Chapter 9

When I got home, I immediately searched those people on a social media platform. I searched Sarah and Alex first since they were going to the same school. Then I looked up their mutual friends. I tried looking for them based on their looks and their first names that we eavesdropped earlier. Also, if they were tagged on a post that was related to the annual event of the campus. And there, I found Sera and Paulo. They have a picture together with smiles on their faces. They really looked cute together and very close. The man is really good looking, compared to that guy that Sera was with earlier. Sera looks happy in all these pictures. But sometimes, you really can’t base everything you see in social media.

I took a screenshot of their pictures then I saved this in one folder on the desktop. A notification from the friends requests suddenly popped up. I immediately looked it up and saw that Neil Wilson added me to be his contact. I accepted it.

Neil

I already wrote the letter and placed it outside our door.

Ella

Actually, I found some screenshots here that you may have to look at first.

Neil

Okay. Send it here.

Ella

You sent 5 photos.

Neil

Interesting.

Ella

Do you think Sera was just confused?

My phone suddenly rang and saw that it was Neil calling. I answered it right away.

“She is possibly confused,” he said, still in his natural deep voice. Then I heard him yawning right after. “We really can’t tell what’s inside the woman’s heart and mind.”

“Just the woman?” I asked. Because I remember that he was also having his issues with that newly wed couple that night. And he looked like he was denying the fact that he was hurting that night, or not speaking about it. So his sexist comment somewhat made my eyebrow raised.

“Women are confusing. Of course, you didn’t know it yet because you’re still single.”

“Are you insulting me?” I asked him.

“I still placed the letter outside the office. We’ll know tomorrow if Sera is really telling the truth about her feelings.

I sighed then I realized that I was also tired since it was already about to be midnight. “Fine. We’ll check on it first.”

I heard him chuckling that made my eyebrows furrowed. “Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing. I noticed that you’re so invested in this that I am starting to think that you’re already working with me.”

Wait a minute, was I? 

“Anyway, go back here first thing in the morning so we can discuss more about your payment and schedule after Sera’s case.”

Before I could even say something, he already dropped the call. Why is he always in a hurry? I shook my head then turned off the laptop and went to sleep.

The next day, I was wearing a blue sweater and matched it with beige jeans and white rubber shoes. It was morning when I entered the school premises and was greeted with a crowd of students walking towards the school buildings, same as me. 

I arrived at Neil’s office and saw him reading a paper that appears to be a folded paper from the Sera’s envelope.

“What did she say?” I asked as I dropped my backpack on the sofa.

“She said that she finally decided to turns down Paulo,” Neil said then he placed the paper back on the desk again. He yawned very long that made me start the insides of his mouth. Afterwards, I noticed that he looked tired and looked like he needed some sleep.

“What happened to you?” I asked then I picked the paper and partly read it. But I was more curious about what happened to Neil. “You told me to come over here, early in the morning then you ended up the one who needs some sleep.”

“Yeah. I just went somewhere else,” he said as he turned around and grabbed something from the shelves on the wall. 

I tapped my fingers on the table, holding myself to ask more questions about him. I don’t want to read Sera’s letter because I know that there is nothing that we can do about it anymore. If the girl rejects the guy, that’ll be it.

“I assumed that this meeting would be shorter than I thought because we will only be discussing my salary and schedule,” I said.

“Yeah. The thing is, I haven’t thought about it last night,” he said then he turned around to face me then placed some cash and a card from Starbucks on the table. “Can you buy me some coffee, please?”

“I thought I’m just going to help you solve other people’s problems. Not ordering me like a maid.”

He started massaging his temples. He really looked stressed right now that he didn’t have enough time to reply to me. “Just go buy me a cup. And I’ll make this discussion quick.”

I took the cash and the card from the table then I stood from my seat. I stepped outside his office then walked through the hallway where students were walking in different directions. I arrived at Starbucks and fell in line. Then I heard a familiar voice around me. I glanced around and saw Sera’s friend talking to a familiar face of a man.

“Why are you blaming me for this, man? I’ve known Sera for years. You just known her for a month. There’s no way that I am at fault here. You just didn’t pass her standards,” said Sera’s friend.

“Are you sure? Because I know that she likes me,” the guy said. Wait a minute. This is Paulo? He really looked handsome, more handsome compared to the picture that I saw last night.

“How can you be so sure?” Sera’s friend asked as he crossed his arms on his chest.

“Because I know, Sen,” Paulo said with a determined tone.

Sen shook his head with a slight grin formed on his face. He patted Paulo’s shoulder while chuckling. “Dude, you are head over heels to this girl. If she already rejected you, then just let her be. Okay?”

Paulo just looked at the man in front of him. Then after a few seconds of intense staring, Paulo decided to leave the coffee shop. It looked like Paulo couldn’t believe that Sera rejected him. And it looked like he was sure of Sera’s feelings towards him. But that letter is the opposite of it, and how Sera said it yesterday.

It was about my turn for the cashier to take my order. After battling off my thoughts about whether I should just let Paulo leave or asked him about their issue, I decided to leave the shop then followed him.