CHAPTER 1: The Encounter

Enzo's POV

8:32 PM

"Aaaah!" I shouted as I face the outside view before the terrace. I am in the balcony of my room.

I'm still stuck between regret and pain. Oh, fuck! You want to know why? I am still in dire pain because until now, I hasn't moved on yet from my ex-girlfriend named Dina. She replaced me just yesterday with her new toy—I mean her new boyfriend, that stupid rich man's old sugar daddy of hers. Her taste to men is giving me heart attack—of course, I am an exemption.

I started to cry like a baby even if there is no single tear leaving my beautiful eyes. Oh, I am such a cocky man.

Of course, self love first. Really, Enzo?

"Big bro!" My sister named Lira interrupted the scene I am making in the balcony as she entered my room without hinting me. "What are you shouting at in the balcony, bro? You looked idiot there, you know?!"

Lira is just like me. An over reacting teenage girl. Making small things like the biggest deals just to be exaggerated. Well, where did we inherit it? Of course from our Filipina mother.

"What do you think you are doing, you brat?! I am living my life here! Why did you interrupt me making a scene?! It's almost the climax!" I took the hanger on the laundry bin and threw it to her with all my force.

"Ouch! That hurts, bro! You're such a mess!"

"I really am a ball of craziness especially if you're trying to pry with my drama!"

"What a dork," she mumbled. "I just want to give this letter that I got in the mailbox! It's from your whore ex-girlfriend!"

I looked at her menacingly the moment I heard her called my ex a whore. With that said, she chose to left the letter on top of my bed and stormed out of my room as fast as she could as if she's dodging a ghost. If she's not going to do that? She knew already what would happen next to her—I'm going to beat her up.

When she totally disappeared in my room, I quickly ran towards the bed and took the letter from my ex.

Excitedly opening the letter. "She must hit her head on the wall and got realized that I really am the one destined for her. Of course, I'm seeing that one coming." I couldn't be more giddy that I almost crumpled the letter because of the excitement just by thinking of the possibility of getting our relationship back again.

I'm releasing sigh of high hopes. "Oh, my dear, Dina, I knew it. You cannot endure living without me so you chose to come back."

I made a squeaky sounds like a dolphin as I feel the excitement building up inside me.

I read the letter.

Hey, you boy! I am glad indeed with our cheap memories when we were still together. I think, I am happy and content with this old man even if he's not as handsome as you. Any fucking ways, stop sulking and yelling your lungs out in your balcony, you look like idiot. You must have forgotten that I am just living next door. But seriously, thank you for everything, Enz. Like really. And also, stop sneezing your socks, it is making you feel high. Baboo!

I was left speechless after reading her letter. What the fuck did I just read? That girl is insane!

I know that we were in the same neighborhood but she's more idiot. How very dare her to call me that. If she knew that we're living in the same neighborhood then what's the point of giving letters if she could have just send it through messenger app anyway? She even got the courage to leave it in our rusty mailbox. She's giving me a ball of brain tumor.

I crumpled the letter and threw it straight to the trash bin.

"Is this for real?"

"Ay putang ina ka!" I spat in shock when someone just talked out of nowhere, it's Lira again. I thought she already left.

"Are you done with her? Is that true? Are you not breaking hurt anymore?" Lira is trying to annoy me and she's actually winning.

"Your stupidity is really skyrocketing that it almost took our roof off." I rolled my eyes at her. "It should be broken hearted not breaking hurt! You're just wasting the tuition fees that I am paying in your university," I ranted. She was halted upon hearing my backfire to her senseless lines.

"Whatever, dude!" she finalled then leave the room.

When I fully made sure that she's no longer here, I laid my back against the bed, took the pillow beside me and covered it to my face. I better take a sleep than making my brain cells tired of thinking of my ex-girlfriend.

But I couldn't sleep! Fuck these eyes!

I woke up again and tried to ransack my mind. What else should I do to find my drowsiness?

Maybe using my laptop could help me find drowsy. Definitely, that's a wonderful idea of mine. Well, I am Enzo Romero after all. The moment I turned on the laptop, the first thing that showed up to my face is the Gomez Robotics' website.

My dream company.

"I know someday, I will get the chance to work with the Gomez Robotics." I should manifest that one.

Gomez Robotics is the leading company in the country because of their quality service and technological advancements in their products. Alberto Gomez is the Chairman and Founder of it, and he's still making the company run in the industry. As far as I know, he has a grand son who will take over his position once the Chairman isn't able to fulfill his duty anymore, but I have no idea what his grand son looks like. I don't even know his name.

While I am the midst of scrolling the said website, my eyes widened as I saw the announcement page. They are open for hiring. Shit, this is my time!

Without hesitations and doubts, I passed my resume immediately through online and other needed requirements as stated on the announcement board. I will go to their company tomorrow to officially apply myself.

What a good way to end the night! I think, I will have a great slumber! I hope you all are too.

6:30 AM

I was awakened from my soundly sleep by a loud annoying voice. I guess it's mom's.

"Enzo! Can you please wake up?! It's already six in the morning! What do you want to do? Make your balls bigger?" I woke up forcibly because of my mother's loud voice. I covered my ears using my two hands because she's really an ear sore.

Here we go again with her loud and annoying voice like there is an amplifier inside her vocal throat. Asian moms are really annoyingly loud especially my mom.

Growling. "Mom, mom! Can you please tone down your voice? It's just six in the morning and here you are shouting at your handsome son. Can't you be considerate with the neighborhood as well whose hearing your voice?"

"Who told you I cared about them? And also stop lecturing me, Enzo! I am your mother. Hurry up and wake up, I don't want a slow man."

"But, I'm still sleepy."

She held my hand tightly and pulled me off forcibly hoping to make me stand up but I ended up falling on the floor. "No, wake up and eat your breakfast on the table! It will get cold."

"Later—"

"One! Don't make me count, Enzo!"

"But you already did!"

"Enzo, I know you're still in pain because of your whore ex-girlfriend but please wake up, eat your food, find a job and the last thing you will do is forget about your whore ex-girlfriend!"

It's so annoying to hear your family mocking your ex-girlfriend. With that being said, the pillow beside me suddenly flew towards her direction but it failed hitting her as she instinctively avoided it. I looked at her eyes menacingly and there I saw my sister on the doorway of my room, keeping a distance with me because she also did the same thing last night.

She's doing nothing but I still find her annoying! Obviously, they are messing around with me again.

"Ops, big bro is turning bull again!" mocked Lira before they left me in my room.

"Those two are such a crazy heads, what a dork." I told myself as I lifted myself up. They just did that on purpose, to take away my drowsiness.

And because I can't go back to sleep again, I decided to wake up and follow mom. But before I leave my room, I cleaned up everything from the bed to my working table. I also took a bath and readied myself for the application to the Gomez Robotics so I couldn't run out of time. I chose the best suit in my closet so the owner would lay an eye on me.

Afterwards, I went downstairs to have a short breakfast with them.

I was halted upon reaching the kitchen when I saw my mom and younger sister laughing at the topic they are sharing with each other. A smile escaped from my lips.

Kidding aside, even if they are messing every single of my day, they are mocking my ex-girlfriend, trying to annoy me and winning every single time, still, I love them so much for they are the only people left with me. I am aware that those words coming from their mouths, treatment being shown through their actions are just a product of their love for our family.

We're keeping the bubbly vibe in the family because we don't want to feel incomplete.

Even if our father just passed away last month because of the severe Pneumonia, we're still trying to cope with sadness and longingness. We want to be happy because that is what our father wants for us to feel.

I am now responsible for our family especially mom's situation. As much as possible, I don't let her feel being out of place and lonely so she couldn't think of leaving us too.

I was cut off to my deep thought when mom noticed me standing beside the staircase. "Oh, Enzo, hurry up and eat with us! And... What's with the formal attire?" She's scrutinizing my entirety but I ignored it.

"It seems like you're having a good talk, huh," I said while storming the way to the dining table.

Lira just interjects, "Yes we are. Sit down already and eat your breakfast. Look at your food, bro, it gone cold because of your slowness. And where are you going? Don't tell me, you're going to Dina—"

"Shut up, Lira." She just rolled her eyes to me as I told her to zip her mouth.

I eat my food quietly while listening to their crazy conversation. Well, you can clearly see that girls are really getting so well when it comes to handsome guys. I don't meddle with them because this is just a girly thing. I stood up from my seat after eating my breakfast.

"Oh, done already?" asked mom.

"Yes, I need to go early so I could not be late to the application." They both stared at me in disbelief. Their eyes were telling me that they don't want to believe me.

"Is that for real? You are two years jobless. Are you really looking for a job today?" Lira asked as if she's not really believing it.

"Shut up, Lira." I kissed the top of her head as I say that whereas I kissed my mom's cheeks. "Lira, look after mom, okay?" I reminded because I am leaving the two of them here in the house.

"Copy, bro!" she even does a salute sign like an idiot.

"Such a dork!"

After that conversation with them, I went outside the house and wait for the tricycle to come over.

"What the heck?!" I said in disgust as no even a single tricycle is coming to this way.

It's been twenty minutes since I have had waited here, I think I should take a run to the terminal so I could not be late to the application. I was about to leave when I heard someone called my name and a grating sound of the tricycle.

"Enzo! Where are you going?" I blew a deep breath as I saw my friend named Gino, a tricycle driver in our neighborhood.

"I'm going to apply for a job, brad."

"Oh, I see. There's no tricycle here because the road is under construction there. You know, typical Filipino habit, repairing the repaired roads just to say that they are spending the country's money for the betterment." I laughed at his account because it is somehow true.

"Nice entry, brad!"

"Anyways, let me drive you to the terminal but pay me Php 25.00, okay? You know, I need to take the other route so you will not be late." I agreed to the offer although twenty five pesos is expensive for a single commuter like me but I need his service right now and he's my friend so am not going to complain.

"Fine, let's go!"

I hop in his tricycle and started to depart. Just like what he promised, he took other routes so we could avoid traffics and under construction roads. When Gino take the descending road going to the terminal, his tricycle's speed increased quickly as it is being push by the force.

"Brad, please be extra careful, I still want to see myself living with my dreams. My simple reminder is that heaven is not our destination but the terminal." My voice almost crack in nervousness. I also gave him my feared smile that made him laugh.

Laughing himself out. "You're so funny, Enzo! Of course, I'm being careful. If I'm not, both of us will die in doom. So, don't worry about my driving. I will bring you to the terminal with complete body."

I did not bother myself to answer him but rather took my cell phone out of my pocket and look at Dina's picture. I'm trying to disturb myself.

I heaved a deep sigh. "Why am I so in love with you even if you're a whore?" I whispered.

I was cut at looking at Dina's picture when I heard a loud horn from the other car. I almost bumped my head onto the mirror when Gino stopped the tricycle abruptly. The force is all mine, that's why.

"What happened?!" I asked curiously.

I immediately alighted from the tricycle so I could see the igniting commotion.

"Look what you did?! I almost crashed into your tricycle!"

<a novel written by kuyasitan>