Chapter 4

  Days passed and my path never crossed again with Loren’s. My performance in both work and law school went well, except for the multiple attempts of guys in getting my number.

  The landlady also had visited me twice already. I just can’t budget my salary for my daily expenses and school. I’m thankful that she somehow understands, though.

  I am now here at The Lib again, and as usual, I am doing digests and lots of readings and ghostwriting for extra income. Law school is probably the most consuming time of my life. So I ought to make sure that it’s gonna be worth it in the end.

  I was moving on to the next case when Kate suddenly sat in front of me.

  “You okay?” I asked. She looked pale and her nose is reddish.

  “It’s so cold outside.” She muttered after sipping on my coffee.

  I just looked at the transparent glass wall beside me and nodded before resuming my digests. I was handwriting them because it was ordered in our memo.

  During my first year, my penmanship sucks so I thought I wouldn’t make it to law school, but eventually, after a pile of things to write every day and night, it improved.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Digests.”

  She frowned at me. “You still have classes after?”

  I shook my head while writing. I know we’re both law students in the same batch, but I always wonder how she could chill like this knowing that every day is recit day for us.

  “Wanna drink? RB?”

  I looked at her accusingly. “Shut up, I still have work later.” And I can always drink at home. She rolled her eyes and suddenly sneezed in front of me.

  “Hachiw!”

  I glared at her. “Just go home and rest already,” I said and went back to writing.

  “Okay!" She said and acted like she's going to kiss me so I slammed her face with my codal. "Fuck! take care, bitch!” She smiled while wiping her nose. Gross.

  When I finished half of my cases, I stretched my back and yawned. Right, I only got to sleep for four hours last night. I’m just glad I didn’t get a hangover when I drank almost six cans of beer.

  I was arranging my things when Yana called.

  “Ciao, Celine! What are you doing?” She asked.

  “Resting.” I closed my laptop and put the phone in between my cheek and shoulder.

  “Veramente?  That’s good! Can you come here? I’m cooking Panzanella, I’m sure you haven’t eaten yet. You should try this!”  She said enthusiastically. My lips formed a beam as I put my things inside my bag.

  “You’re cooking what?”

  “Panzanella! It’s Italian food and this is one of my favorites! It’s my first time cooking my own, though.” I could already imagine her creasing her forehead while looking at her dish.

  “Alright,” I said and hung up.

  “So how was it?” She asked while looking at my reaction upon tasting the food.

  I frowned and shook my head. “You call this Italian food? This is just bread and tomato with lots of onion.” I said as a matter of fact.

  Her shoulders sank and she glared at me. “I added spices!” She grabbed the plate from me and walked towards her fridge. She came back with a glass of water and placed it on the table.

  We went to the living room and sat down on her feminine sofa. There are fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and the likes on her coffee table. She wants to pursue modeling internationally.

  “Why don’t you just become a model here?” I asked. She can eat those local models and climb up to the top at once with that exquisite face and body. Seriously, she’s the prettiest in UP.

  She sighed and leaned on the backrest. “I want to finish my studies first before becoming one. I don’t just want to be called a ‘pretty face’.” She answered. I gave her an approving nod. That’s a good, justifiable reason.

  “How about you? I’ve never seen you with anyone since we met. Don’t you date?”

  I raised a brow. “Does it matter?”

  “Of course. You’re like.. 26, right? For me, okay, it’s not normal to be single for 26 years straight.” She explained and laughed.

  “Of course, I dated before,” I said as I remembered myself way back in my undergrad years.

  Her eyes widened and instantly came closer to me. “Really?! who’s the lucky guy? How long did you last? Why did you break up?”

  I rolled my eyes at her. Can’t she ask one by one? “It wasn’t even a year, I think. I broke up with him. He doesn’t love me, though. He just.. want ‘that’.” She pouted.

  “You did the right choice. Men like them are trash.” she smiled.

  “It’s your birthday next week, right?” I asked.

  “I thought you forgot!” She hit me on my shoulder. Later on, she frowned. “You’ll come, right?” She asked.

  I remember that her family won’t come because she’s being hidden by the public. Her family is powerful in Italy but I can’t understand their need to get rid of her. That’s just so cruel.

  “Just promise me you won’t cook.” I teased and we both laughed. She’s a bad cook.

  I cooked our dinner and we ate before I left her condo. When I saw the elevator’s about to close, I ran towards them and blocked the door with my hand, only to be stunned by the people inside.

  It was Loren inside wearing a black t-shirt and pants. His hair’s a bit messy and he’s not alone. His hand is resting on a woman’s waist beside him. She was wearing a tube top and a mini skirt.

  When he noticed that I wasn’t moving, he raised a brow and looked at me suspiciously. So I had no choice but to get in. When the doors closed. I overthought what happened before. Of course, he still remembers it! And what? He's with another girl again?!

  “Hm..” I suddenly stopped thinking when I heard the woman’s voice. “Babe, this is so embarrassing.. ohh.. stop..” She moans flirtatiously. I doubt she’s embarrassed.

  I clenched my fists and looked at the stainless door in front, only to see their stupid reflection. I can slightly see Loren’s hand inside the girl’s skirt. I bet he’s doing wonders. How could they do that here?! People I’m fucking breathing! We're onthe  15th floor and it sucks!

  When the elevator beeped, I immediately went out of there. It was like finally breathing normal air after years of being suffocated inside of that cursed elevator. And why were they even on the highest floor of this building? Are they neighbors with Yana?!

  “Bye Celine! See you next week!” I smiled at Kate and nodded before I changed my direction. The org meeting held by our president, Larcon thee, has ended. It’s already 7:52, and it’s dark outside, plus it’s hard to know, fucking raining. I still need to go to work at 8. Damn it.

  I ran to the waiting shed holding my bag at the top of my head to dodge the rain but to no avail. When I reached the shed, I’m already half wet and my bag’s doomed.

  I cursed in my mind when all the jeepneys are full. Even the tricycle drivers are not around because of the rain. I creased my forehead and heaved a sigh. Alright, seems like I’m gonna be late for work. Fuck it.

  Just when I was about to text Steven that I’m in the middle of something, a familiar white Mercedes stopped in front of me. I raised my head to look at it, and when Loren came out of the driver’s seat, I glared at him.

  I observed his wide steps towards me while removing his white polo. My eyes widened when he reached me and covered my back with his polo. He also made me hold it on my front to cover my chest. I was just looking at him like an idiot while he grabbed my bag without any words and dragged me towards his car.

  He opened the front seat and tossed my bag inside. “Get in,” he said with full authority. W-why is he acting like a boss all of a sudden?

  “I’m fine--”

  “I said get the fuck in.”

  God, I got goosebumps hearing him curse that way. Why do I feel like if I made the wrong choice, he’ll execute me? When he realized I wasn’t moving, he glared at me using his darkest and serious eyes so my knees instantly trembled.

  Fuck what the fuck is happening to me?!

  I went inside his car in surrender. He closed it and walked to the other way to sit on the driver. When he closed the door, that’s when my heart hammered my chest wildly.

  I can’t believe that after all that happened, after I just considered him a fuckboy in my mind.. here I am, sitting right beside him holding my damn breath.