It's midnight.
It's not raining as heavily as it was.
This mystery guy opens the car door for me and stretches his hand to me. I snob his hand and hop out of the car.
It's drizzling outside. I still have his warm coat around me. It smells so good. And it feels so warm.
"Welcome to my home."
An erect modern four story mansion stands in front of us. I have seen many mansions in my life but this one doesn't compare to none. It's stunning and glass walled with printed gray curtains. We walk through the gravel way and stop at the front porch.
"I still don't trust you," I say sharply.
"Waiting to get inside my house says a lot about that," he says.
I roll my eyes at him and turn to leave. I don't care where I am going. I would rather sleep in the street rather than have some guy feel like he is doing me a very huge favour. Which he is not.
" Where are you going?, "he asks as I strut away.
I turn back to look at him as I walk backwards.
"Somewhere far from you..."
"But why?"
"Because you suffer from assholism," I snap.
He chuckles. "did you just call me an asshole?"
I roll my eyes and continue walking barefoot, his coat still around me.
"if you are leaving, then give me back my coat."
I turn to glare at him, take off the coat and hurl it to him. "Jerk!"
This guy is really annoying. I don't even know his name. I should nickname him "jerk".
He runs towards me and stops me. He holds my hand and looks at me. I look up at him since he is tall, it's strange that I didn't notice that before.
"Listen, I like joking. Only with people I like. Though my jokes are terrible!"
A smile breaks through his face and for a moment there, I observe him. His face. He is good looking. Very good looking with honey brown eyes and short brown wavy hair. His beard is well trimmed and through his smile, I notice a set of brilliant well arranged teeth. I see creases at the corner of his pink sensuous lips and he looks mature. He's probably in his late twenties or early thirties.
I shiver for a moment there and he puts his warm coat around my shoulders.
"You should get inside and have a warm bath."
He turns to head back to the front porch but I hold back his hand.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Being nice to me."
He glances sideways and walks away without giving me a reply.
I am still standing at the gravel driveway, staring at him as he opens the door to his house.
"Don't tell me you want me to come pick you up."
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
I sink in the bathtub, full of hot water, the water reaching up to my neck. This feels so refreshing. This is the best I have felt since I came back to Kingswood. Everything has been going haywire. I bursted my long time boyfriend cheating on me with my best friend, Hannah. I didn't know where the hell I would sleep since it was already late at night. And as if that was not enough, it was raining heavily when I left Jace's condo.
So this warm bath in an oval tub in a total stranger's house is kind of refreshing.
I stare at the dark night and look up at the twinkling galaxy of stars. They remind me of him... Jace... The last night I spent with him, naked in the bath tub enjoying the midnight view as we drank champagne. It was just last summer. I was on long holiday and I remember spending most of the time with him. I was happy. Truly happy with him. Truly happy with us being together. But now that I look at it, I think I was the only one in the relationship. I was the only one who kept calling and texting. I was the only one who was trying to keep things going between us. The only one who kept checking up on him and asking if we could make time to meet despite the long distance. That's how much I was Inlove with Jace. But was he ever Inlove with me?
I feel a hot tear trickle down my cheek. I feel fury thrumming inside me again. I am angry at Jace and Hannah but most of all, at myself. I should have known. I should have seen this coming. And what hurts most is that Jace was the first person I thought of seeing when I came back. I wanted it to be a surprise, but shock on me, I was the one surprised. Fuck! I feel so stupid.
I decide to step out of the bath tub, I don't like the direction my mind is taking me. I don't want to break down in front of a stranger and make a scene in his house. I've been dramatic enough for one night. Way too dramatic...
I feel sparkling clean and warm after the bath. I take a towel and wrap it round my body. I take another towel and tie up my hair to completely dry it. I step out of the bathroom in flip-flops and head to the bedroom.
I find him seated on the white king-size bed, his eyes on his phone. He looks less formal now with his long-sleeved shirt untacked and his tie hanging loosely on his neck.
I look around his room and admire just how tidy it is and how everything is perfectly in place. There's a brown leather couch at the far corner, just beside the huge window, with a glass table in front of it. I notice a huge novel on top of the table with a pen beside it.
So he reads... Interesting...
I walk towards his closet and try to find something I can wear.
"You took so long in there," he says as he puts away his phone and stares at me with a slight tint of desire in his eyes, since I'm in a towel that embraces my curves.
"Something wrong with that?" I ask, still going through his closet.
He shrugs.
I start going through his closet, looking for something to wear.
"What are you looking for?"
"Something I can wear," I reply.
He stands up and fetches a huge black T-shirt and throws it at me.
"I'll be in the living room."
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
The plan was to burst Jace in his house, then kiss and make love after the surprise.
But no.
I am in a stranger's house, whose real name I don't know by the way. With my hair tied up in a messy bun and wearing his huge T-shirt which makes me feel like an atom.
He's still busy on his phone when I walk to the living room. His massive living room. I can't help but notice the expensive modern furniture, from the couches to the table to the fireplace to the flat-screen to the glittering delicate chandelier to the beautiful paintings hang on the wall.
I walk barefoot on the crystal-tiled floor and throw myself on the sofa, just beside him.
"I'm Camilla Clarkson."
He's a bit surprised. "You share a name with my mom. Though she likes being called Mila."
"It's only my friends that call me Mila. I hate that name."
"Why do you hate that name, Mila?"
"I don't remember saying you are my friend," I giggle. "Enough with the teasing, this is the part you also tell me your name."
He looks as if he's in deep thought whether to tell me or not.
"Ramon Darke."
"And what do you do, Ramon?" I ask.
"I am studying law. I am graduating this year..."
"That's Interesting. My friend is also studying law and she's graduating at the end of this year," I say and I don't know why I had to tell him all that. It's not like he cares.
"I am also graduating at the end of this year. And you?" he asks.
"I just graduated. I was doing marketing and finance at Oxford University."
"Sounds great."
"Yea. So I will be working at my dad's company as the CEO."
Ramon looks at me, as if taken aback by what I just said. "Why should you act as the CEO of your dad's company? What's his job?"
"He's dead," I say and watch him start to give me that pitiful look. I ignore it and say, "I know he would be proud of me doing this for his company."
It's been seconds with this guy and I am opening up like I have known him forever. This is not good. I don't open up to strangers. Ever! He's the first stranger.
"He would be more than proud," he adds.
"You don't know that," i say swiftly and get rid of the topic. "I wanna go sleep. Please show me my room."
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
I wake up with the sun shining on my face, a little drool on the pillow. I groan as I sit up on the bed. I am about to hop off the bed when I see Ramon stepping out of the shower, his length printed on the towel draped on his waist. His brown silky hair is ruffled up and his chest is broader than I imagined. In short, Ramon is sizzling hot from head to toe.
He notices I'm staring and a slight smile flickers on his face and I quickly face away.
He clears his throat. "I made you breakfast by the way."
I smile. "Thanks."
He walks to his closet and takes out a suit. He reaches for the door and looks at me. "If you need anything, just ask."
"Could you please do me a favor, Ramon?"
÷÷÷÷÷÷
The Mercedes Benz comes to a stop. I am about to climb out of the car when I see Ramon rushing to open the door for me.Ramon stretches his hand out to me and I take it and step out of the car. It's the first time I am seeing him in broad daylight. The sun looks good on his perfect caramel skin. He looks dapper in a black, perfectly ironed suit and a maroon tie.He bought me a pair of jeans, a buggy girly shirt and some pair of sneakers since my clothes were wet and dirty. I threw them away. He insisted on buying me more clothes but I refused. He's way too kind and it's kind of scary. Honestly..."Thanks for driving me home," I tell him looking up at him.He displays a broad smile that makes him way cuter than he is. "it's nothing, Mila."I groan. "Please stop calling me that.""Okay, Mila..." he chuckles.I scowl at him and he facepalms. "Sorry Mila
I could not find the right words to tell Jace at the time. I just wanted him to leave. I didn't want to see his face anywhere near me. So I told him,"Leave!" then I slammed the door."We are here!!!"I stop recalling all of yesterday's events and climb out of my uncle's car. Today is the day I see my mom after a long long time.My uncle says he will be busy today and can't find time to stop by and say hi. I know he just doesn't want to see my mom."Bye." I wave him as he drives away.I open the gate quickly and head towards the bungalow. It's not as big as I thought but it's something. At least it has a wide pool outside and a massive patio just beside the house. It's a cute house, no denying.I ring the doorbell."Mila!" my mom throws her hands around me and hugs me so t
"Morning Mila!"My mom blurts, grinning at me as if her life depends on it.Ugh! Did she have to wake me up screaming? She knows I hate that. She's been doing that since I was a kid and I am tired of telling her to stop because it all falls on deaf ears.I sit up on bed, dragging myself, still groggy with sleep. I have only slept for two seconds I swear. I had trouble falling asleep last night;thinking about Jace, Hannah and Karla, and how they hurt me... Thinking about them pisses me off and I feel stupid for ever trusting them. Strange enough, I also thought about him... Ramon... I know he's just a stranger but honestly, I don't know how I would have made it through that night without him...My mom draws the royal blue long curtains and the room is swathed in sunlight. It's a bright day outside;at least the first time the sun has shone brightly since I came bac
I wake up, squinting my eyes. There's just too much sunlight in my room and my eyes can't take it.I glance at the clock.It's 9:30 am.Too early for a person not going to work.Wait, why didn't my mom come to wake me up or draw the curtains? Honestly, that's strange. Very very strange. Or did she finally choose to listen to me? No... My mom would never listen to me.I crawl from the bed, leaving it messed up and head to the bathroom to brush my teeth. As I brush my teeth, I hear voices from the living room. It's a man's voice. Maybe it's Andrew. No, it couldn't be. He leaves at 7:30 sharp for work, my mom told me that.We have a visitor?I sure as hell hope it is my uncle. We have a lot to talk about businesswise. Especially about the company and about my inheritance. Now that I'm almost reaching twenty one, I'm eligi
I slept till noon. Yes, noon.I love sleeping. Especially when I feel bored and sad, something which is common these days ever since I caught Jace cheating on me.I wake up feeling tired, my head slightly aching. I drag myself from the bed and draw the curtains.I brush my teeth and decide to be obedient for once ; I spread my bed and tidy up my room since I am leaving for my uncle's place and I don't want my mom to find my room messed up. She's such a perfectionist. And she freaks out at tiny things.After making up my room, I head to the kitchen and pick a green apple in the fridge. I munch on it as I make some coffee and a sandwich. I note that my mom had packed some sausages and cookies before she left and left a note on top of the dish.I know you woke up at noon... So instead of breakfast, I'll tell you to have yourself a great lunch, lazy bones!
"You are in trouble! Again!"Ramon grins victoriously at me. "And I have to play the hero again."I wrap my arms across my chest and smirk, "It's not my fault you can't help but stalk me all the time."Ramon snickers, "Me? Stalk you?"I grin at him. "Yea. It explains why you are here in the middle of the night fixing my car."Ramon sighs. "I am just from Woods Bar," he admits.So he drinks..."I don't drink though," he's not looking at me. He is busy using the spanner."And you're just from the bar.""A friend had requested me to take her to drink so I could drive her home...""Oh..." is all I can say. Then a question rings in my mind."Why don't you drink?"He stops for a while, sa
"You are in trouble! Again!"Ramon grins victoriously at me. "And I have to play the hero again."I wrap my arms across my chest and smirk, "It's not my fault you can't help but stalk me all the time."Ramon snickers, "Me? Stalk you?"I grin at him. "Yea. It explains why you are here in the middle of the night fixing my car."Ramon sighs. "I am just from Woods Bar," he admits.So he drinks..."I don't drink though," he's not looking at me. He is busy using the spanner."And you're just from the bar.""A friend had requested me to take her to drink so I could drive her home...""Oh..." is all I can say. Then a question rings in my mind."Why don't you drink?"He stops for a while, sa
It's 2:45pm.Our date is at 3:00pm.It is a five-minute walking distance from mom's place. So I don't need a car.I check my bag one last time. My new phone. My charger. My water bottle. Wet wipes. A pack of pads. A roll of tissue. A pair of sunglasses.Perfect. I am good to go.I put on my round green-ish sunglasses, which I bought just the other day.After all that, I finally lock the door since no one is home. Andrew, who I rarely see, is obviously at work. I don't know what my mom is upto but she's been looking extremely good lately and happy. Very happy. I am sure Andrew makes her more than happy. And to top it all off, she checks her diet and eats very healthily. I saw her in a gym attire today, which means she's obviously working out.Honestly, in my late forties, I want to look as young