Unknown number:
"Make sure that you can go home safe."
"You're dead!"
"You're making me worry."
I ignored the messages and put my phone inside my body bag. I had called Mom earlier, but she was busy, so it was only a quick call.
Now, I was at the bazaar, amazed by all the products. Everything I saw simply made me happy.
"Cath?" I heard someone call out behind me, a voice that had been chasing me for a while.
I spun around to check who it was, and my lips formed an 'O' as I saw Ivor.
"Hey! What a coincidence," I said, trying to play it cool.
"Well, ahmm... I-I did follow you here!" Ivor admitted candidly, fixing his hair back and looking away shyly.
"Well, since you're here, we can enjoy together and also, you can be my photographer," I laughed a bit, and he smiled in response.
"Sure, my pleasure," he replied.
"Why did you follow me anyway?" I asked, waiting for him to catch up as I walked ahead.
"I just want to know you," he answered honestly, admitting that he had followed me.
"Ows! Hey! Kyaaaaah! That's beautiful," I exclaimed, pointing at a cute black and pink cat costume. Oh, that would be perfect for a cat-themed birthday party! I love it.
"You love cats?" Ivor asked.
"I do," I answered, still admiring the cat stuff. I had only seen items like that online before, and now they were real... and beautiful.
"I'm allergic to cats," he informed me.
"That's sad, bro!" I reacted sympathetically, and then continued to roam around the bazaar.
I gave him my phone, and as I had told him earlier, he became my cool photographer—and he was good at it.
He took a lot of good pictures of me around beautiful things like teddy bears and some cool stuff. He was fun to be with.
I bought a new sweater and oversized shirt, less expensive yet still good quality.
"Let's eat?" Ivor suggested.
My stomach was already grumbling since I and Raze only ate berry flan, so I nodded eagerly.
"What do you want? My treat!" he asked, gesturing towards the menu.
"Can I have nachos? Footlong, and hmmm! Ice cream! I won't be shy anymore!" I said cheerfully, smiling widely.
"Sure!" he ordered, and we sat at a bench, discussing some interesting topics that were maybe our common obsession.
He loved to watch anime, an otaku to be exact, and I loved to watch anime too.
He was very different, the kind of man who could comfort you easily. His smile was genuine, and everything he said felt pure and true. I could feel it.
"It's already 4:00 pm, I have to go home," I said and waved my hand.
"Wait! Can I send you home?" he asked.
"A-ah?" I stammered.
"Can I?" he insisted.
"Sure! Actually, I agree because I don't know exactly how to get home," I shyly admitted, showing a peace sign.
"You're so cute," he said, smiling as he pinched my cheeks.
Eh? So, he's damn rich? I found myself standing in front of a Mercedes Benz, and he opened the door of his car gentlemanly.
I gave him the address, and on the way, we talked about why he joined the games competition yesterday even though he's rich. He explained that he loved playing games, and he considered it the best experience, especially since Texno was one of the best gaming companies.
"He's really the real deal," Ivor uttered, clearly impressed, mirroring my own feelings the day I first laid eyes on the mansion.
"He's weird, though," I whispered to Ivor.
"Hey! Follow me back on IG, and I also hope that we can hang out again," Ivor suggested.
"Sure. Ah! About the hangout thingy, I hope so," I replied, showing him a small smile before he stopped the car. Like a prince in shining armor, he opened the door for me, treating me like a princess.
"Thanks, Ivor," I said gratefully.
"You're welcome. See you again!" he waved goodbye before leaving the place.
He's weird but awesome.
"Cath, you should hurry! Señorito's very mad," a guard shocked me.
"Huh? Why?" I quickly fixed my hair, feeling my eyebrows furrow.
"I don't know. He arrived around 1:00 pm, and the first thing he did was look for you, but you weren't home yet," the guard explained, panic evident on his face.
"A-ah? Did I do something wrong?" I asked myself, feeling a knot of worry tightening in my chest.
I was holding a paper bag containing the things I bought earlier.
"Let's go! We should hurry!" the guard urged, already getting into the golf cart. I followed suit, my mind still preoccupied with thoughts of what might have upset Raze.
I sighed, feeling the cold air against my skin. It was only 4:30 pm, yet the sky was turning dark, the clouds taking on shades of gray with hints of crimson, likely from the setting sun.
"Cath, we're here! Hey! What's wrong?" the guard's voice jolted me back to reality.
"Ah? Yeah!" I responded, shaking off my distracted state, and stepped out of the golf cart.
"Witch! You ruined our afternoon! You know that?" It was Erika, her voice laced with anger as I passed by her.
"I don't know what happened!" I honestly replied, hurrying inside.
"Lorence!"
"Y-Yes, Mother Sharn?"
"Where have you been? What took you so long?" she asked, her tone demanding an explanation.
"Huh? Ah? I went to the bazaar with a friend. I didn't realize how late it was."
"I see. Go change and see him. You're pushing your limits," she said, her words hitting me with a pang of guilt. It dawned on me that I had overstepped my bounds. I hadn't considered that I was working for him; I was acting more like his maid.
He had given me an opportunity, but I had taken advantage, wanting more than I deserved. It was my mistake.
Suddenly, a wave of despondency washed over me. Sitting on my bed, I felt drained of 99% of my energy just from contemplating my error.
I hated this feeling. It only arose when I knew I had done something wrong, and I dreaded the inevitable scolding that would follow.
I didn't want him to hate me or worse, to fire me. I really didn't.
Forcing myself to change, I stepped outside.
Erika and the others were gathered on the central couch near the stairs, probably taking a break. Erika rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, adding to my discomfort. Aish!
I was completely out of sorts, consumed by anxiety.
"She does nothing but flirt with Señorito."
"Yeah! She doesn't even do her proper job!"
"She's useless here!"
"Señorito must fire her!"
"He should! I don't like her!"
"Likewise!"
Those murmurs made me feel awful. Should I quit working here? I've only been here for a few days. I shouldn't quit. If they hate me... I don't care!
My feet struggled to take a step upstairs. Each step felt heavy, and I was consumed by fear.
Standing in front of his door, I hesitated about whether to enter or not. I glanced at the CCTV, wondering if he was watching. I waved my hand frantically at the camera, hoping he would see it.
Ahhh! My heart!
It felt like a storm was raging inside me, with lightning and thunder echoing in my chest. I was really nervous.
I adjusted my head dress and took a deep breath, nervously waiting for the security scanning process to finish. Finally, it was done.
"Señorito is handsome," I shyly whispered, hoping no one else heard me. The door opened as expected, but I still hesitated.
"The door will close after 5 minutes. Are you planning to get inside or continue making me wait?" His black expression and warm, intimidating aura filled the space as he leaned against the wall near the door. His voice carried a subtle hint of impatience.
"You were waiting, Señorito?" I whispered back, feeling my hands grow cold and tremble.
"Why did you come home late?" His question hung in the air, and I couldn't meet his gaze.
"I, uh, stopped by the money transfer and went to the bazaar," I explained softly, still avoiding eye contact.
There was a sudden silence that made the awkwardness palpable. I didn't know what to do next.
"When I'm alone, I think of so many things to say to you, but now that you're here and I have the chance to tell you, I'm speechless," he said, his tone giving away a hint of frustration. I couldn't tell if he was angry, but something in his voice made me uneasy.
"What are you saying?" I stuttered, my voice barely audible over the rush of emotions swirling inside me.
"Lorence, can you be more careful next time? Can you say something to calm him down, something that won't provoke him to speak in a different language? Maybe he's really upset to the point that he doesn't want me to understand. What's all this fuss about?" My thoughts were a jumbled mess as I tried to make sense of the situation.
He spun around, still trying to maintain his composure despite the tension in the air.
"I-I'm sorry, Raze," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.
"You can leave now," he said calmly, but his words felt like a punch to the gut, leaving me reeling.
Following his directive, I turned my back and hurriedly made my way downstairs.
Erika and her squad weren't on the couch anymore, and I had no idea where they had gone.
I sought refuge in the kitchen, offering to help with whatever tasks needed doing. My mind was elsewhere, lost in a whirlwind of confusion.
"Cath, I asked you to hand me the pork," Kyle's voice brought me back to the present with a jolt.
"A-ah! S-sorry! Here," I stammered, handing him the pork with shaky hands.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Ah! yeah!" I respond
"Ah, excuse me. I'll go find Mother Sharn first," I lied, turning away and heading towards the exit.
As I walked, I felt like I was wandering through a fantasy. The mansion seemed to glow with an ethereal light, casting a magical aura all around.
Where was I even going? My feet seemed to guide me of their own accord, leading me to an unknown destination.
Has he forgiven me already? I couldn't decipher the meaning behind his words earlier: "You can leave now." Did it imply forgiveness, or was there still lingering tension between us?
I found myself seated on a bench beneath the sprawling branches of an acacia tree, the darkness enveloping me. Retrieving my phone from my pocket, I hesitated to turn on the flashlight.
"Don't open your flashlight yet," his voice, sweet and unexpected, made me jump.
"W-what are you doing?" I asked, trying to mask the surge of excitement coursing through me.
"Just look ahead. I know you don't want to miss it," he commanded softly. And then, in the blink of an eye, all the lamppost lights illuminated simultaneously, casting a breathtaking glow that captivated me entirely.
The backyard was vast, stretching out further than a university field.
It was a sea of green, with Bermuda grass blanketing the ground and acacia trees planted in neat rows, their branches creating a canopy overhead.
Despite its apparent simplicity, there was something ominous about the nearby cage, hinting at the presence of a mini zoo.
"W-what are you doing here?" I stammered nervously as I approached him.
"I told you I don't want to hear you stuttering!" he snapped, his voice cutting through the night air.
"I-I'm sorry," I mumbled, feeling small under his intense gaze.
"How did you end up all the way out here on foot?" he inquired, his face partially hidden in shadow.
"A-ah? I-I don't know," I stammered again, feeling flustered.
"Let's go back," he decided abruptly, his tone brooking no argument.
"D-do you forgive me already?" I ventured timidly, hoping for a shred of reassurance.
"I'm really sorry!" I added
He suddenly pulled my arms, prompting me to stand, and I found myself gazing into his eyes, feeling the palpitations of my own heart.
"You did nothing wrong! You just made me worry," he whispered, his gaze locking onto mine with intensity.
"I didn't check the time earlier, I never realized that it's already past 4," I admitted sheepishly, feeling a sense of guilt wash over me.
"Who was with you?" His hands moved down, gently tracing my arms until they found mine, intertwining our fingers. His touch sent a warmth through me, causing my heart to race even faster.
As we walked together, I couldn't help but wonder why I couldn't resist his touch, why I couldn't protest. Why did my heart yearn for his hold? It was unfair to Sabrina, and if she found out, I knew it would hurt her deeply.
"A friend," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Do you have a friend here?" he inquired, his tone tinged with curiosity.
"Yeah, he joined the games yesterday."
"So, it's a 'he'?" His tone dripped with sarcasm.
"Yeah, his name is Ivor. We met at the bazaar and—"
"So, you enjoyed yourself with him?" He loosened his grip on my hand, letting it slip out of his warm grasp, and then he coughed, as if to mask his reaction.
"Maybe I did. He's nice and very friendly," I responded, a hint of pride in my voice.
"That's nonsense!"
"What?"
"I said let's head back now." With that, he walked away, leaving me standing there, perplexed and unable to understand what had just transpired.
His sudden change in mood left me feeling confused and disheartened. Perhaps I should put an end to this foolishness. Raze and I were not on the same level, and Sabrina was a much better match for him.
I moved my feet slowly, my gaze fixed on his retreating figure, silently hoping that my feelings would somehow fade away.
"Don't you know that 'creo que me gustas' means 'I think I like you' in Spanish?" His words cut through the silence, ringing clear in my ears.
Those words sounded familiar... Ah, yes. He had said that to me as he hugged me yesterday.
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked calmly, though inside, my heart was crying out. It knew that I was trapped, that the walls I had tried to build around myself were slowly crumbling.
"Can't you understand?" he replied.
"I can't," I confessed. "I only know that you'll be engaged soon, right Raze? Or am I just jumping to conclusions?" Why am I acting this way? What's wrong with me? This was utter foolishness, and yet, I couldn't seem to help myself.
"Yeah, you're right. That woman was chosen for me," he confirmed, and with those words, it felt like my world was crumbling around me.
"But I have someone that I'll keep inside my heart. I've known that from the start," he added, a chuckle laced with sadness in his voice.
We walked in silence until we reached the house. No one dared to speak, and as we walked, I felt tears threatening to spill from the edges of my eyes.
I don't know why, but right now, all I feel is hurt. Maybe I should start distancing myself from him.
I have to.