"Turn left after the highway under the train tracks and continue straight, and another left, and lastly, turn right to the corner of the convenience store, just under the arch with the sign of the street's name, Dela Cruz's Street," I instructed William.
Three hours had already passed since we left Valdez's mansion, and beside me, Ferine had finally fallen asleep. It was a long, quiet ride without her mouth blabbering about everything. I guess this was her real personality: cheerful and a little annoying now that Nick was not around.
"I guess we're here?" William spoke, interrupting my thoughts.
I quickly looked around outside, rolled the car's window, and nodded to him. "I'll go out first and talk to the landlady to inform her about your stay here. Ok?"
William nodded in response, and I hopped out of the car. The cool night air hit my face as I made my way towards the entrance of the apartment building. I opened the gate and entered. I could hear the faint sound of music playing from a nearby bar and the noise from the televisions coming from the units I passed by, adding to the lively atmosphere of the city.
As I stopped at the door of the landlady's unit, I did not even knock; she had already opened the door and greeted me with a shitty smile, while she clutched a cigarette in her hand. The pungent smell of smoke filled the air, mixing with the scent of stale coffee and old newspapers that always lingered in her apartment. Despite her less-than-welcoming demeanor, I knew I had no other choice but to slit a polite smile to get her approval of things.
"Hi!" I smiled, but I could see she was not buying it.
"What do you need? Someone's here with you again. How many nights? How many people?" I could sense the irritation in her voice as she fired off her questions. It was clear that she had grown tired of my frequent visitor, Niko. Her eyes scrutinized me, searching for any signs of deception or dishonesty. I could feel the weight of her judgment, knowing that she disapproved of getting free stays. Despite her obvious disapproval, I remained composed and answered her questions honestly, hoping to alleviate some of her concerns and gain her trust. "The truth is..."
"Ah, you, the landlady?" Ferine's voice rang out from behind me, interrupting the tense atmosphere. I turned to see Ferine with the most disgusted look, while William held onto her wheelchair with a defeated look.
"Yes, I am," the landlady replied curtly, her gaze shifting from me to Ferine. "And who might you be?"
Ferine took another quick look around and reverted her gaze to the landlady. "Don't bother knowing me. Does this place even have a livable room? I mean, something bigger and cleaner. A room that can be called a shelter for humans?" Her voice sounded filled with frustration and disappointment.
I strained my mouth to slit a smile. I guess if I had known her sooner, we would have been best friends. I liked her frank personality, which I couldn't have since I had to live a life full of pretense.
The landlady's expression hardened, and her lips pursed tightly. "What the? As far as I know, my apartments have passed the standards for livability. They are clean, spacious, and well-maintained. However, if you have any specific concerns or requirements, I'm open to discussing them and finding a solution that works for both of us." I could sense her defensiveness, but also a willingness to address the issue at hand. "However, our accommodations are limited at the moment due to ongoing renovations. I can show you what we have, but I must warn you that our options may not meet your expectations."
"Oh, whatever! I am taking the most spacious and breathable room, which I hope will be comfortable enough for my stay. Comfortable means the unit is complete with the necessary amenities, such as a cozy bed, complete appliances, a functional workspace, and a clean bathroom. Additionally, I would appreciate it if the room had good ventilation and natural lighting to create a pleasant atmosphere. Is that something you can provide?" Ferine demanded.
I could see the landlady's annoyance and frustration; her eyes were narrowing slightly. She took a deep breath before responding, "I understand your preferences, I am afraid that my policy does not cover your demands. You are welcome to go out and choose others..."
"I have no choice but to stay here. So, I thought, what if I take that room where you are standing? I assume this is yours? I guess all my demands are there?"
I looked at William, who was trying his hardest to stop Ferine, but I was enjoying every bit of her torture of this lady, who had been giving me a hard time.
"No!" the landlady refused immediately, her brows furrowing in annoyance.
"I will give you a hundred thousand dollars. Take note, do--lla---rrss! Let me take over your room for one week!"
"That is too much!" I finally said. I interjected, realizing that the amount of money being offered was excessive. "How about you get the entire rooftop? It has a great view of the entire city and a bathroom and vast space outside the room for relaxation while you enjoy the pool alone."
Ferine's face lit up upon hearing about the pool. "Deal! How much?"
As she replied, the landlady's face lit up with a mischievous smile, and a wave of relief washed over her usually ugly face. "For the entire rooftop and exclusive access to the pool, I'll need ten thousand pesos a night."
"Well then, I'll make it a hundred thousand dollars; just make sure to oblige with all my demands for a week!" Ferine demanded, motioning for William to wheel her to the rooftop as the landlady leaped in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. The landlady couldn't believe her luck and eagerly agreed to Ferine's offer, knowing that it would be more than a profitable deal for her.
There was no doubt why Nick had fallen for her.
But immense sorrow rushed over us as we stared at the stairs to get to the rooftop on the fourth floor. It would be tremendous work to get her there.
I saw Ferine's face smirk. "I guess you have to carry me, William."
She had a plan! Conniving b*ch!
"Heureu, take the wheelchair," William told me and lifted Ferine into his arms, and I could say she was having the best time.
"You can follow later; take my luggage with you!" Ferine grinned at me before resting her head on William's chest. I nodded, pissed, fully understanding her plan.
As William carried Ferine up the stairs, I quickly gathered her belongings and followed behind them. The weight of the luggage made it difficult to keep up, but I was determined to get things done and lay my back on my bed.
It was almost four in the morning, and I tried so hard to brush Nick out of my mind, waiting for me.
"Let me help you with that!" Someone grabbed the luggage from me, and I was left in awe to see Cavin with a shirt on his shoulder and wearing only a jersey.
I turned to look back, and the landlady was in a daze. "He offered to help. Who am I to refuse, right? You needed it anyway!" She defensively hissed at me, though she was drooling over Cavin.
I followed Cavin, and when he finally gathered all the luggage on the rooftop, I pulled him inside my room.
"How did you?" I asked him in great confusion.
"Your father is asking for your presence. You lost your earpiece, so he had no way of contacting you. I think you should go to him to keep up with your plans! Make sure to keep the thing about your mother."
And with that, he left. "Thank you, ma'am." He waived money to make it look like a tip.
"I need to rest. Sorry! I'll leave you with Ferine now!" I weakly told William before shutting my door in his face.
I am not in the mood to deal with any more surprises or interruptions. I just want some peace to gather my thoughts and figure out what to do next.
However, no matter how much I tried to drift my mind to sleep after taking two sleeping pills and staring at the ceiling for two hours, I failed. I wanted to see Nick!
F*ks*t!
"Sir! Sir! I know this is sudden, but newcomers in the neighborhood are obliged to drink until we drop!" I heard someone's voice echo in the hallway.
I jumped off the bed and tried to peek outside, and I saw Cavin asking for Williams's cooperation, though I knew it was the distraction needed for me to get to my father.
Without hesitation, I made my way out of the apartment through the window and down the fire escape. Using the motorcycle from my neighbor I hitched, I drove to the cold streets, my heart racing against my mind, and a few minutes later, after a long struggle against the morning traffic, I turned off the engine and walked with heavy breaths. My mind was finally at ease, yet my heart felt like exploding.
"Finally!" Nick came rushing to me.
I stopped walking and stood rooted in my spot in the forest, my hands tightening my grip on my Swiss knife behind my back.