CHAPTER FOUR: "That's my girl."

//Chandra Margaret//

I woke up feeling a little dizzy. It's look like I over nap. With my still sleepy head, I go down to look for my brother. I immediately saw him in the kitchen cooking. I frown "what's that?" I ask.

Oh, judging from the smell, I think I know. It's Pancit canton. I like it more than spaghetti. I remember when we are still young, whenever I see Kuya we will eat five packs of pancit canton. With our small mouth, we can eat it all in one go.

"You haven't eaten anything. I kind of cook this since I will be taking you to the mall later." As Kuya inform me about mall, my sleepy head wake up. I smile and think of the book that I will buy.

"It's for the new semester right?" I ask to make sure. I don't want to buy anything anyway. Kuya Mayk nodded his head.

"Yeah, you don't have things since I told you to leave all your old school materials in Province." Yeah, he told me that.

When we are done eating, I immediately go in my room to change my clothes. I just wore a simple black leggings and my signature hoodie with my favorite band name on it. I take my sneakers and my phone with some extra money. To think of it, I don't want Kuya to spend his money on me. But I know he will. 

"Stone will go with us Chan. I think he will buy something too and his motorcycle is still in a repair shop." Kuya Mayk inform me as I go down the stairs. It makes me frown. 

"The gloomy boy?" I ask to make sure. Kuya Mayk laugh a little and I was shock when a voice speak with a mix of my brother's laughter. "I heard that... Margaret." 

I look at the living room to see Stone reading some magazines. I laugh nervously as I walk down completely. "Come on guys. Let's not waste any time here Let's go!"

I think that's a better Idea. I choose to sit in the back seat. And I was Schock when the other door burst open revealing the gloomy Stone. "Hey! Still not into shotguns?" Kuya ask. Stone just nod a little and Kuya Mayk look at me. "Do you wanna sit here in front?" He ask.

I smile at him. "Nope. I'm not used in seating in front." I just don't want to wear seatbelts. And seating in front requires it. Kuya Mayk just shrug and start the engine. I keep my hands inside my hoodie as it plays with my fluffy keychain ball.

I always found myself nervous whenever I'm around Stone. Maybe he's gloomy and I smell his badboy perfume. It's smell so good to the point I would love to ask him his perfume brand. But we are not close enough to ask questions to each other and I don't want to associate myself with bad news. Momma told me to be a good girl. 

When we finally arrived at the mall I bit my lip when Excitement eats me alive. "Wait, the two of you should probably go inside, I need to find a spot to park the car." Kuya said making me frown. On no, he will leave me with his bestfriend. 

When the car stopped in the middle of the parking lot, Stone go outside so I follow him. I don't want to get lost since I don't know anything here in their place.

"Chandra, stay close to Stone. Don't go anywhere without him, K?" Kuya look at me in the eyes. I hesitated for a second. I don't want to be with this man.

But in the end, I just smile at Kuya and nodded my head. Now here I am. Looking at the car as he drove away to find an empty spot. Finding empty parking spot in the mall is always a pain in the ass.

"Come on. Let's go inside. It's hot here." He said in his grumpy voice. Is he always like this? I ask myself. Gosh! It's awkward! 

There is a lot of people in the elevator as we go inside. It feels uncomfortable for me since I don't like using Elevators. My pointing fingers reaches my ears to massage it a little bit as I feel the Elevator to move. People move so it's getting firmly. Stone and I are in the edge of the Elevator. And I almost stop breathing with Stone's sudden move. 

It was a swift move when he pin me in the wall where there is more space. My heart is beating so fast as I nervously look at Stone who is so close to me. It's like he's shielding me with his body. To protect me with the other people.

And why does it feels like this Elevator will take forever to reach the mall floor?! I accidentally look at Stone's eyes. It was so emotionless while my eyes are nervous and keep on blinking.

I thank god when the Elevator finally stop. I breath out. Gosh! That was so intense! Stone started walking so I follow him while on my own thoughts.

To think of it, I shoulf called them Kuya. Since they are one year ahead of me. I'm in my 12th grade and they are in their first year collage. I stop thinking when I hit a hard wall--wait, oh no. It's not a hard wall. It's Stone's back!

"S--sorry--" My words are cut off my his question. "Where do you want to go first since your brother is taking his time finding a spot?" Stone ask. First thing came into my mind is the book store. I really want to go there.

"In the book store?" I answer who looks like a question. Stone just nod before he walks and I follow him. Seconds passed by and I can finally smell the texture of the books with a twist of smell of coffee and wine.

I excitedly go to fictional books erea. I scan the whole shelves until I saw a classic old book. My eyes shine as I look at the cover. "Wow!" I excitedly look at Stone. "This is the very first cover of this book!" 

I excitedly flip the pages and my heart instantly melt. Gosh, I can smell the hard work of ghibli in creating this into a perfect movie. My smile instantly drop and confusion eats me while my heart start to beat so fast when I heard what Stone say.

"That's my girl." Stone voice is so gentle to the point I have to look at him to see if it's really him who speak. My mouth hang open when our eyes met. My heart is pounding so fast! I was thinking if I'm still normal at this rate.

Wait, what did he just said?!