Chapter 5

When I went downstairs to Lola Aida's house, I found Dominic there, drinking coffee. Lola Aida was nowhere to be seen, but when I peeked inside their house, I spotted her there. I don't know if I should continue walking. Dominic is there, busy with his coffee and still, not noticing me.

He saw me cry yesterday, but he didn't ask about it. He even turned his back and pretended to be a standee just to let me cry in peace. A very considerate man, he is.

"Raegan?" His voice snaps me out of my thoughts. When I looked at him, I saw a smile on his lips. The wind was dancing through his hair, leaving his face completely visible. He waved at me before gesturing for me to come over, so I walked toward him.

"Good morning," I greeted and sat across from him.

He brushed his messy hair aside. "Good morning too. Did you sleep well?" he asked, his eyes focused on me.

I smiled a bit. "It was cold last night, so I slept soundly," I said, looking around at the damp surroundings.

"It rained last night. Were there any leaks? I remember there are holes in the roof of your place. Did it drip on you?" he asked, bringing my gaze back to him.

"Not really," I answered. "Though when I woke up, the kitchen floor was a bit wet," I added with a laugh.

Dominic chuckled softly too before taking a sip of his coffee. "Don't worry, I'll patch that up when I have the time," he said. Our conversation was cut short when Lola Aida stepped out carrying food. Dominic and I immediately stood up to help the elderly woman.

"Good morning," I greeted as she approached. Lola Aida smiled at me and gently stroked my hair before greeting me back.

Dominic kissed his lola on the cheek, which made me smile. They look happy even in their simple life. No luxurious things, no luxurious house, yet their smiles are priceless. It looks genuine and I hope, I could also feel that genuine happiness.

Someday.

"Do you have work today?" I heard Lola Aida ask her grandson. They invited me to have breakfast with them as usual, so I stayed and ate.

Dominic turned to his grandmother. "I'm accompanying Lester later. He says he's meeting a seller for a motorcycle part, so he asked me to tag along so he'll have backup just in case he gets scammed," Dominic shared with a laugh.

"Will you be there until afternoon?"

The male shook his head. "Probably just until noon. We'll just be right in front of Shopwise," he answered. I was surprised when Lola Aida glanced at me.

"Raegan, hija, you haven't gone around tPacita yet, right?" Lola Aida asked me.

Pacita? Was that the name of the place where I was?

I nodded while chewing the food. Lola Aida smiled at me before turning back to her grandson.

"Why don't you take Raegan out for a walk when you get back, Dominic?" she suggested. My eyes dilated before shifting to Dominic, who was surprisingly watching me. His eyes seemed to be waiting for my reaction too.

He suddenly smiled at me. "If Raegan agrees. For me, I have no problem taking her out," he said.

What is my heart doing? Why is it beating this fast?

After breakfast, Dominic was fetched by Lester and they left. I stayed behind to help Lola Aida. I have gotten used to helping the elderly woman because I know she is all alone here. It was no trouble for me because whenever I am home, I get bored, and sometimes when I'm alone, I just stare blankly, which leads to remembering things I want to forget. At least when I am at Lola Aida's house, I have someone to talk to.

"Lola, how old is Dominic?" I asked while wiping a freshly washed plate with a clean dishcloth.

The elderly woman turned to me. "My grandson? I think he's around twenty-five? I'm not sure. I'm sorry, I'm getting old and forgetful, but my grandson is in his twenties," Lola Aida answered. "How about you, hija? How old are you?"

I smiled a bit. "I'm twenty-three," I replied.

"Where did you come from before you moved here?" she asked me, which made me stop wiping. I glanced at Lola Aida, but she was busy washing the plates.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. "I came from Manila," I answered, and I was deeply grateful that she didn't ask a follow-up question.

I stayed at their house until lunchtime. I had already taken a shower earlier this morning and practically ate here, so I had nothing left to do at home.

Lola Aida let me rest at their house while she cooked food for lunch. I wanted to help, but Lola Aida insisted she could handle it, so I just looked at the photographs in their living room.

I saw photos of Dominic as a child. I recognized him because of his familiar eyes. I chuckled at the adorable child. He had a chubby body, and his cheeks looked like siopao. There was also a picture where Dominic was carried by a man I assumed was his father because they looked alike. I also saw Lola Aida's photo with a beautiful woman. I could see their resemblance from the posture, eye shape, even the shape of their faces. No doubt, it's Lola Aida's daughter. Maybe, Dominic's mother.

While looking at the pictures, I wandered into their hallway leading to the three rooms there. There was one in the middle, one on the left, and one on the right. The room on the right was open, and the curtain was blowing in the wind. I could see a bed and a fan. A transparent drawer stood beside the bed, and I squinted my eyes to see medicines inside. Lola Aida's bedroom.

I didn't pry any further and just continued looking at the photos hanging on the wall. I saw photos of Dominic's graduation from elementary to high school. I smiled seeing some of his photos from events like sports fest, where he was holding a trophy with a medal around his neck. There were many pictures in their house, so I was entertained until I heard a familiar voice.

"I look handsome there, right?" I turned toward the voice and saw Dominic. When our eyes met, he smirked before walking closer. He looked at the photo I was examining and pointed at it.

"I was in high school there, and I was the captain of our volleyball team. It was my first time playing, so I was nervous because I might disappoint the team and our coach. I was anxious, but..." he paused before gulping and glancing at me. His eyes held an unknown emotion, but he smiled again like usual.

"Anyway, we won that match! We were even the overall champions," he said, making me smile.

"You love playing volleyball?"

Dominic stared at the photo before nodding. I noticed his eyes softening. "I love volleyball. I became obsessed with it back in high school," he said.

A guy who plays volleyball, unlike him who loves basketball. I remembered how the money we saved back then would just be depleted because of his betting on basketball with his friends. There were also times when he would come home with bruises because they played on another court and got into a fight over basketball.

I blinked and cleared my throat. Stop thinking about that fucker, Raegan.

"Raegan? What time do you want to go out?" Dominic's question snaps me out. "You agreed earlier, right?"

I nodded, remembering that I agreed earlier.

"Uhm, are there many places we're going to visit?" I asked him. Dominic looked up for a moment before shaking his head.

"Not really. Let's just explore around Pacita for now. Next time, we can go outside Pacita," he said. When I couldn't answer, he offered a suggestion. "If you want, we can leave around four o'clock? So it won't be too hot for you." I smiled at his consideration before nodding.

After that talk with Dominic, Lola Aida called us for lunch. Dominic and I headed over together and shared the meal. I watched the guy as he served food for his grandmother. The joy in the elderly woman's eyes was completely visible as she looked at her grandson.

"Raegan, how much rice should I give you?" I stared at him and smiled.

Dominic is far different from that asshole. Completely different, and this time, it's only peace and comfort I'm feeling. Not the terrifying and painful feelings.