CHAPTER 8
"I'm sorry for turning down your offer." Max said when they were left alone.
"It's okay." She said, shaking her head. "Let me see you off then." She went immediately to the door.
"No need. You better take your rest."
She raised a brow at him. "Ade, I'm sending Max downstairs." She announced with louder voice for Ade to hear while she didn't withdraw her gaze from him.
"Okay." Ade's replied in a muffled voice.
Aurora was being hard-headed.
"I insist. Let's go." She went out first. He sighed in his childhood friend's stubbornness and followed her out the door.
Max pushed the trolley again and they instantly got to use the elevator. He settled the trolley inside first before they entered. He was thankful that there's a trolly between them.
"Why didn't you get a condominium or an apartment at least?" His curious question. He found it strange that she chose to stay in such place.
She shrugged her shoulders. "University feels. I wanna know what an ordinary university student would be like." Then she turned her head to him. "As ordinary as it can be for people like us."
He nodded. He got her point. "Though the car gave it away." His comment. She wanted to fit in but her Rolls Royce were too dazzling to anyone's eyes. To the common people.
She burst out laughing. Her merry voice was echoing inside the lift. She turned to him while shaking her head. "Of course, I won't deny myself a little luxury." She was still chuckling.
He couldn't resist to smile at what she said.
"Papa's gift. It would be such a waste to leave it back home."
"You're right." He agreed.
They were finally on the ground and Max parked the trolley to the side. They headed out. Not minding the eyes that were following their every move.
Then they stopped in front of his car. Max stood up straight and faced Aurora. He exhaled a breath. "I'm sorry about earlier." He started.
Aurora calmly looked at him. "About what? What I've heard from your friend or about the kiss?" She directly asked.
"Especially the kiss." His instant reply.
She scrunched up her eyebrow as she looked at him questioningly. "Are you, really?" There's haughtiness in her tone. She folded her arms.
"Yes." No. Damn it. His mind contradicted.
Aurora held his gaze. "What are you talking about? I don't remember it happening." And she looked somewhere else.
He was surprised at what she said. So, that's it? He couldn't determine if he was insulted from her reply. But it's better to forget it then.
"Anyway, what time do you want to start the tour tomorrow?" He changed the topic.
"Can we meet at 9:00? Ade's class starts at 10:00, mine is at 11:00. Are you free in those times?"
"No problem. My class starts at 12:00."
"Great. Let's meet at the school entrance?"
"Sure. Or maybe at the parking lot. I'll find you there easily."
"Okay."
"Is your car going to be safe here?" Almost everybody was looking their way. And someone could do something on her car. It's just displayed at the side of the street. Not all students had their own car so Aurora's status was obvious despite still being a student.
Auroa roamed her eyes around. She met everyone's gaze that had been on them since earlier. Am I that out of place? She glanced at the lamppost near the entrance of the building. "There are CCTVs around. Whoever dares, well, it would be my pleasure to set an example of what could happen to them." She showed a sweet smile but with venom in her words. She shrugged her shoulders.
Max was sure that his family knew about this and that was one of the reasons why they told him to look out for her.
"You could have chosen a much safer place, though." He can't stop blurting it out.
Her eyes were on him again. "Papa suddenly enrolled me in here. I wanted to go to the U.S. So, I made a deal to attend his school of choice on the condition that I could choose my own place. And what I wanted as a university student."
He understands now. But he can't shake the feeling that everything won't be smooth sailing for her. Especially since she had that arrogant air about her. That attitude could bring her trouble. It's a good thing she had Ade. At least she won't be alone in this place.
"Again, thank you for today, Max." She gave him a side look with a lip curved up into a smile.
"See you tomorrow then, Aurora." He activated his car and opened the driver side door.
"Take care on your way." She retreated and looked at him as he entered his car. He drew the window down.
"Take a rest."
She nodded and he hit the road.
She was left alone. She exhaled heavily. It was just now that she felt relieved. She didn't know she was that tensed around him.
She went up to her room and she saw Ade setting up the sewing machines on the long table. She noticed that she took off all the papers that were wrapped in the furniture earlier. The balcony was already closed too and its curtain.
She took off her boots and changed into slippers. She wanted to take a shower to change clothes and can rest already.
"Signorina, matanong ko lang. May gusto ka na ba kay signorino Max? (Signorina, just want to asked. Do you already like signorino Max?)" Ade started.
She groaned, knowing this was coming. "I don't know." She didn't really know it herself.
"It seemed like there's something new in how you treat each other." Her friend continued.
"Not now, Ade. By the way, we'll meet Max outside school tomorrow at 9:00. Para ma tour niya tayo (So that he can give us the tour.)" She took some clothes in the wardrobe.
"Okay. But your class would start at 11:00 am."
"I would just hang around campus then, before my class starts. Don't worry about me." She went inside the bathroom and left Ade outside, still settling some things.
While her signorina was in the bathroom, she arranged all their things. She even vacuumed the floor so they could use slippers inside. There's a shoe cabinet near the entrance. She neatly arranged the inside of their wardrobes and put the books on the hanging shelves.
Night came and they lay on their beds early after preparing everything for their first day at the university tomorrow. Bur Aurora was still thinking what would happen in the next day that she would see Max again. This day was already full of surprises. The sudden intense attraction that she knew she wasn't the only one who felt it, made it more thrilling. She'll just see what could happen in the future then. She fell asleep with those thoughts.