While driving, his head was leaning on her shoulder.
And his hand effortlessly occupied her two legs—spreading his arm on top of it as he was asleep.
Scarlett, while driving was having her moments to shut her mouth with pounding heart inside her.
She kept glancing at the man, silently sleeping without leaving any space between them.
No matter how much Scarlett wanted to get rid of thinking about the man she left at the casino, still, she couldn't help but to whisper a little prayer that Jaehyun will be back home safely.
Moreover, if she does choose Jaehyun, she couldn't be satisfied if she just left the young man she thought was drunk and addicted to chemicals on the road of FreerowFeng Casino.
And the feeling she has overwhelmed her. She felt like Cycy needs her more than anyone else tonight.
Cubao was a bit far to Makati, and Makati is her place's location.
No wonder why the girl can't even steady her mind in just one direction.
But how did it happen that Scarlett was also there in that casino in Cubao?
"Enough... Enough of this..."
She immediately turned to the person next to her when he whispered a few words.
"Cy, I'll take you to your condo in Makati—"
"I hate there... I hate there, take me to somewhere else..."
"Cy, it's no good to protest, I'll take you there."
"I don't want. I don't wanna go there, take me to somewhere else."
"But Cy—"
"Athena, forgive me this time..." he whispered.
Scarlett was silent.
She didn't even know what to do.
As he moved his hand on the girl's thigh, it caused a strange feeling.
She could barely speak properly or to stop the young man from touching her exposed skin warmly.
Cycy's hair was as gentle as feathers as it touches her shoulder and his smell occupied the spaces around her.
She swallowed, never thought that she would end up like this tonight with the person she's been hiding for.
And yes she hides from him. Not to mention that she mets Sylvan at a hospital and screamed at her and told her to stay away from his man.
It's insane, look closely how they've got.
"C-Cy... I'm a girl, p-please, stop that."
"Mm? Am I disrespecting you?" Cycy whispered.
Trying to firmly say his words beneath his breath.
"A-Athena." He started.
Gulping as he was trying to clearing his throat.
His eyes was closed and was loosing his sanity.
As for Scarlett, it's very obvious that the man who's now holding her in her thighs, with his head dropped down on her shoulder, he was insanely drunk and drugged.
"Why..." Cycy continued. "Why did you suddenly disappear?"
Scarlet turned a little towards the man and was stunned.
The road to Makati from Cubao is clean.
and because it was already night they were able to avoid encountering the traffic on the Cubao road that often happens on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, her mind was in a mess. With a long list of questions encircling inside her mind as she was looking back again and again to Cox who's now asleep.
The truth is, in her heart, her fright lies under every beat of it.
Thinking of how things could end up exactly like this was way too far from what she had imagined.
Her experience with cycy from elementary school until the very moment when they grow has not been good.
And one more thing, what would Bea would say if she knew this?
Bea was her good friend and was shipping her to her cousin, Ethan.
And Bea, was also asking her to help Cycy with everything she can do.
Without an explanation being said, Bea spits words.
And for the woman, it's so random. It's incomprehensible to understand.
"I..." Cycy whispered.
Which made for the woman's heart to beat harder.
"I..." He continued.
Scarlett's hand travel around the steering wheel as she drives in U-turn.
And how it made for her to feel restless as the man's hand pinched the muscle in her thighs.
She was wearing thin top, pink tank top and a black mini skirt as she paired it with high heels.
Sleeveless as she felt the cold temperature from the car's air conditioner and hot at the same time.
"I... I hate..."
while listening, she chose not to speak.
But her mind was confused because of the long list of questions in her brain.
"I'm so afraid t-to be a-alone way b-back..."
Scarlett's eyebrows moved, she listened in wonder.
"But because... b-because you disappear I..."
"Cy, we're close to my p-place..." she said.
but the young man's lips did not stop moving.
"I made myself strong... I was forced to be strong, I made it, I..."
"Cy..."
"But I'm g-getting w-weak now."
After almost an hour of driving fast,
the heavy rain poured just as Scarlett parked the car in front of the hotel where she was staying.
Carrying the weight of her chest, she stared at nothingness as she thinks of something deep in her soul.
Just a while ago the weather was clear, which is surprising because it rains like a typhoon signal 2 that poured down on Makati now.
And the girl was stunned by what she heard.
Cycy's head was still on her shoulder while the young man's hand was still covering her two thighs.
["My sweetheart, how's your day?"
She turned her head around their wooden door and saw an early 40's woman standing there with a spatula in her slightly wrinkled hand.
Her skin was almost chocolate brown colored due to heavy exposure to the sun. Which is common for farmers to experience since it's the nature of their work.
Her eyes softened. Looking at her with a wide smile to her daughter who's now looking at her with a puppy eyes.
She held off her old school bag down to their old chair made of wood and smiled.
"Mama, how's your day?"
She asked politely as she run towards her mom and welcomed her with a warm hugs.
Edith hugged her back and kissed her on her forehead.
"I'm good, daughter, how's your day? Does Mr. Frevar's son bothered you too much today?" She asked.
It made the young girl to look at her and smiled plainly.
"Cox was told to sit down many times by our teacher because he was bothering everyone's peace. Not only me, Mama. I wonder sometimes, does Mr. Frevar really made his son as stubborn as Cox now?"
After their hug, she followed her mother through the kitchen and asked.
"What food do we have now, mama? How's your connection with dad? Is he now coming back? You said last month that he said he'll come here and visit me. Actually, I'm so happy and excited, I wonder how he looks like. I wonder if he will tell me stories about china when he comes home... I wonder what we will eat in the plaza if we come there with him. Finally, Mom, I can now introduce my dad to my classmates who used to bully me saying I don't have a dad!"
"Baby... Sweetheart," Edith called her daughter.
Stopped by a daydreaming play, young Scarlett looks at her mother and raised her brows genuinely.
"What, mama? Did he already booked a flight?"
"I'm so sorry I lied." Edith mouthed.
Confusion painted her Chinese-face-look in an instant. But her smile still was shining upon the sun's ray from the holed roof.
"I'm sorry, I'm very sorry. I'm sorry Scarlett but your dad's family was against me. He will not let him to meet you. They want your dad to maery someone that is rich just like them. I'm sorry I lied in hopes to help you be happy every day... I just can't afford to see you crying because of him... It hurts me too, damn much."
She was stunned. Snd suddenly, her eyes softened.
"But how did you had those chocolates in a box that you said was from china? From... D-dad?"
Edith's eyes started to feel hot as she looks away to hide her coming tears.
Young Scarlett's eyes started to become wet as her tears swelled her eyes.
"That... That boxes of chocolates... I... I worked as a gardener of Frevar's family evey weekend to afford those chocolates from supermarkets."
"Ma!" She shouted.
"You know you don't have to do it! I don't care... I don't care about dad if caring about him will make you do terrible things like that! You know I can understand it all! I can understand it, Ma, why did you—"
"Scarlett, I know being your mom ain't enough. You have to experience how it feels to have a loving father too. I know that y-you... Sometimes was jealous of othert because of lacking the basic feeling a child should have." ]
--
"Ma... I miss you."
She took a deep breath after wiping the tears from her cheeks.
Mr. Frevar had really made their life a little bit easier by giving incapable students a scholarship to their school.
And Scarlett, from elementary to first year high school was one of their scholars.