "I'm the accountant, Ma'am. Our manager called."
"I am asking who is he/she. Where is she/he. I lost my IPhone here, Miss."
"He said, he saw a phone. He was in the office. Silver IPhone with a design of coffee."
The cashier accompanied her to the office.
"Come in, he's waiting, Ma'am."
She nodded then stepped one closer to the door. She gently pushed the door.
The man turned around and noticed that he was holding her iPhone. Observing and evaluating it.
"Take a sit," he commanded without even looking at her.
She sat down next to her table. The man is still turned away.
"You said, you lost your phone," he began to which Pershey replied. "Can you tell me what kind of cellphone you lost?"
"Excuse me, Sir," she said.
"Just to make sure that this phone is yours."
"IPhone silver with a design of coffee, and, it has a name, Akishara."
"So, you're name is Akishara? Because, you mentioned that the phone has a name Akishara."
"No, Sir. Akishara was just a design. It's not related in my name."
"Okay, meaningfully, this IPhone is yours," he said softly. Pershey is currently rolling her eyes around. She did not notice that the man was already watching her.
"Here's your phone, Miss."
When she heard that she looked back at the man, then she was stunned.They were both staring at each other.
"Y-yeah. T-this p-phone is m-mine," she stammered as she couldn't take her eyes off the man.
When she picked up the iPhone, Neil took it away from her and said, "Are you sure, Pershey?" He put the phone down on the table.
"Y-you can check, N-neil," she replied. Her hair stood on end and she felt the warmth of her face. "That is mine," she added.
He picked up the phone again and opened it but it had a password. "What's the password?"
Her forehead furrowed. She could not answer immediately. Hesitant whether she will speak or not.
"You don't know? This phone is not yours," he said then put down the phone and stared at her. Pershey immediately averted her eyes. Rubbing her sweaty palms. "Take this alcohol," he said. Pershey took it and placed it in her palms.
She looked at Neil while Neil was still looking at her, then, she quickly turned her gaze to something else. "When I tell you, you'll know," she insisted.
"Of course, I need to know for the verification that this phone is truly yours, Pers-"
"That's mine, Neil. I'm not lying," she interrupted what Neil was going to say.
"How can I make sure, Miss?"
She bit her lip so hard then look down. Her look is round and anxious.
"Just give my phone back to me. That's all. You don't have to know the password. It's really private, Neil," she justified but Neil didn't believe her.
"I'll have to make sure. As far as I know, this phone is worth 34, 899 pesos. 34,889 pesos is too big. I just want to make sure you-"
"Why do you need to know the password?"
Neil looked at her and then replied, "Is there a reason you shouldn't say? Or maybe you don't know because it's not yours?"
"I can't tell you. My password is too long and meaningful. You don't need to know anymore, Neil. Just give that phone ba-"
"What is the password? Come on, Pershey. I still have a lot to do so tell me what the password is. Tell me now, that's all." She looked at Neil for a moment then looked around. She nodded, then, then played with her fingers. Her hands were sweating in the cold again.
She closed her eyes tightly and replied, "You're my bitter coffee, Neil."
"Huh?"
She opened her eyes in unison with a deep sigh. She slowly looked at Neil and said, "You're my bitter coffee, Neil," then, she averted her gaze.
Neil immediately picked up the phone and pressed the power button. "Can you repeat, slowly?"
She let out another sigh then she replied, "You're my," she began while waiting for him to type what she had said. "Bitter coffee," she added as she watched what Neil was doing. "Neil," then she averted her gaze. Neil looked at her. His forehead furrowed slightly as she looked at Neil.
Neil looked back at the phone. 'You're my bitter coffee' was the password he typed. When he pressed 'OK', the 'Wrong password' came up so he frowned and laughed in annoyance. He looked at Pershey before he put down the cellphone.
"Are you kidding, Pershey?" Pershey looked at him in surprise. "Wrong password. You said, you're my bitter coffee, but, it was a wrong password," he insisted. Pershey laughed slightly at the same time with a strong blink. She shook then she looked at Neil and smiled.
"What did you type?"
"What you said,' that's what I put," he replied. Pershey shook her head again, laughed quietly and then smiled at her. "So, what's the password?"
"You're my bitter coffee, Neil."
"Are you kidding me? You gave the wrong password, Pers-"
"You're my bitter coffee, Neil," she repeated. "Follow what I have said. You entered the wrong password," she said. Neil picked up the phone while not taking his eyes off her. For now, Pershey's face is no longer hot. Her ear no longer smokes in the heat. Her palms no longer sweat from the cold and tremble. She was comfortable this time.
She smiled at Neil, Neil averted his gaze and turned his attention to the cellphone.
"Capitalize the first letter, must have apostrophe in the word 'You're' and put a comma after the word coffee," she pointed out which was followed by Neil. When he pressed 'Ok', the 'wrong password' came up again so he stared at Pershey who just responded with a smile.
"Wrong password, Persh-"
"What did you type again? Did you follow my instructions?"
"You're my bitter coffee, Pershey, right?" She looked down then secretly smiled. She avoids Neil noticing how she feels when she says 'You're my bitter coffee, Pershey.' She looks at Neil again who is staring at her. "Leave this room, Pershey. I don't have more time to talk-"
"Just give me back my phone. You're not following my instructions so you're wrong with the password. Just return my iPhone for-" she didn't finish what she was saying when Neil suddenly took her hand. Again, her cheeks warmed. She closed her eyes steadily as she couldn't take her eyes off Neil. Time seems to slow down. She looks like she's drowning. She looks like a statue. She couldn't take her eyes off Neil.
She felt, the clock finally stopped. She felt that she had drowned completely. She wanted to speak but her tongue receded.