I've never been this happy before. It feels like I'm in a dreamland, and I don't want to wake up. I pinch myself, knowing that everything is real.
My phone rings.
It's an unknown caller. I think it's my mom, but... Yeah! The call makes me smile.
"Hello?"
"Good morning, chump!" It's funny how 'chump' sounds sweet when he says it. Darn it.
"Good morning, Mr. Ungentleman," I replied.
My smile is wide as I just listen to his voice.
"Did I wake you?" he asks.
Aish! I can't help it. My heart reacts differently.
"Ah, no! I'm just getting ready," I reply.
"It's your day off. Where are you going today?"
"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe I'll just check out some of the best places here in Cazila on Google."
"Hmm, I can be your driver today!" he offers.
"Eh? No need," I say, feeling a bit flustered.
"Are you avoiding me?" he asks.
"Why do you say so?"
"Nothing," he replies, leaving me curious.
"Aren't you a busy man?" I ask, even though I want to be with him. I know he has a lot of business to handle.
"I'm free! Prepare now, bye chump!" he says.
"Hey! --" I start to protest, but he ends the call. That man!
Okay, I have no choice. I take a warm shower, as I'm used to it.
I put on a simple peach sweater, ripped jeans, and my one and only pair of white shoes. Maybe I can buy a new pair later.
As I head out, my heart is thumping sweetly, as if it wants to burst out of my rib cage. Darn this!
I'm just excited, yeah!
"Lorence, let's eat!" Mother Sharn calls to me, holding a tray.
"Good morning, Mother Sharn. Good morning, señorito and everyone!" I greet them, unable to suppress my wide smile. Aish! Maybe I look crazy now!
"Wow! Good morning, Lorence, you look different right now. You're way more simple and beautiful with your outfit!" Kyle compliments.
"Stop playing around, Kyle," I say, glancing at Raze, who looks serious.
"Sit here," Raze offers, motioning to the seat next to him.
"O-okay," I reply, feeling a bit flustered. I look at Erika, her stare is deadly, but I smile at her nonetheless.
"Eat up, here!" Raze says, offering me a generous portion.
"Ah! Señorito, that's too much!" I protest.
"You should eat more!" he insists.
Oh shit! He's adding more food.
"You should help me finish this!" I complain.
"Want some airplane style feeding?" Raze asks jokingly.
"What do you think of me? A kid?" I retort, but we both end up laughing.
I never expected that our laughter would be this lovely.
"Ahem! There's something!" Mother Sharn teases us after clearing her throat to distract us.
"Hijo! I've never seen you this happy before!" she remarks.
"Ha? It's because I didn't stay here, Masha, you didn't see it!" he responds, secretly winking at me.
"Excuse me!" I look at Erika as she harshly puts down the utensils and leaves.
Is she really that in love with this ungentleman? Sorry, Erika!
We just ignore her. I hurriedly finish eating, then I excuse myself to go back to my room and brush my teeth.
I slip into a black ball cap, allowing my curly hair to cascade freely around my shoulders.
Prepared, I step out, only to be met by Erika's sudden appearance. She shoves me hard, and I cry out in pain as my back slams against the wall.
"O-ouch!" I groan, feeling the sharp ache shoot through my spine.
"What are you doing?" I ask, trying to bear the pain.
"Why is it always you? Why? I hate you! I hate you! How come you can get his attention so easily?" she screams, her hands scourging my shoulders.
I instinctively shield myself, refraining from retaliating. If I were to strike back, she'd only end up regretting it later. I need to keep my cool!
"I hate you!!" she yells again, her voice filled with rage.
"STOP IT! WHAT'S WRONG, ERIKA?" Raze angrily intervenes. She's crying now.
"I HATE HER!" she talks back, her voice choked with emotion.
"DON'T HURT HER! You're causing so much trouble! You think I don't know that? DO THIS AGAIN, AND I WON'T HESITATE TO FIRE YOU!" His voice is firm and terrifying.
"I-I'm .... I'm sorry, señorito! I'm really sorry!" she begs, her voice trembling, and then she suddenly runs away.
"Are you okay?" Raze asks, concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, thanks," I reply, standing straight and fixing my hair.
"Let's go?"
"S-sure!"
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks, sounding unconvinced. My back stings, that's the problem.
I want to respond, but I can't seem to speak. I don't know why! I'm nervous, feeling a little pain. It's like my emotions are all jumbled up.
"Hey! Lorence."
"Huh?"
"You're spacing out."
"I'm sorry, let's go!" I force a smile and walk naturally.
"I thought you're an ungentleman!" I tease him, smiling as he opens the door for me.
"You change me!" he fights back.
"Anyway, you're beautiful!" he says, turning to walk towards the driver's seat.
"Hey! You're smiling widely, it's pretty obvious that you're in love!" Why did he think that? I'm just happy.
"Do you think?"
"I think!" he suddenly leans closer.
I'm just looking into his eyes, as always, they're beautiful.
"Seatbelt!" he whispers, putting my seatbelt on.
"I love you!" he whispers before leaning back in his seat.
"Are you sure?" I tease
"That's fast, maybe you're gonna fall out of love easily too!" That's the reality to face, I guess.
"You're a nega citizen! I promise, I'll make your heart completely mine," he says proudly, sounding so sure.
Everything happened quickly, just like yesterday.
It's all because of "palangga ta ka," his confession. I admitted I liked him yesterday too, but "like" is far different from love. I have to find out for myself. Is this love, or is it just simple infatuation? Yet, I'm no longer a kid.
I love him, but I just want to test his capacity.
"Kyle likes you!"
"Oh? Who says?"
"Yours truly!" he replies, sounding bored.
"That's just your opinion!"
"No! Only a man can see through another man!" he explains. Maybe?
"Sus! stop that, where are we going anyway?" I ask, trying to start a new conversation.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Crazy! I thought you're --!"
"I said I can be your driver! Not your tour guide!" he laughs.
"What's funny? Stop here! I can contact a tour guide and book a taxi!" I say, pretending to be mad and looking away.
"You can be a great actress! As if I'm going to let you go with a stranger!" he replies.
"Hmmm!"
"Chump! We're going to the amusement park, sunflower farm, windmill, flower garden, zoo... hmm! Where else do you want to go?" he asks, smiling now, showing his perfect white teeth.
"Hmm! Eyes on the way buddy!" I said and as if I'm ignoring his suggestions.
He just shook his head.
We had a long ride until we reached the sunflower farm. We had fun; he's fun to be with, and he always has a point—ah! Yeah!
We talked a lot about life and everything. Up until now, I can't believe that this man felt something for me.
"Hey! This photo of yours, I loved the most!" he said, showing me the picture on his phone.
"Ows! How about this? You're so cool here!" I complemented, showing him what I've got.
He took a picture of me using his phone, and I took a photo of him using mine, for a remembrance, I guess.
"W-wait! Oh! Gotcha! You really took a picture of me that night!" his eyes widened. He saw the picture—the one I stole from him last time. Heck! I got caught.
"Hmm! You're obviously in love with me?"
"As if, I just want to tease you!" I said nervously.
Why does looking at him make me nervous? Damn this man!
"You're blushing! Come on, let's go to that beautiful giant bird's nest," he grabbed my hand and pulled me beside him.
He was talking and his smile was perfect.
He doesn't look sad and scary now, he looks gentle and charming.
"Stop staring! You're melting me with that!" he said and chuckled. Aish! He's like a kid.
"Crazy!" I uttered softly and held his hand tight. I hope we're always like this.
We took some pictures at the giant handmade bird's nest. It was designed for pictorial purposes since the place was famous for international and even local tourists.
The place was wide and amazing.
There were a lot of tall sunflowers and plenty of picturesque spots.
We stayed there for three hours and now we're heading to the Holy Family Hills.
He said there's a statue of the Holy Bible there and other things that are only written in the Bible. On the way, he played music and I sang along. I noticed one thing, he's a different person today, seeming more lovely and happier.
He even sang with me, his eyes glowing, just like mine. I'm very happy.
"Have you ever felt like the world turns so small and colorful all at once?" I asked seriously.
"Why?"
"Is that the answer to my question?"
"Is that the answer to my question too?" he mocked me.
"Crazy!" I was pissed.
"That's my line!" he's really pissing me off!
"I don't care!"
"Hmm, you look like Cally when you're slightly annoyed!" He's ready to tease me now.
"Are you saying that I look like a cat?"
"No! I just want you to know that you look like your daughter!" Heck! I laugh, aish! I'm supposed to act pissed.
"I'm not a cat!"
"But you're my baby!"
"Nice joke, Raze!" I laugh and pinch his cheeks.
Why is he so handsome?
"Don't do that!" he stopped my hands, his expression was priceless and funny.
The world's really unfair because everything that Raze does is perfect, and it seems like there's no ugly expression when he does it. I'm about to pinch his cheeks again but...
"I'm driving! If you want to live with me forever then just stay put! You can stare at me as long as you want though!" He even laughed when he said that.
I want to stay with him forever, but that thing didn't exist. I just want to be with him for a lifetime.
"I love you!" I whispered, leaning back against the backrest and looking at him.
"Huh?"
"H-ha? Ah! I said I hate you!" I reply and sit properly.
"I hate you too!" He responds and smiles widely.
"As if I didn't hear that!" he adds and laughs playfully.
"I want to stop time while we keep on moving. I want to hold his warm hands, to hear his sweet chuckle, I want to share a sweet laughter with him always. I want to stay beside him until we get old. That's enough, right?"
"This way, sir, there's a wishing well," the tour guide leads the way.
There's a 'Please observe silence' signage, so we let our eyes do the talking for the moment.
I grab a coin and make a wish.
"I want to be happy," a simple wish that encompasses everything, because if I'm happy, it simply means that I've achieved what I want, reached my dreams, and there are no problems. Simple as that.
Raze throws a coin too. I wonder what he wished for because he can actually get everything and it seems like he already has everything.
We leave that spot, and the tour guide also departs after saying, "Every couple that walks the forevers lane always ends up marrying each other."
That's ridiculous, is it true? But then, we're now walking along the forevers lane, reading little notes about the sacrifices of Jesus, with a huge statue towering over us.
I'm not a very religious person, but I believe in Him.
"Hey! We're at the top of the hill now," I said with my happiest tone, taking in the view.
The sun's warm touch graces my skin, while the breeze feels like a December chill.
"WOOOWWW~!" I extend my hands, as if waiting for the wind's embrace, and close my eyes.
"You stole my heart, but I'll let you keep it," a whisper that sends shivers all over my body. I didn't even notice him walking towards me from behind.
"This is a lovely place," I whisper.
"Indeed, luckily, I'm with my special person."
"Shhhh! You're flattering me!" I said, chuckling.
"I love you," he whispers, planting a kiss on my cheek.
"Stop stealing!" I laugh, though I found it sweet.
"I do nothing!" I take a selfie with him, and after a couple of shots, he decides that we should eat before leaving Holy Family Hills. We dine inside the place, at a native restaurant.
We enjoyed the meal and the staff warmly welcomed and served us. The pan-fried chicken is pretty tasty, as is the pork picadillo, stir-fried chicken with pechay, Baguio and carrots, chicken hamonado, and corn and carrot soup, but I love pinakbet the most, although chicken dishes are my favorite.
Like Raze, I just learned that he loves chicken meat more than pork and beef.
"Aah! *blurp!* Thanks, Mr. Ungentleman."
"It must be 'I love you!'" he bluffs.
"Are you excited, buddy?" Then we both laugh.
"I am!" This handsome billionaire, I wonder what else he's got.
After that, we went to Cazila Zoo. It's my first time seeing so many animals, and I feel great.
I never expected that I could do all of this when I came here. I only thought that I'm here for work, but suddenly I bump into a handsome man that I now wish could be the right one. Is that impossible?
"Aren't we going home?" I asked, noticing that it's already 4:00 PM.
"No! We're going to watch the sunset at a sunset view range nearby," he responded.
We cherished the day, had fun, and that was enough. We arrived at the view range just in time. He held my hand as we took the hundred steps up to the spot, then a lovely crimson sky greeted us. Out of sudden, everything felt like it was in time lapse, and the sun beautifully went down. I know the next day will come, and I hope it'll be just as exciting as always, even though I'm expecting challenges ahead. I'll better prepare myself.
He kissed my hands wordlessly, then surprised me with a tight hug and a gentle peck on my forehead.
"I never expected to meet someone like you," he whispered.
"This is a nice place," I said. I didn't know if he saw me smiling, but every wordless action meant a lot to me. It was pure and clear to me.
"There are a lot of nice places, but beside you is the most perfect," I said, wanting to brush off his comment as a joke, but deep down, I knew he was serious.
I felt myself blushing uncontrollably.
"I want to have countless adventures with you," he continued.
"Then start making a list," I replied.
"I have a lot in my memory," he said.
"Then let's make them all come true, chump!" I smiled.
After that, we safely made our way home. Strangely, I didn't feel tired at all.
He opened the car door for me, and as I stepped out, the guard approached him. "Señorito! Good thing you're already here!"
"Why?"
"Ma'am Sabrina's here!"
"Ah, okay," he responded coldly.
"Let's go!" I insisted, but he reached for my hand and held it as we walked inside. I felt a sense of shock from everyone who saw us, their eyes lingering on our intertwined hands.
"Raze!" I murmured, trying to loosen his grip.
"Why?" he asked, his smile indicating that he didn't care about the attention we were receiving.
"Hijo! Sabrina's waiting for you in studio #2," mother Sharn interrupted, her gaze shifting between Raze and our clasped hands.
"Sus! I see, how's your day Lorence?" she asked, her smile was teasing me.
"A-ah! It was great," I shyly replied, stealing a glance at Raze as if silently pleading for him to let go of my hand now.
"What does she need, Masha? And how long has she been waiting?" Raze inquired.
"Since around 11 am, she's been here," Masha responded.
"Ah, can I borrow her?" she added, gesturing towards me.
"Yeah! Anyway, Masha, please tell Chef Markus to cook a chicken dish for dinner. You like that, right?" Raze directed the question at me.
I simply nodded, feeling increasingly flustered by his presence. Why does he make me feel so shy and awkward? This man.
"Chump! I'll go now," he said, and I nodded again, feeling the flutter of butterflies in my stomach at his every small gesture. It was all so overwhelming.
Mother Sharn was acting strangely, as though she were a lovesick teenager eager to hear all the details of a temporary romance. I could sense her intentions immediately.
She pulled me along to the poolside, her curiosity evident in her quick questions. "Where did the two of you go?" she asked eagerly.
"Hmm, we roamed around. We had fun at the sunflower farm and took a lot of pictures. Then we went to Holy Family Hills, the zoo, and watched the sunset," I shared with excitement, showing her the pictures I had taken earlier, including the selfies with Raze.
Mother Sharn smiled the whole time, radiating happiness. "I've never seen him smile like this before. Perhaps he's finally forgiven himself," she mused. Forgiven for what, I wondered?
"He was a different man today, Mother Sharn. He was smiling all the time," I said, reflecting on the photos we had captured.
"I'm happy for both of you! He's in love, I can tell. He's never acted the way he does with you before."
"Mother Sharn, this happiness is only temporary. Our time together earlier was borrowed, and I know that 'the one' for him will come along eventually," I spoke sadly.
Sabrina was already here. She always has a claim on him, a right to him. I envy her; she was chosen for him.
"Love is more powerful than anything. Anyway, get changed now. I have to go!" She tapped my back in her usual way and left.
I went to my room and lay down, holding my phone and opening Instagram. I added to my story a picture of Raze looking at the giraffe, his back highlighted and prominent.
"You're like a shooting star, where I wished for happiness. In your embrace, I feel the warmth of love. ❤️ Thanks for the day!" I captioned, adding some cool stickers.
"Omo! That's señorito! I'm sure of it, there's something! yieee!" Stella replied to my story.
"Sis, who's that?" from Stacey.
"Who's that? He's the reason why you forgot about me? JK! Sana all may jowa" (Tagalog translation: Hopefully everyone has a boyfriend)
I laughed at Cynthia's reply; she's from Manila City.
"I'm sorry, I won't miss and break my word again!" I replied, explaining to her that Raze was not my boyfriend. However, Stella wouldn't believe me, and Stacey asked for more information and explanations. I knew that would take too long.
Raze hadn't seen my story yet; I hoped he would watch it before it vanished.
After chatting with friends, I decided to take a shower. Since I didn't have work today and it was almost bedtime, I put on a black and white dolphin shorts and an oversized plain peach v-neck t-shirt.
Conscience: Sleeping? You usually sleep around 11 pm because you're reading a billionaire story!
Eh? You don't care!
Conscience: Whatever!
I went to the backyard to check on the huskies.
"Babies!" I called out, and they all came running towards me.
"Hey! Brix, stop! Babies, why?" I laughed as they jumped around me.
"Fudge! Ouch! Brix, you hurt me! Say sorry!" Brix's claws had left two long scratches on my legs. It stung badly. I rushed inside to find Mother Sharn. Where was she? I needed the first aid kit; there was blood now.
"Have you seen mother Sh--"
"What happened?" she interrupted before I could finish my sentence. Heck!
"SHARN? Where is Sharn? Lorence's fair legs are scratched!" she panicked and screamed.
Everyone who heard her rushed towards us to check on me, but I was fine.
"I'm fine, guys. I just need a first aid kit!" I said, feeling shy. Why didn't anyone make a move? They were just surrounding me.
"What's that?" a voice made them step backward. His face, stern as usual, suddenly lost its smile.
"Fuck! Come here!" he grabbed my hands and suddenly lifted me bridal-style.
I gawked at him, my heart seemingly stopping.
I couldn't understand what I felt towards him.
"R-Raze, I c-can walk," I managed to say in a low voice, attempting to hold onto him for support.
He didn't respond; he seemed angry, his brows furrowed and stern.
The next thing I knew, I was sitting on the edge of his soft bed. He was asking about what happened while checking his medicine kit that hung on the wall.
"I-It was Brix," I explained.
"What did you do?" His tone was harsh.
"W-We were just playing," I stammered.
"THEN STOP PLAYING! You're no longer a kid!" he yelled, startling me.
"S-Sorry!" he quickly added, trying to soften his outburst.
I couldn't understand his mood. I really couldn't.
"I-It's fine, it's my fault," I whispered, feeling guilty.
He cleaned the wound using a cotton swab soaked in betadine. His touch was surprisingly gentle, sending shivers down my spine.
I remained silent, not uttering a single word or groan as he tended to my wound. I was too nervous; he looked intimidating.
After applying the bandage, he instructed Arron to put the huskies back in their cage. I didn't protest, even though I wanted to stand up for them. His demeanor was too intimidating, and I didn't want to cause any more trouble.
"A-ah! Did you know it's cold outside?" I attempted to start a conversation.
"Then why are you wearing shorts?" he retorted sharply.
Aish! Not a great start.
"Huh? I meant, if the huskies sleep in the cage, it's cold there! How can they sleep properly?" I clarified, feeling flustered.
"They have fur! They often sleep there anyway," he replied, his tone cold and aloof.
"Y-yeah, you have a point. Anyway, thanks! I have to go!" I quickly excused myself, feeling uneasy about the encounter.
"You can't stay close with them again or don't play with them, they're too excited to play with you!" Raze's words hit me like a ton of bricks. How could he be so heartless?
"What? You're so cruel! How can you do that?" I snorted out of shock, unable to comprehend his coldness.
"Okay! Fine, not until your scar isn't healed yet!" he said, his expression serious and unmoving. How could he make such a decision without any consideration for my feelings?
"Okay! Let's go or I'll go first?" I asked, trying to mask the hurt in my voice.
"Just go!" His blunt response shattered me even further. How could he let me go back alone like this?
I'm fine, I don't need him... I tried to reassure myself, but deep down, I knew the feeling of being with him was different.
"Hey! Where's sweetheart?" Sabrina's voice interrupted my thoughts, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"At his room," I replied tersely.
"K! Next time, be careful. You ruined a nice conversation... for you to know!" she said sarcastically before continuing to walk away.
"I see, maybe Raze was mad because I ruined their nice conversation. Hayss!
The borrowed time ended? That was so quick and easy!
After a moment, I saw Raze walking downstairs with Sabrina, who suddenly wrapped her arms around Raze's, clinging to him like they're lovers. Well, yeah, they are. Meanwhile, I couldn't hide my jealousy, evident because he's not mine, and I don't stand a chance.
Conscience: Why does he make you feel special when he's just playing with your feelings? That's sad! Get lost!
Don't make me even sadder.
Conscience: T.T *sobs* I'm rooting for you.
Our eyes met, and I had hoped for that chance to tell him that my eyes couldn't hide their sadness. But his gaze was cold and blank.
He never even gave me a piercing look, so I just turned my back and retreated into my room.
As I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, his image seems to be projected there. Damn! I rub my eyes and take a deep breath.
I had once told myself I needed to forget him, but it's impossible now. I find myself longing for his warmth every time he holds my hand.
I open my phone once again and find myself scrolling through Raze's Instagram account, trying to find Sabrina's profile too.
"Going somewhere, dinner date?" I see her story with a caption under Raze's photo, him driving while she takes a selfie. That stings.
I sadly press the exit button and look at our earlier photos. Damn! He occupies my thoughts so much!
I stand up and change into my sleepwear, basically my favorite pair of PJ's, and head out.
I decided to check on the huskies in their cage. This house is enormous, a mansion really, which is probably why I can't even find where the others have gone.
Rufff! Rufff!
"Yeah! Hi babies! Brix, you hurt me a little bit. Don't worry!" I said, gesturing with my fingers to show him the small scratch. As if he could understand what I mean.
Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!
"You guys want to go out?"
Ruff! Ruff!
"Okay! Don't tell dad that I let you go, but you guys gave me such sweet barks." I open their cage, and Vyan dashes out like a flash of red, while the others start to sniff around and stay close to me.
Luckily, it's still bright outside, even though it's getting gloomy.
"Hey, baby!" I call to catch Vyan's attention. She can't stray too far, or I'm in trouble. I sit on a nearby bench and enjoy watching them play. They're all so adorable.
"Brix, baby!" I call him, and instantly he runs towards me, barking happily, then jumps onto the bench and sits. I hug him tightly.
"You're so clever, why can you understand me so easily, huh?" I say, running my fingers through his fur.
"Baby, can I take a photo with you?" I know it's a bit crazy, but I love talking to them anyway. He licks my cheek.
"No, not there, baby!" I laugh as I wipe my face.
I take out my phone and snap a lovely selfie with Brix.
"Look, you're handsome in this one, baby boy!" I say, smiling as I show him the picture. He makes a sound, almost as if he understands, like he knows it's him in the photo.
"Lie down here, Brix! Come on, babies!" I call them, and they come running back.
"You guys are hilarious! I'm not asking you to stick your tongues out!" I laugh as I pat their heads. They're so sweet. How come the others are scared of them?
"Lorence!" Oh, it's Mother Sharn, riding on the golf cart. Wow! She knows how to drive.
"Hi, Mother Sharn," I wave as she gets out of the cart and walks over.
"I've been searching for you everywhere! And here you are, right under my nose. I thought Señorito told you not to come or play with them?" she asks, a hint of concern in her voice.
"It's fine, Mother Sharn. Brix just accidentally did it," I explain.
"Okay, let's head back now. It's already 6:30 pm. I'll call Arron to bring them back to the cage later," she says, taking charge.
"Can you ask him to bring them to their room? It's cold outside. Please?" I request.
"Okay, let's go," she agrees. She drives, and I can't help but admire the surroundings. The lighting here is perfect, especially under the acacia trees. But at the dog's house, it's pretty bright.
"Wow! Look at Brix, Mother Sharn, he's chasing us!" I exclaim, watching Brix sprinting behind the golf cart.
"I'll look, or are we going to crash?" she replies with a chuckle.
"Just don't look!" I say, laughing along.
"Mother Sharn, I also want to learn how to drive the golf cart!" I express earnestly.
"Well, George or Vince can teach you. They've taught others to drive too. I can ask them to teach you whenever you're free," she offers with a smile.
"Wow! I'm glad and excited, Mother Sharn. Thank you!" I beam with anticipation.
We ate around 7 pm, and after that, I chatted with Stacey and the rest of the family. I got scolded because I told Mom about my scratch, but it's no big deal, though.
Later, I opened my Instagram and added a photo of Brix and me. I was about to sleep when Raze sent a message.
Razekhen: I told you not to play with them until you're healed! You're really hardheaded, Chump!
I just read it, and he didn't even reply to my first story. I sighed and turned off my phone's lights, shutting my eyes. I tried to push Raze's image out of my mind by memorizing multiplication tables like crazy.
The next day, I woke up feeling fine and strong for the chores.
Raze seemed very busy, and Sabrina was with him. Erika apologized but still annoyed me, insinuating that Raze was just playing me. Like hell I care, I already know that anyway. She's a pain in my ass! Heck!
After my chores, around 1 pm, Vince taught me how to drive, and I had a blast. I also gained more friends, all boys, but that's much better than girls who do nothing but judge each other.
A few more days passed, and I fell into a routine: wake up feeling like shit, prepare myself for work, see Raze with Sabrina, and feel like a hundred knives stabbing me inside. But luckily, I'm always able to pretend that I'm perfectly fine.
Then, during the noon hours, I'd practice driving a golf cart with Vince, hang out with them at the guard's house, and have fun bike racing with them in the backyard. I had fun, and because of them, I eventually started to forget him... at least, I was able to laugh out loud for a moment.
I took a warm half bath to wash off the sweat from earlier. I put on my PJ's to cover my scar, which is now healed because I've been diligently applying the ointment that Mother Sharn gave me.
As I blow-dried my hair, I heard a knock at the door.
"Come in, it's open," I yelled.
"Lorence!"
"Oh, Erika?"
"Let's go eat now," she said, reminding me of dinner. It was the first time she had ever called for me.
"I envy you," she whispered.
"Why? You don't have to," I replied.
"Because he treats you differently, and I love your personality. Everyone likes you, even the boys," she confessed. Her honesty caught me off guard.
"Oh? He doesn't treat me differently. It's just that he's nice to everyone. And Erika, I love your personality too. You're very loyal," I said, smiling. I knew she was fiercely loyal to her señorito.
"You have your own room, how does it feel?" she looked around.
"It's boring. You want to sleep here? My bed is very huge for just one person," I offered. Despite her past behavior, I couldn't bring myself to hold a grudge. Maybe she was just going through something difficult that day.
"I-I'm shy," she stammered.
"D-don't be! You can sleep here. We can even set a schedule so you and others can sleep over here. Imagine that! We can talk about the things we like while eating some snacks before going to bed. Isn't it exciting?" I enthusiastically suggested it.
"That sounds fun. I'm looking forward to that! Let's go? They're waiting," she replied, her smile returning.
"Hi Kyle! Vince! Reserve me a seat!" I called out as I approached.
"Sure thing!" Vince replied with a wink.
"You're replacing me with him already, love?" Kyle teased, pretending to be heartbroken.
"Yes, dear! I'm sorry! I realized that what I feel towards you isn't love at all. Huhu!" I played along, enjoying our usual banter. Kyle's exaggerated expression made me laugh.
"That's it? How will you fix my broken heart?" Kyle asked, trying to maintain a serious face, but failing miserably.
"I can stitch it up, don't worry. But if that doesn't work, you can always cook your heart!" I joked back, unable to contain my laughter.
"You two need to stop that and eat now," Mother Sharn intervened, though she couldn't hide her amused smile.
As everyone happily chatted and dug into their food, I took a seat beside Vince, surrounded by the boys.
As Kyle and I walked slowly, engaged in conversation, I couldn't shake the feeling of Raze's presence lingering in my mind. Despite my efforts to focus on the moment with Kyle, my thoughts kept drifting back to Raze.
"Hey!" Kyle's voice interrupted my train of thought.
"A-ah?" I responded, snapping back to reality.
"What's wrong?" Kyle asked, his laughter filling the air. I forced a smile, feeling a bit awkward.
"Ahh! I just wanted to try something new, explore the city," I replied quickly, avoiding the real reason behind my decision to step away from my family business.
As we continued walking, the serene atmosphere of the night enveloped us. The sound of crickets chirping and the sight of the stars twinkling in the clear sky created a sense of calmness. I found myself lost in the beauty of the moment, wondering if shooting stars truly granted wishes. It had been years since I had seen one, and I couldn't even remember what I had wished for last time, let alone whether it had come true.
A car's headlights blinded me momentarily, and as the vehicle slowed to a stop, I realized it was Raze behind the wheel. He signaled for one of his guards to take over and park the car in the garage.
"Good evening, Señorito!" Kyle greeted him with a respectful bow, but I found myself unable to speak.
"Good evening. Ah! Could you please excuse us? We need to talk," Raze addressed Kyle, who nodded politely and followed him.
"Lorence, I've got to run!" Kyle tapped my shoulder and winked before heading off.
"O-okay!" I managed to reply, feeling flustered.
"Can we talk?" Raze's question sent my heart racing, as if it were trying to escape my chest altogether.
"Ah! S-sure," I stammered, averting my gaze. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, and I couldn't believe how much this was affecting me. As Raze gently took my hand, a surge of electricity seemed to shoot through me, intensifying the already frantic rhythm of my heart. It was as if my heart were shouting, "Finally, I'm happy again."
We entered his room in silence, the tension palpable in the air. He remained quiet, which only heightened my nerves.
"Alexa, turn on the light," he commanded, placing his attache case on the nearest table and loosening his necktie.
"W-what did you want to talk a--"
"I missed you," he interrupted, pulling me into a tight embrace that enveloped me completely, his warmth surrounding me like a protective shield.
In an instant, our lips met in a sweet, passionate kiss. I could feel the intensity of his emotions as he closed his eyes and gently cupped my cheeks. I surrendered to the moment, closing my eyes as well and returning his embrace.
His hand at the nape of my neck guided me closer, while his other arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me impossibly closer.
"R-raze!" I gasped as we parted momentarily.
"I-I'm sorry," he whispered, drawing me back into his embrace. My heart pounded against my chest as our tongues danced together in a silent symphony of desire.
"I love you! So much," he whispered, his words soothing my racing heart as I melted into his warm embrace.