Ava was on a date with Philip. She knew it was a date every time he asked her to come out to meet him. He had been trying so hard from day one. He's a good guy with good looks. Why was she blind from day one by flying to meet Michael? That motherfucker!
Right now, both of them are in a cool park eating their ice cream. Ava has stolen some of Philip's because hers was different from his. Hers was strawberry, while his was vanilla. Funny enough, she liked the two combined together, but she forgot to tell him that before going to buy it.
"Should I go and buy another one for you?" he asked her, but she shook her head immediately. She doesn't want him to stress by going that far to get her a new ice cream when she can manage.
"I'm fine," she told him with a smile. She was resting her head on his shoulder.
"Really?" he asked and looked at her.
"Really," she replied.
There was silence for a while. It was their breaths that were heard in the space.
"So, how did you feel?" Philip asked her with a thick UK accent. Ava had to look at him when he finished speaking. Did he just talk to her with an accent?
"Gawd! Say that again," Ava blushed shamelessly.
"How did you feel?" he repeated with a smile.
"About what?" Ava asked back.
"You told me that you broke up with your boyfriend because he cheated on you with your enemy," Philip recalled.
"Yeah," Ava ate her ice cream and heaved a sigh. "I really liked him, but I'm over him now."
Philip smiled and stared at her with his heart beating faster. He could feel his heart fluttering in a way.
"So, I felt good when I broke up with him. He was actually useless from the beginning. He's a nice guy, though. He cheated because I never slept with him," Ava laughed.
"You didn't?" Philip asked.
"Why should I give someone like him my virginity?" Ava asked.
"You're a virgin?" Philip asked back.
"What's this? Question and question?" Ava asked, and Philip nodded.
"You're funny," Ava laughed.
"I'm glad that I was able to make you laugh," Philip smiled.
"So, are you happy with me today?" he asked her with a gentle voice.
"I'm always happy with you," Ava replied to him.
"Then, you should know that I like you a lot. Ever since I met you at that mall, I couldn't stop thinking about you. It's mostly because of your beauty and partly because you're fun to be with," he continued.
"Here we go," Ava sang in her mind.
"I would make you the happiest girl if you're with me, Ava. I don't do much, but I'm an expert at making beautiful girls like you feel special," he continued.
Ava paused when she heard that.
"Wait," she began. "What do you mean by beautiful girls like me? Are there other girls you say this to apart from me?"
Philip laughed a little at her cute attitude. It was clear that she was jealous.
"No, of course not," he responded.
"Good," Ava replied.
"Now continue what you were saying. I want to hear it all."
"I'll listen to you and promise to be there all the time. I won't find ways to get on your nerves or ever dare to cheat on you. Why would I go ahead and cheat on you?" he scoffed.
"In other words, Ava Marshall, would you be my girlfriend?" Philip asked her with his heart racing.
"Yes," Ava smiled and embraced him warmly.
"Yo! Is that what that dickhead said?" Dominic yelled in his private lounge.
He was at work but he wasn't in his official office. He went to his private lounge to smoke a bit and think about his life. Lately, he has been thinking of going into a healthy relationship, but the girl he's interested in isn't giving him face at all.
Anytime he makes advances at her, she would shun him out as if she already knew what he wants to say to her or do with her.
He actually envies Leo and Abi a lot. He envies their relationship. He never knew that Leo would ever be in a happy relationship with Abi because he hated her to the core.
She appeared in his life all of a sudden with a baby while dragging his busy down due to a scandal both were involved in. Now, Leo is busy showering his wife with love and buying her all sorts of gifts to prove that he would be with her till the end of the world.
Dominic was the one calling to share ideas and apologize when the two were fighting earlier. He never knew that love would bloom between the two.
"He's not a dickhead," Logan responded from the phone.
"We need to teach Santiago a lesson this time. Ophelia hasn't learned her lesson either. She needs to be placed in a psychiatric hospital this time," Dominic laughed.
"Benjamin said so already," Logan laughed too.
"Okay. I have to go now. My company is launching—"
"I didn't ask. Bye," Dominic hissed and hung up. Everybody was just too busy lately.
No one has this time again. Not even Abi! She was always unemployed and ready to welcome him anytime he showed up, but all of a sudden, she's the busiest person on earth! She's freaking pregnant too with a big bulge!
Gawd!!
Women!!!
Dominic put a cigarette in between his lips and began to look for his lighter when he heard a mild voice out of nowhere.
"You shouldn't smoke," the person warned and came to light. It was his employee. She was working in the finance department, and he has a huge crush on her ever since she stepped into his company to be employed.
She has been in his company for a few months. She's a lady with brown hair and doe eyes. She likes widening her eyes a lot when she hears something that's interesting. She's like Dominic. She likes food too and would do anything to get it. She's a little bit of a gossiper. Dominic knows that. He has learned everything about her ever since he laid his eyes on her.
"What do you want, Natalie?" he asked her with a bored tone.
"I just decided to come and check up on you while giving you this," she stretched forth a folder to him.
"What's this?" Dominic asked her.
"My resignation letter. You should go through it," she told him.
"Are you blind? Can't you see that I'm relaxing?" Dominic yelled at her and flung the document away. Natalie bent down to pick the documents immediately. Dominic's eyes traveled to her clean laps when she bent down. He bit his lips and hissed.
"How dare you wear this outfit to the office?" he yelled.
Natalie frowned and stood up with the folder in her hand. "What's wrong with it? All the guys said I looked good."
"You're so stupid if you think they say you look good without a dirty reason," Dominic fired back.
"Sir—"
"I reject your resignation letter," Dominic told her straight away.
"What?" Natalie scoffed.
"Yes," Dominic stated.
"Then, I'll just decide to stay home and avoid coming to work as of tomorrow," Natalie continued.
"You won't dare do that," Dominic replied.
"This is so unlike you," Natalie continued. "You've been so off today."
"So?" Dominic rolled his eyes.
"Is something wrong? You've never yelled at me before. You don't get angry at me and insult me, but today," she began to cry.
"You insulted me and criticized me a lot. I need to quit because I need a lot of money to pay my debt. I've asked for an increase four times, but no one's giving me feedback!!!"
"I can't take this anymore. All the guys in my department want to go out with me or find their way into my pants. They're so shameless, even the married ones! I never imagined my life like this, but I continued working. I continued working because I told myself that I can do it."
"I told myself that tomorrow is coming, tomorrow is coming. I told myself that if I could just get a glimpse of you every single day, then I'd be fine. I thought I'd be fine, but I'm not fine. Me seeing you does make my heart flutter, but that won't clear my debts. I need to—"
"What did you say?" Dominic thundered. His ears might be paining him all of a sudden, but he actually heard her right.
"What?" Natalie blinked.
"Did you just say that your heart flutters whenever you see me?" Dominic asked, choosing his words carefully.
"That doesn't matter anymore. I'm leaving to—"
"Oh Natalie!!" Dominic pulled her to himself and embraced her tightly. "I knew that my charm was still there," Dominic laughed. "I'm in love with you too, silly girl."
"What?" Natalie blinked.
"I have feelings for you. Feelings that I can't ignore," Dominic added.
"You what?" Natalie was shocked. Why would he like a girl like her?
"I've always wished you were mine, but I never imagined that you would be the first to confess that you like me," he teased her.
"I don't like you. I never said I do," Natalie argued.
"Then, was it a horse that made your heart flutter?" Dominic laughed.
"Shut it," Natalie hissed.
"Do you realize that I'm your boss?" he asked.
"Oh," Natalie pushed him away. She was suddenly shy and embarrassed that they would find her in that position with him
"Why are you all red?" he teased her.
"I haven't kissed you yet," Dominic watched her cover her lips with her hands and send him a sharp glare.
"Don't think of resignation. You can't leave me. Consider your salary doubled. In fact, your loan is cleared. Bring me the—"
"What has gotten into you all of a sudden?" Natalie chuckled. He was acting all over the place because he found out that she has feelings for him too.
"So, we're a thing now, right?" Dominic asked her.
"Did you ask me out?" Natalie rolled her eyes.
"Oh, c'mon," he blushed.
"Since I like you so much. No, we like each other. Would you be mine, Natalie?" he held her hands and looked into her eyes.
"No one would find out that we're dating. Promise me that," she bit her lips.
"You want a secret relationship. I don't like that. I want to show you off," Dominic pouted.
"Then," she flung his hands away. "We can't date."
"Okay! Okay!! Okay!!!," Dominic told her, hands clasped together. "You're taken," Dominic kissed her hand and watched her blush.
•
*Rhyte Taste Restaurant*
The bell jingled for the first time that day. Abi took off the shades protecting her eyes and smiled as she looked around the restaurant. That was the place she met the man she's madly in love with. She never imagined falling for him in her life. He was so arrogant and unlikeable. Did he seduce her, or she fell for him by his charms? Huh?
"Abi?" Zoe was the first to notice her. Her eyes traveled to Abi's bulge, and her eyes widened in amazement.
"Oh my gosh! Abi?" Travis gushed and hugged her warmly. "I missed you," He pouted.
"Me too. I miss this place," Abi smiled.
"How's sales?"
"Fine," Zoe said nonchalantly. Abi looked at her and didn't say anything. Riley told her that she's a lesbian.
"So, you're pregnant? So soon?" Zoe scoffed.
"Why are you sad? Is your girlfriend dead already?" Abi replied in the same tone.
Travis looked at the two women taunting each other.
"What's going on here?" Travis muttered under his voice.
"Please serve me the best doughnut and watermelon juice. I'm also craving some chicken wings - roasted, please," Abi said with a smile.
"On it," Travis smiled.
"No. I want her to do it," She smirked.
Zoe gritted her teeth and looked at Abi.
"Do you want to get fired, baby girl?" Abi teased her.
"What type of doughnut?" Zoe hissed.
"I want jam doughnut. Make sure the jam is jamming, baby girl. Make the watermelon chilled, not cold. I can't afford my little princess to get cold,"
"Dummy," Zoe muttered.
"Is that your new name?" Abi asked cutely.
"Oh Abi. Let me tell you many things you didn't hear about while you're gone," Travis took control of the situation by going with Abi. Zoe stomped her feet on the ground and looked up. She was so angry but went on to do as Abi had said.
"Why?!," She yelled out all of a sudden.
"Stop making noise," Travis yelled back and continued telling Abi what he wants to say.
**
Riley was staring at Silas as he ate his food. She's still not herself after hearing his explanation.
She's angry!
She's angry at herself. She's angry for not realizing that he was Malcolm in the beginning. Was that how dumb she was, or that's just the definition of grief?
Did grief blind her so much that she couldn't see he was Malcolm when he first approached her?
"Won't you eat?" Silas asked.
"I'm not hungry," Riley replied without taking her eyes off him.
"Your eyes would hurt. Eat a little," He passed the rice to her.
"I'm on a diet. Do you want me to get fat?" Riley pouted.
Silas chuckled and looked at her. She still hasn't changed. Going on many diets and fasting because she has to be thin. It's a good thing that she does whatever she sets her mind to do. That's one of the things he likes about her.
"You do, silly," Riley sniffed.
"I love you, Riley," Silas confessed and went to sit beside her. "When I woke up from coma, I forgot about everything. It was so unreal that I forgot about you for many years. When I regained my consciousness and memory, I wanted to look for you, but I thought you've moved on."
"I thought you would have gotten married and had your own family. But I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure that you would have done that, so I came back. I came back for you, Riley. I'm glad that I did, because I have another chance with you."
"You do, silly," Riley sniffed.
"Don't cry, my love. I'm here now," Silas smiled and gently placed his lips on hers.